Australia's bowling strategy has raised eyebrows this Ashes series, and yesterday's Sydney Test was no exception.
While some may view England's scoring of 211 for three as a modest total, others would have been relieved to see a session that didn't result in catastrophe. In the context of England's current team, however, a fast opening stand followed by two early wickets is par for the course – a testament to their ability to adapt and respond.
It was a welcome respite from the more alarming collapses we've seen throughout this series. However, it wasn't until Joe Root and Harry Brook got into their stride that things started to look like they might actually get interesting. The pair's partnership was built around a cut shot that proved to be their bread and butter – taking advantage of balls that were too wide and late to offer any real chance for Australia's quicks.
This session has served as a reminder of the limitations of Australia's bowling line-up without a genuine fourth option. Beau Webster and Cameron Green, who would typically fill this role, are hardly specialists in their position, leaving the team feeling short-handed. The absence of a true depth to their attack was exposed yesterday, with Root and Brook thriving as a result.
Mitchell Starc will be Australia's main concern going forward – his incredible pace is still on show, but accuracy has been inconsistent at times. While he might not be worn out yet, given the relative brevity of this series so far, it remains to be seen whether he can maintain his high standards over a full Test match.
The real test will come when Australia gets back into the game – and that's exactly what they'll need to do if they want to get back in control. For now, however, England have found some semblance of stability, built on steady performances from their top order. The Ashes is still a long way off, but this feels like the kind of Test match it should be – normal and free of drama.
While some may view England's scoring of 211 for three as a modest total, others would have been relieved to see a session that didn't result in catastrophe. In the context of England's current team, however, a fast opening stand followed by two early wickets is par for the course – a testament to their ability to adapt and respond.
It was a welcome respite from the more alarming collapses we've seen throughout this series. However, it wasn't until Joe Root and Harry Brook got into their stride that things started to look like they might actually get interesting. The pair's partnership was built around a cut shot that proved to be their bread and butter – taking advantage of balls that were too wide and late to offer any real chance for Australia's quicks.
This session has served as a reminder of the limitations of Australia's bowling line-up without a genuine fourth option. Beau Webster and Cameron Green, who would typically fill this role, are hardly specialists in their position, leaving the team feeling short-handed. The absence of a true depth to their attack was exposed yesterday, with Root and Brook thriving as a result.
Mitchell Starc will be Australia's main concern going forward – his incredible pace is still on show, but accuracy has been inconsistent at times. While he might not be worn out yet, given the relative brevity of this series so far, it remains to be seen whether he can maintain his high standards over a full Test match.
The real test will come when Australia gets back into the game – and that's exactly what they'll need to do if they want to get back in control. For now, however, England have found some semblance of stability, built on steady performances from their top order. The Ashes is still a long way off, but this feels like the kind of Test match it should be – normal and free of drama.
They're not exactly on fire, but they've got some solid batters who can weather the storm 
Joe Root and Harry Brook are definitely the ones to watch - their partnership was pure magic 
And yeah, Australia's bowling has gotta step up their game without that 4th option 
Mitchell Starc is still a wild card, but can he keep his pace & accuracy for 5 days straight? 
It's gonna be interesting to see how this series unfolds...
I'm loving how Australia's bowling strategy has been all over the shop, you know? It's like they're trying to cram too many different styles into one lineup 
. Those two are a match made in heaven when it comes to exploiting the Aussie bowlers' weaknesses.
. His pace is still untouchable, but accuracy has been a bit wonky at times. If he can't find his mojo, Australia's chances of getting back in the game are gonna be slim 
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. The Ashes is still a long way off, but it feels like we're finally seeing some normal Test cricket 
. Bring on the next match! 
Australia's bowling strategy has been pretty shaky in this series, and yesterday's test was no exception 
. The fact that Joe Root and Harry Brook started getting into their groove is super promising 
. It'll be interesting to see how Australia copes with Starc's inconsistency 
. They really need a solid 4th bowler in their attack, but without one, it's gonna be tough to get back on top 
. Now let's see if they can keep the drama at bay and make it a normal Ashes test 
. England's top order is looking solid, and this is exactly how it should be - a test of endurance and skill 
.