LONDON: England’s goal of retaining the Ashes and going on to top the Test cricket rankings looked a touch ambitious after a Perth capitulation that raised memories of too many previous false dawns. England’s batsmen wilted in the face of some old fashioned aggression from an Australian pace attack. As happened at Headingly in 2009, England’s confidence has been rocked by their inability to deal with a hard, bouncy pitch.
Now, with Australia reported to have switched the strip at Melbourne to a bouncier one, England need to prove to themselves that they are the real deal. David Gower suggested England had been exposed as “flat-track bullies” and were not that good on a pitch with pace and bounce. “I hope they have learned something from Perth. Because the chances are the home side will be trying to prepare a fast pitch in Melbourne. It is the only way they can tilt the odds in their favour” Gower said.
