*Official* Road to the 2025-26 Ashes

[BigBeefy]

Anyone feel Matty Potts would go well in the Aussie conditions? Feel like he’s the one we might overlook who could do well out there.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

Anyone feel Matty Potts would go well in the Aussie conditions? Feel like he’s the one we might overlook who could do well out there.

I quite like him, he has done well any time England have called him up and he is far less injury prone than the others. There is a small chance he gets in to do the 'Woakes role' if Woakes himself can't make it, but realistically, he is in a group with the likes of Overton, Cook and perhaps Sonny Baker on the fringes, behind Wood, Archer, Atkinson, Carse and Tongue

 

[Daemon]

recent history would indicate the pitches are more likely to he quite bowler friendly

You never know with Australia tbf, they have been doctoring the pitches so much

 

[kevinw]

I think England need one consistent bowler, likely to bowl in each test. It shows we were spoiled with Jimmy. I can't see any of the quicks being fit for three successive tests. I think taking Woakes would be a mistake anyway but Potts has fallen down the pecking order. It will be three random quicks based on who is fit.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

You never know with Australia tbf, they have been doctoring the pitches so much

I mean, England lost the Test with the most ‘traditional’ English wicket against India, and BazBall has worked best on flat decks (and has consistently asked for something like traditional Aussie pitches), Australia are best served producing traditional English pitches lol

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

I think England need one consistent bowler, likely to bowl in each test. It shows we were spoiled with Jimmy. I can't see any of the quicks being fit for three successive tests. I think taking Woakes would be a mistake anyway but Potts has fallen down the pecking order. It will be three random quicks based on who is fit.

It might be useful to have a bowler who can bowl all day, but the thinking might be that if the pitches are going to be more bowler-friendly, we can afford to field Archer, Wood, Atkinson and Stokes together as they shouldn’t need to bowl too many overs to knock them over…risky tactic still!

 

[Molehill]

It might be useful to have a bowler who can bowl all day, but the thinking might be that if the pitches are going to be more bowler-friendly, we can afford to field Archer, Wood, Atkinson and Stokes together as they shouldn’t need to bowl too many overs to knock them over…risky tactic still!

Given Australia will look to the play the series essentially with the same 3 seamers, not hard to predict what the pitches will be like.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Given Australia will look to the play the series essentially with the same 3 seamers, not hard to predict what the pitches will be like.

@Daemon

 

[the big bambino]

Given Australia will look to the play the series essentially with the same 3 seamers, not hard to predict what the pitches will be like.

If the pitches are as green as recent series then Boland should play as well.

 

[Molehill]

If the pitches are as green as recent series then Boland should play as well.

I presume they will in Brisbane anyway (will Lyon throw his toys out again?). I guess it depends on what they think they'll get from the 4th seamer, whether that be Webster or Green.

 

[cascade]

Cummins bowled more overs in the recent BGT than he did in the 2023 Ashes. Spicier decks don't necessarily do much for the workload of the quicks & the way England bats makes it less of an issue anyway.

What's better for them is to have some pitches where Lyon can be effective & the other four rotate as needed. Too early to tell how likely that is though because a lot depends on weather.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I presume they will in Brisbane anyway (will Lyon throw his toys out again?). I guess it depends on what they think they'll get from the 4th seamer, whether that be Webster or Green.

I don't know this triggers me so much. The assumption that pitches are made to order to help the home team. If anything recently it's been the opposite. The last home test we played was the Sydney BGT when we needed a draw to win the series and the pitch was the greenest one all summer, ensuring a result that was essentially a lottery

 

[Prince EWS]

I don't know this triggers me so much. The assumption that pitches are made to order to help the home team. If anything recently it's been the opposite. The last home test we played was the Sydney BGT when we needed a draw to win the series and the pitch was the greenest one all summer, ensuring a result that was essentially a lottery

@TheJediBrah

 

[Molehill]

I don't know this triggers me so much. The assumption that pitches are made to order to help the home team. If anything recently it's been the opposite. The last home test we played was the Sydney BGT when we needed a draw to win the series and the pitch was the greenest one all summer, ensuring a result that was essentially a lottery

I have absolutely no issue with home teams creating pitches that suit them anyway, I wish England did it more. It's your conditions, use it to your advantage.

But do you think the Aus batting is good enough to bat out 5 days anyway? May as well play to your strengths and that's clearly the bowling, keep the Tests short, their workloads manageable, and get them on the park for as many matches as possible.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I have absolutely no issue with home teams creating pitches that suit them anyway, I wish England did it more. It's your conditions, use it to your advantage.

But do you think the Aus batting is good enough to bat out 5 days anyway? May as well play to your strengths and that's clearly the bowling, keep the Tests short, their workloads manageable, and get them on the park for as many matches as possible.

Eh not sure about that. Our batsmen over the past decade and a bit have been infamously incompetent at playing the moving ball, more than most sides. And then we bos it on roads. Overly seamy wickets hurt our batsmen as much, if not more, than the opposition, while also bridging the gap in bowling quality.

Having said that however, if there's ever a touring side that could potentially be even worse at playing the moving ball, it's probably this current England one. So it might not be the worst result

 

[Molehill]

Eh not sure about that. Our batsmen over the past decade and a bit have been infamously incompetent at playing the moving ball, more than most sides. And then we bos it on roads. Overly seamy wickets hurt our batsmen as much, if not more, than the opposition, while also bridging the gap in bowling quality.

Having said that however, if there's ever a touring side that could potentially be even worse at playing the moving ball, it's probably this current England one. So it might not be the worst result

I think that might be the WI, although Aus somehow managed to lose to them in similar circumstances. But yeah, half of this lot are not great when it zips around and will probably adopt the hit out or get out approach.

 

[Chin Music]

I think that might be the WI, although Aus somehow managed to lose to them in similar circumstances. But yeah, half of this lot are not great when it zips around and will probably adopt the hit out or get out approach.

Probably even more reason to pick Dawson then. I certainly don't see Crawley and Pope being successful. The former might be good for 2 or 3 PLFs but that's about it. I can see a horror show for Pope to be honest.

 

[Molehill]

Probably even more reason to pick Dawson then. I certainly don't see Crawley and Pope being successful. The former might be good for 2 or 3 PLFs but that's about it. I can see a horror show for Pope to be honest.

Agreed, knowing how awful he is at the start of an innings, I can see a lot of very short visits to the middle. Bethell may have his spot by the 3rd Test.

 

[govinda indian fan]

If the pitches are as green as recent series then Boland should play as well.

I don't see haze lasting more then three tests