 "Australia resist England bowling, Bazball: Ashes 2023 review")
We review the recently concluded five-Test series between England and Australia that ended 2-2 – with Australia retaining the Ashes. It was a series defined by England’s ‘Bazball’ approach to batting – though that undersells how well Australia’s batters resisted English bowling and how well Australia bowled in largely batting-friendly conditions.
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Talking Points:
- A neutral view of the Ashes – and how it is hard to pick a team to support
- The limits of Bazball – and why England’s recent success stems from their bowling depth
- Australia’s bowlers adjusting to the flat pitches and England’s risk-taking
- Why did England not want to prepare seamer-friendly pitches at home and capitalise on their big strength?
- Stokes v Starc on the final morning at Lord’s
- The cult of Bazball – and how it fits in well with the English cricket establishment’s exceptionalism
- Mark Wood’s pace and Nathan Lyon’s absence
- The effect of Bazball on England’s bowling attack
- Stuart Broad’s cinematic goodbye
- England’s chances in the five-Test series in India next year
Participants:
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)
Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd)
Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page
Ashoka (@ABVan)
———————————————————————————————
Buy The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh (recently republished by 81allout)
India (hardback) | India (paperback) | India (e-copy)
USA (hardback, paperback, e-copy)
UK (hardback, paperback, e-copy)
Canada (hardback, paperback, e-copy)
———————————————————————————————
Related:
- Why did Bazball fail to regain the Ashes – Kartikeya Date – Cricketingview Substack
- Stokes and McCullum want to save Test cricket but we must look beyond Big Three – Jonathan Liew – Guardian
- England ‘wanted to pick Wood’ but settle for Tongue in all-seam attack – Matt Roller – ESPNcricinfo
- Bazball: a cult of bruised masculinity where you win even if you lose – Barney Ronay – Guardian
- Mark Wood and the primal theatre of pure pace – Ben Gardner – Wisden
Lead image from here.