Ashes 2013: England Look to Avoid Defeat at All Costs

In Matt Prior’s press conference at the end of play on day four at Old Trafford, he proudly proclaimed that England “are very good at not losing Test matches.” He’s right. In the past 13 months they’ve lost just three of the 14 Tests they’ve played and have been particularly adept at finding their way out of tricky situations.

Day four at Old Trafford was no different. Every potential difficulty was dealt with in the clinical fashion with which this England team is increasingly becoming associated.

England began the day needing a further 34 runs to avoid the follow-on with just three wickets in hand. They avoided the follow-on without losing a wicket. England began the day trailing Australia by 234 and ended their innings trailing by 159. Australia needed to score fast runs to set up a run chase and England neutered such hopes by painstakingly bowling their overs with the vigor of a particularly drowsy sloth and commendable accuracy.

Australia admittedly could have been more proactive in the field, and uncovering the method in their batting madness is far from easy. But England “bowled in the right areas,” “executed their skill sets” and did what needed to be done.

Commentators seethed at England’s over rate. Australian fans tweeted Andy Flower’s angelic and now contradictory proclamation made during England’s recent Test series with New Zealand: “It’s good if we play as much cricket as possible. Regardless of the match situation.” English fans, meanwhile, kept sheepishly quiet.

In the morning session, Australia bowled 26 overs in less than 90 minutes. England bowled 36 overs in close to 180 minutes.

In the Champions Trophy, England were accused (albeit not proven guilty) of ball tampering. In the Trent Bridge Test Stuart Broad incurred the righteous indignation of cricket's romantics when did not walk despite an enormous edge. Now at Old Trafford, England’s over rate pushed the very limits of the law.

England are increasingly a team that will do absolutely everything within their power to get the result they require. From analysts to psychologists, to masseurs to ClimaCool playing shirts, England have it covered. They take the adage “control the controllables” to a whole new control-freak level.

There will be those who express disappointment at England’s method. It’s “boring” or “predictable” or “monotonous,” but Andy Flower is not employed to entertain people; he is employed to make England a better cricket team. The barometer of that? The Test rankings. The barometer of that? Series victories.

There is a school of thought that England's method inhibits them as much as it benefits them, with flair and panache being traded in for consistency and reliability. Defence and caution can at times see England withdraw too far into themselves. However, whilst this is a valid point, it's hard to criticise a team that rarely loses.

Everything England did on day four helped disassemble obstacles in their way to retaining the Ashes. How can you possibly begrudge them that?