We were told he was hot on fielding. And now, after just 15 days in the job, it would appear the standards expected by England’s head coach, Trevor Bayliss, have permeated through to his new team.
During Australia’s first innings here in Cardiff, one which saw them fold in the face of relentless discipline – only one side seems to be grumbling about the surface so far – every catch went to hand and two can be filed in the top drawer. For many, this will of course be the expected benchmark for any international side; to praise fielders for taking chances is to applaud the pilot who lands the plane safely.
Their adhesive paws in Cardiff thus far must been viewed in light of their early summer, however, one where 11 catches were grassed in the drawn Test series against New Zealand, costing an aggregate of 250 runs. Some 182 of these came in the series-levelling defeat at Headingley, only 17 fewer than the tourists’ ultimate margin of victory.
Not all of those chances were regulation, but then neither were they here. Alastair Cook’s removal of David Warner at first slip that got the ball rolling on Thursday afternoon required a flying leap high to his right to hold on two-handed after Jimmy Anderson got one to nudge the edge of the left-hander’s meaty blade.
Joe Root’s effort to wrap up the Australian innings on Friday morning was a frictionless dive low to his left at third slip after the Australian No10 Mitchell Starc took the ill-advised decision to attempt an expansive drive to a full and late outswinger from Anderson. It also provided the Yorkshireman a chance to remind his former county team-mate that a finger-to-the-lips send-off ain’t that funny when one is on the receiving end.
In between we saw Cook snaffle a simple take off Steve Smith at short mid-on, Moeen Ali hold a smart return catch off Michael Clarke and Anderson make light work of Adam Voges’ mistimed drive at short extra-cover. Jos Buttler behind the stumps, who had predecessor Matt Prior join him and coach Bruce French for a pre-series session, held the two nicks that came his way.
So what has occurred between Headingley and now? Well, Bayliss and a four-day training camp in Spain. With their hands slightly tied by facilities – and perhaps the excess baggage charges associated with a glut of kitbags – England opted to leave the batting equipment at home and keep the physical stuff to fitness and fielding.
Perhaps a by-product of this focus, whether intended or not, was that batsmen in particular were unable to go into themselves and demand throwdown after throwdown. Instead, the only way to impress their new boss, and apologise to the fielding coach, Chris Taylor, for their early summer sloppiness, was to ace the drills in Almería, which took place every day of the trip.
Bayliss also resisted the calls to sub Ian Bell out of second slip in favour of the Yorkshire regular Adam Lyth, despite three drops at Lord’s against New Zealand. This particular decision had the confidence of the individual factored in, as well as the technical side of things. And while nothing came his way during Australia’s first-innings demise, Bayliss may see Bell’s second-innings 60 – one which broke a binary run of form – as an indirect repayment of sorts.
A head coach taking a keen interest in fielding is nothing new. But if Peter Moores was an energetic presence during the pre-play warm-ups, Bayliss is a looming one. Decked out in a floppy sunhat and with an air of Duncan Fetcher about him from a distance, the Australian spent Friday morning prowling on the touchline during the football warm-up, bat in hand, a pile of balls at feet ready for the proper preparation to begin; the homework that follows fun time. The players now know what he expects and so far, so very good.
