How Sussex Might Decide the Fate of the 2021/22 Ashes

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Football plays a big part in Sussex’s sporting calendar. So, when Brighton & Hove Albion are playing in the Premier League, the club gets the lion’s share of the attention. It’s the Premier League, after all.

But we shouldn’t ignore the impacts the county has on other major events, such as the Ashes. Yes, the age-old war between England and Australia has resumed Down Under, and Sussex County Cricket Club looks as if it will have a considerable say in the location of the urn.  

Piling on the Runs  

Exquisite pace bowling undid England the last time they travelled to Australia, but there was another problem. The Poms couldn’t bowl out the Aussies for fewer than 400 runs. With a similar trend occurring currently, it’s not shocking that the Ashes latest odds favour the enemy, who are priced at odds of 1/16 to win. In a bittersweet twist, a Sussex County CC alumnus is partly to blame.  

Alex Carey has been making a name for himself in the cricketing world by entering various tournaments and smashing the ball out of the park. As a result, English counties were desperate to snap him up, and Sussex pulled the trigger the quickest. So far, Carey’s form has reflected his Sussex performances as he’s managed a half-century and took a record haul of catches in the first Test.  

This doesn’t bode well for Joe Root and his men because lower-order runs will kill any momentum the team has, taking the game away from England and putting Australia firmly in charge. Along with Travis Head, Carey will be pivotal to the batting line-up if the likes of Steve Smith don’t perform.  

Line & Length  

A cliché it may be, but line-and-length bowling is what wins Test matches. Australia doubles down on the rule since the pitches can be flat and offer nothing for bowlers who rely on movement. Without a consistent line, the batters will punish the English attack.  

An issue England have is the management’s rotation policy. We already know it can be farcical after the India embarrassment, and England’s policymakers haven’t backed down. For example, they dropped Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson for the first Test. With their age and Mark Wood’s recurring injury problems, Ollie Robinson stands out as the main bowler.  

Thankfully, his action is metronomic, like a young Glenn McGrath. Plus, he loves to bowl long spells and bang away outside the off stump to both take wickets and stem the flow of runs. As cricketers know, an element of control is everything, and Sussex’s Robinson will be crucial in that regard.  

The Missing Link  

The man who may decide the 2021/22 Ashes series without playing is Jofra Archer. Once the Bajan-born bowler pledged his allegiance to England, he has taken all formats by storm due to his fiery antics. Sadly, he’s injured and won’t make an appearance until at least the tour of the West Indies.  

Experience shows that pace is essential for sides who want to win in Australia. India did it recently through the hard graft of Jasprit Bumrah, for example, while England’s last victory included tall, quick pacers like Chris Tremlett, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn. Between them, they took over 30 wickets.  

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If Mark Wood was regularly available, England would have gone into half of this series with express fast bowlers that Australia feared. As it is, the attack appears frighteningly samey (again), which is why they’re big underdogs to win or draw.  

For England, not having Jofra Archer fit is a blow. Ollie Robinson’s reliability will hopefully make up for that, though. From the Aussies’ perspective, Alex Carey and his explosive batting down the order is the recipe that will grind the opposition into the ground. 

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