England plans an aggressive strategy against Mitchell Starc’s pink-ball expertise in the second Ashes Test with Australia, former fast bowler James Anderson stated on Wednesday, emphasizing that the visitors will prioritize attack over mere survival.
Australia, leading the five-match series 1-0 after a victory in Perth, boasts Starc as their star bowler, with 81 wickets in 14 day-night Tests using a pink ball, including five instances of taking five wickets in an innings.
The second Test, featuring the pink ball, kicks off Thursday in Brisbane.
Anderson noted that the visitors are prepared to reinforce their aggressive tactics, not shying away from Starc, by “finding ways to score, pressuring him, and disrupting his rhythm.”
“Brisbane’s bounce is less extreme than Perth’s, but it’s still bouncier than English pitches,” England’s top Test wicket-taker Anderson explained in his Daily Mail column.
“Driving is tricky in the early innings unless the ball is really full. It’s crucial to assess the conditions and identify scoring opportunities.”
The 43-year-old, who concluded his Test career in July last year, suggested that Harry Brook and teammates might use innovative shots like lap and paddle sweeps to unsettle Starc.
“These shots, along with advancing down the pitch, will be on players’ minds. Creativity is key,” Anderson said.
Additionally, England must learn from their Perth errors, acknowledging that “driving the ball on the up wasn’t effective” on Australia’s bouncier pitches.
Starc, the standout player of the first Ashes Test with 10 wickets, excels with the pink ball partly due to his early breakthroughs. He has claimed 25 wickets in the opening over of a Test innings.
“He bowls fast, swings the ball, has an excellent yorker, and can deliver outstanding deliveries at the start of an innings,” Anderson observed.
“… No matter when you bat, whether under daylight or floodlights, you are vulnerable during the initial 10-20 deliveries.”
