The Aussies are desperate for the Ashes. Australia ‘A’ are touring England already as prep whereas we’re preparing by playing Ireland in late July in a warm up as the World Cup has knocked out all of June and early July. I don’t fancy our chances at all in them this year.
Compare the two openers for the sides batting today. Australia rode their luck at times but looked to settle, not score all that quickly and get themselves in. As such, they set something for the players down the order to follow on from. Ours were skittish, nervous and impatient. Vince in particular may have got a decent delivery, but if your team don’t have confidence in you and you know you’re going to be at the crease as a number three or four before the end of the tenth over, that’s going to send the nerves through the rest of the team.
England’s ODI success has been in series against the same side. Preparing for the same team game after game in a five match series is one thing, preparing for a different attack and approach a few days later is very different. We’ve seen the likes of India and Australia adapt well to conditions, styles and scenarios. England’s Plan A is fabulous when it works and fatal when it doesn’t. Same with the Test side at times.
The Aussies have a fabulously fast attack. People criticised their lack of depth but they don’t need a lot when Starc and Cummins are so good.