Australia coach Darren Lehmann believes his side have exposed some “cracks” in England’s top-order batting which they will look to widen before the end of this Ashes series.
The tourists’ hopes of regaining the urn were washed away by a rain-affected third Test draw at Old Trafford concluded Monday which left Ashes-holders England an unassailable 2-0 up with two to play. “The first two Tests, Root got a big hundred and Bell’s made a couple — but we’ve shown a couple of cracks in their batting, which is exciting for us as a bowling unit,” said Lehmann.
Asked if by that he meant England captain Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott and Jonny Bairstow — all still searching for a major score this series — the former Australia batsman added: “It’s not just those three. We have some great ideas about the other eight batters — which is good.”
Lehmann was understandably delighted by the way Australia, for whom this draw stopped a run of six straight Test defeats, responded to their humiliating loss at Lord’s.
“After Lord’s, it was a real test of character,” he said ahead of Friday’s fourth Test in Durham. “They passed with flying colours. We dominated the game. We have to repeat that at Durham. Making big runs helps.