Australia won the first of 5 tests in the Ashes series today by 251 runs. It wasn't even close and it was a good thumping as there is no way to sweeten this for English fans. There is not much to choose between the sides on paper, but the difference in class was there to see for all. I think the English are a little shell shocked and it is going to be hard to fix this one within a few days. Maybe all their luck was used up in the World Cup last month.
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Steve Smith joined an elite list of players who have scored a century in both innings of an Ashes test match and he didn't look like getting out. I believe Joe Root is a little clueless as captain and played into the Australians hands. When a team is 8 wickets down you go in for the kill and don't take your foot off the throat until the job is completed. He let Australia wiggle away by giving easy singles to Smith when he was partnering with the tailenders.
England need better bowlers and bowlers who can hold a bat a little better than what they showed in this game. Australia changed the game by the way the last two batsmen batted in the first innings. They added 162 runs and this was what changed the match. Australians are fighters and they showed it in this match and the English never really fought very hard.I was shocked at how quickly the resistance disappeared and the batting line up looks fragile. The 80 runs scored against Ireland the other day could be repeated with this team again in this series.
One of the English papers referred to his draw a line in the sand comment from years ago and he has certainly drawn a line in the sand now. Fans love a sportsmen with talent and it shouldn't matter that he sis playing for the other team. Appreciate class when you see it as it doesn't come around often.
To understand what type of character Steve Smith is you have to understand what and how he thinks. A few years ago he was being peppered with short balls and found his batting technique wasn't good enough. He was struggling and changed his style there and then and this is the technique he uses today. Very few cricketers have this type of mindset and he is no ordinary player. Some batsmen find a way to overcome a weakness and it makes them so much better. With a test average of over 60 he is a super star on his own planet and no batsmen today comes close to him.
