The Ashes - Second Test - Preview

The beauty of the old fashioned five match test series is that , unlike the India vs West Indies "series" which took place, the supporter actually gets to feel the rising tension before each test match. Circumstances change, momentum shifts, stalwarts fade, newfound heroes emerge. Who would have thought that the favourites before the series , England , would look totally up against it ahead of the second test? The stability of the English side is suddenly in question while Australia look well set. Will it continue this way or will the momentum shift once more?

TEAM NEWS

Australia - Australia are likely to go unchanged. Darren Lehmann did mention including James Faulkner for George Bailey as a possibility but it is widely seen as "Boof" playing mind games. Australia will resist calls to rest Ryan Harris and/or Mitchell Johnson as neither really bowled long spells in Brisbane

Most Probable XI - Rogers, Warner, Watson, Clarke (C), Smith, Bailey, Haddin (WK), Johnson, Harris, Siddle, Lyon

England - Johnathan Trott is obviously out after he flew back with a stress related illness. Who slots in at number 3? Early reports suggest Joe Root will take Trott’s place while Gary Ballance will debut at number six. Tim Bresnan is fit again and is very likely to replace Tremlett. The temptation to play Panesar is there but the England management have always played safety first and are unlikely to go down that route

Most Probable XI - Cook (C), Carberry, Root, Pietersen, Trott, Bell, Ballance, Prior (WK), Bresnan, Broad, Swann, Anderson

CONDITIONS AND PITCH

There were rumblings of thunder on Wednesday ahead of the test match. The weather forecast is sprinkling of showers on the first two days followed by typical warm Adelaide weather over the weekend. Reverse swing might thus be absent in the first two days. The drop in wicket though is said to favour batting. Win the toss , bat first (as ball is unlikely to do much in the first two days), put big runs on the board, skittle the opposition out in the last three days (with the reverse and the cracking pitch aiding spin) seems to be the ideal game plan.

THE MEN IN FORM

Australia - David Warner and Mitchell Johnson were considered the gambles before the last test match. And remarkably, both of them paid off, with matchwinning contributions in Brisbane. That needs to be kept up if Australia are to consolidate their advantage.

England - Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad. No one in the English team except the two showed any sorts of resistance in Brisbane . Cook’s defiant half century in the second innings shows he is starting to get back to his best. Broad meanwhile had a brilliant test match with a six for in the first innings and also batting well in the first innings collapse.

THE MEN WHO COULD LOSE IT

Australia - George Bailey. The ODI Vice Captain looked out of his depth in both the innings in Brisbane with his technique slightly below test level. While it didn’t matter due to England’s inept batting, he might come into a more crucial situation here. He needs to swim or sink and with the first test as evidence, the latter looks more likely.

England - Matt Prior and Graeme Swann. Just what has gone wrong with England’s wicketkeeper and ace spinner? Prior averages less than twenty in the last six test matches while Swann was plundered in Brisbane. With a slightly slower pitch, much will be expected of Swann while Prior’s lower order batting will be under intense scrutiny.

PREDICTION

The last two domestic matches produced draws however at the international level, Adelaide often produces results . This is one of the Australian pitches that England will love playing on. I’m going for an England victory here. Too much has been written about them, they will bounce back superbly here.