They say the primary session, even the very first ball, of an Ashes sequence tends to set the tone.
If so, Zak Crawley’s superb cover-driven boundary off the opening supply from Australia’s captain Pat Cummins mentioned all of it: Welcome to Bazball, mate!
This Edgbaston basic on Friday was a primary ball to place alongside a number of the nice lift-off moments in Ashes annals.
Think Steve Harmison ballooning that loopy, tremendous large ball that ended up being collected at second slip at The Gabba in 2006. Talking about setting a tone; England went on to famously get whitewashed in that sequence.
And what about Rory Burns within the 2021-22 sequence at Brisbane, being uprooted by Mitchell Starc first up? That did not find yourself significantly better for England, both.
But this had a really totally different really feel. Cummins had been requested on the toss: “England will come at you – that okay?” to which he responded with a smile however a contact of uncertainty too: “I think so…”
The strain was on. In 2021, Cummins had been left grateful for Starc’s dazzling begin.
“Just that pressure release of that first ball, taking a wicket, setting up the whole series,” mirrored Cummins on the eve of match.
“It was my first ball as captain, so takes the nerves off a bit. It was just one of those iconic Ashes moments which every series seems to have a couple of.
“Harmison nonetheless most likely cops grief for his first ball. So I’ll see, if I’m bowling, possibly I’ll throw it to another person down the top and say you create a reminiscence.”
But he didn’t. Cummins shouldered the responsibility but it will still go down in Ashes annals anyway because there can hardly have been a more delicious opening shot to start a series as Crawley, instead of leaving a ball straying outside the offstump, leant into it and caressed it in princely fashion to the cover ropes.
Ben Stokes was left open-mouthed in delight in the pavilion, while Ricky Ponting swooned in the commentary box: “What a begin to an Ashes sequence!”
This from a man who knows a thing or two about opening Ashes salvos, after he got bloodied and battered by Harmison on the opening morning of the 2005 series at Lord’s.
There were also echoes in Crawley’s blow of another Gabba opening in 1994-1995 when Phil DeFreitas came in to bowl to Michael Slater and got his poor ball slapped between gully and point for four.
“The scorebook confides that Slater hit the primary ball of the sequence for 4,” wrote Gideon Haigh on the time.
“It relates nothing of how eyes rolled, shoulders sagged and hearts sank amongst English gamers, spectators and journalists.” He wasn’t wrong. England went on to lose that series 3-1.
But at Edgbaston, English spirits had been despatched hovering by Crawley’s gem, the primary blow on the way in which to his 56-ball 50. It simply remained to be seen if it actually was the portent of Bazball brilliance for England.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
