Perth: England, battered from their latest off-field booze-related scandal, will try to cling on to the Ashes urn at a venue where they haven’t won since 1978 in Thursday’s third Test. The WACA ground here has always been Australia’s stronghold and the hosts have won all the last seven Tests here. So England will be aware of the fact that more pain is in store for them when the series restarts at Australia’s fastest pitch.
The last time England drew a game at the WACA was in 1986 when Mike Gatting’s bunch of hard-drinking and feisty cricketers put on 592 in the first innings forcing Alan Border’s Aussies to play for a draw. But that cannot be expected this time around with Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins – all eagerly licking their lips in anticipation of bowling to side who are already 0-2 down in the series.
Joe Root’s tourists were rocked last weekend by a third alcohol-related incident in as many months after England Lions batsman Ben Duckett was suspended from a two-day tour match for pouring a drink on the head of senior player James Anderson following a heated argument.
“As professionals – with the young kids watching and hearing all the news – it’s very important we are on our best behaviour,” England’s teetotal all-rounder Moeen Ali said Wednesday. “Off-field behaviour needs to improve and we all know that.”
It is against this backdrop that England must somehow prevent Australia from sweeping to another victory amid predictions of a 5-0 series whitewash.
Australia fast-bowling great Glenn McGrath said England have two areas they desperately need to sort out for the WACA showdown to avoid further humiliation.
“First, whether they have the firepower to take 20 wickets on good decks, and then whether their top order can score enough runs to put Australia under pressure,” McGrath said.
England have to decide whether to call up Mark Wood to inject some much-needed pace into the bowling attack, although coach Trevor Bayliss has indicated he is happy with the four pacemen who played in Adelaide.
“I thought the four pace bowlers we had in the last match went pretty well,” stated Bayliss, referring to veterans Anderson and Stuart Broad, all-rounder Chris Woakes and debutant Craig Overton.
“As I said after the last Test our batters have all showed they can all actually play at this level but we’ve just got to do it for longer. Making 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s at this level is not good enough,” the coach added.
Australia are likely to make a change with recalled all-rounder Mitchell Marsh in line to come into the side for struggling batsman Peter Handscomb.
Agence France-Presse
