‘Inexcusable’ – how 30 minutes cost England in first Ashes Test

It took just 30 minutes.

A position of strength in the first Ashes Test wasted by a horror collapse, resulting in an Australian comeback and an awful two-day defeat.

If we measure the metric in balls, it was just 26. Whichever way you cut it though, it could come to define this Ashes series.

When England walked out after lunch on day two of the first Test, they were 59-1 and 99 runs in front. From there, they slumped to 164 all out.

At one stage they lost three wickets in six deliveries without scoring a run.

The game was there for Ben Stokes’ side.

A calm afternoon session, just like the one before lunch, would have moved them into a position where a 1-0 series lead looked the only outcome.

Instead they depart Perth beaten in an all-too familiar way.

It makes it worse that we have been here before.

England’s batters failed to press home advantages in the second Ashes Test of 2023 and again in the third Test in India last year.

At Lord’s they hooked and pulled their way into a hole while Joe Root’s failed reverse scoop off Jasprit Bumrah became a metaphor for the Rajkot slide.

This defeat, the Pasting in Perth, came from the middle order’s keenness to push away from their bodies.

The guilty trio were Ollie Pope, Joe Root and Harry Brook – all three pushing with loose drives.

Ben Duckett nicked Scott Boland to slip to begin the collapse and five other wickets followed later but those three wickets in six balls were Australia’s crucial blow.

Pope got a snick off Boland, Brook a thick edge third ball off the Victorian while a Root inside edge to his eighth ball crashed back on to his stumps to give Mitchell Starc a ninth scalp.

Analysts CricViz have an ‘Expected Leave’ model for every delivery tracked in Test cricket and historical data suggests Pope’s delivery would have been left 72% of times on average, Brook’s 68 and Root’s also 72.

That, though, is not England’s way.

«I am so disappointed,» said former England captain Michael Vaughan.

«From that position of dominance, to lose nine wickets and three big drives – the same mistakes two years later…

«What you look for is: are you improving, are you getting better?

«This England team, at the worst possible time when they have had the best team for the conditions in Perth, have made exactly the same mistakes as 2023.

«That is inexcusable.»

The balance between attack and defence has been the issue nagging England throughout Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s reign as captain.

They want to push the game on – it has worked and suits their batters – but can they rein it in when the situation or, as in this case, the conditions dictate?

Here was your answer.

Perth is one of the bounciest pitches in the world, meaning driving balls on a good length is fraught with the danger of an edge.

That did not matter.

Boland was poor in the first innings, conceding 62 runs from 10 wicketless overs, but when he dragged back his length and pushed the ball outside off stump, Pope and Brook fell into the trap.

Drive and edge. Rinse and repeat.

«They have been wide to the right-handers, sixth or seventh stump and rising,» said an exasperated Phil Tufnell.

«Why bowl it straight? Bowl it wide. Get the hands and bat going away from the body.»

Few know conditions in Perth better than proud West Australian Justin Langer, who has opened the batting and coached his state and country in this city.

«It’s just really poor batting,» Langer said on 7 Cricket.

«If you do your preparation to come to Perth, one, you’ve got to take some time to get in, usually 25-30 balls to get in. Be patient, watch the ball.

«Second thing is, driving on the up here in Perth… this has been going on for decades, not just for this Test series.

«Very, very poor batting by England.»

It has left England bruised and beaten. If they are going to learn, it may come too late.