The Ashes: England's Batting Problems Require Urgent Attention

Australia 295 (Haddin 94, Johnson 64, Broad 6-81) and 65 for 0 lead England 136 (Carberry 40, Johnson 4-61) by 224 runs

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Victories can mask shortcomings—and eight unbeaten Tests in 2013 have papered over sizeable cracks in England’s batting this year. But their flaws are unlikely to be masked by victory in Brisbane with England requiring a cricketing miracle to turn this Test around.

A dramatic collapse on the cusp of tea—reminiscent of the dark days of the '90s—saw England fold from 82 for 2 to 91 for 8, on what remains a true and even pitch.

England’s first innings score of 132 reinforces their alarming proclivity to start series slowly, especially with the bat, and it is now nine Test series since England reached 400 in the first innings of a first Test. But England’s problem is not so limited; all year England have struggled to score runs, and it is now 17 innings since England last scored 400 in a Test match.

It should be acknowledged, however, that Australia bowled superbly. Mitchell Johnson in particular made the most of the quick, bouncy Gabba pitch, and his set-up of Michael Carberry was a masterclass in how to work a batsman over. Johnson dovetailed superbly with the rest of the attack, who each in their own unique ways contributed to a brilliantly executed set of plans.

However, despite Australia’s excellence, England were alarmingly quick to succumb. Alastair Cook’s dismissal was timid and Jonathan Trott yet again fell to the short ball. Joe Root and Kevin Pietersen both fell far too easily into carefully but conspicuously laid plans—Root chasing a wide one from round the wicket and Pietersen flicking straight to the man at short mid-wicket. Spin also proved to be England’s nemesis with Ian Bell and Matt Prior falling in identical fashion to consecutive balls from Nathan Lyon.

Australia bowled well, but England offered no resistance—in the afternoon session they lost 6 for 39. What’s more Australia’s untroubled start to their second innings reinforces the ease with which this pitch can be batted on, and that will only have compounded England’s misery.

Hope remains, however. The memories of Brisbane 2010 will of course still be fresh, and Australia’s recent tendency to self-destruct poses the possibility of the match being turned on its head. But things are bleak. Rarely in recent times have England looked so dejected.

In the grander scheme of things it is Prior and Trott who will pose the biggest concerns for England. Prior’s slump since his superb rearguard century in Auckland has been dramatic—he hasn't passed fifty once and averages just 16 in that period. While Trott’s slump has not been so statistically shocking it is the continued manner of his failings that will raise alarm—a weakness to the short ball and indeed the powers of concentration that so defined his early time in the Test side appear increasingly vacant.

For the management England’s continued failings with the bat will no doubt be enormously frustrating. This is (statistically, at least) one of the best batting line-ups England have ever had. Cook, Pietersen and Bell will end their careers as the three England leading run-scorers. While Trott and Prior have been consistent international performers for at least three years.

But players can only live on past glories for so long, and there’s a very fine line between continuity of selection and rigidity of selection. And indeed, part of the problem—for Trott and Prior, at least—is that there is precious little competition for batting spots in this England side, and the No. 6 position aside, there hasn’t been for some time.

The continuing hoodoo surrounding England’s start to away series is truly bizarre. It’s not at all like this current management to make mistakes with regards to preparation, and then even more unlike them to not find a solution to such a long-running problem.

It’s also worth acknowledging the origin of England’s collapse today. While the wickets were shared between bowlers, Johnson’s hostility certainly unsettled the batsmen. Tymal Mills, the only man who could perhaps match Johnson for pace, has been training with England, but they still appeared hurried by Johnson and that could be rooted in the fact that English pitches have been very slow and very low in recent times and the pitch at the Gabba is far from that.

It was thought that the reshuffled batting order, with the experience of Carberry at the top, and Root back to where he garnered greater success at six, would solve many of the problems of the summer in that it would relieve the pressure from the middle order. But although Carberry was resilient for his 40 today, and this is only the first innings of the new order, the issues do appear more deep-rooted.

Indeed, England’s batting problems need urgent attention, for with another bouncy pitch likely in Perth, things could unravel very quickly if they don't get it.