The rumblings among the locals

Christopher O’Leary explains why Australia must conquer Trent Bridge.

If you listen close enough, you will hear that the land is humming in deep thought.

Throughout Australia’s lounge rooms, its pubs and its supermarkets, an issue is making people shake their heads with uncertainty.

Would it be over John Howard trying to finally sell Telstra? Or that Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce is trying to undo the Prime Minister’s plans?

Maybe people are racking their brains trying to uncover why Joe Korp did what he did, or are we wondering if West Coast are genuine premiership contenders?

No, for while all these problems are taking up society’s time, there is really only one issue on the majority of Australians minds.

Is Australia going to stop a hungry England winning the Ashes?

Or, as you delve further into peoples’ conversations, would you axe Jason Gillespie and replace him with fiery paceman Shaun Tait over the experienced Michael Kasprowicz?

And, if you felt Damien Martyn, Simon Katich, Adam Gilchrist or Matthew Hayden were only bodies for Andrew Flintoff to aim at (and to take up time before Australia’s real batsmen, the tail enders, came in), would you put Brad Hodge in the middle of 20,000 screaming English fans when he has never played a Test before?

Wherever you go, everyone has an opinion of the Battle in Britain, which has produced the best Test series, let alone Ashes campaign, the world has seen in over a decade.

Perhaps there may not have been a need for Super Tests and Australia v World XI one-day matches had of England got its act together earlier.

So far this Ashes series has kept fans on its toes. It has produce insatiable strokes and bowling which has done numbers on normally resolute batsmen. The English crowds have roared in hope, while Australians shacked up in lounge rooms all night have sighed in relief and been startled at the last-minute resurrections.

But the English’s efforts have not only caught our country’s finest speechless and out of form, but they have challenged the way Australia goes about its cricket. Normally Australian teams would be able to nurse one or two players out of form while others stepped up and smashed b-grade teams out of the park.

How many times have the words "Well, he would be playing international cricket had he been born elsewhere" been uttered by Australian fans?

Other than the consistency of Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and the resurgence in Ricky Ponting, the Australians have haemorrhaged so many struggling players over back-to-back matches that those in form have been forced to carry more burden, which has been too much for Australia to simply convert into straightforward victories.

Whether their problems stem from reverse swing, England’s bowlers hiding how they held the ball, bad tosses or batsmen, such as Kevin Pietersen, who are in deadly form, Australia’s needs to find valuable remedies before the fourth Test this Thursday, which is now shaping as the most important match Ricky Ponting and his side will probably every play.

Go 2-1 after Trent Bridge and the war is over. England can huff, puff and rip Australia’s stumps as many times they like after that, but Australia will still retain the urn if they get a great start and hold out.

The golden run started by Mark Taylor in the mid 90’s has to end, but it can be prolonged more than maybe deserved if Ponting and crew hold out here.

Amidst all its woes Australia has the psychological edge, because it has had its fair share of do or die moments in the last two weeks to last itself another ten years of talent barren Test cricket. The pressure to succeed is certainly not restricted to Australia, as Pietersen showed in Manchester when he dropped a fast but regulatory catch off Shane Warne and the chance to lead the series 2-1 there and then.

Australia can deal with the mind games better, but it needs to deal with its game better too. The cricketers have played its games of golf and had the rain wash out tour matches of little significance, so they should be rested and had begun finding the solution to their problems.

Ponting may be deserved for another long stint at the crease, so he should again provide the stability for Hayden, Martyn and Katich to get back their groove.

As much as he is a legend with a legendary haircut, Gillespie has looked not at his best for a long time and should make way for Kasprowicz, as he is known to produce a lot of swing when McGrath can work length and Lee can work batting helmets.

If Australia can win the toss and return to its staple formula of batting long stints, hitting the bad balls but not being silly with the good ones, and then letting their bowlers to a comfortable total, then Trent Bridge will be theirs.

Still, there are rumbles across the land urging for a tight contest, and Michael Vaughan’s men may be up to the challenge yet.

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