‘I am not wrong’: England great lobs Ashes grenade at Aussies
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has lobbed an early Ashes grenade over enemy lines, declaring Bangladesh will pose a steeper challenge for Joe Root’s team next year than Australia.
Still reeling from the Cape Town calamity, Pat Cummins′ side is trying to patch itself together in time for a four-Test series against New Zealand beginning in Perth on December 9.
Pat Cummins chats with Josh Hazlewood in South Africa. AP
In the meantime, England is gearing up for a three-Test tour of South Africa across December and January.
The English, under the guidance of new head coach Stephen Fleming and re-appointed captain Root, will then play two away Tests against Bangladesh in February.
The 150th anniversary Test between England and Australia at the MCG will follow in March, and finally the UK Ashes series from June 18.
Vaughan delivered a scathing assessment of Australia on his Stick to Cricket podcast, laying the boot in after Cummins’ team was steamrolled at Newlands for 111 to slump to its third loss from its past five Tests.
“From what I see already, I think the Aussie series next summer, the five here in the UK, I think of those three series (the South Africa, Bangladesh and Ashes series), it is the easiest of the three,” Vaughan said.
“South Africa away from home – they are the best team in the world.
“Bangladesh in their own backyard, two Tests on dusty ones, we are not picking our best spinner.
“And then Australia at home.
“I am not wrong – that is the easiest of the three series.”
For the core of Australia’s team, the 2027 Ashes will be the final chance to claim a Test series victory on English soil.
The likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith will go down as some of the greatest to have played the game, but the fact they have not won a Test series on English, Indian or South African soil is a blight on their record as a collective.
Not since Steve Waugh captained his champion team to a 4-1 victory in 2001 has Australia won an Ashes series in England.
Australia destroyed England in the last Ashes series, thumping the old enemy 4-1 to put Brendon McCullum’s head firmly on the chopping block and consign Bazball to its grave.
