Stoneman: We are still motivated to do the job
ENGLANDmay have lost the Ashes but the occasion of the Boxing Day Test, as well as the army of travelling fans who have made the pilgrimage to Melbourne, will be enough motivation to put in a performance that finally demands respect from Australia.
The spectre of a third 5-0 whitewash in four Ashes tours will also be at the forefront of English minds, with the realisation that another defeat could prove terminal in their hopes of stopping that.
England are likely to make changes. Craig Overton, who has a hairline fracture of the rib and could puncture a lung if he plays on, is almost certainly out. Stuart Broad is also in danger of being dropped after a poor series so far.
At the age of 31, Broad is fighting for his very Test future. The same could be said of opener Alastair Cook, who will turn 33 on Christmas Day and after 150 Test appearances knows he is perhaps nearing the end of his international career.
Moeen Ali’s place will also be questioned and rightly so given he averages 19 with the bat and 105 with the ball in this series.
That means leg-spinner Mason Crane and seamers Jake Ball and Tom Curran will all come into contention for selection for the fourth Test.
Australia are likely to name an unchanged team if Mitchell Starc overcomes a bruised heel. The left-arm quick will be assessed ahead of the Test and if he’s deemed too much of a risk is likely to be replaced by Jackson Bird. But whatever the make-up up of Australia’s XI, England, 3-0 down after defeat in Perth, know they have a duty to do themselves justice in at least one Test here, if not for themselves then the estimated 10,000 travelling fans who will be in attendance.
Opener Mark Stoneman, whose two half-centuries represent an encouraging return in his first away series, says: “The Ashes are gone but we hope the Boxing Day occasion will get us back up for it.
“I can’t wait. There are experiences in world cricket that everybody would love to be a part of, and the Boxing Day Test is certainly one of those. It’s obviously not ideal going there 30 down, but at the same time what better way to bounce back than to perform well?
“It hurts a lot right now, but knowing the support we have and the people who are coming out to watch and get behind us on Boxing Day and in Sydney is a real motivating factor. Once the fact we’ve lost the Ashes sinks in, we’ll try and draw a line under that and look towards the next two games and try to win them.
“The Aussies are going to be coming at us looking for 5-0. So, there’s the first thing we’ve got to stop. I don’t think any Ashes cricket is going to be meaningless cricket. They’re not going to be serving up halfvolleys for fun cos they’ve won the series, that’s for sure, so we’ve got to go out and play our best.”
Stoneman is hard on himself despite those half-centuries in Brisbane and Perth, saying: “I’ve done alright but at 3-0 down, ‘alright’ hasn’t been good enough. And it’s frustrating that there have been times out there when I feel I’ve belonged but I haven’t made the scores that are required in Test cricket.”
As for his opening partner Cook, who is averaging 13.83 in this series, Stoneman believes he is still hungry to carry on playing for England.
“Yes, you can still see that hunger deep within him,” he says.
“Like all of us, he’s pretty frustrated at how things have gone so far. One thing with him, he’s faultless with his preparation and the work that goes into it, his commitment and what it means to him to wear an England badge.
“As it is for everyone, we’re looking forward for Boxing Day. We really want to put in a performance and build on what we’ve done so far and get through those crucial moments. We want to put in a performance that everyone back home can say ‘the boys are in the fight’ and still be proud of us.”
Stoneman played Grade cricket in Sydney and Melbourne for nine winters before this tour and met his Australian wife, Serene, during one of those stints.
Still, he has found the locals hostile on this trip, admitting: “They’re not the nicest people when you’re playing against them.
“It gives you a different take on the population when they’ve got a few ales down their neck. And the intensity of the cricket and the feel around – everyone knows what’s riding on it.”
What more motivation do England need?