The sounds of summer beat on the horizon, and the first Ashes test is nearly here. This Friday, it all kicks off in the Wild West of Perth as Australia take on England in the biggest test series of our lifetime. The Poms haven’t managed to secure the Ashes on Aussie soil since 2010/11, but are hopeful their new Bazball approach will be strong enough to change that! The Australians, however, will be backing the bigger boundaries and faster pitches to overcome the latest little English fad. Let’s dive in and take a look at all the latest tips and predictions ahead of the first test at Optus Stadium.
Firstly, we’ll address the large Elephant in the room… Australia will take the field on Friday without Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood for only the third time at home in Test match Cricket since 2014. Naturally, this seems like a massive hurdle for the fast bowling attack to overcome; but fans can expect the next men up to be more than up to the challenge. Both previous home tests where the Aussies missed the two front line quicks resulted in wins for the Green and Gold by 275 runs and 419 runs respectively.
The English arrive with their new swashbuckling approach to test cricket, with a devil-may-care attitude amassing runs quickly and creatively. Their top order have even enjoyed success in countries like England, and New Zealand taking on grounds more akin to a postage stamp than a cricket field. Expect them to get away to fast starts with the bat, but ultimately wickets will begin to tumble quickly as shots that have cleared the rope overseas fall ten metres in from the boundary on the larger Australian fields. The potential success of the English batting order will rely heavily on the back of the world’s best test batsman, in Joe Root. The fact of the matter is, he has helped himself to runs of recent times, and looked a genuine class above the rest of not just the English batsman but also the world. If he can find form, and score the first hundred in Australia of his career, he may be able to guide the English to a chance of winning the first test in Perth. However, if he falls early, expect the Poms to tumble with him.
This first test will be England’s best chance with the ball as the fast and bouncy W.A pitches may suit Jofra Archer and Mark Wood. However, I’d be wary of expecting sustained success over the series from these two as injuries have rattled their careers and neither have played consistent first class cricket for years. Archer is still yet to ever dismiss Steve Smith in test cricket, which will no doubt play on the English minds as he looks to be in tremendous form heading into the summer. Further worrying the English fans will be the fact that Marnus Labuschagne appears to be in the form of his life, blazing five hundreds for the summer before its even begun. I’d expect big runs from the Aussie top order against a frankly unimpressive England attack.
Despite being England’s best and only chance of winning a test match here this summer, I’m still tipping Australia to win and win well. I’m anticipating Scott Boland to take 6+ wickets for the match, and hundreds from both Marnus and Steve Smith across the two innings. Australia by 200 runs.
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