Ryan ten Doeschate: My batting is blowing hot and cold, just like England!

Ryan ten Doeschate / Ryan ten doeschate / 17 July 2009 / Leave a Comment

The Essex all-rounder on saving a match for Essex and why Siddle and Hilfenhaus have been Australia's saving grace.

The general perception is that England missed a trick on Day One of the second Ashes Test at Lord's.

They ended it 364-6, which is hardly a bad score, but after being nearly 200-0 they would have had their eyes on 500. Now, even if they bat well they might be 440 all out but, judging by the way the pitch is playing, they will need a big, big first innings score to put pressure on to win the game.

I spoke to Alastair Cook after his knock of 95 and he was gutted not to make three figures. But, at the same time, it is good to have a proper score under his belt when perhaps he was starting to feel the pinch. I know it is early in the Series but self-doubt can always creep in. However, perhaps the thing he will be most pleased about is the way he and Andrew Strauss set up the Test match for an England win.

Both captains have scored big tons now. Ricky Ponting set the example at Cardiff and Strauss has followed it. If he can reach 200 today then surely England will be around the 500-mark and that could be vital.

They could have been 360-3 at stumps but if Australia strike early it will be about even. Around 400 looks a par score because the wicket looks quite placid and hard work to bowl on.

That said, Mitchell Johnson seemed to be bowling very short. For me he has been a disappointment. People thought he would lead the Australian attack; however he has not fired and frankly it is a good job for England that he has not. Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle may have been seen as lesser bowlers coming into the Ashes but they have looked more
effective.

Whatever score England post now, the likely outcome is that the visitors will come back with a big total. With a bit of rain around too I feel the most likely result is a high-scoring draw. But Cardiff shows that Test cricket is a long drawn out process so it is very early to say.

Meanwhile over at Guildford, I seemed to have got the balance back in my batting. I felt things were coming together while I was helping to save the match against Glamorgan last week but during Monday's Pro40, once again I felt out of sorts at the crease.

However Surrey had a decent attack for our Championship game - Andre Nel, Jade Dernbach and Chris Jordan - so it was rewarding to get an unbeaten 154 to get Essex out of a difficult position.

Taking four batting points is a step in the right direction for us and our total of 401 is now pretty much a minimum score with Surrey racing to 219-3 at the end of Day Two. It is pretty even at the moment and we have a lot of work to do today. The wicket has certainly flattened out
nicely but there are still some good balls kicking about.

We will be halfway through the season after this game and it is a crucial time for Essex. Yes, there is not much difference between the majority teams in the Division Two table but that lack of batting points has been costly for us. As a result that margin for error is just not there anymore in the Championship.

Losing the first game in the Pro 40 has put our backs against the wall in terms of our entire season. We don't want to be left with nothing to play for so early on. However maybe it could be good for us.

In the past few years we have fallen agonisingly short in our bid for promotion to Division One. However now we have the opportunity to focus all our attention on it.

Like England, we still have much to play for.