ENGLAND cricket fans were in the mood for a HokeyCokey at Headingley last night as Australia were thrashed by six wickets in the first skirmish of the Ashes summer. Adam Hollioake boasts the party dance among a bewildering number of more than 20 nicknames, but celebration was certainly in the air as Mike Atherton's new look team convincingly took the opening Texaco Trophy international.
Surrey all rounder Hollioake, the highly competitive 25 year old who best encapsulates the fresh, up and at em approach of New Image England, finished the match with a pulled six over mid wicket off much vaunted Australia pace newcomer Jason Gillespie.
Hollioake (66 not out) was joined by Graham Thorpe (75 not out) in a glorious unbroken fifth wicket stand of 135. From 40-4 in reply to Australia's 170-8, the Surrey pair took England galloping to their target with a crushing 9.5 overs to spare.
Leg spinner Shane Warne, also pulled for six by man of the match Hollioake, conceded 37 runs from his six overs. Atherton could not have wished for a better start to the season.
Winning the toss, and being able to bowl first on a cool, cloudy day, was England and Atherton's first success. But the victory was achieved by committed and determined cricket from all departments.
Wonderful catches by Atherton himself, and especially by Mark Ealham, captivated the 16,500 full house and provided images to capture the mood of the whole day.
And, except when England slid to 40-4, Headingley was awash with heady, new era vitality, an atmosphere of new hope generated initially by Darren Gough who spearheaded that spirited and disciplined performance in the field.
Gough's new ball spell of 5-2-6-1 included the psychologically vital wicket of skipper Mark Taylor, caught behind for just seven from a beautiful off cutter.
Dean Headley's fifth ball, in the 5th over, spreadeagled Mark Waugh's stumps, and with Phil DeFreitas and Ealham contributing steady seam up bowling, the Australians soon knew they would have to fight for every run.
Michael Bevan and Greg Blewett added 63 for the fourth wicket, but both fell with the total on 106.
By now, too, Robert Croft was in the middle of a miserly and high class spell of off spin which strangled the Australian middle order.
Croft, England's big find of the winter, delivered no fewer than 48 dot balls in 10 overs costing just 16, runs. He conceded no boundaries, and apart from three wides, Australia's batsmen managed only one two and 11 singles from the Welshman.
Ealham's brilliant one handed caught and bowled, Atherton's superlative effort at short extra cover and Hollioake's super confident mixture of medium pace cutters and slower balls kept Australia under the cosh for the remainder of their innings.
Australia will surely react fiercely in the weekend games at The Oval and Lord's, but their lack of early tour practice, evident in the embarrassing defeat at Worcester last Sunday, was again exposed in conditions which gave England's bowlers just the incentive they required.
