adminLONDON. — England will head into this year’s Ashes cricket series against Australia heartened by their performances against New Zealand, but with nagging doubts about key areas in the team.
A thrilling 124-win in the first test against the Kiwis was followed by a 199-run defeat in the second which raised familiar concerns.
The most obvious problem is a one-dimensional pace bowling quartet which struggled to restrict New Zealand’s scoring rate and to dismiss tail-enders cheaply.
James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood and Ben Stokes all had their moments in the series but the lack of a left-armer meant the attack always lacked variety. Moeen Ali proved that despite his success against India last year, he is not a front-line spinner like his predecessor Graeme Swann, failing to tie down one end sufficiently to give the seamers enough rest and posing a limited attacking threat.
The close fielding is also a major concern.
Too many catches were spilled in the slip cordon and a repeat against the Australians will prove very costly. The specialist batsmen generally performed well with the exception of a very vulnerable Ian Bell, who appears to have major technical issues, and Gary Ballance.
Alastair Cook’s return to form after a long barren run was a welcome relief and, in Adam Lyth, he finally looks to have found a reliable opening partner. Lyth scored 107 in his second test, a compact and composed innings which suggested he has the technique and temperament to succeed where Nick Compton, Michael Carberry and Sam Robson have failed recently. — Reuters.
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