LONDON: Hope is one of those double-edged emotions, on one level it鈥檚 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鈥檚 where England are at the moment 鈥� talking a good game while seemingly ignoring the bigger picture.
It鈥檚 all well and good claiming the side has left 鈥渟cars鈥� on Australia, as Trevor Bayliss did, while forgetting the hosts once again inflicted the much bigger wound of a 120-run defeat.
It鈥檚 also understandable that you would highlight your belief that the side has 鈥漮ut-performed Australia鈥� during periods of the two Tests 鈥渂ut just not over five days鈥�, 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鈥檚 many problems 鈥� 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鈥檚 one thing to say Australia are 鈥渂eatable鈥� having lost both Tests by some margin, it鈥檚 completely another to then back up those words by actually going out and beating them.
In Perth 鈥� where they have not won since 1978 and where the pitch should be a godsend for the Australian pace attack 鈥� England are likely to find out that hope over expectation can only get you so far.