ENG vs AUS 4th Test Match Prediction

ENG vs AUS Team Previews

England

It took one of the best innings seen in test cricket to keep England in the series because they looked down and out for all money. The relief in the English camp would be tremendous but a failure to recognize their weaknesses could be fatal to their chances.

England was bowled out for 67 in the first test and everyone apart from Ben Stokes struggled in the second inning as well. Joe Root’s inability to convert his fifties into hundreds is becoming too large a pattern to ignore and the skipper is going to be under pressure to avoid losing a series to Australia at home after 18 years.

Let’s start with the openers. Rory Burns is safe for the time being thanks to his century in the first test but Jason Roy has looked anything but convincing. Will England continue to stick with him in this crucial match? We think they will but don’t think things are going to change too much for Jason Roy.

Joe Denly played very well for his fifty and should retain his position at number four now. That makes the English middle order relatively well-settled with Root, Denly, Stokes, and Bairstow. Jos Buttler is struggling in test cricket and although he does play a brilliant inning now and then, does England need someone more consistent?

Looking at the squad for the first test, only Sam Curran can possibly be included as a back-up but that is quite unlikely.

James Anderson has been ruled out of the series so England is going to go with pretty much the same attack at Old Trafford. Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad are a lock while Jack Leach did not do too much wrong either.

Chris Woakes is the only bowler that could be replaced with Sam Curran if the English team wants to try something different against Steve Smith in this match.

England has been outplayed by Australia in this series till now and it is only Ben Stokes that has kept it alive. Miracles are not something we like to bank upon while placing our bets.

Australia

There is not too much that Australia did wrong to lose the previous test match and that is something the side is going to have to remind itself repeatedly. Lingering on small things like Lyon’s fumble, the wasted review, or dropped half-chances is not going to get Australia anywhere.

Australia needs to equal the series to retain the Ashes while England needs to win the series. The advantage is still in Australia’s favor.

Australia’s batting has not been very convincing so far. Steve Smith is towering above everyone else in the batting stats and his replacement Marnus Labuschagne has not done too badly either. There is at least one batsman who has to miss out in the next match but who will it be?

David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne seem to be the only players confirmed of their place. It would be terribly unfair to drop Marcus Harris after just one match but it could be done with Khawaja moving to the opening slot. This change would require a lot of shuffling of the batting order and so we don’t think it will happen.

Travis Head is the third-highest run-scorer in the series for Australia but he had a poor last match and has not scored a big individual score either.

In truth, Tim Paine would be the player to miss out with Matthew Wade taking the gloves but that is not going to happen in the middle of an Ashes series.

Peter Siddle missed the previous match in place of James Pattinson and Australia may just keep the same side.

There is a strange reluctance to play Mitchell Starc assuming he is not going to be effective on English pitches. We would love to see Pattinson replaced by Starc for this match.

Australia’s bowling attack is very good and the return of Steve Smith is going to strengthen the batting considerably but there are many cracks in the lineup that can be exposed.*Update: Australia has left Usman Khawaja and James Pattinson out of its 12 for the fourth Ashes squad. Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc have been included.