Broad’s powers are waning but he remains competitive and one of those giddy bowling spells of his will surely come again. The Ashes would be just the stageA theory has been doing the rounds in my household about the Indian pace bowler Varun Aaron. Which is fine. You take what you can get with kids. Using a knife and fork, respectful attention to elders. There’s work to be done here. But theories about the careers of mid-rank Indian quicks are a definitive strong point and this one suggests Aaron, who hasn’t played international cricket since 2015, is an advanced Terminator android sent back in time by some future Indian cricket administration to end the top-level batting career of Stuart Broad.The...
Australia’s captain is fully aware of his role as the main character in every story these sides write, but the next move in the third Test is down to Joe RootThe roar Joe Root let out when he reviewed correctly to dismiss Cameron Bancroft shortly after David Warner nicked off was guttural and instructive. The England captain had got the big call right and they had two in a hurry. After a horrid collapse before lunch, and an imposing start for Australia, England were suddenly back in the day, with Craig Overton looking more dangerous by the delivery.But the upshot of the hours to come was always going to rest on how they went when the next guy walked out,...
Australia have hinted they will bring up the Ben Duckett affair in the third Ashes Test against England in Perth as they demonstrate their love of the art of mental disintegration that goes back a long wayIt took an awfully long time to bowl my first ball in Australia. I was playing grade cricket in Perth in 1981 in front of half a dozen spectators and in the opposition for Melville were Graeme Wood and Dennis Lillee, who was coming back from major back surgery.A left-hander (not Wood) was on strike when I was summoned to bowl. I set my field carefully like the good old English pro I was supposed to be and was about to propel my first...
Guardian writers pick their England XI for the crucial third Test. How many will go for the same team and how many will select Mark Wood or Ben Foakes?My England lineup for Perth Test Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson. Related: Australia's bowlers end England resistance to take 2-0 Ashes lead Continue reading...
Joe Root’s side must contend with England’s dreadful history at the Waca in next week’s third Test – it is hard to imagine them letting in the wind of changeAll this talk of 5-0 is not very helpful. But it is understandable. In two of the past three Ashes tours England have been whitewashed. Once the Aussie juggernaut is on a roll there can be no stopping it, especially since the refuge of a draw has just about disappeared from Test cricket.It now behoves England to forget about the long campaign. Every match must be viewed as their last chance so any thoughts about Melbourne and Sydney must be banished. Somehow, they must find a way to win in Perth...