The Upcoming Ashes Might Be “Bodyline 2” Says Damien Fleming

Apr 6, 2019 at 2:11 PM

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The Upcoming Ashes Might Be “Bodyline 2” Says Damien Fleming

The former Aussie pacer Damien Fleming is of the opinion that the upcoming Ashes series scheduled to be played in Australia might turn out to be “Bodyline 2” if the Aussie pace quartet fire against England’s relatively inexperienced top order barring Alistair Cook and Joe Root. The South African quicks comprising of Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Chris Morris rattled the English batting order in the 2nd Test which saw the visitors win the 2nd Test by 340 runs and level the series 1-1.

Fleming said that England’s dismal showing at Nottingham has only made the case stronger for the Aussies to field all their 4 seamers in the upcoming Ashes. All the 4 pacers including Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and James Pattinson are a tad quicker than their South African counterparts and is expected to generate more bounce from the Australian pitches and it is due to this reason Fleming is predicting a horrendous time for the visitors.

“If the Poms are getting bounced out in their home conditions against that South African attack, our boys … have two or three yards (of pace) on the South Africans,” Fleming was quoted as saying by The Unplayable Podcast”The Unplayable Podcast. “And they’re going to get a lot more bounce out here. This could be Bodyline 2. I know there’s fielding restrictions so we can’t go full Bodyline from 1932-33.

“But I’d say Darren Lehmann would have been looking at those highlights from (Trent Bridge) and the plan would be ‘don’t be pitching too many balls up to the English top order’.”

The Bodyline series refers to an Ashes series around 80 years ago when English fast bowlers Harold Larwood and Bill Voce consistently bowled short pitched stuff to secure a series victory which led to change in laws from there on. Douglas Jardine was England’s skipper at that time and he was the mastermind behind this plan.

Coming to the upcoming Ashes, barring Root and Cook there is no certainty in the top order. Root’s performance will be very crucial to the outcome of the series as the right-hander has looked in ominous touch of late and scored a match winning 190 in the 2nd Test.

Meanwhile, Fleming urged the Aussie selectors and team management to field 4 pacers which might prove to be a pretty important move given England’s fragility against serious pace and swing.

“I suppose until (Root) comes out here and averages over 50 in a series, the question marks will be there (about) whether he can score runs out here,” Fleming said.

“No doubt the short ball will be a tactic to him at some stage, but you’ve got to be constantly reading the pitch conditions as well. If the ball is moving, you’ve got to bowl fuller.

“Joe Root is as susceptible as anyone if you’re bowling high-quality outswingers or are seaming the ball in.I don’t necessarily think it’s a deficiency in his game, but it’s certainly a tactic that can be used out here in Australia,” Fleming signed off.

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