The batting numbers from England’s 3-0 ODI loss in New Zealand make for grim studying, particularly with The Ashes on the way in which.
Sport one: 223 all out in 35.2 overs. Sport two: 175 all out in 36 overs. Sport three: 222 all out in 40.2 overs.
Put in to bat, collapsed and misplaced regardless of admirable fightbacks with the ball. That was the story, 3 times over.
Maybe probably the most alarming statistic is that the 84 runs England’s high 4 managed throughout the three video games is the fewest in ODI historical past in a sequence through which a facet has batted no less than 3 times – 5 worse off than the 89 hit by Bangladesh on the 1988 Asia Cup.
Contemplating that high 4 was fully comprised of gamers in England’s Ashes squad (Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jacob Bethell in Mount Maunganui and Hamilton, earlier than Harry Brook jumped above Bethell to No 4 in Wellington), that would seem a major concern forward of the opening Take a look at in Australia.
Simply not for Kevin Pietersen.
McCullum: No excuses come Australia
Opener Ben Duckett notched simply 11 runs in three tries, out for 2, one and eight, and the left-hander has not handed 50 in 14 innings – for both England or Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred – because the closing Take a look at towards India at The Kia Oval in July.
At the very least he has a raft of warm-up video games to get his eye again in forward of The Ashes…. Ah, no he would not, with the vacationers solely taking part in one tune-up fixture, towards England Lions, earlier than tackling Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth from November 21.
Requested whether or not England will head to Australia with scars, head coach Brendon McCullum stated: “No, I don’t envisage that. It’s a different form of the game and it’s a completely different kind of challenge that we’re going to be confronted with as well.
Brendon McCullum says his England facet is not going to take scars into the Ashes sequence towards Australia
“When we come across trickier conditions in Australia and Test cricket, we have a pretty good understanding of how we’re going to go about it. It doesn’t guarantee us anything but it gives us a level of confidence going into that series.
“Smith, Root and Duckett, they will be higher for the run, too. They’ve marked centre a couple of instances and gone via the method. We’ll haven’t any excuses come Australia.”
England ‘can’t wait to get started’ in Ashes
England have lost 13 and drawn two of their last 15 Tests in Australia since winning 3-1 under Sir Andrew Strauss in 2010/11.
But hopes of regaining the Ashes for the first time in over a decade have been boosted with the news that Australia captain Pat Cummins will miss at least the first Test with a back injury.
Australia captain Pat Cummins will miss the Ashes opener from November 21 with a again damage
McCullum added: “I’m proper excited. We are incredibly respectful of the challenge Australia is going to present us, we know how hard that tour is going to be.
“It may require a crew to remain collectively proper all through, to be as sturdy as we are able to to try to block out any of the surface noise. We won’t wait to get began.”
McCullum will just hope his batters can get started with Smith, Duckett, Root and Bethell recording eight single-digit dismissals out of 12 in the ODI series whitewash in New Zealand, albeit in difficult conditions against the seaming and swinging ball.
There will be tweaks to the batting line-up in Australia, with Duckett to be partnered by Zak Crawley as Jamie Smith switches to his Test spot of No 7 and talismanic Ben Stokes coming back in.
Duckett has not handed fifty in 14 innings for membership or nation
Ollie Pope will seemingly play, too, with Bethell not precisely seizing his shot at usurping his fellow batters because the red-ball facet’s No 3 through the New Zealand sequence. Plus, as McCullum added, in Take a look at cricket, “we have our template and understand how to play”.
England followers have woken as much as sorry-looking scorecards during the last week. They are going to now be hoping historical past doesn’t repeat itself in The Ashes.
No scars, says McCullum. Let’s have a look at.
New Zealand vs England – full outcomes
Ashes sequence in Australia 2025-26
All instances UK and Eire
- First Take a look at: Friday November 21 – Tuesday November 25 (2.30am) – Optus Stadium, Perth
- Second Take a look at (day/night time): Thursday December 4 – Monday December 8 (4.30am) – The Gabba, Brisbane
- Third Take a look at: Wednesday December 17 – Sunday December 21 (12am) – Adelaide Oval
- Fourth Take a look at: Thursday December 25 – Monday December 29 (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket Floor
- Fifth Take a look at: Sunday January 4 – Thursday January 8 (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Floor
