CRICKET:The captain was upbeat yesterday. Andrew Flintoff had practised hard, worked on a few technical things with his batting, blasted down half an hour's worth of bombs with no ill-effect to his ankle, and expressed his confidence that an England side reduced to a state of shock after the mugging in Adelaide would find the physical skill and mental resolve to fight back in Perth.
He does not feel under pressure as captain, his ankle hurt in Adelaide only because of the effect of back-to-back Tests and it has had a decent chance to recuperate, the Elton John gig was fantastic, and but for a few runs he could not feel more chipper.
"There is nothing wrong in my world," he said yesterday.
Which is strange given that if England do not emerge unscathed from Perth, a ground on which they have won only once in 10 matches (and that in 1978), the most eagerly awaited series in the history of conflict between the sides will hit the buffers. One would imagine there was a bit to worry about there.
Four years ago at the Waca, the Ashes were conceded in record time: just 11 playing days. So unless something extraordinary happens to the pitch and the game starts and finishes in Australia's favour on Thursday, they will have succeeded in outlasting Nasser Hussain's side.
In fact, given the prognoses for the pitch, of which there have been any number, none suggests a return to the old breakneck pace that made Perth Tests so exhilarating.
Quite what will confront the players is hard to say. The pitch used for last weekend's two-day match against the Retravision Warriors (Western Australia to you and me), had some lick in it too, for the new ball anyway, besides gripping a bit for the spinners. That, though, was an experimental relaid surface and the Test pitch, three along, could be altogether different.
Flintoff expects this game to be conducted in more orthodox fashion than the last, where the sides vied to come up with the quirkiest field placings, but it still promises to be hard work for bowlers where once the pacemen relished a bit of fun.
This being the case, it will not be easy for England to decide on an XI, although if it does not contain the name of Monty Panesar, a situation that even Ashley Giles's most ardent admirers concede has to happen, then the selectors, or more pertinently the captain and coach, will leave themselves open to ridicule and perhaps the stocks on their return home.
Whatever the reasons for the inclusion of Giles in the first two Tests (and cutting through the hysteria there were cogent arguments offered on both sides), it looks as if the old King of Spain will relinquish his crown in Perth. Were that to happen - and infuriatingly the England management retreat into a morass of fudge when asked to discuss such issues ("We will sit down over the next few days and talk about it," said Flintoff yesterday, which as the game starts tomorrow morning is leaving it a bit late) - then with the fifth Test to be played on the Sydney dustbowl that at times might have brought inspiration to Woody Guthrie, there could yet be a swansong for him there.
Lose the Ashes here though and by then things may have moved forward, with Jamie Dalrymple next in line, and offering better bowling balance.
Panesar earned his call to arms at the weekend, in what amounted to a head-to-head play-off in which his energy put Giles to the sword. He was lively in the field, effected a run-out and bowled with some guile, if only to take a single wicket.
Giles by contrast looks world-weary now, wondering perhaps whether all the pain and stress involved in his recovery from debilitating hip surgery to full fitness has been worth it. Riddled with negativity, self-deprecation and self-doubt, it is a wonder that the management do not pack him off on holiday while they prepare. Even the Australians have given up sledging him, which no doubt hurts even more.
Beyond the inclusion of Panesar, it is hard to see England wanting to make further changes. The collapse in the second innings in Adelaide masks the fact that England made 551 for six in the first innings, and since then Alastair Cook, who needs a score, has acclimatised well here. It could be argued that the inclusion of Panesar at the expense of Giles would put pressure on Duncan Fletcher and his co-selectors to balance that with a further change: Sajid Mahmood, a batsman of potential if suspect against pace, for James Anderson. But Anderson produced his best bowling of the tour at the weekend and is dangerous when the ball swings, as it can do in Perth. With two spinners not an option given the continuing need to monitor Flintoff's ankle and not overload his bowling contribution, it may well be that the pace attack remains the same.
The changes that inevitably will overcome the Australian team have already started with the unexpected retirement of Damien Martyn. For this match his replacement is likely to be the all-rounder Andrew Symonds, whose versatile bowling, especially his brisk cutters, have been effective at the Waca this year.
He does not quite appear to be on track with Buchanan-speak, however. If anyone can explain, "I've probably got to be a bit more carefree with my intensity," then feel free to do so.
Guardian Service
