Former Australian leg spinner Shane Warne predicts that the tourists will bounce back in the remaining two tests and will win the Ashes series.
Australia suffered a huge defeat in the third Test at Edgbaston as the hosts are leading the five test match series by 2-1.
The Three Lions sealed an emphatic eight-wicket win on day three of the third Test after their 405-run defeat at Lord’s in second test.
England fast bowler James Anderson, who was the star performer with the ball – will be a big miss for the Hosts.
“The really worrying aspect for the England team is the loss through injury of Anderson,” the 45-year-old told The Sunday Times.
“Broad is in a good rhythm at present and Finn is obviously back to his best now but Jimmy, with his ability to move the ball both ways, to left and right-handers, as well as the mystery of his ‘wobble ball’, offers a different challenge altogether.”
“Australia are down, that’s for sure, but they will take a huge lift from Anderson’s absence at Trent Bridge this week, especially since it is a ground where he has such a tremendous record.”
“It’s a bit like Australia losing Glenn McGrath from the second and fourth Tests of the 2005 Ashes. The absence of Pigeon must have given the England batsmen a huge psychological lift before a ball was even bowled,” the leg spinner added.
“Question marks still remain about Adam Lyth and Bairstow, who was recalled for the Edgbaston Test. And while I think that he is now looking more convincing with the gloves, Jos Buttler looks like he is unsure of himself with the bat now that Australia have come up with a strategy of bowling wide of the off stump to him.”
“It’s for these last reasons that I am sticking with my prediction that the Ashes urn will be going back to Australia. Let’s just say that it could well finish 2-2 to someone,” Warne concluded.
The fourth Test will start this Thursday at Trent Bridge.
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