da brdice： When it was needed that he be a leader and display courage, Nasser Hussainwas found wanting
David Wiseman07-Nov-2002When it was needed that he be a leader and display courage, Nasser Hussainwas found wanting.It was the same old predictable boring England.Sending the opposition in is a gamble.When you don’t have the bowlers to doany damage, it’s akin to suicide.England will now be lucky to follow-on. If they avoid it or it is notenforced, they will have an impossible target to chase.The tone of an Ashes series is set on the first day of the first Test.In 1986, Australia sent England in at the Gabba for them to finish the firstday at 2/198. They would make 456, enforce the follow-on and win by sevenwickets.In 1989, David Gower sent Australia in. Australia made it to the first dayat 3/207 and would won the Test by 210 runs.In 1994, Michael Slater hit the first ball of the series from Phil DeFreitasfor four. It was that kind of series.Hussain had to be positive. Get some runs on the board and at least putAustralia in a position where they didn’t feel 100% in control.Now he has placed his side in a huge hole which will require some greatbatting and the old rain dance for them to extricate themselves.Electing to bat first would have shown that England would not be lying down.Instead, they took the easy way out and are paying for it.For all the talk, their fielding is still basic. The bowlers aren’t bowlingto their fields. Too many balls are being bowled without a shot being playedand if a false stroke is made, the defensive field placings means that itcan’t be capitalised on.Hussain has sent out a message loud and clear – that his side fearAustralia. Obviously oblivious to the fact that it’s the exploitation of theopposition’s fear which is one of the major reasons for Australia’s success.The hero of the Mexican revolution, Emiliano Zapata once said, “It’s better to die on your feet than live on your knees”.England are dying on their knees.