It's All In The Mind

The man on the left is only 97% Happy At The Moment

So keep on playing those mind games together,
Faith in the future outta the now,
You just can't beat on those mind guerillas,
Absolute elsewhere in the stones of your mind,
Yeah we're playing those mind games forever,
Projecting our images in space and in time,
Yes is the answer and you know that for sure,
Yes is the surrender you got to let it, you got to let it go

History doesn't tell us whether John Lennon was a fan of bat on willow games but Mind Games certainly came into my mind this morning watching the First Test unfold.

If a sports psychologist wanted to show an example of how to achieve what is known in some circles as "a complete mind fuck," he could show Ricky Ponting's decision not to enforce the follow-on as England limped home at the end of their first innings over four hundred runs behind. Instead of asking England to bat again, thereby exposing their techinical inadequacies on a pitch that is beginning to show real wear and tear he decided to ask their bowlers who, with the exception of the superb captain Mr A Flintoff, have been the cricketting equivalent of a one-legged man at an arse kicking contest.

Imagine what is happening inside Steve Harmison's head, he's been all over the place, look at SKY's track map for the evidence, his body language when he was dismissed suggests somebody who would rather have been on the plane with MT and coming home sharpish. And then just when he thinks he can put his feet up he has to go out again and take part in a bowling display that beggars belief.

I said at the end of day one that Australia would bat England out of this match, I expect they will declare in the morning with a lead over 650 runs, thereby planting another big psychological tree in England's fragile mind garden. Australia's second innings has already reaped nearly two hundred runs for the loss of one wicket. I don't think Ricky Ponting is batting England out of the match, I think he has it in his mind to bat Harmison and Anderson out of the series, the stupid schedule just doesn't allow for them to recover any form before Adelaide.

If you wanted to see a perfect example of what Six so rightly described as 'fragile psyches' you only had to watch this mornings post match interviews. Ian Bell, the only other bright thing in England's team at the moment was hesitant and gave the impression that nobody in the England camp thinks the match can be saved, contrast with Glenn McGrath who said that although he was pleased as always with his six-for he was striving to get better and only felt 96 or 97% happy with his performance to date.

There is one positive to come out of the next couple of days, however heavy the defeat we will still only be 1-0 down with four to play.