Is England about to fall for one of the great cricketing con jobs?

Contributor

Wed, 15 Dec 2021, 4:10 pm·3-min read

England and Australia players, pictured here before the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval. — England and Australia players look on before the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval. Image: Getty

Is England about to fall for one of the great cricketing con jobs of recent times?

All the talk leading into the second day-night Test in Adelaide has centred on the selection table and who will and won’t play – with Australia seemingly happy to mislead the visitors.

We all know Dave Warner has bruised ribs so bad even a tickle fight with one of his daughters has him doubled over in pain and calling for the hotel doctor.

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There's no way he could lift a bat let alone take on England's rib-seeking bowlers looking to plant pink cherries on his Kookaburra-peppered chest.

At least that's what the Aussies wanted England to believe early in the week.

This is Warner, the street-fighting opener who no doubt has suffered a few blows to his ribs over the years – both on and off the pitch.

The charade was over on Wednesday when Pat Cummins confirmed what we knew all along – Warner would play through the pain, with 'adrenaline' alone enough to get him through.

Not content with playing mind games over Warner, Australia has also been offering helpful advice on how the England XI should look.

Local Adelaide boy Travis Head, resisting the temptation to cross fingers behind his back, has urged the Poms to back spinner Jack Leach despite his Gabba mauling.

Even the Adelaide Oval groundsman got in on the act, agreeing it would be an error on England's part not to include a slow bowler.

That Leach looked as lethal as light beer as his 13 overs went for 102 for just the one wicket in Brisbane matters not.

England hung the poor bloke out to dry on a deck where he was never going to make an impact.

It was almost cruel to watch as Australia systematically tore him apart in a premeditated assault that was just short of grievous bodily harm.

Jack Leach, pictured here in action during the first Ashes Test. — Jack Leach (L) was mauled by Australia's batters in the first Ashes Test. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images) (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Travis Head urges England to stick with Jack Leach

Leach is a better bowler than that, but the Aussies already feel they have a hold on him and won't mind seeing his name on the team sheet.

In fact, as we mentioned, they are almost insisting he plays.

Head said: "It's going to offer him great spin throughout the whole game…we won’t see it (the pitch) change.

"Traditionally the ball has spun off the straight from day one, so I think he's hugely in the game."

Thanks, Trav, and let us know if you hear of any Nigerian gold mines for sale.

Not content with talking up Leach, Australia has also been happy to let the story run that Steve Smith's runs are somehow not as critical as they once were.

The emergence of Marnus Labuschagne, the story goes, has taken the burden off Smith. It's no longer Smith out, Australia out.

Stats show Smith's figures have dropped significantly since his clone Labuschagne joined the team and the former skipper admits he performs better when playing the one-man SES role.

So let's get this straight - Warner's playing but not 100 per cent, Smith is not the force he once was and England desperately needs Jack Leach?

The Poms aren’t that gullible…are they?

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