Justin Langer, Australia’s hugely quotable head coach, said he felt physically sick after watching Ben Stokes snatch the Headingley Test from his side’s grasp, such that he did not know whether to cry his eyes out or smash up his hotel room that evening.
The question now, as this summer’s Ashes heads into its final stretch at 1-1 starting with Wednesday’s fourth Test at Old Trafford, is how much the galling nature of that one-wicket defeat – the 10th-wicket stand of 76 between Stokes and Jack Leach, the fluffed run out, the declined lbw – has affected his players.
On the surface all seems fine. They made light work of Derbyshire last week and at training on Monday, while frustrated by the soggy nets, spirits were high. Even Nathan Lyon, whose butter-fingers blew a chance to retain the urn with two Tests to spare, was game for a laugh, sporting a pair of Budgy Smuggler swimming trunks with his face on the backside that he was using in lieu of a jockstrap.
But Stuart Broad, three times Australia’s nemesis during Ashes defeats on English soil, remains convinced there will be lingering effects.
“The language they will have been using is ‘let’s forget about it quickly and move on’ but any loss hangs over you for a period of time,” he said. “A loss where you feel like you could have, or should have, won is going to stay with you.”
Langer, who has welcomed back Steve Waugh as the group’s mentor after a spell back at home, said he has relished the past week in the job, claimed to be proud of their response and cited the example of Muhammad Ali’s formative years as inspiration for the challenge ahead.
“The champions all have had times of adversity,” he said. “Whether it’s in business, sport or life. Think about Muhammad Ali getting his bike stolen [aged 12]. That was the fire he needed to become the greatest boxer of all time.
“We felt a bit like we got the Ashes stolen the other day and to England’s great credit, that’s what they did. Now we have got to work out what we’re going to do and use that as fire. We’re not going to feel sorry for ourselves and let it slip.”
Australia have cause for optimism in terms of selection, at least, given they welcome back the mighty Steve Smith from concussion. Marnus Labuschagne has deputised superbly with three successive half-centuries, with news filtering through on Monday night that they have opted to drop Usman Khawaja and retain the less experienced Marcus Harris as an opener. James Pattinson will be rested, with Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc competing for the third seamer’s spot.
England, by contrast, continue to shuffle the same pack. Joe Denly, fresh from a crucial half-century in Leeds in a vital stand of 126 with Joe Root, has confirmed he will now be opening, meaning Jason Roy has a new role at No 4 away from the new ball. The hosts are also mulling over whether to rest Chris Woakes, whom Root does not appear to fancy, and draft in either Sam Curran’s left-arm swingers or the bounce of Craig Overton. Both are feisty competitors but neither of them is the now ruled-out Jimmy Anderson.
It is the batting that chiefly vexes Root and co. Did Stokes and his epic, unbeaten 135 paper over the cracks exposed by their woeful 67 all out in the first innings? For Broad, it was the collective response – rather than one man’s performance – that must inform their approach in Manchester.
He said: “A lot of good things came from that second innings. The whole group will take energy from how Denly, Root and Stokes batted. You don’t need to be 30 from 30 balls in Test cricket, if you take your time and stick to your strengths, batting gets easier. As soon as you get to 20 overs in Test cricket as a bowler, you’re writing cheques your body can’t cash. So take bowlers deep into an innings and you can hurt them. That was a great template, not just winning that game but how Test cricket should be played.
“We can take huge momentum out of the way we did that into Old Trafford and the Oval. These could be the best two pitches of the series to bat on. Let’s make hay.”
All this talk goes only so far. The true answers to the head-scratchers both sides face will play out over the coming days.
