Off-colour tourists are pretty helpless in pink but red-hot Ben Stokes offers hope for future

Dan Jones on England’s only saving grace
3 January 2014

In honour of the McGrath Foundation, the Sydney Cricket Ground was decorated pink for the first day of the Fifth Test. Pink wickets, pink hats, pink flags, pink lanyards, pink polo shirts, pink advertising hoardings. But nothing was pinker than the hot and doleful faces of England’s cricketers as they charged about the outfield, chasing down belters from Brad Haddin and Steve Smith.

Not for the first time this series, England started well. They bowled sharp and true during the morning session and had Australia pinned at 97 for five when George Bailey was caught in the slips in the fourth over after lunch. Then, also not for the first time, they lost their grip. Australia wriggled and wrestled and squirmed. And English fingers, which had been wrapped so firmly around the Aussie throats, were left clutching at not very much.

We could say that England were unlucky. Certainly Boyd Rankin was, when he hobbled off — twice — clutching his cramping hamstring. That problem in turn increased the pressure on England’s other bowlers — the most obvious victim was another debutant, the leg-spinner Scott Borthwick, who was brought on a little early and smeared for 21 runs from three overs in his first spell.

But really, this was not a case of bad luck. The pattern of play has been repeated too often during this series. In Sydney just as in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne, the Australian lower-middle order took a bad position and recovered. Haddin and Smith put their heads down and charged — 97 for five became 325 for eight. The last three Australian wickets fell for a single run but the hurt had been done — England suffered for the fifth time the mentally sapping experience of seeing a commanding position disintegrate.

As the run rate swept towards four-and-a-half an over, England’s well-promised New Faces took on much the same hue as the Old Faces, so many of whom have failed to survive this hideous tour. Puce. Sweaty. Confounded. A score of 326 would be no great shakes on many grounds. But pretty much the only thing that was not pink at the SCG was the wicket. A bright green strip will still offer plenty for Australia’s bowlers tonight. From eight for one at stumps, England will need to bat exceptionally well to keep pace with the game.

But hey, what’s new? If England lose this Test, it will be a humiliation but not a surprise. Their mental disintegration during the last six weeks has been minutely examined; the obituaries for this tiring team have already been written. Better then, to focus on what may lie ahead.

The best news is that in Ben Stokes they have found a proper bowling all-rounder. Despite the trials of the afternoon, Stokes bowled with pace and determination. His economy — 4.99 — was not very pretty. But six wickets for 99, including three in his last over of the innings, was a very handy return. The 22 year old now has a century and a five-for on tour, which makes him the clear choice for England’s man of the series — even if this is not a very keenly contested honour.

We will begin to see tonight whether the example that Stokes has set can be followed by any of his fellow new-boys. Gary Ballance’s reputation has soared during the four matches he has not played — and there is very obviously a place for the taking at No5 in England’s future batting order — assuming Joe Root returns to open in the summer. Ballance’s two innings in this match comprise a first interview for the job. He has very little to lose.

Neither does Borthwick — reputedly another handy all-rounder. His leg-spin was given the treatment today but that hardly sets him apart from Graeme Swann or Monty Panesar on this tour. If he contributes runs, he will also have a claim on a place in New England. The present may be bleak. The future, at least, is there for the taking.

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