Two high-class spells on day one at Adelaide proved how misunderstood the England fast bowler is
This was a gripping day of Test cricket. The visuals were perfect. Adelaide Oval was a dreamy place, with its bleached greens, soft surfaces, the scroll of blue above the stands, the sense of some chino-shorted Eden, ultimate expression of the leisured triumphalism of the southern summer.
In the middle of this there were long periods where three games seemed to be happening all at once. England versus Australia. Jofra Archer versus Australia. And Jofra Archer versus the open pressure-valve of every England bowler at the other end.
England fought, finagled, burgled and caught well enough to take eight wickets on what had seemed likely to be a day of immolation under the sun. Mainly, though, this was an important day for Archer, who produced two high-class spells of fast bowling, at the start of the morning and the afternoon sessions.
This was all the more impressive given what was happening at the other end. Brydon Carse did at least follow his captain’s pre-match instructions, bowling like a dog with the new ball. In practice this was less inner mongrel, more giddy cocker spaniel puppy knocking over your reading lamp, eating the TV remote, falling in the bath.
