Reuters
[Photo Credit: Reuters]
England have not won an Ashes test match in Australia for nearly 15 years but their batting firepower could prove decisive in the series starting in Perth next month, according to former captain Alastair Cook.
That 2010-11 series ended in a 3-1 England victory with Cook scoring 766 runs including three centuries, but since then it has been a tale of woe Down Under for England with Australia winning 5-0, 4-0 and 4-0.
There is a growing belief, however, that inspirational captain Ben Stokes can stop the rot against an Australia side described as the worst since 2010 by former England bowler Stuart Broad.
Unlike Australia’s top order following the retirement of David Warner, England’s almost picks itself and while opener Zak Crawley averages only 31 in tests, Cook says his partnership with Ben Duckett gives England the ability to dictate matches.
Cook will attend the first, fourth and fifth tests as part of TNT Sports’ coverage team, which also includes Graeme Swann and Steven Finn, describing being at an Ashes series with a microphone rather than a bat as on his ‘bucket list’.
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