While the inaugural Ashes Test at Edgbaston certainly left an indelible mark, Australian batting mentor, Michael di Venuto didn’t pull any punches when asked about the pitch’s quality. Despite the game extending into the dying embers of the final day, figures such as James Anderson vocalised their disapproval of the seemingly unresponsive pitch. Di Venuto didn’t shy away from expressing a similar sentiment.
“Never in my life have I seen such a flat pitch, particularly on the first day,” Di Venuto expressed. “A startling absence of movement, bounce, pace. It was incredibly sluggish. Even our local county pitches never reach such a low, lifeless level. As the match progressed, the swing increased due to the atmospheric conditions. The game did gain some vigour when we took control of the ball for a short spell one evening. However, it was, quite simply, an unresponsive pitch.”
Given England’s recent Test cricket strategy since the union of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, many speculate that such flat pitches could become more common. However, it is doubtful the coach-captain pair intended for the languid nature of the Edgbaston track. Di Venuto is well aware that regardless of what the iconic Lord’s ground might present, Australia must remain adaptable.
“We have no power over that. We’ll simply adjust and tackle whatever is presented to us. We can’t dictate the pitch conditions. We are as in the dark as anyone about what the forthcoming pitch will hold.”
In the wave of Australia’s triumphant start to the series, the twin blunders by Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne – the backbone of Australia’s batting force – were a rare thorn in the side. It’s a rarity to see either of them falter, and both failing simultaneously would usually be cause for alarm, but Di Venuto has decided not to dwell on it.
Labuschagne and Smith were observed immersing themselves in intensive practice sessions ahead of the next Test, with Labuschagne seemingly dedicating an impressive amount of time to honing his skills. To an outsider, it may have seemed as if the pair were simmering with frustration from their previous game’s shortcomings, but Di Venuto was quick to dismiss such notions.
“They’ve been eagerly shadow-batting in their rooms during their days off. They were itching to get out, so we invited them down to do what they love most – hitting cricket balls. Both of them are very similar individuals. They would have been here regardless of whether they had scored runs or not. I wouldn’t infer anything from this other than their sheer love for batting and their relentless pursuit of improvement.”
A moment of slight worry for the away side was when Labuschagne took a hit to his finger. The 29-year-old has had a rough go of it lately in this regard, having taken several blows to his finger in the World Test Championship Final and the Ashes opener at Edgbaston. The most recent incident during a practice session did unsettle the team, but Labuschagne seems to be in fine form.
“He carried on batting, so he must be alright. Otherwise, he would have exited the nets. He’s got a finger that’s taken a few hits. I believe he received another one today. He mentioned it felt better once the blood started circulating again, which seems logical.”
Since his Test debut, Labuschagne has proved a formidable opponent for bowlers worldwide. His patience and ability to expertly avoid balls well outside off stump have served him well. However, at Edgbaston, Stuart Broad managed to outfox the Australian twice, causing him to be caught behind the wicket in both innings. Smith followed suit with an uncharacteristic edge behind in the second innings – a dismissal strikingly similar to Labuschagne’s.
Despite the unusual nature of the dismissals, Di Venuto is convinced that Labuschagne doesn’t need to drastically overhaul his batting technique. He noted that Labuschagne and Smith, given their class, don’t require much guidance from him during net sessions.
“He could perhaps avoid a few balls on the 12th-stump line, that would be ideal. Marnus is always looking to evolve his game. Anyone who’s seen him train knows how meticulously he prepares. He’s constantly tweaking his technique, which is par for the course with Marn.”
“His preparation is entirely Marn’s doing. He has a close relationship with Neil D’Costa back in Australia, and I occasionally get updates from Neil. We’re here to help with anything we notice, but ultimately, they are their own best coaches. They excel at problem-solving, which is why they’ve been such invaluable players for Australia over time.”
Di Venuto had words of praise for captain Pat Cummins, whose exceptional innings brought Australia victory in the company of Nathan Lyon. Highlighting Cummins’ latent batting potential, the coach revealed significant effort has been put into ensuring Australia’s bowlers can contribute significantly with the bat if the need arises. In addition to Cummins and Lyon, Scott Boland also played a crucial innings, stepping in as nightwatchman late on day four.
“Cummins’ improvement has been a significant focus before our arrival here, and he has put in a great deal of work since then. Predominantly with Andrew McDonald and occasionally with myself. His performance in the Test match was nothing short of spectacular. His performance in the last innings was outstanding, as was Nathan Lyon’s. And let’s not forget Scott Boland’s valuable contribution as a nightwatchman. Compared to our first innings, our lower-order rebounded superbly in the second.”
