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England need to cope without leader Anderson

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This series again lived up to it’s chaotic nature with a great comeback by England at Edgbaston but their challenge now is to break the run of failing to win two Tests in a row - and what better incentive than doing so to win back the Ashes.

The eight-wicket win against Australia extended the hosts’ record of winning and then losing to seven matches.

In my Yahoo column ahead of the third Test, I asked for the basics to be done better and they did so by bowling as a unit and by holding their catches - two areas that have led to the inconsistency, so they must maintain that level.

My only major worry going into the Test is the absence of Jimmy Anderson, given he has been such an outstanding bowler. They’ve lost the leader of their pack - but they must not think that they can’t win because he’s not there.

Going back to the second Test in Perth in 1986/87, Ian Botham tore his intercostal muscle and missed the third Test at Adelaide. Fortunately, there were three weeks before the following match in Melbourne and we knew we were likely to get him back for that. But at Adelaide we all knew we’d be without Beefy.

So we had to make sure that everybody was aware that we all had to do our jobs and if we played well as a team then we could still get a result out of it. That’s what we prepared ourselves for and it resulted in a high-scoring draw on a very good pitch.

This team must put aside negative thoughts about not having Jimmy and, if they do have one thing in mind, they could say: “we’ve got to do this for Jimmy”.

Even if England draw it wouldn’t be a bad result this time but I suspect the make-up of the team will be to try to win because given the way this series has played out there will be a result and if the wicket is anything like Trent Bridge can be then the ball is still going to move sideways.

Mark Wood will probably come in but if he isn’t fit then Liam Plunkett is likely to get the nod because he swings it away and bowls at the top end of 80mph. I wouldn’t chance Mark Footitt just yet but he is definitely worth having a look at sooner rather than later.

Stuart Broad’s consistency is definitely improving and without Anderson they need him to take over and be that pack leader. He knows he can do it but he needs to get his sensible head on and lead from the front in a calm manner.

Steven Finn was the obvious highlight of the Test and he brought the pace that some of us were crying out for after Lord’s but anyone who had seen him bowl of late knew that he was ready for the call.

Another big bonus had to be Ian Bell’s response following his elevation to three. He played in a positive manner, his technique was good and this will be part of him learning about himself mentally. If he can get through this series with another couple of scores it would be a huge boost to him and he would extend his international future.

He took responsibility and you could see how pumped up he was for it, which obviously he needed to be at the time. He played some uppish shots and got away with it, but as both innings wore on he calmed down a bit and played very well - apart from his dismissal in the first innings and the one shot he played early in the chase that he steered straight to Michael Clarke, which he fortunately dropped.

Joe Root looked in ominous form again and everyone seemed to bat with a bit more patience, which was important on that pitch - and you could certainly see a bit more ducking going on.

We need to make sure we continue to bat in pairs as well, if consistency is to be found. Ben Stokes and Root did it at Lord’s against New Zealand and Broad and Ali in the first innings at Edgbaston and then Root and Bell did so in the second. We need to be able to do it with different compositions of pairing if we are to look more solid.

I also think credit has to go to the selectors. They’ve done well to keep Adam Lyth in the side - there is clearly something there but he does need to find some runs.

With an ageing side, Australia undoubtedly have more long-term selection issues than England once they get beyond this series but even now they are probably going to have to make changes. The top four of the batting will stay the same but then they maybe need to look at Shaun Marsh for Adam Voges.

In the bowling line up Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood didn’t bowl anywhere near as well as they did at Lord’s. Starc was wayward, Hazlewood seemed to lack a little bit of something - it wouldn’t surprise me if Pat Cummins comes in at Trent Bridge. Nathan Lyon at least bowled well for them. I just think they need some fresh blood to give the engine room a boost. The Australians will fight and come back at us - they’re never down and out - but they do have it all to do to resurrect this because if they lose this one then they’ve lost the Ashes.

And then comes Michael Clarke. He is under huge pressure as captain and to score runs. After such an embarrassing defeat this is where ruthlessness comes in for England. They need to make it hard for him to get off the mark and need to keep him scratching around out there - or just get him out quickly.

It will certainly be Clarke’s last Ashes in the UK but England need to do what the Aussies traditionally have done so well: get their foot on his throat and keep it there - then this may well be the last series that we see him pull on the Baggy Green cap as skipper.