Positive attitude from England reaping rewards

Andrew Strauss drew plenty of criticism on Saturday morning when he decided not to enforce the follow-on. Extreme views had been tempered by the evening, when England set such a stiff total that only rain could prevent success. Australia needed 522 to win; the highest winning score in the fourth innings in any first-class match, let alone a Test, was 513. So no harm done.

The England captain enjoyed the luxury of choice because his side are scoring runs at an exceptional rate. In the first innings at Cardiff they took Australia for 4.07 per over, at Lord’s for 4.36. Spectators have been spoilt in recent years by the quickening tempo of Test cricket, but even by modern standards this is a speed that would have the blue lights flashing were it to be repeated on a motorway.

Partly this is because of some wayward Australia bowling.

Mitchell Johnson has been there for the taking, and thoroughly taken. But England have also made a conscious decision to play as positively as they can — positively, in this case, defined as scoring smartly. They believe that a passive approach will not work against Australia.

Four years ago, Michael Vaughan calculated that Australia tended to score at 3.7 runs per over. So, if England replied at a normal pace they would need to bat for an average of 30 more overs per innings simply to remain level. Against a bowling attack of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, that was simply not on.

Strauss has taken on the baton. By comparison, the scorecard for the last time that England beat Australia at Lord’s is worth a look.

In 1934, England scored 440 in their first innings at a rate of 2.22 per over. Herbert Sutcliffe, one of the great England opening batsmen, took 123 balls over 20 runs. I know which game I’d rather be watching.

Scoreboard

England
First innings 425 (A J Strauss 161, A N Cook 95; B W Hilfenhaus 4 for 103)
Second innings 311-6 dec (M J Prior 61, P D Collingwood 54)

Australia
First innings 215 (M E K Hussey 51; J M Anderson 4 for 55)
Second innings
P J Hughes c Strauss b Flintoff (34 balls, 2 fours) 17
S M Katich c Pietersen b Flintoff (5 balls, 1 four) 6
*R T Ponting b Broad (69 balls, 6 fours) 38
M E K Hussey c Collingwood b Swann (63 balls, 3 fours) 27
M J Clarke not out (198 balls, 13 fours) 125
M J North b Swann (25 balls, 1 fours) 6
†B J Haddin not out (126 balls, 10 fours) 80
Extras b 4, lb 6, nb 4 14

Total: 5 wkts, 86 overs 313
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-34, 3-78, 4-120, 5-128
Bowling: Anderson 18-3-81-0; Flintoff 17-3-49-2; Onions 9-0-50-0; Broad 13-3-32-1; Swann 23-3-62-2; Collingwood 6-1-29-0

Umpires: B R Doctrove (West Indies) and R E Koertzen (South Africa)
Match referee: J J Crowe (New Zealand)