Australia’s dominance from 1989 to 2005 ended when Glenn McGrath missed both the Testswon by Michael Vaughan’s side in a wondrous series. But the absence of Simon Jones from the return bout in 2006-07 was a huge blow to English hopes of retaining the urn or even being competitive.

During England’s hat-trick in 2009,2010-11 and 2013,Australia were unable to call on Stuart Clark or Ryan Harris at their best for extended periods,while Mitchell Johnson battled issues both physical and mental,on and off the field.

Similarly,England’s 2013-14 campaign foundered around the same time as Graeme Swann’s elbow. When the urn changed hands again two years later,Harris’ tearful,injury-forced retirement before the first Test tipped the balance against the tourists.

As far as Australia is concerned,that’s where much of the injury trouble ended. With a few supporting stints by the likes of Peter Siddle,James Pattinson and more recently Scott Boland,it has been the solid core of Pat Cummins,Josh Hazlewood,Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon that has dominated the past three series.

Since 2017,England have had to get by without Anderson,Stuart Broad,Archer and Mark Wood at key times at home and away. Archer’s emergence in 2019 hinted at a more lively English riposte to Australian pace,but no longer.

When Stokescalled for a battery of eight fast bowlers to be in readiness ahead of the 2023 series,it is unlikely he was thinking of the sturdy Chris Woakes (average of 46.44 against Australia) being among them. Archer,Stone,Overton and Wood were much more to his liking.

Labuschagne’s latest Glamorgan century,after Smith had compiled 89 in his final game of three for Sussex,underlined the ability of the Australians to churn out consistent runs against England. In 2019,it was Smith and Labuschagne who,together with Matthew Wade,compiled the tallies that ensured retention of the Ashes.

This time,Usman Khawaja and Travis Head also enter the England tour in excellent touch,while Cameron Green has emerged as an all-rounder of top quality.

David Warner’s future is less certain,but he has at least started to motor in India. After sitting somewhere near the bottom of the IPL charts for strike rate,Warner has cuffed 186 runs from 116 balls to demonstrate the sort of attacking intent that Cummins and Australia’s selectors will demand of himin order to keep his spot.

Even so,Warner’s tournament strike rate of 131.63 is still the lowest out of the top 24 scorers in the IPL this season. Virat Kohli (135.85) is next on that list.

Key bowlers missing in Ashes battles

2005: Glenn McGrath
2006-07: Simon Jones
2009: Stuart Clark
2010-11: Ryan Harris
2013: James Pattinson
2013-14: Graeme Swann
2015: Ryan Harris
2017-18: Mark Wood
2019: James Anderson
2021-22: Jofra Archer
2023: Jofra Archer

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