Fun a-Broad STU AND JIMMY ARE SET FOR THE ASHES
AS a holiday destination it is hard to top Sri Lanka.
Just ask Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad.
The pair may have 998 Test wickets between them but as England handed Sri Lanka a thumping they may as well have been watching on with their feet up on a sun lounger with a cocktail in hand.
The pair boasted a return of just a solitary wicket to show for the
41 overs Anderson bowled in the Sri Lankan sun and Broad’s 14.
That, of course, was down to the excellence of England’s spin attack, with Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Jack Leach and even Joe Root grabbing
50 wickets. It is safe to assume that things will be very different by the time the Aussies touch down and bid to retain the Ashes next summer.
Former England ace Ian Bell certainly thinks so. Only two players in history have won as many Ashes series as the Warwickshire man, with Wilfred Rhodes and Ian Botham equalling Bell’s total of five.
And although the focus has been on the youthful verve of Root’s England, Bell believes there is no substitute for experience against the Aussies.
“They’ve had a quiet tour but without a shadow of doubt they’ll be crucial next summer,” said Bell. “Winning Test matches away from home is particularly hard. Tactically, England have been spot-on this winter. “Broady is still one of our best bowlers but you couldn’t play him and Jimmy and still play three spinners. We did something a little bit different, we looked outside the box.
“It might be a blessing in disguise – Broady and Jimmy haven’t been bowled into the ground. “They have had a bit of a rest and if they can hit the ground running next summer then that will be fantastic for an Ashes summer.” For once, Ashes question marks do not hover over English heads. Instead they’ve gathered menacingly over an Australian side that does not appear to know if they are coming or going. Injuries to major bowlers coupled with the suspensions of David Warner and Steve Smith have left Australia in disarray as they prepare for the first Test of their summer against India at Adelaide this week. So should we be popping the champagne corks in anticipation of an England victory?
“That might a bit premature,” said Bell, 36.
“I wouldn’t write them off. If Australia can get their first choice attack on the park then they proved last winter just how good they are.
“Next summer is going to be phenomenal with a World Cup and then the Ashes. It could be a huge, huge year for English cricket.”