Ashes 2023: Australia selectors need to freshen bowling stocks ahead of The Oval

The Ashes are safe, but if Australia wants to win the series the selectors must be bold and make calls that will end a 22-year drought in England, writes Ben Horne.

If Australia wants to do what no touring party has done in 22 years and win a series in England, they must take a major gamble and punt on fresh blood for the fifth Test.

Selectors should call in either Michael Neser or Sean Abbott – or both – for the last Test and attack The Oval finale with a nothing-to-lose mentality.

England’s decision to thrust freshmen Mark Wood and Chris Woakes into the fray mid-series has flipped the momentum of the Ashes on its head, and now Australia must follow suit to ensure England can‘t get away with its painful attempt to claim moral victory.

Australia had nine days off before Old Trafford, yet looked tired and browbeaten.

This time there is only three days to prepare for the last Test at The Oval, albeit the bowlers did get the physical reprieve of only having to bowl in the one horror innings.

(L-R) Michael Neser and Sean Abbott would be a much needed injection of fresh blood to the attack.

But mentally it feels like Australia’s attack needs an injection of a Neser or Abbott, who aren’t scarred by Bazball and the accumulative toll this unrelenting series has taken on Pat Cummins and his men.

For Australia’s biggest crime in the fourth Test was attitude and mindset.

Aware of the dismal weather forecast for the final two days, Australia played from the outset like a team trying not to lose, rather than hunting the win – and that’s not how Australian teams play Test cricket.

Australia doesn’t have to apologise for retaining the Ashes – they won the big moments in the first two Tests despite losing every toss this series and having their most influential player Nathan Lyon fall to injury.

England’s whining is as if the influence of rain is a new concept in their country, and fails to recognise Ben Stokes’ side only have themselves to blame for butchering the first two Tests.

Todd Murphy needs to be brought back in to offer variety to the attack. Picture: AFP

But true Ashes satisfaction can only come from outright series victory, and Australia learnt this the hard way last time around in 2019 when it squandered the last Test to go home with a good effort rather than historical triumph.

It goes without saying that the difference between a decisive 3-1 win and a 2-2 damp squib this week in London will be enormous in terms of how this great, great series is reflected upon in the years to come.

Australia can’t afford to simply hang in there and hope England falters at The Oval. To claim victory they must force it to happen by taking the game by the scruff of the neck.

It starts with selection.

Neser and Abbott have both been in superb form in English county cricket and are acclimatised and cherry ripe for selection.

Spinner Todd Murphy should also be immediately returned in place of Cameron Green (provided Mitchell Marsh is fit for selection) to restore balance and the vibe of a play-to-win mentality.

David Warner should be backed in for what could be his last Test for Australia, but with a renewed license to take on the English bowlers with aggression and without fear.

Queenslander Neser may have a slight edge if the bowling attack is shaken up because he’s proven at Test level. But Abbott offers greater ball speed and The Oval is the home ground he’s dominated on for Surrey in division one this county season.

Of course who to leave out is the bigger conundrum.

Cameron Green (C) may be dropped for the Fifth Test. Picture: AFP

Captain Cummins looks like he’s running on fumes more than anyone, but Australia needs him to lift the weight from his shoulders and play out the series from here.

Despite his shocker at Old Trafford, Cummins is still Australia’s most likely big-moment game-breaker and the calm influence of his captaincy style was a major contributor to Australia going 2-0 up in the first place and should not be dismissed after two bad days in the driver’s seat.

Mitchell Starc is hard to leave out because of his lethal point of difference as a left-armer, but he looked sore at Old Trafford, and so too Josh Hazlewood isn’t easily dispensed with given he was Australia’s best in the fourth Test and sorely missed in the third when he was rested.

However, Australia doesn't have to go back far to be reminded of the dark day when Fortress Gabba fell to India in 2021.

Australia attempted to soldier on through all four Tests with their three world class – but physically and mentally fried – fast bowlers, and it backfired as India’s Rishabh Pant pulled their pants down in Brisbane.

It’s a hard call because Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood are all time greats and pound for pound clearly better bowlers than Neser and Abbott.

But bringing in a new bull unencumbered by any baggage could be key to executing the final momentum shift of this enthralling series and shutting England’s ‘woe is me’ whining up for good.