Ashes Scout: Langer warns Aussies over mid-tour holiday, expert panel wants ODIs cut back, England make Bairstow call

Justin Langer has warned the Australian team that they may regret taking a break between the third and fourth Tests, pointing to his 2019 tactic of making them watch a replay of their Headingley meltdown as an example of the best method of bouncing back from a narrow loss.

The former Australia coach claimed that the week after the agonising one-wicket Ashes defeat four years ago “was the best coaching week of my career” as the tourists rebounded to regain the urn in the following Test.

“It wasn’t popular, leadership rarely is, but the learnings were invaluable,” he wrote in a column for the UK Telegraph. “The reason it was unpopular with some, was that some of the players had promised to take a few days off and retreat from the pressures of the game with their families.

“A late decision was made for us to travel together as an entire squad to prepare for the fourth Test. This didn’t go down perfectly, but with clear communication of why we thought it was important, the synergy of the group was strengthened, and everyone was onboard. The rewards were worth the effort.”

(Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

The current Australian squad has split up for a few days of rest and relaxation with a group of them going to Scotland on a golfing holiday while others have ventured to Amsterdam, Paris and Spain to get away from cricket amid the hustle and bustle of a six-Test program over seven weeks which started with the World Test Championship final win over India at The Oval a month ago.

“Looking at the Australian squad there are many players who would benefit greatly from playing cricket this week,” Langer added.

“The modern philosophy of best when fresh might work for a select few, but it is not a concept I believe in; particularly for young players. Idle minds can be dangerous, and you don’t get better at anything, doing less of it.

“Todd Murphy, Cameron Green, Mitch Marsh, Marcus Harris, Matthew Renshaw, Jimmy Peirson will be craving time in the middle. Even senior pros like David Warner and Scott Boland could find some rhythm. The advantages of playing far outweigh time in the nets.”

ODIs should be stripped back on schedule

Extra funding to protect Test cricket and the women’s game has been proposed by the MCC’s world committee, which has also called for men’s ODIs to be “significantly reduced” after the 2027 World Cup.

The financial imbalance existing between nations is putting a squeeze on the viability of Test cricket outside of India, England and Australia, according to a panel of current and former players.

A lack of quantifiable data on the costs of staging Tests has led to a recommendation the International Cricket Council undertakes a financial audit to establish the nations who are in need of support.

The world committee – whose sole Australian member is Justin Langer – also advised a separate Test fund to address the issue and “protect the sanctity” of the format.

England captain Ben Stokes. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

A “substantial and ringfenced” fund to strengthen and grow women’s cricket was another of the series of proposals to the ICC, which should be seeking a commitment from associate nations desiring Test status to invest in and field women’s teams.

With the proliferation of T20 domestic franchise leagues creating an increasing logjam, the committee has also suggested a removal of bilateral ODIs – other than in the 12-month period before 50-over World Cups – to “increase the quality” and “create much-needed space in the global cricketing calendar”.

Former England captain Mike Gatting, who chairs the committee which meets twice a year to debate the issues facing cricket, said: “It’s time for the global game to reset.

“Too often, member nations are finding themselves living hand to mouth with their cricketing operations, versus having a long-term, viable strategy in place that future-proofs the game in their country, both financially and in terms of participation.

“A more equitable approach would provide more commercial stability and continue to grow the potential of the ICC World Test Championship.

“The growth of the women’s game must also be consistent with the growth of the game as a whole. We need to ensure that nations are rewarded for their commitment to investing in both the men’s and women’s game alike.”

Their recommendations come as Sky Sports has reported another surge in viewing figures for this summer’s Ashes, with records broken in the men’s and women’s series.

The satellite broadcaster brought in an average viewership of 965,000 across the four days at Headingley last week, the highest ever for a Test.

Remarkably, it was also up 56 per cent on the third Test of the 2019 Ashes – which grabbed the attention during a thrilling Ben Stokes-inspired climax but attracted a much smaller audience in the early stages of the match.

Despite competition from the British Grand Prix and Wimbledon, England’s successful run chase on day four hit a high of 2.05million.

(Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images)

That made it the broadcaster’s third highest day on record behind the Headingley finale four years ago and the last day at Edgbaston this summer.

The average audience across the 14 days of action sits at 878,000, which marks a 45 per cent rise on the last Ashes series.

Heather Knight’s England side is also raising the bar in the women’s game. Their five-wicket win at Lord’s peaked at 795,000, the highest ever for a women’s T20 international, and averaged 285,000.

Their Ashes Test against Australia saw viewing figures almost 400 per cent higher than the 2019 series, with the T20 series up 135 per cent.

Poms stick with Bairstow despite fumbles

England have resisted the urge to bring in Ben Foakes for the fourth Ashes Test, and will instead stick with the out-of-form Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps.

The hosts on Tuesday confirmed an unchanged 14-man squad for next Wednesday’s Old Trafford Test, with Ollie Robinson still some hope to play despite back spasms.

James Anderson is also there after being left out of the Headingley win, and is expected to return to the XI for his hometown Test.

But it is the lack of a second specialist wicketkeeper in England’s squad that is of most interest.

While Bairstow made a run-a-ball 78 on the opening day of the Ashes, his average has dropped to 23.5 for the series.

His wicketkeeping has become a far more significant issue, dropping a further three catches in the Headingley Test to take his number of missed chances to six.

Foakes last played for England in New Zealand in February, but has been the unlucky man squeezed out of the team since Bairstow returned from a broken leg.

ENGLAND 14-MAN SQUAD FOR MANCHESTER: Ben Stokes (capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Woakes turns up pressure on Aussies

Chris Woakes has sought to turn the pressure on to Australia despite their 2-1 Ashes lead by insisting the tourists will find it hard to get a series win over the line.

Australia need only win at Old Trafford next week to retain the Ashes but Pat Cummins’ men want to be the first Australian side to win in England for two decades.

England, meanwhile, insist they can regain the urn by coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2, which they have never previously done.

“In our dressing room the belief is we can win 3-2, I think it’s always been there,” the allrounder said.

“You don’t want to look too far ahead, you have to play what’s in front of you, each ball, each day, each session, each Test match as it comes. 

“I’d imagine when you’re so close to getting something, the harder it gets, and I’m sure the Aussies will be feeling that now.

Chris Woakes celebrates dismissing Alex Carey. (Photo by Stu Forster – ECB/ECB via Getty Images)

“Once you get so close to something, it’s actually hard to get that over the line, isn’t it? We’ve got to turn up in Manchester and put in another performance. 

“They’re an extremely good side and we’re going to have to be at our best to beat them again.”

Woakes admitted his triumphant return to Ashes cricket left him “quite emotional” after accepting his time as a Test player might have come to an end.

The 34-year-old stepped up with bat and ball after being thrust into last week’s must-win clash at Headingley, 16 months after he last donned his England whites on the ill-fated tour of the West Indies.

“It’s quite emotional actually. You sometimes think the ship has sailed, of course you do,” he said of his match-winning return.

“You do wonder, especially when the team was going so well last summer and I wasn’t involved. It’s hard.

“Sometimes you don’t always get the rewards that you deserve, but I felt like I played well in this game and got the rewards I deserve.”