Australia’s preparations for the World Test Championship final and The Ashes will not include a tour match against an English county team.
Just as the Aussies decided not to play a practice game before the first Test in India – a decision which was critiqued by some – Pat Cummins’ men have instead opted for team bonding in Liverpool and net sessions in London over practice matches early next month.
Tour matches are becoming less common as the schedule tightens. In 2019 Australia elected to play an internal two-day game before the first Test, while in 2015 and 2013 the tourists played two four-day matches in preparation for The Ashes.
This year, preparations will consist of net sessions, fitness and physio work and team planning at a ground in Beckenham. The plan is to do lots of match simulation in the week leading up to the India Test.
In Pakistan, Australia did not play a tour match before defeating the hosts 1-0 in 2022, justifying an approach which is designed to preserve mental and physical freshness.
Most of the squad will land in Liverpool for golf, dinners, and bonding in late May, but on June 1 the full Ashes party will descend on London. The World Test Championship Final begins on June 7 and if a reserve sixth day is required, just three days will separate the match against India and the start of The Ashes.
Australia’s preparation, although unusual from a historical perspective, is tailored to how the players feel they prepare best for an overseas series.
For the first time ever, the Aussies will not play one tour match the entire trip, a far cry from Sir Donald Bradman's Invincibles, which took part in 12 matches before the first Test of the 1948 Ashes.
David Warner, Josh Hazlewood, Mitch Marsh and Cameron Green will be coming from the IPL, while county overseas professionals Steve Smith, Marcus Harris and Marnus Labuschagne will have no shortage of practice in English conditions.
The remaining 12 players will travel from around Australia to Brisbane to sharpen their skills in preparation from the Ashes at a mini-training camp next week.
From there, the dozen players – which includes captain Cummins – will go home before flying to England on May 27 or 28.
The Liverpool team bonding camp is designed to bring the group together in a more social capacity ahead of Australia’s first ever World Test Championship Final and an Ashes series which could complete the legacies for several players.
But not everyone is supportive of the team’s preparation, with former coach Darren Lehmann telling SEN.com.au scheduling no practice games is a risky move in foreign conditions, as demonstrated in India earlier this year when the Aussies were belted in the first Test.
“You need games to acclimatise first and foremost,” Lehmann said.
“To get used to the ball and wickets and pressure. No tour game is not a good idea. I hope it works but if it doesn’t, ‘who made that decision’ will be asked.
“I think we win The Ashes anyway 3-1 but if we don’t, wow.”
Speaking recently on Australia’s limited preparation for The Ashes, chief selector George Bailey believed preparation would not be an issue.
“It feels like this is becoming the norm for Test tours, around tour games,” Bailey said.
“It feels like there’s more tours that you don’t have a tour match than when you do, so our team’s reasonably well prepared in terms of knowing what you need outside of those tours and the opportunities that may have happened on past tours.”
In addition to Smith, Labuchagne and Harris, there are other Australians on the outskirts of the squad who are playing county cricket this winter and could theoretically be called up if required.
Lance Morris is at Northamptonshire, Peter Handscomb’s stint at Leicestershire has been extended, Cam Bancroft is at Somerset, and Michael Neser is plying his trade for Glamorgan.
Sean Abbott is playing for Surrey, while Indian Test debutant Matthew Kuhnemann is in Durham. As a left field batting option, Will Pucovski is playing club cricket in Surrey’s Premier League for Weybridge.
Any of these players could be called upon, with just three days separating two of the Ashes Tests and all up six Tests squeezed into just over seven weeks.
Australia's upcoming Test matches
Wednesday June 7-Monday June 12: World Test Championship Final, Australia Men v India Men, The Oval
Friday June 16-Tuesday June 20: 1st Test, England Men v Australia Men, Edgbaston
Wednesday June 28-Sunday July 2: 2nd Test, England Men v Australia Men, Lord’s
Thursday July 6-Monday July 10: 3rd Test, England Men v Australia Men, Headingley
Wednesday July 19-Sunday July 23: 4th Test, England Men v Australia Men, Emirates Old Trafford
Thursday July 27-Monday 31: 5th Test, England Men v Australia Men, The Kia Oval