England’s bowlers could be in for a world of hurt in Australia

In an ideal world, cricket is played by two balanced teams.

By “balanced” I mean both sides have at least five or six good batsmen a safe, dependable wicketkeeper and at least four experienced bowlers, who offer varied skills in attack.

In this same ideal world, at least nine or ten of these players are genuine Test quality, while the other one or two are rising stars.

It’s safe to say the current England side lacks balance. Thousands of words have been devoted to the strength or otherwise, of the England batting line-up, so there’s little more to be added. This article will focus on the bowlers, who are thought to be England’s only chance of winning in Australia.

The general consensus is that England’s bowlers are really going to have to step up if Joe Root’s men are to have any chance in the Ashes. The question is, are they capable of doing it?

I believe England will bring the following bowlers to Australia, barring injury;

Jimmy Anderson
Stuart Broad
Olly Robinson
Mark Wood
Ben Stokes
Craig Overton
Olly Stone
Jack Leach
Matt Parkinson
Chris Woakes
Saqib Mahmood

Starting with the quicks, there are a few truisms for bowling fast in Australia.

First, bowlers must make the new ball count. That means forcing batsmen to play.

Second, bowlers must be patient. The Kookaburra doesn’t move anywhere near as much as a Dukes ball, which means bowling over after over of deliveries that (again) force batsmen to play.

Third, short, sharp spells of no more than five overs are the way to go, but when bowling, the quicks have to give it everything.

Fourth, be creative with field placings and use fieldsmen aggressively. The old expression “bowling to the field” is critical in Australia, but more than bowling to the field, is getting the placements right.

Fifth, have more than plan A and plan B. It’s not enough to have only a couple of plans for dismissing batsmen in Australian conditions. Root and the bowlers need at least five or six plans they’re willing to try.

Sixth, the fieldsmen have to support the bowlers. Keepers and fieldsmen must turn half chances into wickets, while regulation catches have to be taken more than 95 per cent of the time.

Of the attack I expect in Australia, only Ollie Robinson has shown the ability to do what I’d expect from a fast bowler in Australia.

In the Tests he’s played so far, he’s forced batsmen to play and even though he’s not express, has used his height well to hurry batsmen up and as a result, he’s reaped the rewards; 16 wickets at an average of 20.31 at a strike of 46.

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

My only questions about his bowling is whether he’ll get his lengths right in Australia and whether his lack of pace will be a liability. Assuming he sorts these out quickly, he alone should trouble Australia’s batsmen, based on recent performances.

Stuart Broad could be a handful against Warner, Harris and Head. There’s no doubt he’ll go around the wicket to all left handers, which is a sound tactic both with the new ball and when a new left hander comes to the crease, but what are his plans for right handers and set batsmen?

He’s now 35 and has lost that yard of pace that made him such an awkward bowler to face. He’s also at an age where playing back to back to back Tests will be a real challenge, especially if he has to bowl 30 overs or more in a few innings.

He’s still a great competitor and could well surprise me with an outstanding effort in an innings, but I think his best days are behind him, certainly in Australian conditions.

James Anderson is a real problem for England. He’s their “go to” guy when they need a wicket and based on his figures over recent series, he’s rarely let them down, at home or abroad.

That said, he’s struggled against good opening batting in conditions in England that should have suited him down to the ground.

The Australian attack showed the importance of making batsmen play in Australian conditions against the Black Caps in 2019-20. Anderson doesn’t do that, certainly not the four or five deliveries an over that openers should be playing, when a bowler of his class has the new ball.

A huge part of India’s success in the current series is their openers ability NOT to get out in the opening hour. They’ve had the worst of the batting conditions by far, yet have managed two partnerships north of 90 runs and another of 34.

Anderson in Australia bowls a sixth stump line and when the ball is older, stacks the offside and bowls short of a length, even wider. He gets wickets by attrition, which is surely not what Joe Root would want from his premier bowler.

Unless Anderson and Root can conjure up better plans and unless he gets perfect conditions to bowl in Adelaide, Anderson could be something of a liability in Australia.

Jimmy Anderson (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

The other fast bowlers are mostly unknown in Australia. Both Mahmood and Overton are quick, as is Wood, but can they play injury free? Can they get their line and length right for extended periods in Australian conditions? I suspect a lack of experience will harm them, this time round, especially on bouncy pitches.

Stokes is a real question mark. We know what he can do as a bowler, but will he be able to do it this series? A serious competitor with bat or ball, a lack of cricket could hurt him when it comes to bowling anything more than a few overs in a spell.

England Test spinners appear to be as extinct as the Tasmanian Tiger at present.

The sole selector and coach has zero confidence in Dom Bess (fair enough, he’s struggling mightily) and Jack Leach. That may be brought on by Joe Root looking far more penetrating with his offies in Indian conditions, than either of these two.

Moeen Ali surely can’t come back for another tour so the only alternative is Matt Parkinson, at present, a complete unknown at Test level. I’d hope England does the right thing and chooses him for a Test against India, just to give him a taste. Perhaps he can replicate his “Ball of the Century”.

Whoever gets the spinning role, assuming England has enough faith in someone to give them the nod, they must be patient, they have to build pressure, they must offer some variety, but sparingly and they must be able to bowl for long spells.

Right now, none of the England spinners seem to be able to do these things and I’m sure Australian batsmen will look to attack which ever spinner does play, assuming any get a Test.

Bowling anywhere at Test level is all about discipline and that’s even more so in Australia. There’s no doubt England will miss Jofra Archer. He could have been the key to England’s Ashes.

As it stands, two ageing greats, supported by some quick, but inexperienced young guns and a very ordinary spin attack, is going to struggle.