The batting was fallible. This also was betrayed by the selection of an extra in this match, to bat behind the wicketkeeper. The fact is that for various reasons, Australia made more changes than England between the second and third Tests, and it may be so again on Boxing Day. None of Jake Weatherald, the haunted-looking Cam Green and Josh Inglis can be sure of his place, and Usman Khawaja, successfully repatriated from the retirement home, has created another ticklish poser. It’s kind of what Khawaja does.
And yet, and yet, Australia lead 3-0. At all the important junctures, they have outplayed England, simple as that.
Bazball has failed not just on its own account, but because Australia have not allowed it to succeed. The extravagantly wrong shots at the wrong times, the indiscipline in bowling, the sometimes slipshod fielding: these do not happen in isolation.
In the swaggering prelude, England said Bazball was already inside Australia’s head, but in a kind of John Malkovich inversion, Australia are inside the heads of the Bazballers. They’ve been too good. Characteristic of England in Australia, they’ve played their way into and sometimes on top of matches, but can’t play them out. They play their best cricket after the fact.
Mitch Starc, Alex Carey and Head have been exceptional. A less dwelled upon feature of Starc’s long Indian summer is his reliability. He’s always been a wicket-taker, but in the early part of his career was often wild and sometimes a liability. Now he scarcely wastes a ball. Ageing has its virtues.
Carey’s batting and keeping have developed in tandem and apace. Measured against the best of his type, in all ways he stands up. Playing predominantly from outside the line of the ball was once Test match batting heresy, but Head has made it the very thing. He has seen Bazball and raised it one. In passing, here’s a nod to the low-key, light-touch Australian team management, helmed rather than commanded by coach Andrew McDonald.
In certain sections can be heard a lament about the lack of a contest. This is more than a little patronising. The objective is to win as often and well as possible. Closely considered, England have been archly competitive for stretches in this series, but not in the clutch. That is to Australia’s credit. Besides, can you imagine the hand-wringing if England had succeeded in their fourth innings mission improbable in Adelaide?
One rationale for Bazball is that sport is meant to be entertainment. Irrefutably, Bazball is entertaining. England’s home series against India was a beauty of its kind. But, let’s face it, nothing is more entertaining than winning, and nothing is less appealing than losing.
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For the former, no explanation is needed – which is why Australia’s ascendancy has been taken somewhat for granted. For the latter, no alibi can be proffered. Ask England right now. They’ve lost their past four Tests. The first cost them a series win against India. The most recent condemns them to an Ashes defeat here.
One notional downside of Australia’s march is that it has made the Melbourne Boxing Day-Sydney New Year swing dead – again. Australia’s cricket authorities might have to deal with this one day, but its cricketers need make no apology, nor will the country grieve. Given the choice between a contest and rout, we will always take the rout. Three-nil is end of story.
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