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England have made no secret of their plans for the Ashes: try to make Australia comfortable by hitting them with the pace of the enemy.
Conditions very similar to what we expect in the UK are more complicated. A look at the Australian bowling attack using the wicket keeper tells you all you need to know about the two seam bowlers standing at the stumps.
The best teams I have played in have bowlers who play specific roles. Now, the England batsman is looking for bowlers to play three roles in addition to batsman Stokes. Those three jobs would be the lead of the attack, the supporting actor and the X-factor.
This does not mean that a particular bowler has to perform only one role in a Test, as the game is more fluid than that. Groups and individuals must adapt.
Even so, I want my three specialties to fall into these categories.
Ollie Robinson was named as the leader of the attack. His ability has never been in question as anyone who averages 22.92 with the ball in Test cricket has the discipline and skill to fulfill this role.
The offensive leader’s attitude is important – they set the tone for others to follow. When the going gets tough, they’re the ones the rest of the forwards look to for a response, both with the ball and their body language. The leader must be ready to act when needed.
Robinson was cast in England two years ago. In almost all of his 20 Tests, he played alongside either James Anderson or Stuart Broad as the leading batsman.
Now, at 32, he says he is mature and more ready to play Test cricket this time around.
He needs to make the right decision when to face the opposition and ensure that he stays on the field for five days. If Robinson can do those two things, he has a chance to put his own stamp on this England bowling unit. He is the best candidate in the country to be the offensive leader.
Gus Atkinson is a supporting actor. The man in pants is a more reserved character – more of a killer than a warrior.
Atkinson has a long, over-the-top style, which means there’s not much to go wrong with the act. The unsteady seam serves him well, he has good control and is quicker than he gets credit for. He should complement Robinson nicely.
Atkinson is sometimes criticized for his lack of passion on the field, but that’s not my issue. At the age of 28, he has a great opportunity to establish himself as a match in the England team.
England’s X Factor is a self-made man in the Ashes.
Josh Mlas has elevated himself to a nail-biting starter by antagonizing and troubling the opposition’s best players. He has a strike-rate of 39.8 in Test cricket and 43.9 in first-class cricket, which makes him ideal for this role.
The awkward angle at which his ability to get the ball away from his right hand is beyond his control makes it very challenging for the opposition to line up.
In retrospect, it seemed inconceivable that England would not have played in the first Ashes Test in Perth when they went with five fast bowlers. Now he has the chance to show that he should not be left out of big matches again.
With Robinson, Atkinson and Stokes in control, each team has the freedom to be the wicket-taker they need to win Test matches.
