Mark Richardson: Positive intent a hallmark of Aussies

Michael Clarke's innings of 91 in Australia's second innings demonstrates how Australia still have the wood on England - positive intent. Here was a player dreadfully out of form and yet he came out and literally smashed it.

The ball will always beat the bat on an uneven surface - if the bowling is good and the surface is uneven which, in the case of the first Ashes test at Lord's, it is.

However the surface - variable in bounce, pace and definitely deserving of the odd cynical glare from the batsmen - can't be changed and so the contest is all about who can make the most of what they have.

At the end of the second day's play, as I write this column, it is the Australians who have made the most of the conditions and that is because they have brought into the match a more positive approach. The 'old crusties' may be remonstrating about poor batsmanship and lack of application in both teams' first innings and there have been some interesting and embarrassing dismissals when looked at in isolation.

But, in difficult batting conditions, it pays to analyse what is going on between dismissals and, in this case, more has gone on between Australia losing a wicket than England. This is demonstrated when you notice the time it took England to post 100. Australia had been and gone for very nearly twice as many in the same time.

While everyone, Clarke included, wants to get their name on the Lord's Honours-board, not all do but I'll guarantee you everyone batting on the Lord's wicket has a ball with their name on it. So there is no point in fluffing around, using up time and then getting out. There will almost certainly be a result in this game and it definitely won't take five days.

Positive intent is something the Australians are more comfortable with. They will not be dictated to by bowlers or a difficult surface. While their aggressive approach has at times backfired, more often than not it pays dividends and is why they have been able to force so many positive results their way over the recent past.

At times, you will get a run out like Langer's in the second innings or a misdirected pull shot like Hayden's second dismissal but you will seldom see someone hang around for a 30 ball two as in the case of England's Andrew Strauss.

This is not an easy wicket to bat on and, even on a good surface, it takes exceptional skill and courage to be positive against the miserly Australian attack. England have some quality bowling too and yet, on a helpful wicket for most of the afternoon, you wouldn't have thought so. They failed to use the 'up and down' conditions at all.

Why? Because Damien Martyn and Clarke put them under pressure through positive intent.

Will England hit Glenn McGrath and co off their line and length and place enough pressure back on them for England to knock the runs off? Maybe Kevin Pietersen and/or Andy Flintoff can but it will need a team effort and ideology they don't appear to have quite embraced yet.

For this reason, and in a game where a well-struck 50 may be of the same match-winning value as a grinding 150 on a 'flat one', the Australians are odds on favourites to walk away from Lord's 1-0 up.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY