3rd Ashes test preview (Adelaide)
Photo courtesy of Charlie Fisher
We are one day away from the decisive 3rd Ashes Test match. Decisive for many reasons. Not only could it determine the result of the series, but there are also jobs and careers on the line. A loss for England could place the final nail in the coffin for the Bazball project.
England Team Selection
Unsurprisingly, England have opted for Josh Tongue to replace Gus Atkinson, who looked weary at points in the last Test. Tongue possesses great attributes for a fast bowler. He bowls at good pace and has a high release point from a slight angle, meaning he will pose slightly different questions for the Australian batters than the other seamers.
Tongue has a natural wicket-taking ability. While he is certainly a raw talent and can be wayward at times, he is also capable of bowling those ‘unplayable’ deliveries that break partnerships. He is also useful when it comes to cleaning up the tail.
However, the focus from many has been on the omission of Bashir, which feels like a big statement from England. A bowler who appeared to have been primed for this tour across the Bazball regime is yet to play a game. While it was perhaps understandable for him to miss out on a seamer-friendly surface in Perth and then the pink-ball Test, this felt like the natural time to introduce him to the side.
We all know the story of him being picked via the WhatsApp group chat because of his height and high release point to generate bounce. The decision to leave him out in favour of the part-time spin of Will Jacks appears to slightly contradict ‘Project Bashir’ (alternative name suggestions are welcome) which was designed to identify a spinner specifically for this series.
In the batting department, as ever, England have stuck to their guns with the same top seven. The spotlight once again will shine on Ollie Pope, whose time at number three is surely running out.
Australia Team Selection
The Aussies don’t need to change much, do they? To this point, with all due respect, what is essentially a second-string seam attack has completely outbowled England. You would expect Australia to show no mercy, particularly with Cummins and Lyon presumably in line to return for Adelaide. If anything, it will only get harder for England.
In terms of the batting, even Australia haven’t fully fired yet. With the exception of Travis Head’s knock, the batters haven’t looked completely fluid with their scoring. However, what makes them good players (and, dare I say, simply Australian) is their ability to grind out useful runs and tire out the opposition.
Going forward, I still think there are decisions to be made around that top three. Marnus deserves to be there but could open or bat at three. I am less sure about Khawaja and Weatherald, but would be interested to hear the thoughts of Australian fans - not just for this Test, but for future series as well.
So this is it for England. Make or break. Will they crumble once more under Australian pressure, to the familiar fate of English sides down under? Or will Adelaide mark the start of a famous comeback?
