England Cricket / Ed Hawkins / 29 July 2008 /

Headingley was a debacle but England remain a tough side to beat at home, says Ed Hawkins.

"One bad innings" was how England opening batsman Alastair Cook described the chastening ten-wicket defeat to South Africa in the second Test at Headingley. Aside from that soundbite being wholly inaccurate there has been little emanating from the England camp in the wake of that loss which would tempt punters into taking the [4.70] you can get on a series-levelling win for England at Edgbaston.

Perhaps Cook should have a look at the scorecard. England were bowled out for 203 in the first innings, then conceded 522 before being bowled out again for a woefully inadequate 327. If that lot constitutes one bad innings, how would he describe South Africa's second innings, when they chased down, ahem, nine?

Churlishness aside, Cook's comments do give a fascinating insight into the England team. Naïve might be the wrong word to describe them. And perhaps arrogant or cocky is too strong. But what it does show is self-belief and for all the controversy of the Darren Pattinson demotion and recall of Steve Harmison for the contest in Birmingham, which starts tomorrow, all that should be forgotten by bettors and one important fact remembered: England are damn hard side to beat at home.

They have lost only two of their last 17 home series, an astounding record when you consider that for the most part, English cricket being booted from pillar to post is almost taking on hobby status for those waiting for the football season to begin again.

That record is the reason why South Africa have on their last three visits to England taken the lead in each series and failed to hold onto any of them.

That record is the reason why England and captain Michael Vaughan will not be too perturbed to be 1-0 down, especially as the next game takes place at Edgbaston, a fortress for the hosts with four wins out of the last five.

Do not forget that in the Ashes series of 2005 Edgbaston was the venue for one of the greatest Test matches of all time and the start of one of the most remarkable comebacks in sporting history.

There are more recent examples of England showing tremendous resolve. New Zealand had never lost a series at home after winning the first Test until England came back from the dead in March. Overall their record in the last 11 series when they have lost the first match reads won four and lost seven, which is good news for pre-series England backers, if not for draw backers.
Of course all of this does not guarantee an England victory at Edgbaston. It should just help to make one's thought process go along more rational lines.

Indeed, while on that track, Andrew Flintoff could be a touch of value at [6.60] as 'any other batsman' for top England first-innings runscorer. Fred has 438 Test runs in ten innings on the ground at an average of 48.67.

However, the most sensible piece of wagering anyone could do over the next five days - or perhaps the summer - is to lay the draw with, dare I say it, reckless abandon.

Edgbaston is as sporty a wicket as they come. There should be pace and bounce for the fast men and turn, too for Monty Panesar and, don't laugh, Paul Harris, who had success there in a stint with Warwickshire.

Only two of the last 13 Tests have been draws and the fact that both of those have come against South Africa is a freak. The weather is not bad enough to cause consternation, either with a bit of rain forecast for days one and two. You can lay the draw at [2.16]. You would have to be as naïve as Mr Cook to miss out.

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