England's Bazball making bowling one-dimensional

Sun beating down on an already rolled pitch to turn it into a featherbed, what Australia could only do was bowl short

- Somshuvra Laha

Seven days into the Ashes, and batting hasn’t looked easier. Australia and England have now scored at least 250 every time they have batted. An overall run rate of 3.77 at Edgbaston and now 4.31 at Lord’s—the averages are already peaking at unprecedented levels. Steve Smith is back among runs, so are David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne while Travis Head is yet to be dismissed by a pacer. England too seem to have finally resolved their opening conundrum after Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett combined for 91—England’s best Ashes opening stand since 2013. Only, none of these have come against exceptional bowling.

“Bazball” effect, most will point out. Look closely though, and one might be moved to argue that England’s cricket revolution is largely hinged on tinkering with one of the bedrocks of the game: the pitch. If James Anderson labelled the Edgbaston track as his “kryptonite”, the second-day pitch at Lord’s was the proverbial damp squib—up and down, aiding little or no lateral movement and downright sluggish. Overcast conditions help the ball seam but unless the pitch offers any zip, it’s of no use to seamers. That’s why, cloudy or sunny, Lord’s has always offered something to bowlers in the past. Not this time though.