On the field, Bell simply carries on where he left off yesterday in the company of Collingwood. Their partnership is worth 240 when Collingwood is caught behind playing a pull shot for 89 -the second time he has missed out on a century in ten days. Here he has batted more smoothly than he did at Adelaide – regardless of what he says! Prior times the ball beautifully, but his dismissal is disappointing and again is a case of impatience. He breezes to 27 from 31 balls but slices a drive to backward point off the leg spinner, Smith. This was Prior’s one opportunity and he has given it away.
England pile on the runs with the lead well over 250 when Bell gets out for 192. He drives Smith to extra cover and now seems a likely time for Strauss to declare the innings closed. But he chooses not to and instead gives Bresnan and the lower order the opportunity to plunder some quick runs against a flagging attack – none more so than poor old George who finishes with 0/135. It is an interesting tactic – had Strauss chosen to declare earlier he would have increased the likelihood of England having a second innings and giving Trott and Pietersen another hit. But he had gone on record at the outset, saying he wants to win every match on the tour, and this massive lead of 293 should ensure England win by a big margin.
They take three wickets before the close of play with Australia A still 165 runs behind. It is a change to recent encounters when, I have to say it, Australia’s reserves were much stronger than this. It is another sign of the wheel turning down here, but has it turned far enough yet?
I have a rare evening in, during which my Twitter companions introduce me to the talents of young singer Jessie J. Sometimes on tour it is nice just to lock yourself away and have a quiet one.
DAY 18: 20 November 2010
It all seems to be going terribly well, doesn’t it? England beat Australia A by 10 wickets, needing to knock off just 9 runs. They have completely dominated the game, helped by a good toss to win on the first morning. These matches are usually much more competitive. Panesar gets amongst the wickets today, so every reserve bowler has had a good run out. If there is an injury before the Brisbane Test, I reckon Bresnan would get the nod if it were Anderson in trouble, and Tremlett if either Broad or Finn is ruled out. Cameron White’s century is good timing, as there are still rumblings from around the Australian camp that Michael Clarke is struggling with his chronic back complaint, and neither of the reserves, Khawaja (out first ball today) or Ferguson (10) made the most of their opportunities.
That’s it, preparations over. Hobart is lovely, but is time to move on to Brisbane.
DAY 19: 21 November 2010
I interview KP before we all leave Tasmania. I compliment him on his thickening charity moustache and he gives me one of his thoughtful and insightful chats. Sometimes he can be a rather irritable and impatient interviewee, but he is on good form today. I especially like his description of the video analysis of the Australian players that England will now focus on as they build up to the Test. This will include, of course, Xavier Doherty, who KP admits to have never seen bowl a ball. I mention that some people are suggesting that the left arm spinner has been chosen merely to get him out (as mentioned earlier, it has happened fifteen times in Test cricket), Kevin scoffs at the thought. “Right arm seam bowlers have got me out many more times than left arm spinners.”
It is a three-hour flight to Brisbane and every member of the travelling media is aboard. This time we are better off than the team, who have to transit in Sydney. Undoubtedly, there is a tremendous sense of anticipation among members of the press pack – even the most experienced, and by definition most cynical, members seem to be genuinely intrigued about what is to unfold. The coming week is why we do this job.
It is a cloudy day when we touch down. My cabbie regales me with stories about how much rain has fallen in these parts over the last few months and how the forecast for the Test is unsettled. It would be too awful if after the huge build up and with so many cricket fans here and back home in a state of massively heightened anticipation the game was a washout. I haven’t even considered it as a possibility.
I catch up with Adam Mountford, our Test Match Special producer, who arrived in Australia yesterday and is clearly jet lagged, along with Caroline Short, who will be producing Mark Pougatch’s output on Radio 5 live. Over dinner I give them both a report on the last couple of weeks and include a quick demo of the Sprinkler. Unfortunately this is spotted by some of the tour photographers who are sitting at a nearby table. I fear it is something that could well come back to haunt me.
DAY 20: 22 November 2010
It is our first chance to catch up with the Australian side: they are practising at the Allan Border field, a small cricket ground in the Brisbane suburb of Albion that is home to the Australian Cricket Academy. We are then treated to a ‘media opportunity’. In reality this means we journalists all stand in a line cordoned off by a rope from the players. Every player walks down the row of queuing journalists, who are given a brief interview of a maximum of two minutes each. I have come hopelessly unprepared, and while waiting 45 minutes for the event to get started, am scorched by the blistering Australian sun, absolutely burned to a crisp. All for two minutes with Ricky Ponting. He is his usual business-like self and, as always, answers my questions honestly and directly. He has a lot on his mind, not least the fitness of Michael Clarke, whose recurrent back problem has struck again. Clarke was not able to practise today and will have to do so tomorrow to have any chance of playing on Thursday. Usman Khawaja is called up as a possible replacement. I ask Ponting if there’s a confidence problem within Australian cricket and, naturally enough, he denies it.
Things continue to hot up on the sledging front. Former England coach Duncan Fletcher has riled the Aussies by claiming their Test team has not been in such a muddled state for thirty years. He adds that Australian cricket is in a dark place. Australia’s coach Tim Nielsen bites back: “His opinions on most things in Test cricket are irrelevant. Have a look at his record here. His record speaks for itself. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but that’s no great surprise. He isn’t fit to lace Ricky Ponting’s bootstraps.”
Meanwhile, Shane Warne, a friend of Pietersen’s, claims that England’s treatment of Pietersen is responsible for his loss of form. Warne suggests that Pietersen has been made to feel like an ‘outcast’. I must admit that is not my impression from what I have seen on the tour, and Andy Flower is forced to reject it during his press conference today.
With a face like a ripe tomato I appear on the Channel 9 evening news and then head off to a delightful party hosted by the Queensland Tourist Board. Former great Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson is there, long silver hair flowing, and we all have the chance to be photographed either stroking a gorgeous Koala called Crumpet, or a rather vicious looking Olive Python, wrapped menacingly around the torso of its young female handler. I go for Crumpet. In fact, I think we all do.
THE SECRET OF STRAUSS AS SKIPPER
Tom Fordyce | 22 November 2010
When Andrew Strauss was appointed England captain in the messy aftermath of the Kevin Pietersen and Peter Moores saga, it was almost by default. He was not only a safe pair of hands, he was the only pair. Less than two years later, Strauss leads his country into an Ashes series not only in possession of the coveted urn but more heavily fancied to beat Australia on their home patch than any England skipper in almost a quarter of a century.
If it is a headline-grabber of a transformation, the man himself