It’s almost time! Nas and Ath look ahead to the first Ashes Test! Plus, England captain Ben Stokes joins the pod

17:03Even just getting the day's training out of the way at the Optus the other day was a big moment for everyone.

17:15Even those small moments in an Ashes series, the first time at the ground, even all the media stuff that we had to do, that gives you a real sense of things are about to get going quite soon.

17:26Ath:Brendan described it as the biggest series of all our lives is that how you see it as well definitely yeah in that it's quite an interesting comment because a lot of captains and coaches these days they try and downplay the magnitude of something or the importance of a series he's really there implying that he wants your players and your team to embrace it embrace the series embrace the country yeah and look I think um the that's the best thing to do about this like we everyone in the world everyone in australia everyone in england knows how big this series is and i think if we were to come out and sort of not accept that and go oh no it's just another series then we'd only be lying to ourselves and lying to the fact of what the series is um in particular this team for myself brendan and for for rob and facing what that feels like looking at in the eyes taking it on and not being afraid of the challenge that we have ahead of us.

18:27We know it's a huge task coming to Australia and and everything that comes with that away from the field on the field it's it is a huge two and a half months for us and rather than yeah playing it down and not really accepting this moment for what it is I think maybe we would not really understand what the moment is so yeah putting it all out there letting everyone know sort of the expectations of what it's going to be like in particular because we've got a squad here who've come in and experienced in Australia for the first time um you want people to sort of have a taste of what it's like especially from someone like myself Joe, Zach, Woody, Popey who've experienced it letting them know what it's what it can be like just so it's not a huge shock and a you know a bit of a war I didn't really expect this to be like this um so yeah we've we've gone about it that way.

19:15Ath:And what everybody wants to know at home of course is how strongly do you fancy your chances? Yeah look we're in a good place We've came over here to take the Ashes home. That's the end goal. In two and a half months' time, we'll see where we are. History has not been kind, though, of late. And indeed, you know, historically, England have found it very difficult to win in Australia. I think only nine Test match wins since 1980. In the last 45 years, you've been involved in two tours that haven't gone well. Why have England found it so difficult to win here? I don't know, really. but we've selected a squad that we think is going to give us a great chance of achieving that goal that we've set out to do.

20:01History is history. You've got to take what you can from those things, maybe learn from those. I was going to ask that.

20:07Ath:Have you looked back at the two tours you've been here? Because there's been a whitewash and a 4-0 defeat. What have you learned and what can you take from that to make sure there's not going to be a repeat? I think the history of the Ashes in particular, you look all the way back and the ones that England have been victorious in. I think we can take a bit of, I don't know, a little bit of what did they do to help them win in those series. And adding that into our team as an identity, how we like to play the game, how we take it on, might give us a chance. but we all know that history is history and it's all about what you do in the here and now and that's where we find ourselves in the here and now.

20:53As soon as you walk out to Perth on day one when the Ashes starts or for the rest of the series, history, the stuff in the past doesn't count for anything. It doesn't mean anything. All we've got to do is make sure that we are better than Australia over these potentially 25 days of cricket and we're the ones going home with that little learn.

21:12Ath:And do you feel you've got a bit to prove yourself here as well? I mentioned that 100, which is a little more than a decade ago. That was at the WACA. But that's, I think, your only 100 here. You've taken 1-5. Your numbers as a cricketer wouldn't be as strong in Australia as they would be elsewhere. Do you feel you've a bit to prove here as a player? No. Wherever I go in the world, whenever I walk out on the field and represent England, represent the country, I always give absolutely everything so look if I feel like I've got to come out to anywhere and if I walk out into a field feeling I've got to prove to myself and you know look after myself that ain't me as a player that ain't me as a captain that isn't me as a leader all I'll be doing is whenever I've got the responsibility of influencing a game I'll be giving absolutely everything to do that and you look in good Nick I mean how are you feeling you've got five tests here, three which will come very quickly over Christmas and New Year.

22:12Ath:Do you expect to play all five? Are you absolutely confident in your body? I mean, I saw your ball at Lilac Hill. You seem to be running in nicely there. I definitely expect to play all five unless a coach decides to drop me. But yeah, I'm 34. I've played a lot of cricket. I'm sure everyone knows well, especially if you're an all-rounder, how hard it is to do everything. And that's always the way that I play the game. I will leave everything out on that field. I've worked so hard over the last three months since getting back from my hamstring injury and my shoulder in India. But I've put all the hard work in and make sure that when it comes to game time, I know that physically I am there to fulfill that role of the all-rounder to 100 % of my capability.

23:13Can I ask you about the prep preparation?

23:16Ath:The has-beens have accused you of winging it, really. One understands that times have changed and the schedules are difficult. What would an ideal preparation look like for you ahead of a series like this? Yeah, look, the preparation is physical and it's mental. you know if we've been preparing for this for a long time it's not just been the two three weeks that we've had out here as a group before this you know there's a lot of work that goes behind the scenes that isn't seen by you know the cameras by the eyes the likes of yourself everyone else involved in the game you know punditry wise so I said yesterday in the team huddle with our trainer I said we if we had a game tomorrow we are ready physically don't feel short change mentally absolutely not and we've we've gone about our away tours and our series in a specific way that we feel suits this group um and you know people can have an opinion about that um but you know i wouldn't say it feels disrespectful i just think it's we know what we're doing um if you really think that we're going to be coming out here to australia thinking that we can wing it.

24:26Just come on.

24:28Ath:Strategy. I suppose, put bluntly, you've come with a group of batters who are looking to take the game on and a group of fast bowlers in particular. Is that the essence of your strategy to win here? Oh, look, we've... Over the four years, we've created a team that has gelled incredibly well together. complement each other in very small even the you know just look at the tiny things you know Zach and Ben duck at the top of the order and that it's very hard for bowlers to consistently feel like they can run up and bowl the same lengths to those two amazing players um we've seen what Zach did in the last series against Australia he's a fantastic player of you know um these these types of bowlers out here um and they have been incredible for us at the top of the order and I know there's been a lot said about we've picked people who bowl fast but you know, again, they're incredibly skillful bowlers as well, I think they've shown on numerous occasions that in different conditions that they are able to expose different types of plans or methods to take wickets so we haven't just got into this thing we need all out pace we've picked a, we're just very lucky and very fortunate that we've been able to pick the fast bowlers that we have done who yes, all can bowl above 85 mile an hour, some guys can get into those early to mid 90s, but they also possess a hell of a lot of skill because pace doesn't just win you test matches because you're playing against international class batsmen and you need skill to go along with whatever other assets you possess as a bowler.

26:07Ath:I know you've not named your team yet and that may come in the next day or so and you've got to get through final stages of prep, but ideally, would you like to see Mark Wood and Joffre Archer paired together for this opening test match? Yeah, look, we've still got a couple of days to go before that first Test match in Perth happens. So, you know, as always, you'll see a team from us, you know, as we get closer to day one. Can I ask about those two, though? Because I think they've only taken the part together once before in Test cricket. It was actually your first game as England captain, that game in Southampton, when you stood in for Joe for one game.

26:41Ath:How exciting would it be for you as captain to have that kind of a pairing in a match like this? Yeah, it'll be exciting to have any of the seven bowlers that we've got out here as a pairing, to be honest, Ath. Okay, Australia, let's have a look at them. What do you see there when you look at this Australian team? Do you see a champion team or do you see an ageing and vulnerable team? I don't see that at all. Australia is and always will be one of the biggest forces in test cricket. Well, in cricket in general, to be honest. I know that the news coming out of Pat and Josh not being available for this first test is, you know, feel like people may have swayed the result one way or the other.

27:26We don't feel that at all. Australia, fiercely competitive nation when it comes to sport. And we know that whoever comes into the team to replace those two are going to be, you know, tough to go up against. international sport whenever you see someone out in the park representing their country you know they're good so we won't be taking this game any more lightly just because Pat and Josh aren't available

27:52Ath:It kind of feels like a bit of a golden opportunity though because I mean they're missing 600 test match wickets there We'll be taking this game just as seriously if Pat and Josh were playing Steve Smith, he's captain I've seen him drive England captain slightly batty in the past. Sometimes it's looked as though we've slightly overthought our approach to Steve Smith. What have you got planned for him? Yeah, Steve Smith's a phenomenal player. To do what he's done for the amount of years he's done it for is incredible. Everyone knows he's a world-class player. He's someone that when you walk out to bat, you hopefully see him walking back 10-15 minutes later.

28:37because once he gets in, he's very hard to dislodge. But look, as all the Australian batting line-up, we've got our plans that we think is going to help negate the impact that they're going to have on the game. But, you know, Steve Smith in particular, class player. And hopefully we can, you know, put some stuff together to hopefully keep him, you know, a little bit quieter than he has done in the last few series because I think his record in Ashes cricket is quite phenomenal.

29:05Ath:You mentioned that you've got five players who played Ashes Cricket here. That means there's a lot who haven't. The one thing you can't really prepare for is what it's going to be like there on Friday with 60 ,000 people, 90 ,000 at Melbourne. Are you confident that you've got the right type of cricketers in your squad? I think we're all talking about we know the type of cricketers that are needed to do well here. Yeah, I think so. No, as you say, I think real important things in team sport is the unity and the bond that you have together. You spend so much time together, not only on the field, but also away from the field, that's such an important thing.

29:47Team sport is full of individuals all towards the same goal, but different personalities, how they handle pressure, how they handle in-the-moment experiences all differ. and yeah look we'll have some guys who experience some kinds of different emotions for the first time you know walking out in Australia for the first time as an Englishman in the Nash's quite a few lads are going to have that experience for the first time and as I said at the start of the interview where we're sort of trying to from our own experiences let lads know what that can be like just so it's not a bigger shock to them and then but in all honesty I think when you get out into the middle and then 10 minutes is gone, generally it just feels like you come fit again.

30:33But how you handle that first 10, 15 minutes, I think, it's going to be a good experience for some of the guys.

30:39Ath:You arrived to some pretty fruity headlines in the local papers. How do you see that? Do you see that as kind of knockabout stuff and par for the course? Or do you sense that basball, to use a term, and I know you hate that term, has slightly got under the Aussie's skin? I don't really know. As again, like, basketball was a name came from the media. It's certainly something that we didn't come up with. But it was fully expected. You know, when you come to Australia, we sort of knew what it was going to be like. But yeah, it's been interesting to watch the headlines as they go, as they progress, as the days that we've been here.

31:20But it's nothing that we didn't expect to happen. you know they're a paper who want their team to win and they will do anything to try and help them

31:29Ath:which did you prefer cocky captain complainer or the nappies and the dummy from two years ago they were both both very good I think there was a good bit of editing for the nappies and the baby one but yeah I said jokingly about me pushing my suitcase through the door it was amazing you got so much information for that headline but it's all fun and games and you know it's what it is And finally, you know, England captains get judged on the ashes, don't they? They get judged on how things go here. Do you feel that's fair? And in a sense, people are saying that, you know, the Stokes-McCollum regime need a big win.

32:08Ath:They need to win here as if it will put everything, everything that has happened in the last three years to bed and that'll be forgotten if you win here. I mean, it doesn't feel to me like that's the case, that what you've done so far in three years is memorable and will still be memorable regardless of how this tour goes. But nevertheless, you know that captains are judged on what happens here. Yeah, and I totally get that. This is, you know, you've hit the nail on the head. But for me, I've, you know, came when I got given the job, obviously came in with a very clear plan and a very clear way forward of how I thought and how Brendan thought the best way possible to take English cricket, in particular Test cricket, forward and improve.

32:55That's how we did it. And for me personally, this series in itself won't... Diminish what's gone before. Diminish what's gone on for me. But that doesn't take away how important I feel the series is and it's by itself, if that makes sense. I've come here desperate to walk home, to fly home, sorry, I wouldn't be walking home from Australia, to go home on that plane to say that I've been one of the lucky few captains from England to win an Ashes series. I know how important this is to a lot of people, not just the players, but for me personally, this won't diminish anything that I've tried to do or the time and the effort and the energy that I've put in to being England captain um but yeah I'm desperate to to win this one good luck

33:57Ath:okay we'll have a quick break and then we'll come back after that

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34:52Nas:Welcome back to the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast. Atham, Ben Stokes looked and sounded pretty relaxed there. How did you feel he is going into this series?

35:02Ath:Yeah, I think he is. He looks fit for a start. He looks very trim. He looks strong. He bowled quite a lot at Lilac Hill. I think so much of England's chances are wrapped up in Stokes. You know, he's so important in so many ways, both as the captain, the kind of character he is, you know what it's like in Australia. You need cricketers of a certain character to do well here. And he's exactly that. And then his ability to bowl and balance the side, you know, to get that fifth bowler in and that beautiful balance to the side. So a lot resting on him. He looks fit. Fingers crossed that he can stay fit and get through five tests.

35:43Ath:The schedule is pretty nice and easy at the start, isn't it? There's long gaps between the first two tests and then the second and third. But then three, four, five come very quickly. So that'll be a challenge for him. But I felt he was relaxed. I've enjoyed the fact that England are not shying away from the significance of the series. You know, I put that to him, really, with that line from Brendan McCollum, the biggest series of our lives or whatever the phrase was. And they're embracing that. And I think that's right. You have to. There's no point shying away from it. And I hope they enjoy the tour.

36:20Ath:It's a great, great country, great tour. Be very different from four years ago, which was the COVID tour. So he looked relaxed and happy. And I think everybody's just a bit keen to get on with it. There's been so much talk, so much hype. There seems to be more hype with every Ashes series that comes. And obviously, he's been at the centre of it. He's been all over the Western Australian newspaper. I think they're at it again today with various headlines. But yeah, he's taken all that in the spirit in which I think it's intended.

36:52Nas:I thought it was interesting, and you spoke to him about it, about the build-up and the hype. And I think that's an interesting balance because you don't want to be on Friday in the huddle as a captain pointing at your team going, do you know how important this series is that whole of England are watching and everyone's out here watching? You do want to sort of go out. I mean, what is this side based on in the last three or four years? What is Joe Root based on? Go out and have fun and enjoy. Remember what it was like growing up and wanting to play for England and playing in an Ashes series and embrace that.

37:26Nas:But you also want to get the balance of this is important. So getting that right. And that's why the start is important. And if they can go out, and England historically in Australia, as we know, have had poor starts, if they can go out and silence the crowd and get the Barmy Army and the England fans going and enjoy it, I think getting that balance right of not over-hyping it up, but realising, as with Stokes and so on. I thought your last question was excellent. You are judged as an England captain on your ashes results, but you don't judge yourself. I don't know how you were. I always judged myself as a cricketer and as a captain.

38:01Nas:did I do the best I could do did I make the right decisions at that time because I had a gut feel for it and Stokes said that yeah I will be judged on it but really have I given myself the best opportunity in the last three or four years to be an excellent England captain so unfortunately you are judged on Ash's series but I think we both think however this goes we've been mighty impressed with Ben Stokes as an England captain?

38:28Ath:Oh, for sure. And I don't think it should diminish his achievements as an England captain in the last three years. You know, there have been some memorable days. We've followed them around and had days in Pakistan, you know, where they played unbelievable cricket, 500 in a day. But as you say, you are judged on it, on Ashes cricket. And as long as the Ashes is going and is relevant, that's how it will be. It's how it's always been. One thing that interests me, because I was looking at his numbers, actually, and I put it to him and he batted it away a little bit. Whether he's got a bit to prove as a player here, he's not had that much success in Ashes cricket in Australia.

39:11Ath:Scored that maiden 100 in his second test at the WACA. Hasn't added another. I think there's one five at Sydney. And, you know, he's played nine tests and lost eight of them. You know, that whitewash of 2013-14 and then the 4-0 in 2021-22 wasn't here in 2017. So I don't think Australia have seen the best of him as a Test cricketer in Australia. And, you know, hopefully he and the other big players, I think your big players have got to stand up in an Ashes series. So Roots, you know, got to put all that noise to bed about him not having scored 100 here. Brook's got to show his abilities. Hopefully Archer can stay fit and Stokes himself.

39:57Ath:I think if you're big cricketers stand up, then England have a chance.

40:01Nas:Yeah, I mean, with both of those, they've been good in England against Australia. I mean, Stokes in particular, obviously Headingley and Lourdes last time out trying to chase down that score. He is the sort of cricketer and the type of cricketer that Australians actually do love. I mean, they probably don't love him now because of Baz Ball and how much they hate Baz Ball. but actually he's the type of cricketer. I saw Brodie arriving at the airport yesterday with a big picture of him behind. There's a love-hate relationship with the Botham, Broad, Peterson, that sort of character that takes him on.

40:36Nas:And Stokes is definitely that. I mean, he did bat away. I think he's been quite smart as well. You did your journalistic best to get some headlines out of him when you said sort of, is this still a champion side or are they an aging side? and he sort of batted that one away. I do think he's got to be a bit smart. Strauss touched on it last week in the pod. It's going to be an emotional ride for him. Win or lose, they're going to be, you know, you're going to be in that press conference and there's going to be headlines. He's got to try and not give them more headlines.

41:07Ath:Well, he gave everybody a headline, didn't he, in the first few days at Lilac Hill when he called all those former players has-beens when people were criticising or, you know, questioning the preparation, the word has-been slipped out. I don't know. Are we has-beens? We never were, I don't think. It's nice to have been a has-been.

41:29Nas:We're more of a has-been than Ian Botham, I can tell you that much. I mean, Lord Botham, a has-been, that would have rattled his cage, definitely. So he'd have to put a glass of red wine down when he heard that. So we are definitely has-beens. And the hype, is it still going on? Is it still there? The Barmy army and fans must be arriving. Do you feel like we're on the verge of something now and you can't wait for it to kick off?

41:57Ath:Definitely. I mean, they say between 35 ,000 and 40 ,000 people will be coming to Australia over the course of the ashes. I bumped into a lot of supporters here. There's a lot in Perth. They're absolutely up for it. And you get the sense that the city is buzzing. And this stadium, which is, you know, it's very different to the old Wacker, which was, you know, had character, but, you know, it's not kind of a modern multi-sport stadium. So this is going to be absolutely rocking when you get here on Friday.

42:32Nas:Boring question. Is there's a Fremantle? Is it because it's a bowl now? Does the Fremantle doctor used to blow it in the afternoon? You don't even get that. Forecast is not for it to be, what, to be honest?

42:44Ath:No, well, normally England come to Perth much later, don't they? When we played, Earth was the last test of the series. It's often been more recent times. It's been the third test of the series, but it means you're going there, you know, towards Christmas time, whereas this is obviously the first and they made that decision to avoid the Gabba first, but it feels cooler. It's been quite cool. The question about the doctor, the Fremantle doctor, I've just no idea, but because, as you say, because it's more of an enclosed stadium, I don't think it will blow in as it used to at the WACA, But it doesn't feel that hot anyway at the moment.

43:19Ath:So, and I think the forecast is for kind of the weather's going to be fine, but it ain't going to be absolutely roasting. So I'm just looking out the pitch on the ground now. Bashir and Wiljax are doing sprints. Well, I'd say sprints. Bash is trogging along at the back there, trailing Wiljax by about 100 yards. But anyway.

43:40Nas:You ain't no use saying bolt yourself, even with the river run. Right, million dollar question. I'm not going to ask you for a prediction. I remember we had Rob Key on months ago, and I said, how do you win in Australia? And he just batted it away. We'd get more runs and get more wickets than the opposition. I'm not going to ask you for a prediction, but how and where is this series won and lost? What are the key factors that this England side have to embrace? They are 0 from 15 in the last 15 Test matches. And he didn't talk about it too much, Stokes, in that interview. But what do they have to do better?

44:17Ath:I think they've got to believe in themselves and their strategy. Stokes, McCullum and Key have transformed the mentality of this side. Stokes has put his stamp on this side and their strategy is to play aggressive cricket with the bat and bowl quickly with the ball. I think history has shown that you need pace here to win. It's not the only way of winning. Strauss did it slightly differently. But, I mean, Stokes, if he regains the ashes here, I think he becomes only the third England captain in the last hundred years to do that. And the other two were Jardine and Illingworth. And the common denominator there was a bit of pace for both.

45:03Ath:you know, Lowood and Bodyline and Jon Snow with Illingworth. So I think the strategy of being aggressive with the bat, fast bowlers with the ammunition to take 20 wickets and have faith in that. And I don't think they'll be for turning. So, yeah, go for it.

45:22Nas:Yeah, and be flexible as well. I mean, the history of Ashes has been on flatter wickets with a Cookeborough ball. And obviously, recently, it has been slightly different. and Ben touched on it in that interview. They are quick bowlers, but they are also very skillful bowlers, as will the Australian attack will be, actually. They are very skillful bowlers. So it should be a good series with pitches that may do a bit more skillful bowlers, maybe fragile batting lineups. We shall see. One thing's for certain, I can't wait for the first ball because the build-up has just been never-ending. So Friday morning, first ball goes down.

46:00Ath:who knows what will happen you're flying tonight so you get in thursday night just before the start

46:08Nas:then the evening eve of the game thursday five o 'clock i think i land in perth um and yeah hopefully no jet lag um straight to the ground friday see me on mucker michael atherton typing away in the press box um do the odd uh cross first i think i've become sky sports news i will see you there while you're typing away good safe travels right we'll be out there analyzing every day of the series both with the sky sports cricket podcast and on the sky cricket youtube channel looking forward to it three months two and a half months in the sunshine of australia

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