The lead-up to an Ashes series is always an exercise in illusion. All the chatter, the speculation, the minor antagonism, coming together in a tower of meringue; impressive bulk and little substance, ready to vanish if left in the rain. This time around there was another ingredient, with the anticipation of England’s new approach to Test cricket, and how Australia would handle it. When the action finally got under way at Edgbaston, Australia coped just fine.
Through the last year under Brendon McCullum, England have rocked and rolled New Zealand, India, Pakistan, New Zealand and Ireland, attacking with bat and ball. For the Ashes, though, their commitment to the style wavered slightly. Where triumph in Pakistan used young attacking spinners no matter their qualifications, the Ashes had Ben Stokes, the captain, bring Moeen Ali out of retirement for one last job. And on winning the Edgbaston toss, Stokes chose to bat, where his outrageous recent wins have come from fourth-innings chases.
