HOW DO ENGLAND RECOVER IN ADELAIDE? OUR WRITERS HAVE THEIR SAY

Should the tourists stick or twist in the second Test against Australia?

England have just five days to recover from a 10-wicket defeat in the first Ashes Test before they do battle with Australia once again.

So what can the tourists do to bounce back from a disappointing outcome in Brisbane? Is there a need for change or should they stick with the same team?

The Cricketer's writers give their views...

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HUW TURBERVILL: England can’t, and (surely) won’t panic. They will hope Adelaide is indeed the most English-like of the five venues; the curator Damian Hough is expected to leave more grass on the pitch to preserve the pink ball. James Anderson, Stuart Broad and co will presumably relish bowling on here more than the other four venues, therefore. 

I don’t see that they are losing a lot by opting for Craig Overton ahead of Jake Ball. They then may gamble on Mark Wood at Perth if they feel he is close to regaining his zip. When Adelaide was a flat belter, teams sometimes played two spinners as part of a balanced attack, but I cannot see England going for Mason Crane… yet.

Mark Stoneman, James Vince and Dawid Malan probably exceeded expectations in the first Test, and it was Alastair Cook who was found wanting. Even Joe Root, who fought hard for a second-innings half-century, lost his personal battle with Steve Smith.

So there is not much scope for changing the batting. Is Ben Foakes a better bat than Malan? I couldn’t possibly comment. Obviously if Ben Stokes is suddenly given the green light to board a plane, that changes things, but there is no sign of anything yet, despite news stories suggesting something is imminent. 

^{Mason Crane is an option for England}

JAMES COYNE: It’s pretty glaring: England need a weighty hundred from somewhere in the middle order, and their support bowlers must offer more bite. There is barely any scope for changing the batting, and Moeen Ali is going to be in the XI.

So England’s hope has to be that Adelaide provides the bowlers with more assistance. I would caution to wait until we know more about the kind of surface curator Damian Hough will conjure up. It’s not ideal, I know. But there is currently no outstanding candidate to partner Anderson and Broad. It is worth bearing in mind the old dictum that “if it seams, it spins”.

So if it looks as though Adelaide could turn quite early on, then they may have to gamble on Mason Crane as a second spinner, in order to ask questions of the Australian right-handers.

But the likelihood, with the game to be played under lights, is that the role of the third and fourth seamers will be vital. For that reason, whichever two of Ball, Woakes and Overton are picked, they must use every ounce of assistance they get.

^{Chris Woakes was ineffective in Brisbane}

SAM MORSHEAD: There is little choice for England but to go into Adelaide with the same top seven, given the relative paucity of batting options otherwise available to them. Mark Stoneman, James Vince and Dawid Malan all showed they can cut it at this level in Brisbane and it's unthinkable to drop Alastair Cook. 

Under the lights, with the pink ball, the consensus is that England should find the most familiar conditions of the tour during the second Test. That should mean Chris Woakes, so quiet at the Gabba, comes into his own. England also need his batting at eight - without him the tail becomes worryingly long.

But there's a big case for Craig Overton getting the nod in front of Jake Ball. He's fast, Australia won't have too much of an idea what it's like to face him and after another meagre return for Ball in Brisbane, a change would be justified.

If Moeen Ali's index finger is giving him grief, though, swapping Ball for Mason Crane makes sense. Whether a day-nighter is the ideal place for a leg-spinner to make his international debut is dubious, though.

^{Craig Overton could add a spark to the attack}

OWEN RILEY: First and foremost England must heed the advice Lance Corporal Jones. “Don’t panic!”

Cricketing wisdom suggests that to have Ashes success Down Under, England must escape Brisbane undefeated, but history is there to be rewritten. There are some (fairly minor) positives to be gleaned, albeit in an admittedly heavy defeat. Stoneman, Vince and Malan – all of who had question marks over them - scored fifties at the Gabba, but notably, no centuries.

Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad looked themselves without wreaking havoc, but there must be concern over the lack of incisive back-up they received from Jake Ball and Chris Woakes. After winning the toss and at various times finding themselves in the ascendancy, the concern will be that they could not press home that advantage. England had Australia on the ropes at 209 for seven but couldn’t land a knockout blow.

Assuming Moeen’s injury is not more serious than we are led to believe, I can’t see Mason Crane making his Test debut in South Australia. Perhaps he’ll have a role to play in Sydney.

Craig Overton looked set to play at Brisbane before Ball proved his fitness. It will be interesting to see if the selectors keep faith in the Notts man or opt for change. Overton could provide that unknown factor. England need to find a way to knock over the tail and the Somerset seamer could be the answer.

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