'Boring Aussies' expose glaring truth about 'Bazball' Ashes hype

OPINION

Memo to England: If we wanted aggressive, risk-taking cricket then we'd watch one of the countless T20 games littered across the cricketing calendar. This is Test cricket and the Ashes is arguably the greatest embodiment of that - the ultimate test of skill, mental fortitude and endurance over five gruelling days.

The Barmy Army can sing about the "boring, boring Aussies", while England relentlessly tout their 'Bazball' revolution and how it has transformed the game. But guess what, sport is a results-based business and it doesn't matter how entertaining a team is, they will ultimately be judged on wins and losses.

Pat Cummins' men have been accused of being boring for playing the first Test how many cricket purists believe red-ball cricket should be played. Sure, it wasn't as flashy as the gung-ho approach England captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have been pushing, but it sure was effective.

The visitors came under fire from several Test legends over the defensive field settings many believed went against the typically aggressive approach from Australian sides of the past. Having taken a 1-0 lead in the series and a giant step towards retaining the famous urn, Cummins' has ultimately had the last laugh.

McCullum and some of his England players such as Ollie Robinson have tried to push the narrative that it feels like they won the first Test after taking the match to the visitors in such spectacular fashion. Bollocks.

As much as they want to sugarcoat it and cling to some flimsy psychological advantage, the brutal truth is England are 1-0 down in the series. One can't help but think it could have been much different if England had taken even a small page out of the "boring" Aussie playbook and balanced Bazball with a more pragmatic approach.

Certainly Stokes' first innings declaration - the earliest in Ashes history - was one such occasion where aggression needed to make way for common sense. With centurion Joe Root looking unbeatable when Stokes waved his batters in, there is every chance Australia's victory target would have been far more substantial. Even Root - for all his undoubted brilliance - had to shoulder some of the blame after needlessly throwing his wicket away on 46 in the second innings.

Sure, Root attempting to reverse ramp Cummins off the first ball of the day was pure cricketing theatre and his consecutive boundaries playing the same shot off Scott Boland were outrageous. However, Bazball was the ultimate undoing of England's best batter as he was remarkably stumped for the first time in his 131-Test career.

England's 'Bazball' approach reached its limit at Edgbaston

That statistic alone is extraordinary enough but for a man with more than 11,000 Test runs to his name, it's almost unfathomable. Again, if England found a better balance between aggression and conservatism, then Cummins and Nathan Lyon are more likely requiring 100 runs for victory on day five, rather than the 55 they put on for the ninth-wicket partnership to seal one of Australia's most memorable Ashes triumphs.

Robinson - Australia's public enemy No.1 after his foul-mouthed tirade at Usman Khawaja in the first innings - still maintained after his side's defeat that Australia were on the "back foot". The big-talking quick accused Cummins' men of being too defensive, with former England batter Ian Bell declaring the visitors "looked scared".

Heading into the second Test at Lord's, it's the home side that should be scared, with Australia having won more than twice as many Ashes Tests as England at the famous ground. Of the 37 previous Ashes matches played at Lord's, England have only won seven, while the Aussies have enjoyed 15 wins to go with 15 drawn Tests.

It's an impressive record and one that should fill Cummins' side with confidence as they look to take a huge step towards winning the series. England have vowed to maintain their full throttle approach but another defeat would surely expose some incriminating truths.

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