LONDON: Hope is one of those double-edged emotions, on one level it’s positive, hinting at what is possible, and on another it can mask reality and delude people. But such is modern-day sport that positivity is all that is really allowed, no negative talk can contaminate the dressing room.
That’s where England are at the moment — talking a good game while seemingly ignoring the bigger picture.
It’s all well and good claiming the side has left “scars” on Australia, as Trevor Bayliss did, while forgetting the hosts once again inflicted the much bigger wound of a 120-run defeat.
It’s also understandable that you would highlight your belief that the side has ”out-performed Australia” during periods of the two Tests “but just not over five days”, as Joe Root did, while forgetting that the ability to perform for all five days of a Test is pretty key to winning them.
Talk can only do so much and England head into the third Test in Perth seemingly clutching on to it as a panacea for the side’s many problems — the lack of runs from Alastair Cook; the inability to convert 30s into 50s, and 50s into 100s; the lack of an effective spinner; the inability of the left-handers to combat Nathan Lyon, to name only four of many.
It’s one thing to say Australia are “beatable” having lost both Tests by some margin, it’s completely another to then back up those words by actually going out and beating them.
In Perth — where they have not won since 1978 and where the pitch should be a godsend for the Australian pace attack — England are likely to find out that hope over expectation can only get you so far.
The Ashes: England clutching at straws
The Ashes: England clutching at straws
Home track advantage for Ameerat Alzamaan in the world’s richest race
- 2025 Fillies Mile winner looking to take her chance on Saudi Cup weekend
RIYADH: Saudi Arabian trainer, Sami Alharabi believes home track advantage could play to the strengths of Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz’s runner, Ameerat Alzamaan (GB) in the Group 1 $20 million Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday.
The brilliant Red Stable filly, a daughter of Ghaiyyath, has been a local success story winning six of her eight career starts including the 1,000 Guineas and then the Fillies Mile on The Saudi Cup undercard 12 months ago.
“I have been very pleased with her condition and believe she is in much better shape now than she was previously, showing clear improvement,” said Alharabi.
“My confidence comes from the noticeable development I see in her daily training, which gives me strong belief in her progression.
“It is very exciting to have a runner in The Saudi Cup and I place my trust in God for the filly to deliver a positive result.”
The four-year-old was supplemented into the Saudi Cup after missing out on an automatic entry when finding only the reopposing Mhally (GB) too strong in the G3 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup last month.
“I thought her performance in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques was very good. It was a successful test for her, especially competing against seasoned and high-quality horses,” added the trainer.
She will race over 1,800 meters on Saturday, and Alharabi believes she will relish the longer distance: “The filly is versatile but I believe her ideal trip is between 1,800 meters and 2,000 meters, which suits her better than 1,600 meters.
“The Japanese horse, Forever Young, is the strongest and most dangerous rival and I anticipate a highly-competitive race, but the filly’s proven record at the track and her liking for the surface could work to her advantage and she will give a good account of herself.”
A jockey has yet to be selected, with Alharabi hoping for gates six or seven at Wednesday’s draw ceremony.
