5 things to look forward to in the 3rd Ashes Test

The score-line reads 1-1. But, if one had a choice to be in one of the two dressing rooms, it is hard to imagine anyone picking the English. Losing a game before the final day is bad. Losing it by more than 400 runs makes it even more painful.But the shattered hope that Australian bowlers aren’t at their best on slow featherbeds is what will give England sleepless nights. After a horrid first match, England might have managed to wake their Frankenstein and Mitchell Johnson definitely showed that he is capable of doing to England in England what he did to them in Australia.That is no way an exciting prospect, especially if you walk in at No.3 for England and currently look like a dead duck to any ball that is fast, short or moves a centimetre. The Third Test will be an extremely exciting contest. There are umpteen reasons to look forward to Birmingham in what could be the match of this Ashes series, sure to define where the urn goes. Here, we take a look at five reasons we cannot take our eyes off the Third Test.

#1 Will Michael Clarke find his form?

The skipper hasn’t fired yet

Australians don’t have a thing for grand farewells. Their greatest, Steve Waugh, just about managed one, barely hanging on with his fingernails. Clarke has the World Cup. Clarke has a 5-0 Ashes win. But, he hasn’t ever won the Ashes in England and he isn’t in a really great nick.

He would dearly love to set both things right but time is running out on him, especially with Steven Smith looking like he is capable of walking to the pitch on roller blades and still smack the English bowlers all day long. It cannot be easy with that back and with the heir apparent in that form, much like the trouble he caused for Ricky Ponting.

Clarke could shape a legacy here or he could be given the nudge. Thankfully for him, he still has a minimum of three Tests in what could probably be his last Ashes series on the English shores. We all know he is a fighter and we all know he keeps coming back from the dead like it is a walk in the park. That makes for a good reason to keep a tab on the Third Test.

#2 Will Mitchell Johnson terrify England again?

Johnson returned to form in the last Test

England celebrated the bad Johnson when they won the first Test. But a miraculous turnaround meant that they were left huffing and puffing at the good Johnson who on his day, is one of the meanest fast bowlers on the planet.

England were bundled out in 37 overs in the second innings of the second Test, thanks largely to Johnson who found his touch by picking up 3-53 in the first innings before blowing the opponents away with 3-27 in the second including the wicket of the English skipper.

This is an important game for the big man. He is on 1999 runs and 299 wickets. That could be as special as it gets for a fast bowler who really feeds off his batting, point in question being his half-century in the second innings of the first Test.

Johnson all fired up will make for one hell of a show and while it is a scary prospect for an English top order that looks a little dizzy with the exception of Joe Root, cricket lovers can’t ask for more.

#3 Bairstow\'s impact

Can Bairstow replicate his Yorkshire form?

Adam Lyth who has had scores of 6, 37, 0 and 7 in the four innings so far has retained his spot in the XI and will be given another chance. Gary Ballance has faced the axe and has been replaced by Jonny Bairstow who has been in good form.

Ian Bell who is also under pressure will be moving to the number 3 spot with Root at number 4. That top order definitely looks shaky and England cannot afford to lose two or three quick wickets.

England don’t have too many options right now and that is why Bairstow is the only guy who has been brought in. If he can score quick for which he is renowned for, then the momentum can change quickly.

One way or the other Cook has trouble with his top order and that top order has to fire against three Mitchells and a Josh who bowled like they didn’t want to do anything else but bowl, in the second Test. They definitely need to do better than 43 for three, 73 for three, 29 for three and 42 for three so far.

#4 An old-fashioned English pitch?

England want swing

Alastair Cook unabashedly admitted that he wants the good old-fashioned English pitch, a little bit of nibble, a little slow with a little less bounce. That will counter Johnson and make Anderson extremely effective. Lord’s with its slope played perfectly into the Australian hands, flat and allowing them to pile on the runs and then aiding some pace.

Cook will hope Birmingham makes his bowlers feel more at home than the Australians. However, pitches aren’t completely in anyone’s hands. Even the curator sometimes cannot tailor it to perfection based on the host captain’s demands.

The weather, the sun, the time are all important and in many ways, like the toss, the pitch treatment is sometimes a matter of luck. But, if Cook does get the English pitch he wants, he cannot afford to have another batting display like at Lord’s.

#5 James Anderson\'s form

England generally do well when Anderson picks wickets up front

James Anderson has already cemented his place as an English fast bowing legend, also winning the race to 400 wickets with Dale Steyn. But, after his 3-43 in the first innings of the first Test, his figures have been 0-33, 0-99 and 0-38. That is a sign of worry.

England cannot have Anderson misfiring. England cannot have Anderson anything short of his best while dealing with Australia. That is because Australia’s only weakness right now is that their batsmen aren’t really in the best shape to deal with the moving ball.

That cherry, moving either way, sharply from Anderson, will test everyone including Smith with his unorthodox technique and Clarke with his bad form. Stuart Broad seems to be in good form and it will dearly help England’s cause if Anderson is stoked up to give his best.