England assistant coach and batting great Marcus Trescothick feels conditions in Australia may suit the aggressive batting style they have cultivated under skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, popularly known as ‘Busball’, a play on the latter’s nickname. “The style of cricket we play is to try to put our bowlers under pressure,” Trescothick told reporters in Perth, where his team is preparing for the opening match of the series on November 21.
“Playing on bouncy pitches, where the ball hits the bat well, is something we always talk about when we’re trying to get back home. It suits our style of play, which we’re happy with. Sure, the pitches in general have evolved in the last few years in Australia but you still expect them to be fast and bouncy and maybe have a little more for the bowlers than in years past.”
England’s surprisingly dismal record in Australia
The Ashes pitcher has remained with Australia since 2018, with England only managing to equalize in subsequent editions of the series they hosted and losing 4-0 in 2021/22. Furthermore, England have won just two Test matches out of the 30 played between the two teams in Australia this century, the last of which came in the 2010/11 series.
Needless to say, it has been a long time since England have posed a serious challenge to Australia Down Under, let alone come close to winning a series, and the buzz within the country’s cricket circles is that the aggressive playing style of captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum might help change that.
The 2025/26 Ashes season begins on November 21 with the first Test in Perth. The second test will be a day and night encounter at the Gabba starting on December 4. The third Test will be in Adelaide from December 17, followed by the traditional Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26. The series concludes with the New Year’s Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground starting on January 4.
(tags for translation)Ashes
