Former England batter Mark Butcher, speaking on the Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast, weighed in who the favourites for the Ashes were after the late inclusion of star all-rounder Ben Stokes in the England squad.

On being asked how close the teams were now, after the return of Stokes, Butcher said, “I think Australia are still favourites. 100 per cent. But, let’s make no bones about it. This is not an Australian team to be terrified of.”

“They do still have a very, very fine four man bowling attack, if all of them are fit and firing. They have plenty of questions to be answered as far as their batting line-up is concerned, not the least in the openers, with [David] Warner seemingly on an alarming slide and no position for an opening partner at the moment that you could hang your hat on.”

He then took some time to discuss Tim Paine.

“Tim Paine, again, as captain. I don’t know how he hangs on to be honest with you. (laughs) What was it? Joe Root has scored more runs this year, than he’s done in his Test career? But he hangs in there as captain, as chirper-in-chief. But he must be feeling the pinch, feeling the pressure. All the stuff coming out of Australia at the moment is ‘five blokes who could take over Tim Paine’s place as keeper-batsman in the Australian side’. I mean, that’s not terrific for you.”

Getting back to the Ashes, Butcher looked at how the present situation within the Australian team, and the return of Stokes seemed to level up the encounter.

“All of a sudden, it’s been put back in the balance,” he said. “And a lot of things will depend on the start, and where they start, that’s not 100 per cent known at the moment.

“Put it this way, for an Ashes series that was looking as though it might not go ahead, or at least, would go ahead as being one of the most low-key in living memory, all of a sudden it is right back up there with being as being something to look forward to at three o’clock in the morning again.”

Related tags:

Series Editorial