(Cricket news) This relative period of détente may be attributed to the sense of battle lines being drawn, of weaknesses being explored, and of strengths being acknowledged. Or perhaps it’s merely the quiet before another storm, a chance to let all those heated discussions about the Spirit of Cricket and opposing column inches blow off into the ether while letting the ladies take control of the Ashes narrative for a few days. In any case, this series break couldn’t have come at a better time for both teams of competitors following a three-match barrage that sapped both mental and physical strength equally.

In that nail-biting three-wicket victory at Headingley, England collectively busted a gut to keep their campaign alive, most evocatively through Mark Wood’s magnificent displays of raw speed, each staccato burst clearly exhausting his batteries even as he maintained his mid-90 mph velocity.

 Ben Stokes did not bowl a single over during the same Test in order to focus on the crucial first-innings counterattack. Stuart Broad, who is now on track to play in all five Test matches despite initially doubting his inclusion in the first-Test attack, will also have appreciated an extended period of rest for his 37-year-old bones.

The opportunity for Australia to relax, refocus, and reconsider a 2-1 scoreline that, before the series, they would have happily accepted at this point in the season, is a blessing. 

Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc appeared to carry Australia’s assault for large portions of the Headingley Test, so Australia will have grabbed the opportunity to hone both spearheads while restocking their quiver with another A-lister in the rested Josh Hazlewood. 

Cameron Green has also been added back to their ranks following a hamstring injury that caused his campaign to be cut short, while Todd Murphy has been left out following an anonymous performance at Headingley.

The mental toll that three such intense bouts will have had on you is another factor. On David Warner after two more dismissals at the hands of his archenemy Broad; on Jonny Bairstow following a dismal wicketkeeping performance at Headingley. 

On Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, neither of whom has quite found their place in the series as their lofty records may have mandated. 

England’s overall relaxed dressing-room atmosphere, which despite Brendon McCullum’s unwavering resolve to erase anxiety and increase positive reinforcement, cannot have totally evaded the heavy media scrutiny that comes with an Ashes series.

We are therefore in this situation. Locked and loaded, with England needing two wins to complete the first 0-2 Ashes reversal since Don Bradman & Co. in 1936–1937 and Australia needing one win to secure their first Ashes victory in England since 2001.

That might seem like too much to ask in any other time period, especially because the weather in Manchester is predicted to make things even more difficult this week. But in the Bazball era, things don’t really work that way. For Ben Stokes’ England team, draws are not an option, and their overall record of 12 wins from 16 games since the start of last summer provides statistical support for their engrained optimism.

Even two days of rain might not be enough to stop England’s captain from organising a coin-flip of a run-chase; during a media brainstorming session before the Multan Test last December, he even admitted that an innings forfeiture wouldn’t be out of the question if it sped up any particular game. 

You get the feeling that Stokes won’t hesitate to risk it all once more if it’s the only way to keep those Ashes aspirations alive after effectively gambling and losing in the series opener at Edgbaston.

So, after this week of the Ashes smouldering, it won’t take much huffing and puffing for the flames to start blazing once more. especially considering that England chose an offence that is utterly unmatched in terms of experience. 

James Anderson (41 next week), Broad (37), Moeen Ali (36), Chris Woakes (34) and Wood (33) are among the key bowling options in an XI that will have a combined 1,974 Test wickets, more than any other Test team in history and breaking their own record of 1,777, which was set at Edgbaston in the first Test. Stokes and Root (both 32) are the other key bowling options.

Even if nothing else, that lineup shows how fleeting the Bazball era might be. How this Test, and if all else is equal from England’s perspective, the following at The Oval too, could signify both an end and a beginning, similar to the two Ashes tussles that defined the century: the epic of 2005, after which nothing was quite the same for England again, and Australia’s revenge mission in 2006-07, when Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne bowed out on a high at Sydney, with their storylines wrapped up.

In either case, it seems like there will be more dead bodies in the days to come. Anything less would be a disservice to the drama that is being laid on for this summer.

Form Guide

England      W L L W L

Australia    L W W W D

Squad Updates

With just one player change from that three-wicket victory at Headingley, England, as is customary, chose their team 48 hours before the Test. Anderson is duly replaced by Ollie Robinson on his home pitch. Robinson declared himself ‘100% fit’ following a mid-match back spasm, but his impact with the ball in this series hasn’t quite lived up to his motor mouthed verbal contributions (not that 10 wickets at 28.40 and an economy of 2.76 represents a complete failure to walk the talk).

From England’s standpoint, the adjustments they haven’t made may be the most notable feature. The promotion of Moeen to No. 3 is intended to give a better structure to the middle order, where Bairstow has been kept as wicketkeeper despite a deeply disappointing performance in the series thus far. This is despite his unimpressive contribution of 5 from 15 balls in the Headingley run-chase. 

According to the first three Test matches, Bairstow’s terribly fractured leg is impeding his ability to move about behind the stumps, which has a negative impact on his steely batting. However, England has determined that now is not the time to lose faith because Bazball was originally made into a poster after his daring deed in 2022. 

Playing Xl

England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Moeen Ali, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Mark Wood, 11 James Anderson

Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steve Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Pat Cummins (capt), 11 Josh Hazlewood

The decision-making process for Australia’s selection was a similar mix of straightforward and painstaking. Hazlewood’s recall at the expense of Scott Boland makes perfect sense given that Boland, who was England’s archrival from 2021 to 2022, was dispatched at a rate of nearly five per over for his two wickets at Edgbaston and Headingley. 

Hazlewood also makes room for a bowler whose six wickets in the corresponding Old Trafford Test in 2019 helped Australia retain the Ashes. Although Hazlewood’s appearances in the first two Tests of the summer marked his first back-to-back appearances since January 2021, he should be in top shape following a nearly three-week layoff.

Their second choice has been a little more difficult to make. Mitchell Marsh’s unexpected success at Headingley has ensured his continued employment, but it has left Green without a definite spot in the starting lineup. 

Despite Old Trafford’s reputation as one of England’s more spin-friendly surfaces, several solutions were suggested, including leaving out Warner in light of his ongoing struggles against Broad. Instead, they decided to leave out the spinner Murphy and rely on a pair of allrounders to give the seam attack more weight while also providing a significant extension to the batting order.

Also read: Ireland women’s team selected for upcoming Australia series; interview with Amy Hunter