England’s approach to Test cricket could come back to bite their bowlers in the Ashes with Australia’s attack enjoying an almost 40 per cent lighter workload in the series opener.
Australia’s selectors will weigh up in the coming days what attack to name for the second Test at Lord’s, starting on Wednesday.
Scott Boland appears the man most under threat, with Mitchell Starc ready for a recall if selectors decide on the variety of a fast left-armer.
Regardless of which 11 players Australia put out, they will almost certainly be fresher than England’s. The host’s aggressive strokeplay and first-innings declaration meant Australia were only asked to send down 144.2 overs in the opening match of the series, well below their average of 163.5 overs a Test over the past decade.
Australia’s bowlers were also able to enjoy two full days off the field, with Pat Cummins asked to do the most work of the quicks with 32.2 overs for the match.
Mitchell Starc appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of Rohit Sharma. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
In comparison, England had to bowl on all five days as Australia batted 64 more overs than the hosts.
The 36-year-old Stuart Broad sent down 44 overs, Ollie Robinson 40.4, and 40-year-old James Anderson 38, with England’s quicks bowling 39.76 per cent more overs than their Australian counterparts.
Bowler fitness is likely to prove crucial the longer the series goes on, with both sides carrying ageing attacks.
In the first Test, England’s average bowler age was their oldest in 50 years.
“Our bowlers didn’t bowl as many overs as we probably expected in this Test match,” coach Andrew McDonald said, reflecting on the first match of the series at Edgbaston.
“You can have a pencilled-in plan but the reality is you see how they pull up, what the conditions are when we get to Lord’s, and you make a decision with what’s in front of you.
“We’re going to have everyone available, there’s no injuries out of the game, so we’ve got some decisions to make.
“Selection decisions are always hard, but we go through a process to get to that point.
“We’ve got great depth in the fast bowling, and that’s one of our great strengths.”
The other bonus for Australia comes in the shape of Nathan Lyon.
Despite the tourists spending substantially less time in the field than England, Lyon sent down more overs than England spinner Moeen Ali for the match.
England’s preference is to use a spinner to hold up one end and have the quicks work around them but Jack Leach’s series-ruining back issue and Moeen’s badly blistered finger have hurt that approach.
England’s Ben Stokes reacts during day five of the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston. (Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
Captain Ben Stokes is still showing signs of his chronic knee injury, while Anderson was not used at key times on the final day of the first Test.
Mark Wood is an option to come in as an out-and-out quick, in a ploy that could be used to try and further rough up Australia’s batsmen after their tail was regularly targeted with bouncers at Edgbaston.
PACE BOWLERS’ WORKLOADS IN THE FIRST TEST
AUSTRALIA
Pat Cummins: 32.2
Josh Hazlewood: 25
Scott Boland: 26
Cameron Green: 8
Total: 91.2
ENGLAND
Stuart Broad: 44
Ollie Robinson: 40.4
James Anderson: 38
Ben Stokes: 14
Total: 136.4
© AAP
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