Steven Finn says England have the best chance of winning an Ashes series in Australia for the first time in 15 years.
Finn, a member of England’s last victorious touring party in 2010/11, believes the continuity fostered by Brendon McCullum can help exploit the vulnerabilities of a shaky Australian side.
With uncertainty over Australia’s opening pair and captain Pat Cummins ruled out for the first Test, the Finn is backing England in their bid to get the urn back.
“England have their best chance in 15 years.” said the former England bowler. Sky Sports News. “They have a relatively stable line-up which helps them maintain consistency, which is exactly what is needed for an Ashes series.
“There is some confusion in Australia too, with their line-ups more shaky than they have been in 15 years and they are struggling to fit both the versatile Beau Webster and Cam Green into the side.
“Determining the top three is one of Australia’s biggest question marks heading into the series.
“I will err on the positive side and predict a 3-2 series win for England.”
Cummins’ absence ‘a blow to the series’
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Mark Wood says Pat Cummins’ absence from his first Ashes Test is a ‘huge boost’ for England.
Steve Smith will captain Australia in the first Test in Perth after Cummins was ruled out with a back injury. The skipper is racing to recover in time to take on the role later in the series and the Finn hopes he returns for the good of the competition.
“It’s a blow to the series,” Finn added. “We want England to win, but you want the best players involved.
“I love watching Cummins bowl, so it’s a real shame he’s not fit, at least for the first Test.
“It’s good news for England because he’s an amazing bowler, but it’s not good for the series. You want to see the best player.”
Woakes shares Finn’s optimism.
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Former England cricketer Chris Woakes discusses the upcoming 2025 Ashes series in Australia and supports England’s chances of success.
Finn’s former team-mate Chris Woakes reflected his confidence in England’s chances.
“England’s chances are very good,” Woakes said. “I really think we have a good chance to win and win the series.
“It’s difficult to win down there, it’s not going to be simple, but with the squad we’ve built over the last few years there’s a good chance we can go there and deliver.
“We have been working hard together for some time and have reaped the rewards of being a consistent group. Now comes the ultimate test of victory in Australia.”
Labuschagne issues warning before reoccurrence
Marnus Labuschagne has issued a warning to England ahead of the replay, comparing his current form to his breakthrough year in 2019.
The 31-year-old smashed his fifth century in eight innings in Queensland’s One-Day Cup win over NSW, with a blistering 101 to lift his summer average across all formats to 84.87.
Asked how this performance compares to his previous career bests, Labuschagne pointed to his meteoric rise in 2019, when he was England’s Test debutant and Ashes winner at the top of the batting charts.
“The only period I can compare it to is probably Glamorgan’s 2019,” he said. “But it doesn’t span both formats.
“Right now I feel like my hitting is in a good place. Trust my technique and trust myself. Everything is coming together.”
