England desperate to end Ashes drought in Australia
Can an aging, understrength Australia continue its unbeaten run in Ashes tests on home soil that dates to the 2010-11 series?
Can Stokes inspire an end to that long drought for England?
Can Joe Root, the world’s No. 1-ranked test batter, finally post an Ashes century in Australia?
Can Stokes and Root win a test on Australian soil for Australia captain Pat Cummins and fellow paceman Josh Hazlewood will be missing the first test because of injuries, leaving Australia’s attack without half of its frontline bowlers.
The remaining half — left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc and offspinner Nathan Lyon — are confident that the team can win on what is expected to be a fast, bouncy pitch in Perth. Brendan Doggett is set to make his test debut alongside fellow fast bowler Scott Boland, making it the first time an Australian men’s test XI will contain two players with Indigenous heritage.Good to see the depth in the squad,” Starc said. “We know what Scotty Boland can do, … (and) ‘Doggie’s’ coming off a hot streak at the moment.”
Cameron Green’s fitness to bowl means he’ll fill the allrounder spot and Australia can give opening batter Jake Weatherald a test debut at the age of 31. The flow-on means Marnus Labuschagne will return to the test lineup at No. 3, with stand-in skipper Steve Smith at No. 4.Stokes knows the record: 13 losses, two draws and no wins in the last 15 tests Down Under for England. He’s thinking more about the 2010-11 squad that beat the Australians 3-1.
“I do understand how big a series this is. I’ve come here absolutely desperate to get home on that plane in January as one of the lucky few captains from England who have come here and been successful,” he said. “A lot has been spoken of about the history and how it has gone for England — this is our chance to create our own history.”
In a bid to break the drought, England is likely to start a pair of express pace bowlers in conditions expected to suit them. Jofra Archer is primed in Australia and 35-year-old Mark Wood recovered from a minor hamstring strain to be including in the 12-man match squad for the first test. Stokes will bowl and it’s likely seamers Brydon Carse and Gus Atkinson will also start, although spinner Shoaib Bashir has been included in the 12.The 36-year-old Smith will lead Australia for the third time this year and the seventh time since his era as captain ended in the wake of the Sandpapergate scandal in 2018.
He filled in as skipper the last time England toured Australia in 2021-22, after Cummins was forced to isolate for the Adelaide test during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He’s a lot more relaxed as a person all round,” Starc said of his longtime teammate. “Even the times that he’s captained since, when he’s had to fill in for Pat, it’s a different approach.
“He’s still that competitive beast, and still wants to be the best,
“Jofra and Woody are amazing bowlers and they’ll be huge for us this series,” Atkinson said. “You hear about (tests in Australia) and it’s all ‘pace, pace, pace’ but we’re hearing lately a bit more seam movement. It’s nice to hear that — something I’m looking forward to.”