Australia 8(dec)-442 England 1-29
Tim Paine put into play the lesson he learned from the greats to play the innings that launched Australia's counterattack in Adelaide on Sunday.
The recalled wicketkeeper hit his first Test half-century in 2611 days as Australia recovered from a precarious position to turn the screws on England.
Paine showed courage not only in his bold strokeplay but in overcoming two blows to his troublesome fingers.
He required treatment from Australia's medical staff but batted on after appearing to take painkillers. In a positive sign for the hosts, he later took his place behind the stumps. So well did Paine bat, it would now be seen as a blow if Paine was to be forced out of the side with injury.
The 32-year-old's game-changing knock, reminiscent of some of Brad Haddin's efforts in the 2013/14 whitewash, was reward for the work he had done in the off-season to remould his batting technique.
The runs had dried up for Paine in recent years to the point where he had lost his place in the Tasmanian Shield team despite his lofty standing as one of the country's best wicketkeepers. He was overlooked at the start of this summer after failing to score enough runs at grade level.
The double century Paine made as a 21-year-old remains the only time he has reached triple figures in 160 first-class innings.
Paine was stumped when asked by Tasmania's batting coach Jeff Vaughan during the winter what worked for him at the crease.
"He's well renowned as one of the best wicketkeepers in Australia and he was very confident in his system," Vaughan, a former Shield player for South Australia, said.
"He had his two or three things that he knew worked and trusted. When I asked him what his two or three things were for his batting he said: 'I don't really know, I haven't really got it.'"
Vaughan has studied greats such as Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli and Jacques Kallis and noticed how early each player moved.
Paine, however, was still at the bowler's point of release and did not move until the ball was "a third of the way down the pitch", which caused dire problems.
"That's why he was late on everything. There were certain bowlers that shouldn't be worrying him for pace were worrying him for pace," Vaughan said.
Paine has since introduced a small step with his front foot, which allows him to get into a better position, back or forward, to play the ball.
The Tasmanian had also moved earlier during the promising start to his international career in 2009/10 when he made important runs for Australia in the Test and 50-over arenas.
"We're big on him having two or three cues that he uses religiously on a daily basis in his training," Vaughan said.
"We got him going early, got him moving and that's really the crux of it.
"If he's able to use the cues at the wicket, it almosts act like a safety blanket. He feels good, knows he's moving early, watching the ball and seeing them well.
"Once he gets all the information from the ball being released he's got the information of where he needs to go, then he's in a far better position to be able to do it quickly.
"He's not the finished product yet. He'll continue to work and evolve but it's reward for a bloke who works bloody hard on the game."
