Ashes 2023: England’s Ashes campaign rocked by fast bowling injury crisis

Where there was chest-pumping intimidation about England’s Ashes positioning a month ago, all of a sudden there is uncertainty and cracks appearing, writes Ben Horne.

English cricket, so buoyant over Baz Ball, is suddenly looking exposed and vulnerable on the eve of the Ashes.

Captain Ben Stokes pleaded with England’s medical staff to give him eight fit and firing fast bowlers … but five weeks out from the first Test he is facing the reality he might be doing well to have half that number available.

The door is opening for Australia.

Where there was chest-pumping intimidation about England’s positioning a month ago, all of a sudden there is uncertainty and cracks appearing.

England great Michael Vaughan has even questioned whether the bold and bludgeoning Baz Ball tactics Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have so fearlessly employed – much to the benefit of Test cricket – is actually the right game plan for winning the Ashes.

Now fast bowling matchwinner Jofra Archer has been rushed home from the Indian Premier League with a dodgy elbow and looks increasingly unlikely to return to the Ashes stage he owned with such force back in 2019.

Archer was England’s best bowler in the 2019 Ashes. (Photo by Tom Jenkins)

Trying to get Archer up for even one Test now shapes as a massive gamble for England, particularly given Stokes himself has a dodgy knee and might not be able to offer the bowling safety net that has made him one of the most dangerous all-rounders in the history of the game.

England’s other express enforcer Mark Wood is currently on paternity leave and has been publicly uncertain about how much of a part he will play in the Ashes.

Young quick Olly Stone is on crutches after fears he might have torn his hamstring over the weekend and Jamie Overton, another pace prospect is already out with stress fractures.

According to the London Telegraph, Ollie Robinson needed a painkilling injection to get through a county game last week and hobbled off with cramp.

Robinson has been one of the world’s breakout pace bowlers over the past 12 months, but his body struggled to handle the rigours of an Ashes when he was blooded down under against Australia two summers ago.

That leaves England’s two most fit and reliable bowlers at this stage as 40-year-old James Anderson and 36-year-old Stuart Broad.

England will once again be reliant upon the experience of Stuart Broad and James Anderson. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

They’re still a formidable pair more than capable of tearing Australia’s top order apart in English conditions, but their effectiveness could diminish if England selectors don’t have the luxury of strategically rotating them through the five-match series.

Australia on the other hand look settled on the bowling front – a welcome change after the disarray of the recent tour of India.

Josh Hazlewood is really Australia’s only fitness concern and there is no reason to rush the big quick back into the attack with Scott Boland such a reliable and dangerous operator.

The fact England might have to accept Stokes is playing the Ashes as a specialist batsman only could force them into playing Jonny Bairstow as their wicketkeeper instead of Ben Foakes – so that an extra all-rounder like Chris Woakes can balance the line-up at No.7.

Woakes struggled last Ashes in Australia, although he will be a tougher proposition in English conditions and could now shape as one of the most pivotal figures in the series.

Stokes – as great as he is – has a Test batting average of 35, and pressure will rise on his run-making ability if he is in the side as a top 5 batsman and not an all-rounder.

As England face the prospect of struggling to scrape an attack together, Australia’s biggest issue might be picking the right bowlers for the moment – something they got wrong when the series was there to be won in 2019.

Originally published as Ashes 2023: England’s Ashes campaign rocked by fast bowling injury crisis