As the rain-soaked skies drew the curtain on the Old Trafford Test, Australia’s Ashes triumph was confirmed, leaving cricket enthusiasts and media outlets divided over the significance of their retention of the prestigious urn. While some quarters expressed sympathy for England’s plight, others took aim at their tactics, particularly the attacking ‘Bazball’ approach, which sparked heated debates across the cricketing world.
Ben Horne, writing for the Herald Sun, spared little sympathy for England, asserting that their Ashes bellyaching had become excessive. According to Horne, the home side had only themselves to blame for squandering advantageous positions in the first two Tests. He praised the captivating and brilliant ‘Baz Ball’ style of play but questioned England’s obsession with it, suggesting that it was time for them to face the reality of their failure to secure the Ashes on home soil once again.
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Malcolm Conn, although sympathetic towards Australia’s precarious situation in the Fourth Test, did not hesitate to criticize England’s performance. He noted that England’s chances of victory were dashed by their own mistakes, including an overoptimistic declaration and reckless batting in the first Test at Edgbaston. This blunder opened the door for Australia to snatch a dramatic two-wicket win and seize control of the series.
Contrary to some harsh critiques, Gideon Haigh of the Australian felt that England had indeed learned from their earlier missteps, making their failure to secure the Ashes in a decisive manner a “dismal way” for the outcome to be decided. Haigh argued that the series had become enchanting to fans, and both teams had showcased improvements, with the gap between them narrowing significantly compared to the previous Ashes encounter.
A topic of considerable controversy was the convention of having the Ashes holder retain the urn in the event of a drawn series. Some sections of the Australian media called for a reassessment of this custom, contending that it favored defensive cricket from the team that won the last series and could lead to a less competitive outcome. Andrew Webster of the Sydney Morning Herald appreciated the value of a gritty draw but suggested that a change in the rule might enliven the latter matches of a series, preventing dead rubbers and infusing more enthusiasm into the game.
Gideon Haigh joined the call for reconsideration, proposing the provision for the Ashes to be shared, given the unique hybrid character of the Oval Test, where it remains live concerning the series outcome but feels dead in the context of the Ashes. Haigh acknowledged that cricket might not always make complete sense but believed it should attempt to do so on occasion.
In conclusion, the 2023 Ashes series stirred passionate debates and conflicting opinions across Australia’s media landscape. While Australia celebrated their retention of the urn, criticisms were leveled at England’s tactics and the convention of retaining the Ashes in the event of a drawn series. As the series approached its climactic finale at The Oval, cricket fans could only hope for an enthralling finish befitting the historic rivalry between the two nations.