Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts
 

Hollioake urges England to grind down 'fragile' Australia quicks

Adam Hollioake thinks Australia's "fragile" fast bowlers could "fall apart" if the England adopt an old-school approach and grind them down in the Ashes.

Pat Cummins

London, November 22: Adam Hollioake thinks Australia's "fragile" fast bowlers could "fall apart" if the England batsmen adopt an old-school approach and grind them down during the Ashes.

Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are set to form a formidable pace attack when Australia attempt to wrestle the urn back off their fierce rivals.

The tourists have been warned to expect a barrage of short stuff when the five-match series starts at the Gabba on Thursday.

All three have been troubled by injuries during their careers and Hollioake wants to see their fitness put to the test with long spells in the field, with Alastair Cook and Joe Root setting the tone.

The former England all-rounder told Omnisport: "The Australian bowling attack is very much based around pace and, with the hot summer, Cook and Root are the key for England if they can wear them down.

"I see Cummins as the backbone of that attack, but he is very injury-prone. Starc and Hazlewood have had injury problems. They have all had injury problems and I think the side that can keep their quick bowlers fit can be the side that wins in.

"There is something to be said for keeping those boys out in the field with a traditional Test style of batting that Cook has done so many times.

"There is a lot to be said in this series for just batting time, I'd love to see Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood kept out there bowling 20-30 overs in a day.

"Let's see how they go bowling that amount of overs in a five-match series, let's have that mentality of keeping those guys out there rather than try and win a Test in four days.

"This Aussie bowling attack is fragile and they do fall apart. I'd like to see the likes of Cook batting in the traditional Test manner rather than see run-a-ball hundreds, let's grind out a hundred and see their quicks put some miles on the clock in the heat."

Source: OPTA

Story first published: Wednesday, November 22, 2017, 14:56 [IST]
Other articles published on Nov 22, 2017