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McCullum was in the foothills of a Twenty20 coaching career but had been the name buzzing around Key’s mind since the start, impressed by his captaincy of New Zealand. That joyful team had already been the muse for England’s white-ball resurgence under Eoin Morgan and Trevor Bayliss, with the former asked for a reference on an admittedly close friend but having also seen first-hand his nascent second career at Kolkata Knight Riders.
Joe Root knows a thing or two about Ashes plans after three series captaining England against Australia. Predicting what will happen is more difficult than ever, even if the Test Match Special team have given it a good go. England are enchanting, riding the wave of hope and expectation from fans that believe in them again. What can we expect in 2025? Something completely different. England’s bowling group will be transformed by then and Australia could have lost half their first-choice side. There are big transitions coming and the next Ashes will test who has handled theirs the best. Emma JohnHome advantage makes England slight favourites,” says Morgan. “But Australia are incredibly strong. I see two positives to England’s method: if it works early in the series, it will tempt Australia to change how they play or see them start to question themselves. That can lead to changes in selection, etc. The tension squeezes tighter as the captains emerge, both in their pristine blazers - Ben Stokes in blue and Pat Cummins in green. This time it falls on Zak Crawley, with Pat Cummins, a man who could have been shaped in an Australian factory to bowl fast, standing 30 yards away.
Harry Brook, pictured in action in the Test against New Zealand in February 2023, has been one of the emerging stars under Stokes and McCullum. Photograph: Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images The old rivalry will be ignited across five tests this summer as Ben Stokes' side will look to reclaim the Urn from the hands of the Australian's who have been in domineering form in recent years. However, Stokes has insisted his side will play without fear and with the Australian's not winning an Ashes series on English soil since 2001, this could be a successful summer for England. David Warner v Stuart Broad. Steve Smith's path to becoming the most prolific Ashes run-getter since Don Bradman. Broad and James Anderson's final stab at the Aussies. Moeen Ali's return. Travis Head's moustache. Zak Crawley's outside edge. Bazball verdict England have been very slightly less successful than they have been fun, but I would criticise nothing about them except their loyalty. Anderson earned his place in the final two Tests over the past 20 years, rather than the last six weeks. What can we expect in 2025? It’s helpful to think of the Ashes as two separate contests: one a closely matched battle of equals, the other a kind of organised bloodsport. Unless England can unearth at least three genuine pace bowlers – or somehow get the 30-year-old Jofra Archer fit again – Australia are going to win so hard. Andy BullThey became fashionable in the 1960s, according to David Long, the author of The Hats That Made Britain: A History of the Nation Through Its Headwear, “when seemingly anything new and unusual was hip”. Popular with hip-hop artists such as Run-DMC and LL Cool J, latterly their currency has “grown out of festival culture” – they became synonymous with Britpop in the 90s, when the Gallagher brothers and Damon Albarn were rarely seen without one.
Less remembered are England being rolled by Glenn McGrath on the first day at Lord's in 2005 and Andrew Strauss' third-ball dismissal in 2010-11, both series England won. What does it mean? Were Australia frightened? The debate will continue throughout the day and again when Australia wakes.England are getting more and more out of the players by asking more of them to take on risk. Changing their method now makes no sense whatsoever.” Player of the series There were a couple of superb innings from him, but Stokes’s leadership has been more impressive still. He marshals his players expertly on the field, brings passion and empathy to the role, his side have a real collective mindset and everyone has completely bought in to his vision. Australia face the prospect of some fine batting conditions on Saturday. England can look forward to some hard yakka. Although the pitch seems like a featherbed now, there is a suggestion of low bounce and turn.
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