You could play into Australia’s hands!

Aussies could blow England away – on the benign tracks they asked for

AS A Test-cricket lover, it’s been immense fun to watch the way England have gone about things over the past 12 months and it will be fascinating to see the clash with an Australian attack who will be ready for their onslaught. What we’re hearing is that England want grass shaved off pitches to promote aggressive batting, but I just wonder if this particular tactic plays into Australia’s hands a bit more.

Australian bowlers are probably better suited to bowling on those types of surfaces than the English bowlers, whose strength lies in their own conditions, playing with the Dukes ball.

If you negate the off-the-surface movement with benign pitches, Australia have the air speed and height in Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green to take full advantage and are clearly better stocked than England, who have only two tall bowlers in Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson.

If Jofra Archer was fit, he would have potentially altered things, and it’s really disappointing to see a lad who’s desperate to perform not able to play.

Having been a fast bowler myself and missed key series through injury, I know it’s a heartbreaking feeling. You just want to be part of things, so he’ll obviously be devastated.

It’s disappointing for the game of cricket too because in huge series you want players with genuine pace creating great theatre, as Jofra did in the 2019 Ashes — although, I don’t think the Australians are complaining too much that he’s not there.

Bowlers win matches, they say, and here is my assessment of the two attacks trying to come out on top over the next two months.