The 2023 Ashes gets under way live on Sky Sports with the first Test from Edgbaston on Friday, but will it be England or Australia who ultimately emerges victorious by the time the fiercely-contested series wraps at The Oval on July 31? We’ve enlisted the Sky Sports experts to make their predictions…
Nasser Hussain, former England captain
“I don’t think there will be many draws – England haven’t a draw in 12 Tests under Brendon McCullum.
“Australia haven’t won a series here since 2001, but they’re a very good side and that’s why they won the World Test Championship last week [beating India at The Oval].
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“We have three of the batting greats of world cricket in the series in Joe Root, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. Sorry to sit on the fence, but I think all three of them will get runs.
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“I love watching them all play, the tempo of their batting – for all the talk of ‘Bazball’. I think England are a bit cross that people think that is just about going out and having a slog.
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“It’s more a mindset of going out there and enjoying your cricket, entertaining, and not letting the pressure get to you at the highest level.
“I think it will be a very close series. I will go 3-2 to England.”
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Michael Atherton, former England captain
“I think Australia’s batting is crucial to the outcome of the series. If Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne demonstrate the kind of form they’ve shown in England in the past, then Australia have got a big chance with their bowling attack.
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“If they get runs on the board, their bowlers will fancy their chances against England. But, barring those two, their batting line-up is full of people who have not necessarily done that well in England of late, like David Warner and Usman Khawaja.
“If their batting falters, then I can see England easily winning the series. Australia haven’t beaten England for a long time in England – 22 years – so I’d make them marginal favourites at home, maybe winning 3-2, 3-1.”
Eoin Morgan, England World Cup-winning captain
“There’s very little between the sides coming into the Ashes.
“The key to England winning will be applying their attacking method and it working early in the series, to reassure them that it works against one of the best sides in the world.
“I do think England are slight favourites, based on home advantage. Home support is huge, starting at Edgbaston – where their record is excellent.
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“If they start well, they will play with only more confidence and that added to home advantage, I see the momentum shifting their way.
“Against a really strong Australian team, my prediction is that there will be no draws and results in every Test match. England just to nudge it, 3-2.”
Kumar Sangakkara, former Sri Lanka batter
“The Ashes is going to be a brilliant contest. The two sides play different brands of cricket but are so well stocked with high-quality players. It’s going to be a wonderful spectacle.
“Key to the outcome will be the openers for both teams, and how they get through the new ball. Both sides can’t allow the fast bowlers to get into their middle order too quickly.
“Spin will also be crucial. Not just in terms of how they bowl and adjust to conditions, but also in terms of how the batters take on the spinners.
“I see it being very tight, but I’d make Australia slight favourites.”
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Simon Doull, former New Zealand fast bowler
“I think we’ll get some entertaining cricket either way. Australia will come hard, and we know how England want to play and how they will be. It bodes for a great, competitive series.
“The key for Australia will be the spin of Nathan Lyon. If he can tie up an end to some extent and stop England from scoring at six an over, maybe hold them to around three and a half, I think that will be one of the keys. They can then unleash their fast bowlers at the other end.
“The key for England will be their batting and if their top order can get them off to strong starts and allow their middle order to really prosper. If they’re under pressure earlier, then I think they could be in trouble.
“Also, the battle between the all-rounders Cameron Green and Ben Stokes will be box office. If Stokes bowls, and they both bat like we know they can, it will really be something to watch!
“I’m going to say it’s going to be 3-2, and I really don’t know who to.”
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Mark Butcher, former England batter
“It’s going to be very, very entertaining – a great advertisement for Test match cricket. I’m so looking forward to it.
“Australia’s main strength with the bat is Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. That axis.
“England’s new-ball bowlers you’d imagine will be James Anderson and Ollie Robinson – as their two top picks – and their ability to get through the Australian openers quickly, to get Smith and Labuschagne in against a new Dukes that is ball moving around, is going to be absolutely crucial.
“Tactically, Ben Stokes is always looking to take wickets as opposed to contain the opposition. And that’s a good way to go, because Smith and Labuschagne have got endless amounts of patience.
“The top orders are going to be tested, absolutely no doubt about it. There is so much quality in both bowling attacks.
“The same applies with England as it does Australia. Their engine room comes with the middle order and Joe Root at four through to Jonny Bairstow at seven. They’re very dangerous and England will continue to be aggressive under Stokes. There’s no question about that; they won’t go into their shell.
“As for who wins? I can’t see any draws… it will be 3-2, either way.”
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Watch part one of our picks of the most memorable moments in the Ashes series.
Ian Ward, Sky Sports Cricket presenter
“I genuinely have no idea who is going to win the Ashes. It’s so hard to predict.
“What I do know, is it’s going to be a lot of fun watching!
“I cannot see any boring draws in the series. England aren’t playing cricket like that anymore. Weather permitting, we’re going to see results. The bowling attacks are too good.
“The key though will be the fitness of the bowlers, because the schedule is just bonkers.
“Can Pat Cummins play six Test matches [including the World Test Championship final] in the best part of eight weeks and also captain the side? That’s incredibly tough. And same with Ben Stokes, will he be able to bowl and remain on the field as skipper?
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“Another key battle will be with the new ball. Usman Khawaja and David Warner for Australia, up against Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson and co.
“And can Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett play as they have done, and are being encouraged to do, against Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood etc?”
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Martin Tyler, Sky Sports Football
“Even before I went to my first football match my grandfather took me to Lord’s for the first day of the second Ashes Test in 1953. Seventy years ago, and like now in a Coronation year! That series ended with the famous urn back in England hands.
“It was the same again in 1971. My then flatmate, the late, great Bob Willis started his outstanding Test career on that tour. I still have his airmail letters to me from down under as England brought the Ashes back home. As an Englishman, I hope there is a similar changing of the guard this summer.
“Revolution and revelation under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have racked up the optimism. Never, though, underestimate Australia, whose natural sense of competition is sharpened to maximum when England is the opposition.
“This series could be subtitled the “SquAshes” – five Tests squeezed into just over six weeks. Fitness as well as form will therefore play a bigger part than usual. Durability as well as sheer ability will be decisive.
“This is the cutting edge of cricket, and you can see every moment with our own exceptional team on Sky Sports. I will be watching and I’ll predict an England win.” 🤞
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Simon Lazenby, Sky Sports F1
“I think for the first time in a number of years, I am extremely confident that England are going to beat Australia – and convincingly.
“Ben Stokes has completely changed the mindset, with Bazball and alongside Brendon McCullum, and I’m supremely confident about the England middle order, in particular.
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“Harry Brook is one of the brightest stars in world cricket, and along with Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root, it’s just an extremely good middle order.
“I think the way we approach our cricket is revolutionary. It’s literally the most exciting time for Test cricket that I can remember in my life.”
Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley, Sky Sports Golf
“I’m so looking forward to this year’s Ashes in the UK – let’s hope the weather stays like it is. It’s widely anticipated and it’s going to be awesome.
“I’ve played golf with so many cricketers around the world for so many years. I used to play a lot with the late Dean Jones and of course my mate Warney, who sadly passed away last year.
“Right now I play a little bit of golf at Foxhills with your vice-captain, Ollie Pope. We’ve played a few times and we’re going to play a bit more over the summer if he gets the chance.
“Hopefully he scores a few runs this summer or he might in for a ribbing from uncle Radar!”
“Who will impress for the Aussies? I think you’ve got to just look at the bowling attack. They’re going to be unreal this year and they’re going to provide a real danger to the England team.
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Australian golfers Cameron Smith and Adam Scott are confident their compatriots will be able to retain The Ashes and look forward to heading over to England to watch it this summer.
“Steve Smith was just unplayable here last time, but I think it’s the Australian bowlers are ones who are going to have the most fun. They’re so dominant and very good, so look out England!
“I think it’s going to be a very close series this year but honestly, not just because I’m Australian, I think we will get the upper hand. Everyone hopes it’s close as it will be great for cricket, but I’m expecting Australia to win it 3-2.”
Rod Studd, Sky Sports Darts and Rugby League
“In contrast to T20, Test cricket is a bowlers’ game. It’s about taking 20 wickets. Australia, with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, have a better bowling attack than England, especially with Jofra Archer and Jack Leach out injured.
“The Bazball approach depends on batters taking chances and those chances coming off. They may do but I reckon the odds are very much against it, so I was very surprised to see bookmakers making England favourites when I checked a couple of weeks ago.”
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Watch part two of our picks of the most memorable moments in the Ashes series.
Stuart Pyke, Sky Sports Darts
“The Ashes evokes special memories for so many. I was lucky enough to cover England vs Australia clashes back in the day when I was Cricket Correspondent of IRN (Independent Radio News).
“In those days the Aussies were dominant but there is a wave of optimism this summer. The England players have bought into Bazball and I can’t wait to see how Australia react! There is no doubt that England have the players, the confidence and the belief.
“The old warhorses Stuart Broad and Anderson will lead from the front and the return of Moeen Ali could be key. In David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head, the Aussies top order looks as good as ever but I’m tipping England to win 2-1.”
Watch The Ashes live on Sky Sports Cricket across June and July. The opening Test starts on Friday with build-up from 9.30am ahead of the first ball at 11am.
Sourse: skysports.com
