England’s media and former players and predictably had a field day after Australia’s dramatic collapse on day one of the Ashes in Perth.
The local batting has been written off for struggling to cope with England’s high pace strategy bringing the Aussies to their knees.
They weren’t the only ones sinking the slipper into Australia with Ravichandran Ashwin calling out the hypocrisy over the lack of outrage about the Perth pitch compared to the reaction when India’s wickets produce spinning surfaces that favour the bowlers.
The retired Indian spinner claimed double standards were in play, with 17 wickets falling on day one last year at Optus Stadium for the Test against India with 19 this year in the Ashes opener.
“Only 19 wickets fell at Perth today, but an excellent day’s cricket. Oh no! What if the same happens tomorrow in Guwahati?” he posted on X.
Former England captain Mike Atherton, writing in The Times, said England’s bowling attack led by Jofra Archer blew the Aussies out of the water.
“Archer was so hostile in his opening bursts, which demonstrated the wisdom of England’s patience in nurturing him back to Test cricket.
“Batting was a hazardous business, and not because the pitch contained many demons. It was fast, but true enough.
“There was the kind of physical threat that doesn’t always manifest itself in modern cricket, but adds a tremendous amount to the spectacle.
“Cameron Green was almost knocked through his stumps by Wood, staggering backwards like a heavyweight who had just taken a surprise uppercut.
“The cricket was raw, as it used to be at the WACA, and all the better for it.”
Atherton said Ben Stokes was “in Botham-esque form in the final hour” as he claimed “five cheap wickets in six overs”.
“The game is there for England to grab it now and shape it to their will.”
His fellow former Test skipper, Michael Vaughan, wrote for The Telegraph that this was “the most exciting first day of an Ashes series I can remember”.
“Bowlers win you series, and these bowlers can win England this series,” he wrote.
“There are cracks in this Australia team, and they are getting wider.
“England’s attack will love bowling at Australia’s top three, with its attritional style. They don’t try to go anywhere, or hurt you. That puts so much pressure on Steve Smith.
“Australia have a long-running problem facing proper quick bowling. They have not had much success against it. Jasprit Bumrah caused them all sorts of trouble last year, and you even look back at Shamar Joseph a couple of years ago.
“When they come up against quick bowling on a surface with a bit in it, they will struggle.”
The Guardian cricket correspondent Simon Burton said England’s pace attack bullied the Aussies with a faultless display of raw aggression.
“Atkinson hit Smith on the elbow and Archer returned to propel one ball into his arm and the next into his hand. For a while Australia’s physio was completing more runs than their batters.
“England’s pace bowling unit ended the first day of a long series looking monolithic – daunting, immense and, for now, with no sign of a fault.”
Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad said Stokes’ decision to go all-out pace with no frontline spinner was vindicated
“Ben Stokes would be delighted with the situation,” he said on Seven’s broadcast.
“He’s picked his five seamers with the mindset that they can be relentless.
“Every single spell they can come in, give everything, hit the pitch hard.
“I think we’ve seen from this surface for the taller bowlers, the harder you hit the surface, there’s a bit of variable bounce.
“We’ve seen batters get hit on the back elbow, wear a few on the body.”
The Roarhttps://https://ift.tt/l8SneJh View: ‘Cracks in this Australia team getting wider’, England rejoices after ‘relentless’ pace attack lights up Ashes
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