LEEDS, England (AP) — Australia and England are reloading their bowling attacks for what’s expected to be a raucous third Ashes test at Headingley from Thursday.
Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal at Lord’s on Sunday has upped the tension in an already gripping series. Even though both sides have said they’re moving on from the incident, they’re heading to what is regarded as the most hostile ground in England. Bairstow, whose home ground is Headingley, wandered from his crease after the last ball of Cameron Green’s over and was stumped. England agree the decision was correct but didn’t think it was sporting. Australia said it was fair. Both prime ministers backed their sides in the debate.
After the uproar at normally staid Lord’s and losing by 43 runs, England is the more desperate side at 2-0 down. Australia can clinch the series and retain the urn at Headingley.
England went first on Wednesday and recalled fast bowlers Mark Wood and Chris Woakes and spinner Moeen Ali. James Anderson and Josh Tongue made way.
They decided not to add backup batter Dan Lawrence for the injured Ollie Pope, who was out for the series with a dislocated shoulder. Instead, Harry Brook will be promoted in the lineup from No. 5 to 3.
That suggested England was preparing for another batter-friendly strip with a deeper lineup, and bolstering its chances of bowling out Australia twice.
Australia has lost off-spinner Nathan Lyon for the series to a torn calf, and replaced him with heir Todd Murphy, who will play his fifth test and first in the Ashes.
Captain Pat Cummins didn’t announce his side on Wednesday but suggested previously that Scott Boland could replace Josh Hazlewood just to manage the latter’s load.
Boland starred in the World Test Championship final win against India at the Oval but was targeted in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston and went for 5 an over. He made way for Mitchell Starc, who was less expensive for six wickets at Lord’s. Hazlewood has bowled well in the two Ashes tests following a side strain and Achilles issues but his history of injuries could cause him to be rested.
The occasion will mark Steve Smith’s 100th test.
With just three days off between tests, record wicket-taker Anderson is rested after two modest performances and Tongue stood down after an encouraging outing at Lord’s.
Anderson has modest returns of three wickets at an average of 75.33. He turns 41 at the end of the month and will reappear for the fourth test at Old Trafford, where one of the ends bears his name.
Wood’s belated introduction into the series — he was wanted for the Lord’s test but there were concerns over his workload — gives captain Ben Stokes the express pace option he has been craving.
Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson top the wicket charts with 11 and 10 respectively, but England have been outmatched for air speed and Wood’s ability to hit up to 96 mph (155 kph) gives Stokes a new weapon to unsettle the tourists.
Woakes makes his first appearance of the Bazball era and Ali is back after a badly blistered right index finger forced him to miss Lord’s.
Stokes admitted his own ongoing fitness issues with his left knee played a part in the team selection. He bowled a 12-over spell and turned in a remarkable 155 in the fourth innings.
“Last week took it out of me and a big part of what I had to think about was what would be the best team if I didn’t bowl a ball,” he said.
Brook batted at No. 3 early in his Yorkshire career and with limited returns but Stokes said, “We feel Brooky is a type of player who can just take responsibility and crack on with it. We want to keep Joe (Root) at No. 4, he’s a remarkable player.”
Bairstow was also promoted in the order to No. 5, where he scored four centuries last summer. But his untidy wicketkeeping and diminishing returns in the series — 78, 20, 16, 10 — have been overshadowed by his dismissal in England’s chase. The crowds chanted accusations of cheating against Australia, and Marylebone Cricket Club members jostled with and verbally abused the Australians in the Long Room at lunch. Three members were suspended.
“There’s been a lot of noise around the incident but from me as a captain and from the England team, the best thing that everyone needs to do is just move on from it,” Stokes said.
Cummins said they will stump Bairstow again if he makes the same mistake.
“There’s issues that come up every Ashes series where you have the same opinions — English fans think one thing, Australian fans think the opposite,” Cummins said.
“I 100% think the spirit of cricket is a real thing. At times there’s nuance to it, and everyone might see it a little bit differently. Which is fine. But absolutely I think it’s one of the beauties of our sport. Our players were outstanding in that regard. We’ve all moved on. The team did nothing wrong so we’re all comfortable.”
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England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (captain), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad.
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