Last Updated on 6 months ago by Charbel Coorey
Brendon McCullum says England need to get better on pitches offering movement for the bowlers. However, the head coach believes this is an issue his team faces more in ODI cricket as they struggle to get the tempo right in the 50-over format.
England were swept 3-0 in New Zealand. Their batting lineup struggled significantly on seaming pitches. The top four contributed just 84 runs altogether – the fewest runs by a top four in an ODI men’s series where they batted at least three times.
“I think when we’re confronted with good, flat wickets, we’re a very, very good cricket team,” McCullum said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “I think we play a high-octane style of cricket and those conditions suit us. When the wickets have a little bit in them and they’re a bit more challenging, whether that be spin or seam or swing, we probably can’t quite adapt our tempo quick enough.
“We’ve got some talented players. But, unfortunately, our performances at the moment in this form of the game aren’t quite up to scratch and we need to rectify that.”
New Zealand ODIs not a concern heading into the Ashes – Brendon McCullum
McCullum doesn’t think England’s batting on seaming surfaces is a concern ahead of the Ashes. The head coach believes England’s Test side has adjusted to different conditions better than the ODI side has.
“I like to separate it,” McCullum said. “I think in T20 cricket we’re going really well and in Test cricket we have a pretty decent idea of where we’re at – and I think we’ve performed reasonably well, albeit we have a huge challenge ahead of us.
“One-day cricket is clearly the area we need to improve, and my comments are more directed at one-day cricket. I think when we do come across the trickier conditions in Australia and Test cricket, we have a pretty good understanding of how we’re going to go about it. It doesn’t guarantee us anything but it gives us a level of confidence going into that series.”
McCullum explains the key to performing well in the Ashes
How well England cope against the red ball in Australian conditions remains to be seen. Pitches in Australia have assisted the fast bowlers in recent years. This was especially the case at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) against India in January.
While there will be no Pat Cummins for at least the first Test, England will have to contend with an in-form Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland who averages 12 in Australia and Mitchell Starc.
Also, a number of England players are unproven in Australian conditions. However, it is a challenge McCullum is looking forward to.
“I’m proper excited [about the Ashes],” McCullum said. “We’re incredibly respectful of the challenge Australia is going to present us. We know how hard that tour is going to be.
“It’s going to require a team to stay together right throughout, to be as strong as we can to try and block out any of the outside noise. But we’re very respectful of who we’re coming up against. We’re so excited to get over there and we can’t wait to get started.”
The first Ashes Test gets underway at Perth’s Optus Stadium on November 21.
