England name their 12 for first Ashes Test

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The TMS podcast on BBC Sounds.

Hello, welcome to the Test Match special podcast with me, Eleanor Aldroyd in Perth. Coming up, we'll find out how the England team is looking just two days ahead of that first Ashes test at the Perth Station stadium. We'll hear from bowler Gus Atkinson. And coming up shortly, we'll get the verdict of Michael Vaughan on how the series, and particularly this first test, is going to go. TMS at the Ashes. Well, here we are in downtown Perth, two days out before the test match, having a cup of coffee with Michael Vaughan and the Ashes. Just two days to go. The West Australian newspaper Michael Is is having its say yet again. The noise continues.

Yeah, it's becoming my favorite paper, I have to say. For one reason, it's given cricket around six or seven pages every day, of which most of it is. If we go to the front page of today's it's it's back with Ben, Joe and Johnny White so obsessed with me that it's still going on about the stumping at Lords. And then there's a couple of pages at 6 and 7 where they're saying that England can't let it go, they can't get rid of the past. And they keep talking about the stumping. Well, they've actually not. It's from a documentary that England did about two years ago, but this paper keeps kind of bringing it up. Oh, it's just I've been here for so many Ashes series and we probably say it every time, but this seems to be more Hyped than any that I've ever known. And it's down to papers like this, which is bringing a little bit of pantomime and the amount of England supporters that are arriving here in Perth, the expectation of, you know, how England are going to play this Australian side with that Cummings and Hazelwood, what's the formation going to be? England are going to hit them with a load of pace. So we're excited about that. That first hour is always special in any series, but particularly in Ash's series. But I think the first hour in Perth on Friday, it's going to be electric.

Yeah. Bellyaching basball as they're talking about again, they love that, don't they, the bellyaching basballers. And actually, you know, you talking about the stumping From Lords in 2023, they asked Alex Carey and Cameron Green about it, the local newspaper and they said, we've forgotten all about it. Why are you asking us about it as well? So I think everyone wants to move on from that. But you're right, you know, it is a different series, it's a different team, it's a different England in every sense from the last two teams that came over here.

Oh, yeah. I mean, you know, England have prepared for this moment, you know, the way that they've selected players, you look at someone like Zach Crawley, you know, he averages 30 in Test match cricket with five Tests, 160 games. But they've picked him for this, for these conditions where they feel that the style of play that he produces, driving on the up, getting on top of good fast bowlers, which Australia will have even without Cummins and Hazelwood this week, they'll still have a quality attack and they feel that, you know, a Zach Crawley style batter is exactly what you require here in Australia. So time will tell, you know, England, you know, they've prepared the way that England prepare. They like to kind of arrive in places having not played a huge amount of cricket. And they like this best when fresh mindset mentality. You know, I've watched them train over the last couple of days and they, they look a focused team, they look fit. And that's the first thing you look at the, the likes of Joffer Archie yesterday was at the Perth Stadium. He was just doing lengths running across the ground, he had his headphones on. I know we're two or three days away, but you can just see a focus from both teams. You look at the way the Australians practice and there's a real focus about both sides and you know how both Teams start is obviously going to be very, very important, but particularly England. You know, I look at Australia and I saw them last year when they went one nil down to India here and they came back. I think England have to win in Perth. You know, you look at 86, 87 when they won here. They got off to a good start. 2010, 11 got off to a decent start. The drew in Brisbane. I think it'd be very, very difficult for this England side to come back from going one nil down here. So I'm not saying it's all on this week, but England need to get off to a good start.

Well, it's a generational opportunity, isn't it really? When you think about, you know, Stark and Hazelwood and Cummins and Lyon, that try, that quartet, the triumvirate of paceman and no Cummins, no Hazelwood. This there's no greater opportunity really for England.

Yeah. And with that I think brings a little bit more pressure actually, because, you know, the likes of me and yourself and everyone around the BBC crew were all excited because they come on, you know, grab this chance. You know, there's no captain Pat, who, you know, let's be honest, Pat doesn't know how to lose. You know, he's got that incredible mentality and he's been incredible for Australia that when they've needed a wicket, it's generally Pat Cummings that gets them that wicket. Well, there's no Cummings this week. And Hazwood over the course of the last couple of months, you know, in Whitebull cricket has been Australia's standout bowler and he's not with the Aussies this week, so there's a big opportunity for Ingham. But it doesn't mean you win because two players aren't playing. You know, Scott Borland's got a record here that is up there with the greats. 49 wickets at 12 apiece. Mitchell Stark is, you know, one of these modern generations, great fast bowlers who creates a great, obviously angle from left arm over and then he comes left arm around. He'll bowl quickly. He found a nice rhythm last week for New South Wales. Brendan Doggett is a, you know, he's the star in state cricket and has been for a couple of years, so he knows how to bowl in these conditions. And obviously Nathan line an offspinner with over 500 test match wickets. And then you've got Cameron Green or Bo Webster. So they've got enough Australia to cause a little bit of damage with the England setup. But, you know, let's not make any kind of look at it in any other way than saying that England have a great chance, but they've got to play great disciplined cricket and they have to win the moments. There'll be moments in the test match, I'm sure, for both sides to try and get on top. When that moment comes for England, the first opportunity they have to grab it.

You talked about Pat Cummins not knowing how to lose. And Ben Stokes is a man on a mission on this series, isn't he?

Yeah. I mean, I look at Ben and particularly the way that he looks and what I like about him so far, he looks calm. And sometimes when, you know, you look at a series like this and you look at someone like Ben Stokes and this England team, I just hope they don't want it too much. And sometimes in life when you want something so desperately, so much, it goes further and further away from you. They've just got to naturally let it happen by just playing session by session, being really disciplined at the right time, being aggressive when they can. I look at both sides and both squads and Ben Stokes as he looks now, alright, the series not started yet, so we have to see if he arrives in form. But if he finds form, he's the best cricketer in the world. You know, there's no doubt about that, that Pat Cummins is right up there with tremendous as a captain, as a bowler with the likes of Jasper Brummer, you put Cummings in that kind of bracket. But in terms of pound for pound, the best cricketer in the world when he plays well, that's Ben Stokes and he's captain in England. So it's so important that he stays fit, it's so important that he finds form, it's so important that he utilises his bowling well and well means the kind of spells that we've seen him in the last couple of years where suddenly he gets on a roll and he bowls a 10 over spell or 12, that's not going to help England win a five match series. It might help England win one game, but he's got to be so important, he's got to be very careful to manage his body to make sure that by Melbourne Sydney he's still going. So if it is ajas the ball a few overs less and England look like they're going to hit Australia with all these paces. So he should have enough bowling to kind of turn to rather than bowl himself all the time. But it's how he manages his own body and his own mindset which is going to be crucial.

For England is pure pace. The way to go at this ground.

At Perth Stadium, well, it's all England got. They've arrived here with a barrage. I mean it's a cartel of pace bowling. I don't think we've ever arrived in Australia with this amount of pace. The one area that I would be a little bit concerned about is that in the last three or four years here in Australia, top of off stump has been the way to go. A bowling style bowler, Josh Hazelwood. Jai Richardson has bowled a few nice spells here. Pitch up bowlers that swing it and nip it around. I'm looking at the England attacks then who's that? And that looks like it's gonna have to be Ben Stokes. Gus Atkinson bowls into the pitch. He can get it up there but he's more into that natural decent length. And then Joffre will hit the pitch. And then there's Mark Woodall just running for four overs and bowl as quick as he possibly can. Josh tongs a hit the pitch bowler. Matthew Potts I guess is a, a pitch up bowler but I don't think he's in the consideration this week. And that's the only concern that I'd have for this attack. That pace is great but you've got to still bowl in the right areas. And in Australia, if you get it slightly wrong with pace on the ball can fly to all parts. And that's going to be the challenge for Ben and the team to make sure, yes, bowl quickly. But still remember that here in Australia with this kookaburra ball, now that has a more prominent seam top of off stumps worked over the last few years. So don't forget that. Make sure that you do the basics right.

The Perth Stadium, you were here for the India game last year when 17 wickets fell on the first day. Could we see a repeat of that?

Yeah. And again I look at the way that England play the cricket. Every game here in Perth has been won by the team batting first. Yet England with, you know this team that they're going to look like playing, you'd think that they might bowl first. England like to chase. You know, I always go back to Ben and the toss of the coin at Edgbaston against India and he won the toss and I think it was one of his first. He said, oh why, why, why are you bowling? We like to chase. It was like a one day game. We like to chase. That's what England do. That's what they did against India at Henley in the summer when they chased down that big target. So it wouldn't surprise me of England bowl, but I'm a bit old school here. Get the runs on the board and pitches here in Perth can, can crack, they can start to do it a little bit quicker. On days two and three, spin might come into the equation. Nathan Lyon, who is a bowler, I don't think he's bowling as well as he has in the past, but he's got a tremendous record here in Perth. 29 wickets at 21 apiece. So all the talk of pace from England and all the talk of pace of what Australia are going to throw at England, don't forget Nathan Lyon, because he's a wonderful bowler.

I'm getting little hints of optimism and it's a very rare thing among England cricket fans. And bearing in mind England haven't won a Test match in this country for 15 years, getting on for. How optimistic are you? Are you prepared like Mark Rampash did the other day to say England win this easily? If Ben Stokes plays all five Test matches, I mean, that's quite a big if.

Isn't, won't be easy. If you actually look at, you know, the summer against India, the two victories against India, heading at Lords, they chased down 370 at Headingley. So that's not an easy win. But they did it well. The Lord's Test victory against India, it was the game where Ben bolled that mammoth spell and then Joffre produced some magic to get rid of Rishabh Pant. But it wasn't easy. English cricket and England teams, we don't do easy, but we do entertain him. And if England are going to win down here, I would say the 40,000 Brits that have arrived, they're in for a ride. I also think the Australian public are going to love watching England play. I think there'll be a few Australians over the course of the next seven weeks that. I'm not saying they'll fall in love with England, but I think they will fall in love with a few of our players with the way that they go about their business. Harry Brook, for instance, I think the Aussies will look at Harry and think he's a bit mad at times, but they'll admire the way that he'll go about his business. And I think they've got such admiration for the captain and obviously for Joe Root at number four. I've not met one Australian. I've been out here for two and a half weeks and I come out here every single winter. There's not one Australian that doesn't want Joe root to get 100. And there's not one Australian who wants to see Matthew Hayden running around the MCG with his crackers out. So it's very important that that does happen. And if that happens on a regular basis two or three times the glue at number four could be the reason why. You can have a huge amount of success but they have a great chance. But at this stage it's just a chance and there's a lot of hard work to go between now and then. This England side haven't won a five match series since 2017. There's a reason why that's happened because over five matches it takes a huge amount of mental toil, it takes a huge amount of physical activity on your body and you have to have the rubber green at the right time. At the minute I would say the rubber, the green looks like it's going with England. When you look at Cummings out, Hazewood out, it's even quite mild in Perth, dare I say there's a few clouds arrived and I don't think it's going to be a roaster at the weekend. So that doesn't mean you win, it doesn't mean you win that you've had a little bit of fortune so far because it's a long series. But there's just one or two things that I look at and 2010, 11 was the time that England won here and they won well and they arrived here with a top seven that was consistently playing together on a regular basis. This top seven has played together for a period of time now. They've played great at times, they've been disappointed at times, but over the course of the last two years they know their roles, they know what they're about and it's a great opportunity for the side. I, I generally am excited because I look at the tools required to win down here and they have them, they've just got to make the most of them.

You're saying England are winning this?

I think if Ben Stokes stays fit, I'm not going to say what Ram said that they'll win easy. I think he's going to be too all. I just look at England and think, can they win three test matches out of five? They can, but they'll have to play incredibly well. I can't imagine that Australia aren't going to win at least one, if not two. It's just the way that Australia play the cricket and they win games of cricket and it wouldn't surprise me if, you know, let's see what happens in the day, night game. It could be a quick game, there could be rain around. That might actually be a draw. And Sydney could be a draw as well. So one of those two venues. I'm saying it's going to be the draw. If England win here and win well and they can challenge Australia and that top three it in terms of all they need to rotate or Usman Kwaja's position in the side is going to become vulnerable and you've got Weatherall who's just starting out. If they can challenge that top three early here in Perth, I think England can get off to a great start. If they do that, who knows what may happen. It might be that we go back to 2010 and 11 and the Australian side have just gone over the hill and they start to get dismantled and we see two or three new players by the end of it. That's the dream for England, that by Melbourne, Sydney, two or three names are playing for Australia that we ain't got a clue about. If that happens, England have won.

Michael. Fingers crossed, eh?

Absolutely. Yeah. Win the toss. Bat, please. The TMS podcast on BBC Sounds.

This is the story of the 1. As a custodial supervisor at a high school, he knows that during cold and flu season, germs spread fast. It's why he partners with Grainger to stay fully stocked on the products and supplies he needs, from tissues to disinfectants to floor scrubbers, all so that he can help students, staff and teachers stay healthy and focused. Call 1-800-granger. Click granger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

Hello, it's Ray Winstone. I'm here to tell you about my podcast on BBC Radio 4, History's Toughest Heroes. I got stories about the pioneers, the rebels, the outcasts who define tough.

And that was the first time that.

Anybody ever ran a car up that fast with no tires on.

It almost feels like your eyeballs are.

Gonna come out of your head. Tough enough for you? Subscribe to History's Toughest Heroes wherever you get your podcast.

I'm Maisie Adams. And I'm Susie Ruffle, and we host the women's football podcast Big Kick Energy. Each week we bring you the latest from the WS and beyond. Whether you're a lifelong fan like me or a newer fan like me and have recently got swept up in the Lioness's excitement. We've got everything you need to know about the women's game and chant. We've got chance. Oh, yes, we love A chant and finding ways to shoehorn in some truly obscure pop culture references. It's actually quite a silly podcast. Yeah. Listen now on BBC Sound. Yeah, you should. Okay, cool. Well, you can watch coverage of the Ashes on the BBC Sport app and website. We'll have video clips of all the big moments and on iplayer, Alex Hartley will bring you the daily Ashes debrief from the Perth Stadium alongside our TMS commentary team out here in Australia. And I'm now with the BBC's chief cricket reporter, Stefan Shenault and TMS commentator Simon Mann. Hello, both.

Hello.

And the news of the day is that England have named their 12 for the first Ashes test. And there is the tantalising prospect of England's fastest men all turning out together, particularly Joffre Archer and Mark Wood. I'll read you the 12. First of all, Ben Stokes, the captain. Then Archer Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Brooke, Cass Crawley, Duckett Pope Root, Jamie Smith, the wicket keeper and Mark Wood. So, Stefan, we have been having that tingly feeling, haven't we, coming into this test match in the days running up to it, that the pace and bounce of Perth could be the perfect opportunity for England's paceman. And that may well be what happens. Although not for sure.

Definitely not for sure. England have had this plan for, I think for quite a long time to play an all seam attack at this ground because of the, the pace and bounds of the Perth stadion. And you know, we've had all that chat about the pitch the past couple of days, the Green Monster, but I think England have just seen something over the past 24 hours that suggests a little bit of dryness in the surface. It was left uncovered yesterday. The greenness of the Monster has started to fade a little bit. So they've put show up in the squad just to keep their options open. But I still think it will be the five fast bowlers and I think if that is confirmed tomorrow, which it could well be, England will settle on at 11. Maybe after they've trained in the morning. We might be talking about England's fastest attack in a test match ever, certainly in this country. And you think of some of the great Ashes series wins here in the past, going a long way back actually, because England don't win here very often. 70, 71. Raymond Illingworth's team had Willis and Jon Snow in the 50s. There was Statham and Typhoon Tyson. And with Bodyline, the most famous Ashes series of all. Well, England are at it again with pace bowling.

Yeah, I'm not going to ask you to remember Len Hutton or Railingword series Simon.

But you can look on it but.

Not from personal experience. You've done a lot but not that.

Many in a way. I mean Bashir's naming today was a kind of mild surprise, wasn't it? I think everyone expected England to name 11 when they decided to name their team and with five pace bowlers in it, they've been talking all along about having Bashir in Australia to exploit pitches that bounce and this one they think might spin as well. So in a way you think, well, kind of it's a logical choice to play and that's why he's Suddenly into the 12 it seems to me. So they're having a little think about this. But you know he's not played much recently because of his finger injury and has the project gone a bit awry. But you know, it's been a long term project with Bashir and it's odd to think of him suddenly as being a surprise inclusion in the 12 in a way.

So we thought particularly after the way he bowled at Lyla kill last week in the in the Lions game that maybe even Will Jax had bowled himself ahead of show ib Bashir and that Jax might be the option for this game because of his batting, that if it is going to be a short game and runs are going to be at a premium, well, Bap Jackson at at number eight and he can bowl a bit of off spin if you need it. But you're right, Simon, in that Sher Bashir has been England's frontline spinner for the past 18 months for the reasons that you highlighted. He's tall, he gets bounce and all those sorts of things. And Perth Stadium the leading wicket taker. All right, it's a short history at that ground. They've only had five matches but the leading wicket taker there is Nathan Lyman. England are very hierarchical in their selection. They often have a list at whatever department it is and they go down it. If they wanted a spinner in that squad and it hadn't been showing Bashir, what would that have said about the whole Bashir project? Like you say, so maybe we were wrong to think that it would be Jax if England did want to spin it. Just going on what we know about McCollum and Stokes.

To me, Jax is the replacement for Ben Stokes if Ben Stokes were to be injured. So you've got a batter at six who can bowl plus you can still play four pace bowlers. I mean they don't want to get to that obviously, but he seems to me that one of the reasons he's in the squad as a cover potentially for Ben Stokes injury.

You both talked about projects and we know there was a project four years ago going into the Gabba and it was to try and rest Broad and Anderson for later in the series. We all know what happened there, don't we? So is this a better project?

Yeah, I have a little bit of sympathy for what England were trying to do four years ago because remember the schedule was different. The first test was pushed back a little bit. It was Covid y test matches were played back to back whereas here we've got big gaps between Test 1, 2 and 2 and 3. So there doesn't need to be that thought about saving pace bowlers for later. But you're right Ellie, in what they did four years ago is they had a plan that could have been cooked up in London or Loughboat or whatever. They went to the Gabba and were presented with conditions that surprised them, traditional English conditions really when Anderson and Broad would have been ideal. They didn't play them there and then England were chasing their tail for the rest of the rest of the tour. What they have done here is they've shown a degree of flexibility in that. Yes, five seamers I think has been the plan for a long time. It was whispered about in the home summer but they've seen something today that has. They've left open the option of playing a spinner, of deviating from a long term plan.

Is speed enough though Simon? Is it going to be about how those fast bowlers bowl? You know, because they can't bowl 94 miles an hour every single over over potentially five days in the Perth heat.

I think one thing about people say five is too many but I think there are times in games where you've got your four fast bowlers and they've sort of almost come to the end of their tether and you want another fast bowler. Bowler. You'd love to have another fast bowler rather than say a spinner come on or a part time bowler. So you've got that option and you can rest them, you can rotate them. Stephen Finn said to me a while back, he said I'd hate to play in a five man pace attack because I'd have to wait ages to bowl. But I think there's sense of relentlessness. Australia going to feel that sense of relentlessness and if there is pace and bounce, as the curator today said there would be. So the West Test is painted pace and banks then you know you've got you've got the bowlers potentially to exploit it. I mean, they'll be coming after Australia, I think. You know, England want to hit them hard and they got. They've got the options to do that.

Can you do that again?

The West Test is pace and balance.

Good. Thanks for your impression of Isaac the Macdonald, the curator of the Perth Oval. We will talk a little bit more about him in a moment. It has been a busy day at the Start Stadium, various press conferences, as well as Gus Atkinson speaking to the media, along with Mitchell Stark and the aforementioned curator of the Perth pitch. We'll talk about that in a moment. But first, England fast bowler Atkinson, who has been speaking to BBC sports editor Dan Rowan.

Gus, good to see you. Thanks for your time. Just explain to us, I know this is your first Ashes series, but what does this rivalry, this great rivalry mean to you growing up? How much did it mean to you?

Yeah, it means a lot. I mean, growing up, the 2005 Ashes was the main thing for me. And then, you know, ever since, it's been a dream to play an Ashes series. So to get the opportunity is very exciting.

And it could be that you actually bowled the opening ball of the entire series. How special would that be?

Yeah, that'd be incredible. I mean, to set the tone of the whole series would be. Would be really cool. And I know there's been a few special, you know, moments of first balls in the Ashes, so, you know, a chance to add to that would be cool.

What do you see your role as in this England pace attack? Are you the man to provide the control, the consistency, the discipline?

I think so. I mean, you know, there's a lot of pace in our attack and I think I'm probably a bit slower than a few of the others, but, yeah, I think hold that control and just look to take wickets and keep them back to under pressure.

And you're one of a number of players in this England squad that haven't experienced an Ashes series over here. Certainly in your case, not at all. Do you think that's a disadvantage because it's all new, or actually, could it work for England because there's less mental scarring than there may be if you'd all experienced those defeats of the past here?

Yeah, I think it could be an advantage. You know, I know there's a lot of players who, who said they've had some tough times here in Australia. So for us, you know, we're a very relaxed, very positive group and, you know, no scarring. As you said, it's very Exciting. And I think we all see it as a huge opportunity to do something special.

And how significant a series do you think this is, Gus, for England? It feels to many it means obviously a huge amount of anticipation back home, as there always is for an Ashley series. But I think because of the way England play, because of that fantastic series against India, there's more excitement maybe than there has been for some time. Is that the way you see it? I mean, where is this England team on its journey? Does this feel like the sort of culmination of a years long project?

I think so. I mean, I haven't been here since the start of when Baz came in, but from when I've come in, I think the whole goal has been to get to this Asher series in a good place and to try and come out here and win. And that's been the goal for, for three years. Basse has been in and they've been preparing for that ever since. So yeah, I mean that's what we're going to look to do and hopefully we can do that.

And England haven't won a Test, as you know, here in Australia since 2011. Do you feel, does the team feel it has a point to prove therefore to the Australian cricketing public?

I think so. I mean, I feel like we've always got a point to prove, but yeah, I don't really know what the Aussie public would think of us, but sure, it's probably not great. But yeah, we're really excited for the opportunity we have to come out here.

And there's been a lot made of this five pronged pace attack that England hoped to feel with the likes of Mark and Joffre of course, and yourself. How exciting is it potentially to be part of that?

Very exciting. I mean you hear about these pitches in Australia with pace and bounce. So to come out here is really nice knowing that as a fast bowler you can make major contributions, contribution. So we're all very excited.

And how is Martin? I know it looks good, he's been training this week but how much of a bonus would it be if England can field him alongside Joffre?

Yeah, it'd be great. I mean he was bowling lively in the nets yesterday, so hopefully he's all good and can play.

In contrast, Australia, of course they've lost their captain, Cummings, they've lost Hazelwood as well through injury for this first Test. Just how big an opportunity therefore do you think it is this for England given issues that Australia are encountering?

Yeah, it's a huge opportunity. I mean they're world class bowlers but we have to respect the bowlers that are playing and they're very good bowlers. So yeah, it's a huge opportunity, but also one we can't look at as the bowlers that are coming in are still world class bowlers.

One of your recent teammates, Stuart Broad said it's the weakest Australia team since 2011 when England last won a series out here. Is that the way you see it? Do you think this is an Australian team that's sort of there for the taking or is the same level of respect?

I think, you know, that's Broady's entitled to his opinion. I don't know too much about the Aussie team since 2010, but no, yeah, they're a world class team and it's going to be very tough, them in their, in their backyard.

Over the years, for a long time, England Savage's hopes have floundered here in Perth at the whacker down the road because of the. This is so unfamiliar, the conditions, the pace, the bounce. Do you think coming here to a new stadium psychologically gives England a sort of a, a bit more hope, a bit more optimism, a chance to have a fresh start? Or do you think having looked at the wicket, it's going to be just as quick and bouncy as the wacker?

I don't know too much about, about the wacker and stuff, but you know, we have a lot of players who, as we said before, haven't played here and yeah, I just think it's really exciting. The pitches, you know, they're quick and bouncy, but I think our bowling attack is seriously dangerous in these conditions. So it'll be as tough for their batsmen as it will be for us, I think.

Understood. Gus, best of luck.

Cheers.

Thanks for your time. Thank you.

Well, Stefan Shemolt and Simon Mann are still with me. Simon, what have you made of the vibes building up to this, this Test series? Because there's always the phony war, isn't there? Day by day it unfolds well.

I think one of the really interesting things is the war, if you like of words, has not come from the players at all. Mitchell Stark today was asked to almost condemn England's build up, you know, the one practice match among themselves. And he said, oh no, it's what happens these days. It's not like 20 years ago. We did the same thing last time. You know, you could have pounding them, sent out. The poms have had a terrible build up. They didn't say no, no, we do it. We had a practice match among ourselves last time and of course they won the first two test matches yesterday when they had the official launch. You know, there was Jamie Smith there and Josh Tung and Alex Carey and Cam Green. I mean those two, Cam Green and Alex Carey, they're two of the nicest lads you could ever wish to meet. They would.

You sound like a dad.

He sang for a strange.

If my daughter brought one of them home, either of my daughters brought them home, I'd be perfectly happy.

Is that what this podcast has become? You're looking for a husband for one of your daughters.

They would cut your lawn and do your washing out, wouldn't they? That's all you need.

This is a whole new format for us to pitch. Step.

Absolutely lovely blokes.

Can we get Simon doing post match interviews for Alex Curry and Cam Green?

E free for tea.

Amy Smith and Josh Tight as well, you know, nice blokes. There was no, there's no snarling at all. If you're like all that has come from ex players and media that's built it up, that's hyped it up from the players. I just think what is this all about?

But on the subject of the Fernie War and Smith and Tong speaking yesterday, Smith was brilliant because there were some questions from the Aussie media that were trying to rile him up. We're trying to get a line. How many rounds of golf you gonna play, mate? Smith, I'm not actually a golfer so probably none. Are you going to try and stump someone standing back? If I tried I'd probably miss. I was going to be that far away. They were excellent. And Carey and Green as well. To be fair. There was a lot of questions about stumpings and things and they just moved on. It was great.

I mean Carey said something exciting. He said he was excited about six times, didn't he?

Well, Gus Atkinson was the same in talking to Dan Rowe and you can feel that from the players actually. They don't want to get into a slanging match. They know each other away from from here. They just want to play cricket.

They're also staying in the same hotel as well. They're bumping into each other in the lips.

Salty friendly, isn't it? What would then Hutton and Rayleighworth have made of it all? Simon, you reckon that Mitchell Stark may have maybe inadvertently revealed the Australian team in his press conference?

Yeah, just doing a bit of detective work because he said I'll be batting at 8. We thought, hold on a second, just try and piece it all together. That means that Bo Webster's not going to play.

Play.

There was some hint that he might have batted at 8 and that NISA.

Won'T be batting at 8 because NISA is definitely a better bat than Star.

Yeah, that's the other thing.

So just do detective work. It seems that Wetherald and Kouagio will open Weatherald making stadium. So not a makeshift opener. Laboshan at three, Smith Head and then Green at six. So the fact that Green can bowl, that's the key thing. He's bowling in the nets today, bowled yesterday. He said he's. But he confident the fact he can bowl his overs, his share of overs, means that they. Well, they don't have to play Webster and they still got all these options.

In Glenn McGraw's column on the BBC Sport website, he talks about the perception of Australian selection. Chaos, uncertainty, whatever you want to call it. But he says, well, actually if any team lost their captain and another fast bowler, that would be difficult. And the way that Australia are responding to that is bringing in two other fast bowlers, what we think will be Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett. He said the only decision that Australia have had to make is who opens. And they've had to make that decision a lot since David Warner retired at the beginning of 2024. I think Khawaja has had five different partners in 15 Tests, whether or not we become his sixth and 16. But once that decision is made, who opens the rest falls into place. Because if Labershayne opened, that opened up the prospect of Green and Webster in the same team. But Australia have gone back to a specialist opener. They've messed around with Labochain, Smith, McSweeney, all these different options. This time it's weatheralled a specialist opener. It's unlucky on Bo Webster, who's done nothing wrong. But the lineup for Australia is much more what we're. That is their usual formation.

I mean, we haven't had it confirmed yet, but actually they must want to have some kind of certainty because there's been so much, as you say, uncertainty for. For the last weeks and months and basically since David Warner retired.

Yeah. And eventually had to make a decision, didn't it did hinge on whether Green was fit enough to bowl.

He's been bowling a little bit in.

Sheffield Shield and he's been bowling the nets here and it looks as though that's what they're going to go with. With green, it's 6 rather than green at 3 and Levoche opening Not confirmed.

But also just imagine the last little bit of Ash's housery, shall we call it? Ben Stokes out there in the middle in his blazer. And then Pat Cummins comes down the stairs. I'm ready to go.

Well, Mitchell Stark said that he.

He wants to play it.

He feels like he can play now.

Yeah. And Mitchell Stark, but not quite the oldest man in the squad, I think Nathan Lyons, older than him.

Khawaja. Khawaja is kwaja. 38. Yeah.

Wow. So. So. But saying he was feeling a little bit. He's feeling his age a little bit.

He did. And that's because he got asked, you know, you are the last one of the big three standing. How do you feel about it? He said, I feel old.

Quick word, then finally about Isaac McDonald, because that is always that moment, isn't it, when the curator, as what they call the grounds. The grounds person here came out. You've mentioned. What was it again?

The West Test is pace and bound.

Thank you very much. And how green will that pitch be? Because we've been down there the last few days, it's looked very, very green indeed. How many layers of grass are going to be shaved off? Did he reveal that?

He said, I haven't decided yet. He said it's 9 millimeters at the moment. If I heard him correctly, he said it's normally between 10 and 8. So I haven't decided whether I'm going to take any more off the thing. This is niche stuff.

It is niche, yeah. This is very niche stuff, if you.

Want to get really niche. The thing that struck me today, we had a press conference on the outfield with the groundsman. And how many people do you reckon with there, Simon? 50.

60.

50, 60.

So we've got the groundsman as a centre of attention in this Test. Remember what happened before England's previous Test match? Yep. At the Oval. At the Oval, Lee Fortis and Gautam Gambier, the Surrey groundsman, the India coach. Two Test matches in a row in different hemispheres where the groundsman has been part of the story.

Centre stage. Thank you very much, Stefan. Thank you to Simon as well. That's it for this episode of the TMS podcast. Make sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode during this Ashes series. We will bring you a TMS podcast every single day of the tour and it all gets underway on Friday morning to Test Match Special will bring you every ball of the Ashes across the next eight weeks. And we're on air at 1:35am GMT with the wait finally over and the first ball being bowled at 2:20 in the morning. But for now, it's goodbye.

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