England Used Bold Tactic That Shane Warne Backed in Ashes Test Victory
England used a bold tactic that Shane Warne backed in their stunning Test victory over Australia in the Ashes.
The series is gone but England secured their first victory in Australia since 2011 after winning the fourth Test in Melbourne.
England bowled out Australia for 152 in the first innings but could only post 110 in reply.
The hosts then managed just 132 in their second innings, setting a target of 175.
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And the tourists knocked off the runs in a staggering two-day Test match.
Jacob Bethell top scored with 40 off 46 balls as Harry Brook hit the running runs in the 33rd over.
England's run chase got off to a blistering start as openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett shared a partnership of 51 before the latter was dismissed.
But, unlike the first innings, Bethell didn't come out to the crease following the first wicket.
Brydon Carse walked out to the middle, having batted at No.10 in the first innings.
England deploying one of their bowlers in a top order batting position is a leaf out of Warne's book as he once suggested England open with Jofra Archer and have Stuart Broad bat at No.3 and tell them to 'tee off' in an 'aggressive' fashion.
In 2021, the Australian legende wrote: "Here’s a thought for the second innings. Crawley opens with Archer, Broad at 3 & say tee off (not recklessly) but aggressive. Crawley bats as he did so beautifully in the first innings, then.. 4. Bairstow 5. Root 6. Stokes 7. Pope 8. Sibley 9. Foakes 10. Leech 11. Anderson."
Over four years on, England listened to Warne's advice and batted Carse at No.3.
But it ultimately backfired as Carse only managed to score six off eight balls.
Speaking after England's Test victory over Australia, Ben Stokes explained the thinking behind promoting Carse to No.3.
"Yeah, well, it was one of those. You look at the way that all the top order batters were just struggling to find a way to be able to score runs and the ones who did score runs were either down the order, who sort, you know, flashed at a few slightly wider ones and even like the way Brooky took it on in the first innings - looked to be very, very proactive and try and knock bowlers off their length and put them under pressure," he told BBC Sport.
"So, we thought it was something that we were willing to risk," he added. "You know, if he did come off and get a quick 30 or 40 that's huge in a little run chase like this. It didn't work out that way but there was method to the mayhem.
"It was a tactical plan that unfortunately just didn't pay off for us."
Nasir Jabbar