Graham Onions could beef up England attack

By Scyld Berry at Lord's

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This England team are not going to win the Ashes. Not unless the Australian first XI have defected to Indian leagues by next summer.

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Primarily England's bowling is short of firepower and has to be beefed up. If two swing bowlers cannot roll over New Zealand in damp May at Lord's, they are not going to dismiss Australia in a hurry next July, not with conventional swing.

	Scenic drive: Alastair Cook places a shot through the covers on his way to a half-century at Lord's

Matthew Hoggard's injury is convenient in that it allows England to call Durham's Graham Onions into their 12 for the second Test.

Onions has the pace to spice up England's attack, but he is not much of a batter. England's tail would be more like ciabatta, a staple diet for opposing bowlers, if he, Monty Panesar and James Anderson were all to play.

One piece of the jigsaw has fallen into place, gratifyingly. Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook have proved there is nothing inherently incompatible about their cricket. England now have an opening partnership that is a blend of youthful adventure and sober maturity. Their stand here, on a true pitch but in conditions otherwise made for pace bowling, was as good as anything that Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden could have produced for Australia in the same circumstances.

Four years ago, when he made his Test debut at Lord's, Strauss was the one who embodied youthful adventure. Not any more. He has been dropped, and so has the penny, making him better at leaving the ball and ignoring temptation. Only once yesterday did he lapse into his former exuberant self when, after upper-cutting Chris Martin for four, he went to square-cut the next ball which was far too close.

In a development of the mind, Strauss is now prepared to graft and make ugly runs, whereas he used to hit out or get out. In a development of technique, Cook has expanded his range behind point, playing the ball late and working it to wide third man as a bread-and-butter stroke which, formerly, had been beyond his rather rigid reach. Cook has been the more active of the pair, not quite so aggressive as Hayden, or Marcus Trescothick, but he is only 23.

In the 8.5 overs of play yesterday they added 21 more runs, taking their stand to only six short of their previous highest liaison, made on Cook's debut in Nagpur. A good ball can come along at any moment in these conditions, but their symbiosis has already been established, like the Sunday and Daily Telegraph columnists they are.

So much time having been lost, England will have to crack on if they are to win, but it can be done, provided today and tomorrow are fine throughout. England have the batsmen to do it, starting with Michael Vaughan (more conventional in his field-placing here) and Kevin Pietersen; while their bowlers need only remember that New Zealand's five specialist batsmen went down for 59 in their first innings, and they will surely do worse than that in this series as well as better.

Pietersen's heart is more likely to be in the right place after the news from Australia that some of their players who have gone to the Indian Premier League have not been paid. He would hate to miss out, but would no doubt hate it more if he played without being renumerated. "There are still a few that haven't been paid," said Paul Marsh, chief executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association. Players were due to receive their money in four instalments, in April, May, October and November, with 11 per cent tax withheld.

Yesterday's wash-out cost £1.15million as all gate receipts had to be repaid to spectators, fewer than 10 overs having been bowled. This match is budgeted to generate gate receipts of almost £4m, of which 12.5 per cent will go to MCC, who also keep the hospitality and catering profits of more than £1m. The ECB were due to receive £3.2m, of which £1m goes in match expenses, and it is they who will mainly suffer. But it was their idea to start the Test season so early, in the spring.

Paying the price Interruptions at Lord’s Test Day 1: 3 interruptions, 208 runs, six wickets, 52.1 overs. Minimum price of ticket: £60, 28.8p per run Day 2: 5 interruptions, 137 runs, four wickets, 55.4 overs, 43.8p per run Day 3: 2 interruptions, 31 runs, 0 wickets, 8.5 overs, £1.93 per run There will be a full refund for yesterday’s spectators. Cost: £1.15million

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External links English Cricket - ECB Cricinfo - New Zealand Cricket

"The ECB were due to receive £3.2m, of which £1m goes in match expenses, and it is they who will mainly suffer."
An analysis of the £1m would be interesting.£200,000 per day seems a lot.
Posted by Mike Perrett on May 18, 2008 10:37 AM
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A hot dog at Lords costs £5.50 and a can of Fosters £3.50
Posted by Jim on May 18, 2008 9:07 AM
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Once (or maybe if) Flintoff returns, and Hoggard replaces Anderson, then England will have a potent bowling attack. True, genuine pace may be lacking, but that is the case for most Test teams these days. One of the batsmen will have to make way for Flintoff, so Strauss, Collingwood and Bell are playing for their places.
Posted by Roy on May 18, 2008 6:08 AM
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