England set for Ashes ‘eye-opener’ as series begins in Brisbane

England haven’t won Down Under since 2011 and a pandemic and rain-affected build-up is far from ideal preparation for one of cricket’s toughest tests

Tremlett was part of the winning side in 2011 (Getty Images)

England’s Ashes build-up has already been hit by rain – and Chris Tremlett fears that the whole campaign could be a complete shower if Joe Root’s side don’t hit the ground running at Brisbane.

Tremlett took the wicket that sealed England’s first Ashes triumph in Australia since 1986/87 back in January 2011.

The giant former Hampshire seamer bowled Michael Beer at the SCG and was the toast of England supporters around the world as the tourists celebrated a 3-1 series win.

That Test is the most recent England have won Down Under, with Australia winning nine out of the last 10 on home soil. It’s a dismal record and one that, he fears, could well continue given the issues facing England as a result of the pandemic and a resultant warm-up that is far from ideal.

Particularly for those players whose experience in Australia is minimal.

“You can’t go into a contest like the Ashes without some kind of preparation,” he tells The Independent. “If you compare this to the warm-up, we had in 2007, 2010 and 2013, then you had camps leading up to the tour in England, which has obviously been hard this time around because of bubbles and the [T20] World Cup.

“Then you would usually go to Australia and have a good month build-up before the first Test. You would be in the nets, playing matches and spending time getting acclimatised. There are so many aspects to preparation, particularly in Australia where you’re also obviously playing with a different ball as well.

“For some of the guys, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad in particular, it’s probably not quite as much of a shock to them. But if you’re Ollie Robinson and you’ve bowled with a Dukes ball your whole career, you’ve now got to try and do the same job with a Kookaburra. If you haven’t had too much experience on Australian pitches and playing in huge stadiums then it’s certainly a big eye-opener.

“If it’s 35C and humid in Brisbane for the opening Test, that’s very different from bowling on a green pitch in England in 20C. It takes a lot of getting used to.”

It’s a far cry from the build-up that proceeded England’s 2010/11 tour, when under the meticulous watch of Andy Flower, the tourists demolished the hosts to spark a period of introspection not seen in Australian cricket for the best part of 25 years.

A brutal training camp in Bavaria – during which Tremlett cracked the rib of Jimmy Anderson during a boxing bout – forged a bond that Australia never found a way of breaking. That’s in sharp contrast to the shambolic nature of the team’s current preparation where, out of necessity, groups of players have been forced to quarantine at different times.

Torrential rain in Queensland has merely added to the sense that England won’t arrive at the Gabba undercooked, but completely raw.

And a team that already lacks the star quality of the 2010/11 vintage could find itself completely at the mercy of Australia’s bowlers.

“It’s hard to imagine being stuck in your hotel room while also trying to keep yourself sane and keep yourself fit in whatever way you can,” he says. “There’s no comparison to how it really should be.

“Australia will have had better preparation and I would think they’ll get some reasonable practice in before the first Test. They’re used to those conditions too – they will have batted and bowled on these pitches all their lives.

“For the English guys, if you haven't had too much prep, and you’re in bubbles for training sessions and net sessions, then it’s going to be very hard work.

"I think England will have to go out there with a nothing to lose mentality but it’s tough, particularly when you look at where they are in Test cricket at the moment.

“They’re all over the place, particularly with their batting. It’s not like they’re a well-gelled unit – and all the batters are averaging over 40.

“To ask Rory Burns and co to go out there and face Pat Cummins and Mitch Starc, with this kind of build-up is a big ask.”

Couple their build-up with their recent record in Australia and one thing is clear– winning this series would be a story to surpass England’s heroics a decade ago.