Thought I might as well get this thread going now, starts this Friday
England need to try and win this one, their record in Perth suggests that may take some doing, as does their form in the series so far. England have won only once at the WACA, lost eight (66.67%) and drawn three times 25.00%)
England's only win at the WACA in December 1978 :
Australia vs England (2nd Test, Ashes 78/79)
England 1st inns - 309 (117.5 overs)
G.Boycott 77, D.Gower 102, G.Miller 40. R.Hogg 5/65
Australia 1st inns - 190 (66.5 overs)
P.Toohey 81no. R.Willis 5/44
England 2nd inns - 208 (66.3 overs)
G.Gooch 43, D.Randall 45. R.Hogg 5/57
Australia 2nd inns - 161 (46.1 overs)
G.Wood 64, G.Cosier 47. P.Lever 4/28, G.Miller 3/21
England won by 166 runs
Botham surprisingly ended wicketless in 11 overs bowled in each innings, but did score 11 and 30 in a fairly low scorer. England were 41/3 in their 1st innings, Australia 100/7 in their's. In Australia's 2nd innings they were 58/4, recovered to 141/4 before losing their last six wickets for 20 runs.
I think it is essential England win the toss in Perth, and then put a big score on the board.
England series averages 13/14
Cook : 82 runs @ 20.50 (HS 65)
Carberry : 114 runs @ 28.50 (HS 60)
Trott : 19 runs @ 9.50 (HS 10)
Root : 130 runs @ 43.33 (HS 87)
Pietersen : 101 runs @ 25.25 (HS 53)
Bell : 115 runs @ 38.33 (HS 72no)
Stokes : 29 runs @ 14.50 (HS 28) & 2 wkts @ 45.00 (BB 2/70)
Prior : 35 runs @ 11.67 (HS 31no)
Broad : 58 runs @ 19.67 (HS 32) & 11 wkts @ 23.00 (BB 6/81)
Swann : 7 runs @ 2.33 (HS 7) & 4 wkts @ 99.25 (BB 2/135)
Tremlett : 15 runs @ 7.50 (HS 8) & 4 wkts @ 30.00 (BB 3/69)
Anderson : 4 runs @ 2.00 (HS 2no) & 5 wkts @ 48.80 (BB 2/19)
Panesar : 2 runs @ 2.00 (HS 2) & 2 wkts @ 99.00 (BB 1/41)
Not hard to see why England are struggling, only two batsmen averaging more than 30 and England dropped Tremlett to bring in a spinner and 'all-rounder' while retaining an ineffectual Anderson and Swann.
Where England won the Ashes at home was in the bowlers backing up the batsmen when the batting wasn't scoring big scores, here it is the side that doesn't collapse all the time like a cheap tent that will boss it and England haven't shown nearly enough batting strength.
If this series were in England then they may have gotten away with it as Anderson, Broad and Swann would have come to the rescue. Here there is no such rescue. Bell had a good series, the rest of the batting not so much and it was Broad with 22 wickets supported by Swann (26) and Anderson with 22 more expensive wickets that sealed the series.
England need to try and win this one, their record in Perth suggests that may take some doing, as does their form in the series so far. England have won only once at the WACA, lost eight (66.67%) and drawn three times 25.00%)
England's only win at the WACA in December 1978 :
Australia vs England (2nd Test, Ashes 78/79)
England 1st inns - 309 (117.5 overs)
G.Boycott 77, D.Gower 102, G.Miller 40. R.Hogg 5/65
Australia 1st inns - 190 (66.5 overs)
P.Toohey 81no. R.Willis 5/44
England 2nd inns - 208 (66.3 overs)
G.Gooch 43, D.Randall 45. R.Hogg 5/57
Australia 2nd inns - 161 (46.1 overs)
G.Wood 64, G.Cosier 47. P.Lever 4/28, G.Miller 3/21
England won by 166 runs
Botham surprisingly ended wicketless in 11 overs bowled in each innings, but did score 11 and 30 in a fairly low scorer. England were 41/3 in their 1st innings, Australia 100/7 in their's. In Australia's 2nd innings they were 58/4, recovered to 141/4 before losing their last six wickets for 20 runs.
I think it is essential England win the toss in Perth, and then put a big score on the board.
England series averages 13/14
Cook : 82 runs @ 20.50 (HS 65)
Carberry : 114 runs @ 28.50 (HS 60)
Trott : 19 runs @ 9.50 (HS 10)
Root : 130 runs @ 43.33 (HS 87)
Pietersen : 101 runs @ 25.25 (HS 53)
Bell : 115 runs @ 38.33 (HS 72no)
Stokes : 29 runs @ 14.50 (HS 28) & 2 wkts @ 45.00 (BB 2/70)
Prior : 35 runs @ 11.67 (HS 31no)
Broad : 58 runs @ 19.67 (HS 32) & 11 wkts @ 23.00 (BB 6/81)
Swann : 7 runs @ 2.33 (HS 7) & 4 wkts @ 99.25 (BB 2/135)
Tremlett : 15 runs @ 7.50 (HS 8) & 4 wkts @ 30.00 (BB 3/69)
Anderson : 4 runs @ 2.00 (HS 2no) & 5 wkts @ 48.80 (BB 2/19)
Panesar : 2 runs @ 2.00 (HS 2) & 2 wkts @ 99.00 (BB 1/41)
Not hard to see why England are struggling, only two batsmen averaging more than 30 and England dropped Tremlett to bring in a spinner and 'all-rounder' while retaining an ineffectual Anderson and Swann.
Where England won the Ashes at home was in the bowlers backing up the batsmen when the batting wasn't scoring big scores, here it is the side that doesn't collapse all the time like a cheap tent that will boss it and England haven't shown nearly enough batting strength.
If this series were in England then they may have gotten away with it as Anderson, Broad and Swann would have come to the rescue. Here there is no such rescue. Bell had a good series, the rest of the batting not so much and it was Broad with 22 wickets supported by Swann (26) and Anderson with 22 more expensive wickets that sealed the series.