England Have To Capitalise On Momentum Of Headingley Win Says Jonathan Agnew – The Ashes 2023

If Australia did not already know they had a battle on their hands for the Ashes, they do now.

Standing in the middle after England secured their three-wicket victory at Headingley, you could not help but think back to four years ago on the same ground.

As I did that day, I interviewed Ben Stokes in the aftermath. We were in almost the same spot on the outfield, and it was eerie how similar it was – the crowd, the jubilant atmosphere, and even the perfect weather.

Last time it was Stokes hitting the crucial knock, but this time it was Harry Brook with the match-winning innings. Brook played superbly for his 75.

He is remarkable for his age – still just 24, and playing his 10th Test. He seems to be able to play with such clarity.

On his home ground and back at number five in the batting order, where he is more suited, he was Stokes-like in that the situation did not seem to impact him.

He just sees the ball and hits it. It is uncomplicated and paid off perfectly.

Throughout the third Test, England batted how a lot of us have suggested they should.

It was entirely their own fault they were, but England should not have been 2-0 down going into this match, after what we saw in Australia’s thrilling two-wicket win at Edgbaston and the dramatic encounter at Lord’s.

The scoreline now is much more reflective of the play we have seen.

England played positively but when the field was set back they were sensible, just knocking the singles into open spaces.

We saw it at the start of the decisive fourth day when Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley just pushed and ran – the result being they took another 15 off the target without having to do anything too drastic.

That was smart cricket and it does now feel that the momentum has swung towards England.

It started when Mark Wood changed the complexion of the hosts’ attack in the first innings at Leeds, when he took 5-34 and knocked over Australia’s lower order.

I love watching real fast bowling, and that was it at its very best. Wood was outstanding.

The fact he and Chris Woakes, who also bowled very nicely for his six wickets, were able to perform right away in their first match of the series with no cricket behind them, is testament to their training and preparation.

What England now have to do is ensure they do not squander this momentum, as they did in 2019 when, after Stokes inspired them to victory, they lost the next Test in Manchester.

To do that they still have to cut out the missed chances and, of course, talk will continue around the place of wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, given someone of the quality of Ben Foakes is waiting in the wings.

By my Test Match Special colleague Andy Zaltzman’s calculations, Bairstow has missed eight chances in the series, but for me it was just as worrying that he left the catch off Mitchell Starc for Brook on the third evening.

That was the wicketkeeper’s catch and was a sign of someone low on confidence. Bairstow was lucky Brook did so well, running and diving from short leg.

England, though, value Bairstow’s batting highly. He did score an important 78 in the first innings of the first Test, let’s not forget.

He is coming back from a serious leg injury and with each of these games is only going to get fitter, which leaves me thinking England will stick with him.

They do, however, have a decision to make about the number three spot.

I do not want to see Brook go back up there – it is just not his position.

If the pitch at Old Trafford is a slower one then Moeen Ali could well continue, having been promoted for the second innings in Leeds, or another option is Stokes.

England’s captain has the technique to do it and batting down the order he almost always has to hit sixes to score a run, because Australia are just putting the field back to him.

He would have the chance to play a more conventional innings, which we know he can do, but obviously the downside is he would likely come to the crease when the ball is new and Australia could knock him over.

That’s why I would try to persuade Joe Root to go back to number three. I know he does not like it as much as his current place at four, but it is only one position and we have not had this conversation since he gave up the captaincy.

Root wouldn’t be as drained as he would have been back in the days of batting at number three after captaining in the field all day.

As for the bowling, my hunch is James Anderson will come back, in place of Ollie Robinson, to bowl at the end which carries his name.

By his own admission, Anderson has not been at his best but he was out there before day four training to try to get himself right.

Whoever England pick, it promises to be a fascinating Test in Manchester.

There may be nine days off but it is going to be hard not to get swept up by the excitement that will build over the next week.

Had England lost on Sunday, it would have been such a disappointment because the series would have been over.

It has already had everything that makes the Ashes so special – brilliant cricket, bad cricket, close finishes and a good row – and is capturing the imagination of so many people, which is what it is all about.

It could now be a series we continue to talk about for a very long time.