England’s return to Australia for another attempt to regain the Ashes has reignited old debates over how to prepare for the toughest tour in Test cricket.
Ben Stokes’ men have opted for just one three-day warm-up against the England Lions at Lilac Hill near Perth – a far cry from the rigorous schedule that preceded their triumph in 2010/11, the last time England won Down Under.
That decision has drawn criticism from some quarters, and former England seamer Ryan Sidebottom spoke exclusively to The Cricket Paper via BOYLE Sports, who reported the latest betting on cricket believes the minimalist build-up leaves an important question unanswered: can England find the intensity needed to win in Australia?
“It’s a catch 22, isn’t it? There’s been a lot of talk about England and their preparation for the Ashes series,” Sidebottom said.
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Intensity
“Will the intensity now be where it should be for an Ashes series?
“But then you look at all the boys from Australia playing in the Sheffield Shield, preparing and getting ready, where the intensity is clearly there. They want to do well.”
“They’re being closely watched and they’re ready for the Ashes. So it’s quite difficult, isn’t it? What do you do?”
The 47-year-old, who was named in the fourth Test squad for England’s Ashes triumph in 2009 and has taken 79 Test wickets for his country in Test cricket, says the England camp risks going cold compared to Australia’s battle-hardened bowling attack.
“I’m just not worried about Australia, but about England and the preparation,” he added. “I don’t care what you say, but when you play against England Lions, is that there? Is that adrenaline rush there? Is that intensity there?”
“I’ve played in matches like this and as much as you’re preparing for an Ashes series, it’s not quite the intensity it should be when you’re playing a Test match.
“So that’s a little bit of a concern for me on the England side, about the intensity ahead of the first Test.”
Nothing to fear
Sidebottom believes that meeting local state teams would have been the better route to match the heat and hostility that England will face in the five-Test battle.
“You look back at history where English teams have gone and they played against the President XI. For example, they played against a state select team where you played against good Australian cricketers,” he said.
“It’s tough cricket. They’re desperate to win. Australia don’t like us, and vice versa.”
“I think the intensity will be there in a match like this.”
Despite his concerns, the former Yorkshire Quick insists there is no reason for England to fear the hosts this time: “I think this is a great opportunity for England.
“This Australian team is not as good as it used to be, and you have a lot of older players in the Australian team.
“There have been a lot of ins and outs and players are not in good shape. Steve Smith has not been excellent.”
“Marnus Labuschagne is back in the side after a few hundreds. I don’t think this is the strongest Australian team. We have nothing to fear.”
Great opportunity
Perth’s fast and bouncy conditions, he says, should suit England’s pace options – although he warns the attack must work collectively to make an impact: “I think we want to keep our bowlers fresh, don’t we?
“Perth is known for its speed and resilience and England should see this in the first Test as a great opportunity to put a stranglehold on the Australian team with the enormous firepower we have.
“But we still have to perform as a unit and as a bowling team. One bowler can’t bowl well and the rest don’t bowl as well as them.”
While much of the focus has been on the fitness of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, Sidebottom believes two quieter names could be key to England’s chances.
“There’s all this talk about Mark Wood,” he explained. “Is he fit enough? Will he go bowling?”
“But for me, I think Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue have gone somewhat under the radar. And Brydon Carse had a brilliant time in Pakistan on flat wickets.
“He can back the ball. He’s tall. He can bounce, he can swing the ball, he can seam the ball – he’s probably the number one bowler for me.”
As the countdown to the Ashes gathers pace, England’s gamble on freshness over familiarity will soon be tested.
For Sidebottom, success may come down to whether this team can rediscover that hard-hitting, full-throttle competitiveness that once defined England’s greatest Ashes triumphs.
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