- Comes after two key bowlers were struck out through injury
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan has raised the prospect of Australia getting the pitch for the first Ashes Test doctored to suit a bowling line-up that has been hit hard by injuries to pacemen Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
At full strength, Australia would be more than warm favourites to retain the urn at home this summer, with fast decks perfectly suited to the pace battery of Cummins, Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
However, Starc will be the only one of the three to line up in Perth, with Cummins (back) and Hazlewood (hamstring) already ruled out of the match.
Making matters worse, reserve quick Sean Abbott (hamstring) is also ruled out, forcing Australia to likely hand South Australian seamer Brendan Doggett his Test debut, alongside Scott Boland.
It has opened the door for a shock England win at Optus Stadium, with paceman Mark Wood confirmed to be returning from injury for the Lions.
But former skipper Michael Vaughan is keeping the champagne on ice for now, fearing some skullduggery with the pitch may bring the English undone.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan fears the Aussies may serve up a pitch that favours spinner Nathan Lyon
It comes after both skipper Pat Cummins (left) and pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood (right) were ruled out of the first Test in Perth
While the pace-bowling attack has been decimated, spinner Nathan Lyon remains a key threat.
And Vaughan fears the Aussies will lean into that strength with a pitch that hardens and cracks quickly under the Perth sun.
‘I just wonder if Australia will now attempt to make a dry track to make sure Lyon is hugely in the game,’ he posted to social media platform X.
Other English supporters are not so sure about that theory, though, fearing the current pace attack will be good enough to do the job.
‘Starc and Boland could see us off on their own,’ one posted.
Another cricket fan pointed out that the Aussie Test side has no say over the preparation of the pitch at Optus Stadium.
‘You of all people should know that the curators work independently of Cricket Australia and the team management, and that your argument is void. Please grow up,’ they posted.
But there may be some merit to Vaughan’s concerns.
Lyon (pictured with wife Emma) turns 38 on Thursday but is showing no signs of slowing down ahead of the Ashes series
The off-spinner has a favourable record at Optus Stadium since it took over hosting Test matches from the WACA in 2018
Lyon has taken 29 wickets at an average of 26.16 at Optus Stadium since it hosted its first Test match in 2018, compared to 15 at 52.22 at the old WACA venue.
The off-spinner, who turns 38 on Thursday, has also played down suggestions the ageing Australian attack is vulnerable.
‘I feel like age is just a number. I feel like I’m still yet to play my best cricket,’ he said.
‘As soon as you start talking about retirement, it’s going to come around a lot quicker.
‘I haven’t thought about retirement or spoken about retirement, and I know ‘Starcy’ hasn’t done that, and I know that Josh and Pat (haven’t either).
‘Between the four of us, we haven’t sat down and said ‘this is what we’re going to do’. We love playing cricket with each other, we love playing cricket for Australia, we love playing our role and we love winning Test matches, so we’ll continue to do that for a while.’
