With 70th edition of the traditional Ashes 2017-18 season to kick off next week in Brisbane, the hosts Australia and visitors England’s players are sweating it out in nets, in order to emerge out as the best prospects for the respective team in the gruelling series which could spring a surprise or so.
The Cricket Australia (CA) national selectors earlier this week drafted a squad soon after the completion of the third round of the ongoing JLT Sheffield Shield competition on November 16 which was read out by the chairman of the selectors Trevor Hohns on November 17 (Friday), during a press conference in Brisbane.
(Here’s the series preview: England’s tour of Australia: The Ashes 2017-18 Series Preview)
However many were taken by surprise with the inclusion of overlooked wicket-keeper batsman Tim Paine and left-handed batsman Shaun Marsh from Western Australia after his decent performance in the first three four-day fixtures of the Shield tournament has impressed the management since his significant performance in the JLT One-day Cup when Western Australia lifted the title.
Interestingly, both the captains Steven Smith and Joe Root will be challenged during the series Down Under.
Both have had been terrific with the bat and are aiming to score the bulk of runs against each other which would be interesting to watch out for, as the teams to be wrestling in next week, has availed the services of many competitors particularly in the bowling line-up.
Australia:
(Read Also: Ashes 2017/18: Steven Smith and His Men Have the Opportunity to Leave Their Footprints, Says Michael Clarke)
A major cause of concern for the hosts would be Australia’s batting department in the series Down Under, but the hosts could breathe a sigh of a relief while having the experienced campaigners in the form of skipper Steven Smith and his deputy David Warner.
The right-handed Smith is averaging 59.66 in the Test cricket which shows how he performed so far in the Test cricket.
Moreover, at the top, the explosive opener has been splendid with the bat particularly at the home and could prove to be an X-factor for the hosts in Brisbane where Smith is going to bowl the most number of overs after showing the bowling reluctance.
Talking about the 34-year-old Shaun Marsh, it could prove to be a good call as the left-handed batsman has been in hot-form recently for his state-side Western Australia.
The 25-year-old opening batsman Cameron Bancroft earned his place after a splendid show with the bat for Western Australia in the domestic tournament.
Owing to his sound technique, Bancroft smashed a double hundred against South Australia in Perth in the third round of the Shield competition to prove his mettle with the bat
Bancroft would highly-likely open the innings alongside Warner, as he would be eyeing to give a decent start to the hosts early on.
Bowlers in lead role:
Australia would be heavily relying on the speedster Mitchell Starc and his new-ball partner Hazlewood who brought much to the success of Kangaroos.
Precisely, the bowling order would further see impressive Pat Cummins giving his best at home – to play his first Test fixture at home since his Test debut in 2011.
The hosts’ pace bowlers and spinner Nathan Lyon is expected to test the England batsman on a surface which has more bounce and pace on an offer.
On the other hand, the promising bowlers like Chad Sayers and Jackson Bird might warm-up on the bench in the first Test of the Magellan Ashes.
England:
(Read Further: Ashes 2017/18: Three Key Player Battles)
England has thrown as many as four debutants in the mix while announcing the 16-member squad last month which could turn out to be tricky, but the visitors are prepared this time around after 5-0 drubbing way back in 2013-14 on Australian soil when pace gun Mitchell Johnson claimed 37 wickets in the five-match series.
As the domestic performances have had forced the selectors to pick the best youngsters in a bid to retain the Ashes Urn which they claimed in the home series by 3-2 played between July 8 and August 42 in 2015, the visitors would further see Mark Stoneman at the top who had a decent outing in couple of warm-up fixture in Australia.
Talking Point:
The debutants include in the form of Test debutant Tom Curran, who replaced injured Steven Finn, as Craig Overton, Mason Crane and Ben Foakes were already listed in the squad which landed in Perth on October 29.
Seen as the grand opportunity for the Three Lions youngsters, Joe Root would be facing the stern Test even after winning both the Test series at home since he succeeded Alastair Cook as a skipper in the Test fold.
Shouldering the responsibility, Joe Root and Alastair Cook would be crucial with the bat with James Vince and Gary Balance are aiming to set up the Ashes as a pedestal for cementing their spot in England team.
Both middle-order batsmen were picked to strength the batting line-up even unimpressive performance in the recent past.
Banking on seniors and Bowlers:
England would be hoping to see their senior players making things easier while entering the longer version tournament as underdogs.
Alastair Cook, who is the first batsman to cross past 10,000-run mark in Test cricket, is further the good idea of the Australian condition to nurse his batting partners.
On the other side, Stuart Broad and leading wicket-taker James Anderson has to give their best in order to pile-up the miseries for the hosts, who are further vulnerable with the batting line-up they possess at the moment even facing off at their backyard.
1st Test, Brisbane Prediction:
As Australia is termed firm favourites for the much-awaited Test series, England on the other side would not be making it easy for the hosts.
Clearly, Australia would take an advantage of the home series, but we are expecting England could give a good fight in the first Test at Gabba.
The first Test is highly-likely going to conclude on the fifth day with a result in Australia’s favour.
For Australia Steven Smith and Mitchell Starc would be the men to watch out for, as from England Mark Stoneman and Moeen Ali is expected to deliver apart from the opening batsman Alastair Cook and batting mainstay Joe Root.