Test cricket under England’s Test coach, Brendon (Baz) McCullum, is all about excitement and entertainment. This approach has been bringing its rewards with England having won 11 of its 14 Tests since he took charge.

Australia want to win the series….period.

None of the Australian squad have ever tasted an Ashes series victory in England. For quite a few of them this will certainly be their last chance. For this group of players winning is particularly important if for no other reason than that.

It’s almost certainly more important to them than providing entertainment.

That said, the Australians were clearly enjoying being part of the spectacle.

An example of several players admitting this came at the end of the second day from top scorer Usman Khawaja, “The way that they batted yesterday was pretty entertaining. Even for someone like me who was on the field, some of the shots were really entertaining. It’s great to watch. I understand why people enjoy watching it but it doesn’t matter how you win in Test cricket it’s all about trying to win.”

First and foremost England want to play a brand of exciting cricket. A method that has already completely changed their recent fortunes. They even consider their methods the route towards being saviours of the long format of the game.

Collingwood assistant coach followed the McCullum mantra, “We are trying to make Test cricket a lot more entertaining. If we don't do that then Test cricket might not survive. Our vision as a Test team is far greater than results.”

Those two quotes sum up how the Ashes opponents went into the series with opposing views. Both, of course, want to win but the approaches start from a different baseline and with contrasting attitudes.

These certainly aren’t just words from the home team. Seasoned spectators were perhaps confused at times but definitely surprised and gripped by England’s style with both bat and ball.

The first surprise, though, came from Australia’s response as England started to romp along at five an over when the Test began. Their answer was to immediately place players back to stop the boundaries. England adjusted and started knocking the ball into the gaps.
 
This had obviously been the visitors’ plan but the media the next day was full of criticism for the approach. Ricky Ponting said, “They’ve gone defensive straightaway. I must admit, I’m not a huge fan of that deep backward point as a starting option.”

England didn’t hold back. Two of their batters were out stumped as they kept up the aggression. The first time that had happened on the opening day of an Ashes Test since 1890.

Then there was the move that became the day’s talking point. With Joe Root in full swing and unbeaten on 118 Ben Stokes declared to allow a twenty minute bowl at the end of the day at Australia’s openers.

It didn’t pay off with a wicket but this is the England way. High risk, for potentially high reward.

When in the field Stokes is full of original field settings. Many sides use fields to stem the flow of runs by blocking the batters’ preferred run scoring areas. What captains don’t tend to do is simply place fielders to put them off their stride, to make them feel uneasy.

Stokes is regularly using this ploy. He even had a player stationed close to the boundary directly behind the umpire at the bowler’s end at one point. Another example was when he used an “umbrella field” with plenty of players fielding directly in front of Khawaja to try and put him off his rhythm.

Australia’s batters would never have faced anything like this during their careers. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith are currently ranked by the ICC as numbers one and two in Test cricket but could only manage 35 runs between them. They fell playing uncharacteristically loose shots. It’s possible that their natural games were, at least, unsettled by the unorthodox fields.

Apart from the first day declaration the most jaw dropping moment came with the first ball of day four.

The game was in the balance with England 35 runs ahead having lost their openers. Surely this was a time to dig in and grind out a lead.

Astonishingly, England and Joe Root, in particular, had other ideas. He tried to reverse scoop the first ball of the day over the slip cordons. He missed but next over connected twice with the same shot. The result was that within five overs the slip cordon had been reduced from four to just one. England’s method was full of risk but the spectators were glued to the spectacle.

Almost inevitably though, the risks brought wickets as England continued with their unorthodox pursuit of a defendable lead.

Root was out after being stumped for the first time in 240 Test innings. Harry Brook swatted a delivery straight to mid-wicket and Jonny Bairstow was out playing the reverse sweep.

The focus on winning rather than just entertaining can add further pressures on to a team. It increases the intensity as there’s a demand to succeed. Tensions mount when things go wrong. Even when things are going well there’s less propensity to relax and let things go.

Of course, Australia are good enough to adapt and will have to as England likely won’t be changing their methods.

Having said that, Australia won’t be pushing to win at all costs. It’s almost impossible to think that sandpaper will be pulled out of kit bags or saliva, sticky from lollies, will be applied to the ball.

So which way is the right way or, at least, the better way? Should entertainment be put in front of winning?

The England method is absorbing. The approach is new and refreshing. In some ways, England have won already. Tickets have sold out for almost the entire series. The public are fascinated by and enjoying the new spectacle and, of course, the turnaround in results.

If England entertain but go down to a heavy series defeat will the public and English media find that acceptable? Rash shots and funky fields may not be in vogue for long.

Australia produced a wonderful, thrilling win in the opening Test.  If they go on to produce their first Ashes series win in England for twenty-two years they will be rightfully praised for their achievement and acknowledged for managing it their own way.

After the game, still elated by the win and his own major part in it, Australia’s captain said, “I think win or lose we’re pretty comfortable in the way we go about it. We’re at our best when we play at our own pace, our own tempo.”
 
With Australia now one up, the pressure mounts on England not only in terms of results but method being employed. Speaking afterwards, Stokes made it clear that nothing was going to change from his perspective, “Not putting the result at the top of everything we think about actually really helps us go out and play free-spirited cricket. But don’t get me wrong, losing sucks, we always want to win.

“I am obviously devastated that we’ve lost that game but I think in terms of what it’s done for the series it’s hard to be too disappointed because it has set up a great series.”


Both sides came out winners in the opening contest. Australia won the game, England helped produce a match that entertained throughout. The entire contest was utterly absorbing.

More will be revealed during the next month but the contrasting ambitions of the two sides adds another dimension to the fascination of the series.