Australia need to summon up the spirit of Bradman to rescue Ashes

ENGLAND go into today’s third Test at Old Trafford with a 2-0 lead knowing that a draw would be enough to retain the Ashes.
England's James Anderson (centre) and the rest of the England team celebrate winning the First Investec Ashes Test match at Trent BridgeEngland's James Anderson (centre) and the rest of the England team celebrate winning the First Investec Ashes Test match at Trent Bridge
England's James Anderson (centre) and the rest of the England team celebrate winning the First Investec Ashes Test match at Trent Bridge

But at the back of their minds will be a nagging piece of history which suggests they cannot afford to take anything for granted.

Back in the winter of 1936-37, England went into the third Test at Melbourne with a 2-0 lead after victory by 322 runs in Brisbane and by an innings and 22 runs in Sydney.

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Gubby Allen and his players were coasting it even more than Alastair Cook’s side are today before a rotter named Bradman turned the series on its head.

Don Bradman, who captained Australia for the first time in the match at Brisbane, had suffered a difficult series up to that point.

The greatest run-maker cricket has known had managed only 120 runs in four innings, with two ducks.

There seemed to be no end to his misery when he was dismissed by Yorkshire’s Hedley Verity for 13 in the first innings of the Melbourne Test, which began on New Year’s Day, 1937.

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But after England were caught on a rain-affected pitch, Bradman reversed the batting order in the Australia second innings, came in at No 7 when conditions had eased from treacherous to challenging and scored the small matter of 270.

Despite an unbeaten 111 from Yorkshire’s Maurice Leyland in the England second innings, the tourists lost by 365 runs and the greatest fightback cricket has known was under way.

It couldn’t happen again, could it?

The present Aussie side – demoralised and dispirited – couldn’t pull this one out of the bag?

To be fair, there is probably more chance of Stuart Broad walking when he has edged the ball to slip than there is of the Australian class of 2013 emulating Bradman and co, and yet the Ashes has a habit of producing twists and turns – remember England’s wretched failure to back up convincing displays when they lost at Headingley in 2009 and Perth in 2010?

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The only certainty, indeed, is that nothing is certain, but if Australia are to pull off mission impossible then one thing is clear – someone is going to have to bat like Bradman.

When one considers that Australia have thus far batted more like Batman, it is extremely difficult to see that happening.

However, there is one flicker of hope on the tourists’ horizon – and his name is Michael Clarke.

The Australia captain is no Bradman, but he is capable of producing Bradman-esque scores.

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Clarke, who has had an underwhelming series to date, registering innings of 0, 23, 28 and 51, proved as much last year when he scored 1,595 runs in 11 Tests at an average of 106.33.

Even Bradman’s best return in a calendar year falls short by comparison, the Don amassing 1,025 runs – albeit from three fewer Tests – in 1948, while Clarke hit scores of 329 not out, 210, 259 not out and 230 along the way, thus becoming the first man to score four Test double centuries in a single year.

That is awesome accumulation by any standards – even Bradman’s – and although Cook and his troops will not exactly be quaking in their boots, they cannot yet afford to kick them off and start lighting the cigars.

After Bradman’s double hundred at Melbourne in 1937, he followed up with scores of 26 and 212 in the fourth Test at Adelaide, which Australia won by 148 runs to draw level at 2-2.

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The Don signed off with 169 in the final Test, again played at Melbourne, ending with a grand total of 810 runs for the series at 90.00 – actually down on his overall career average of 99.94.

Gubby Allen, the vanquished captain, reflected that England were “a rotten side”.

The contention was dubious, seeing that it contained such luminaries as Verity, Leyland, Wally Hammond and Bill Voce, and it was Australia who deserved the highest credit.

For Australia to prevail this time, though, it is not only Clarke who must do something special but also his team-mates.

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The captain needs support. Bradman had it in 1936-37 in the form of Stan McCabe, who averaged over 50, and Jack Fingleton, who averaged more than 40, and that means the rest of the top-six must – for want of a better term – come to the party.

So far, the Australian batting has been more of a wake.

The leading run-scorer, for heaven’s sake, is Ashton Agar, the spin bowler who whacked 98 at Trent Bridge and who has hit 130 runs at 32.50. The only other players with more than 100 runs are Shane Watson (109 at 27.25) and Clarke (102 at 25.50).

Ed Cowan averages seven, Steve Smith 18, Chris Rogers 22 and Phil Hughes 27.

The other problem for Australia is that England can get even better.

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Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior have yet to fire; all average 26 or less.

Jonny Bairstow’s first Test century is surely just around the corner, the Yorkshireman having so far had a solid series with 139 runs at 34.75.

Throw in the fact that Ian Bell (317 at 79.25) and Joe Root (221 at 55.25) are scoring runs for fun and the size of Australia’s challenge becomes ever more steep.

If it is not quite Mount Everest, it is at least Kilimanjaro.

If I was a betting man, I would say that England will wrap up the series in Manchester.

For Australia to stop them, they will need to summon the spirit of Bradman.