EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Strauss can vividly recall his Ashes debut in 2005. England had not won a series against Australia either home or away for 18 years, and were given little chance of altering that record against a side rich with some of Australia’s greatest cricketers in modern memory.
As it was, Strauss and his teammates came out on top in one of the greatest Test series of all time, edging it 2-1, Strauss scoring two centuries and nearly 400 runs in all.
Eight years on, the expectation has flipped quite markedly. England are the clear favourites, with some pundits having backed them to pull off a 5-0 whitewash when the series gets under way next week.
Strauss, who having hung up his cricketing spikes will instead be in the commentary box this summer, though, warned against writing off the tourists. “Australia are not as bad a side as everyone is making out,” said Strauss. “They’ve got some very good and dangerous cricketers and a world-class bowling attack. There are few things more potentially dangerous than an Aussie that’s been written off in a sporting context.”
Australia go into the Ashes having walked away with the urn just once in the last four series so history is certainly stacked against them. Strauss admitted that what he called “mental scarring” could play a part. “It wasn’t a problem for me as I was relatively new to the side in 2005 but there were certainly players in our team with mental scarring from past Ashes series and it didn’t affect them too badly,” he added.
The reality this time, however, is that Australia have rarely looked more in disarray, their impressive batting in the warm-up match against Worcestershire aside. Their original opener David Warner was severely reprimanded for punching England’s Joe Root in a nightclub during the Champions Trophy, the latest in a line of Australian player indiscretions. Then worse followed when Mickey Arthur was sacked from his post as head coach on the eve of the series and replaced by Darren Lehmann.
Aussie backing
Looking back on recent events, Strauss admitted: “It’s hard to know exactly what’s going on in the camp with everything in the past weeks. You don’t want that unsettled feel ahead of an Ashes series. I don’t know about the decision making process there but, regardless of what’s happened, I believe they’ll still be very strong.”
So much so, in fact, that Strauss believes the Australians could win the first Test at Trent Bridge next week, although he believes Australia’s potential victory march will be massively shortlived. “With the bowling attack that they have and what Trent Bridge offers as a pitch and in terms of conditions, I wouldn’t be surprised if Australia won that one,” said Strauss. “But regardless of the result, I still think England will win the Ashes. If I had to, I’d go for a 3-1 prediction.”
Bowling attack
Arthur, before his shock sacking, had claimed that Australia had the best bowling attack in the world, a claim that was met with a derisory response by England’s former captain. “As I said before, it’s a world-class attack but certainly not the best in the world,” he said. “I’d take England’s bowling attack over Australia’s any day of the week. It’s just better all-round really. That’s not to say Australia are poor. They’ve got good pace and seam variation, and Nathan Lyon is a better spinner than people give him credit for.
“But England have Jimmy Anderson, along with South Africa’s Dale Steyn the best bowler in world cricket right now and Graeme Swann, who’s one of the best spinners out there. And it’s not the Australian bowlers that are the problem. As a side, they’ve struggled to fill the batting gap left by Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey, which is understandable as they were two truly great Test players.
“Much depends on how Michael Clarke and Shane Watson do in particular. Ponting and Hussey are big losses, if Clarke’s back problem was to flare up, that’s a loss I don’t think Australia would recover from.”
Strauss admits that it will be strange to see his friends – he is still in regular phone and text conversation with the England team and this week went out for dinner with his successor as captain, Alastair Cook – walk out for the first Test and not be there with them. But he insists there will only be a modicum of regret that his illustrious playing career is over.
“Of course, there will be a part of me that will want to be out there but only a very small part,” he said. “Retirement has been great. Being England captain takes over your whole life, it’s difficult to keep your family together and to do anything else. It’s just such an all-consuming job.
“So I don’t miss that aspect of it, particularly an Ashes series. It was actually quite stressful, both as a player and a captain. The whole country’s eyes turned to the Ashes, even people who weren’t cricket fans at other times of the year. The Ashes are something that define you as a player and a captain, and at times it felt like you were carrying the country on your back a little bit.”
Strauss will be all too aware of the stresses and strains for both Cook and Clarke captaining either side, and said the pair would be “tested this summer like never before”.
Root cause
As for the make-up of the England side, Strauss’ place at the top of the order looks set to go to Root after Strauss’ previous successor, Nick Compton, who was dropped for the final Ashes warm-up game against Essex. Strauss said the decision was “harsh” on Compton but also said he felt it was the right one.
“I don’t want to do a disservice to Nick Compton but I’d go with Joe Root over him and have Jonny Bairstow batting at number six,” he said. “I just think that’s more exciting, options that give England something different. Root in particular is riding the crest of the wave in his first 12 months in international cricket. I remember that time and you almost feel invincible. He’s playing like that and England need to tap into it.”
With that balance in the side, Strauss argues that, on paper, England are on course to win. “But paper isn’t very reliable is it and the Ashes can do funny things,” he concluded.
Strauss’ five best innings against Australia
Old Trafford (2005): Strauss scored his first Ashes Test century, a tally of 106 which left Australia facing an unenviable target of 371 to win the third Test of the series. In the end, the Australians just about stood firm and ensured a draw with a final-wicket stand.
Oval (2005): With England leading the series 2-1, they only needed a draw to ensure a first Ashes series win over Australia in 18 years. Strauss set them perfectly on their way with a fluid 129, making him the only batsman on either side to score two centuries during the series.
Lord’s (2009): It marked Strauss’ highest score against Australia, a delightful knock of 161, and the highest individual score by any player during the five Tests. On his home wicket, he batted all day. He was out just two balls into day two but, by then, the platform for a 115-run victory had already been set.
Gabba (2010): In truth, this innings was massively upstaged by the man who would succeed him as captain, Alastair Cook, who scored a double century. But after a first-innings duck in the opening Test of the series, his 110, a 19th Test century, not to mention a stand of 188 with Cook were key in guaranteeing a draw.
Melbourne (2010): It might not have been his highest-scoring innings but it was certainly one of his most vital after Australia had been skittled out for just 98. His 69 off 167 balls was dogged rather than full of flair like the past innings but his dogged determination at the crease along with Cook and Jonathan Trott set up the win and a 2-1 series lead.
* For breaking news, follow us on @Sport_360 or find us on Facebook.
