Ian Bell: Australia looked "scared", England have psychological advantage in Ashes 2023

Ian Bell believes Australia have "more to work on" than England despite winning the first Ashes 2023 Test because they looked "scared" and "passive".

Australia won by two wickets at Edgbaston, with Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon's ninth-wicket partnership helping them chase 281. Some pundits observed that Australia won because they countered England's ultra-aggressive strategies with minor adjustments and sticking to the basics.

However, Bell, who played 118 Tests for England, saw it as a sign of fear.

“I’d go as far to say that Australia have more to work on,” Bell said, as quoted by wisden.com. “After the first two days at Edgbaston I was amazed how passive Australia were. It was like England used to play Ashes series in the really bad old days. Australia looked scared. I saw that in two examples.

“First, in the field setting for England’s batters in the first innings. They had sweepers out on the off- and on-side after three overs. I’d never seen anything like it and as someone who has experienced the pressure cooker of an Ashes series – I won five out of seven – being afforded an easy option for a single as a batter like that would have been unheard of."

Bell also took a dig at Steve Smith's batting approach in the Edgbaston Test.

“It was also interesting how nervous Steve Smith was. Why didn’t he launch himself at Harry Brook? Why did he barely play a stroke in anger?"

Cummins was criticized for having a deep point in place from the first over, though Australia restricted England to under 400 on Day 1. The next day Ben Stokes introduced Brook into the attack, who had only bowled once before in Tests, in just the 15th over. Smith played it out cautiously and Stokes went back to his first-choice bowlers.

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"England have got a psychological grip on Australia" - Ian Bell

Bell added that the "only" sign of aggression from Australia came from Cummins and Lyon because they "were beaten" and had nothing to lose, which is a psychological advantage for the hosts.

“As I said, I think England’s intent has unnerved Australia and the only time they showed any aggression themselves was when Alex Carey was out in that extraordinary final innings," Bell said. "Basically, they only played in England’s style when they knew they were beaten and they had nothing to lose. Psychologically that is fascinating. Brendon McCullum will pick up on that."

“In the aftermath of the epic at Edgbaston England will feel exhausted and hugely disappointed. But once the dust settles they may come to realise that despite being 1-0 down in this Ashes series, they have got a psychological grip on Australia.”

The rivals will go head-to-head again from Wednesday (June 28) in the second Test at Lord's.