BBC SPORT | THE ASHES | Humbled at Hampshire

Australia's Justin Langer continues his Ashes diary for BBC Sport Online.

28 July

Six days ago, we were sitting in the Lord's changing room celebrating a brilliant Test match victory.

After batting and bowling ruthlessly, as you would expect from the number one team in the world, the feeling was one of exuberance, invincibility and exciting confidence.

Saturday's effort was a complete contrast in performance and atmosphere.

Playing against Hampshire, at their new home ground, The Rose Bowl in Southampton, we were left licking our wounds by lunch on this, day one.

We were a little loose in our approach and as a result the Hampshire slips cordon were taking catches like they might eat popcorn in a cinema

Justin Langer

By stumps, those early wounds had been opened up heavily by Robin Smith, Neil Johnson and Derek Kenway, who made the pitch look more like an Adelaide Oval batting paradise than a Trinidad green seamer.

In the first session we had made batting look as hard as driving a car with square wheels.

Test hopeful Alan Mullally bowled beautifully, taking five of our scalps in two bowling spells.

His effort was a timely reminder to the England selectors, and further confirmation that he has enormous talent with the ball in his left hand.

A fellow Western Australian, I would much rather have seen 'Big Al' wearing green and gold throughout his career, than the England blues.

Tall, talented, left-handed bowlers are a rare specimen in the game, and I must admit that I am surprised not to have seen him earn more Test caps for his adopted country.

Maybe he will be one of the England bowlers selected to save the Ashes at Trent Bridge next Thursday? Time will tell!

Alan Mullally looked in Test form
There is no excuse for our performance with the bat.

The new ball did swing, and the pace and bounce were a little variable before lunch, but then the ball is allowed to do that in the first session of a first class game.

We were a little loose in our approach and as a result the Hampshire slips cordon were taking catches like they might eat popcorn in a cinema.

Debutant James Schofield had a dream start to his first class career, helping himself to the wickets of Matt Hayden, Steve Waugh and yours truly.

The young right-armer from Blackpool looks to have a bright future at Hampshire if he can continue to swing the ball like he did on Saturday.

His captain, the evergreen Smith, showed why he was such an awesome contributor in Test cricket.

A good mate to many of this team, Robin showed very little compassion to his old foes as he played with his normal brutal power through the off side.

Justin Langer
JL copes with the fierce local conditions
To many Australians it seems odd that he was involuntarily retired by the England Test selectors at a relatively young age. A player with so much experience and ability seems to have been wasted over the last few years.

Obviously he is out of the reckoning now, but any man who averages well into the forties in Test cricket, must consider himself unlucky not to have played many more Test matches.

'Warney' and Matty Hayden talk about Robin as if he is one of the great blokes to play with in the game of cricket.

While they say he is the consummate professional on the park, he is the type of team-mate who makes playing cricket a lot of fun.

If Saturday's proceedings are anything to go by, I think the Hampshire skipper will see the fun side of his team's position.

Hopefully he will have one too may pints on Saturday night to give us some sort of chance when play commences in the morning.

Licking our wounds in Southampton!


	^^ Back to top
	Front Page \| Football \| Cricket \| Rugby Union \| Rugby League \| Tennis \| Golf \| Motorsport \| Boxing \| Athletics \| Other Sports \| Sports Talk \| In Depth \| Photo Galleries \| Audio/Video \| TV & Radio \| BBC Pundits \| Question of Sport \| Funny Old Game ------------------------------------------------------------ BBC News >> \| BBC Weather >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMII\|News Sources\|Privacy