England’s embarrassment at the Gabba seemed to many like a foregone conclusion once their two longest-tenured players were ruled out — and embarrassing their loss inside three and a half days certainly was.
If not for rain, perhaps it would have been wrapped up before the weekend.
But if you’re going to so openly wave a white flag during the first battle, you better have a plan to win the war.
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“They’ve made life a little bit difficult for themselves by doing what they’ve done,” former Australian captain Mark Taylor told Wide World of Sports.
“It’s almost like they’ve thrown all their hopes on this Adelaide Test by not playing either of them and getting caught short.”
It would be stunning if both Stuart Broad and James Anderson didn’t return next week for the Adelaide Test, and given both the conditions and the patchy form of spinner Jack Leach, it could be an all-seam attack for the visitors.
“This punt of keeping them fresh for Adelaide needs to come off, because if it doesn’t the Ashes are just about gone,” Taylor said.
Ollie Robinson was impressive as the spearhead of England’s makeshift attack, while Taylor also said Mark Wood looked sharp.
“I reckon Robinson will hold his spot, Broad and Anderson will come in — so that means [Chris] Woakes will be under pressure, and they’ll look at Jack Leach and whether they’ll play a spinner or not.”
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Given Leach’s bloated figures of 1-102 off just 13 overs, it wouldn’t be a shock for England to opt for four quicks under the lights in Adelaide.
“I think they’ll go with four seamers and Joe Root will bowl a few offies,” Taylor said.
The 30-year-old spinner was a controversial selection for the first Test, which Joe Root took blame for after play on Saturday.
“To be fair to Jack, he was going to be under the pump. Australia knew the easier runs were going to come from him, rather than the seamers,” Taylor said.
England might have huge question marks over their spinner, but rumours of Nathan Lyon’s demise proved to be greatly exaggerated as he took four second-innings wickets, serving as the main architect of England’s demise.
“It’s amazing how it often goes like that — bowling slow, particularly when you’re a finger spinner, is never easy,” Taylor said.
“You’ve got to be patient, persistent and occasionally you need something to go your way and that’s what happened to Lyon today.”