Former Australia captain Tim Paine believes England may have already faced the most demanding conditions they will encounter during this Ashes series. Ben Stokes’ side suffered an eight-wicket defeat in the opening Test at Perth, where several batters struggled to cope with the pace and bounce of the WACA pitch.
Paine, who led Australia during the 2019 Ashes, described Perth as “the hardest place to start” a series. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he explained, “I wouldn’t read too much into Perth; now that everyone has settled into the series a bit more, things will look different. People judged the English boys very harshly, but Perth is a foreign environment, even for Australians who haven’t grown up in Western Australia.”
He added, “Struggling against short balls or edging deliveries and looking awkward is not solely an English problem. We’ve seen the same happen to our players in similar conditions. The positive takeaway for England is that they have now faced Perth at its bounciest, so the remaining matches of the series should be comparatively easier.”
Paine highlighted that when England play at their best, they can produce strong performances, which are usually sufficient to win a Test. “Australia will have to be on top of their game throughout. I’m still fascinated to see how the series unfolds, because if England have a couple of good days, they can quickly take control of a match,” he said.
Looking at the broader picture, Paine concluded, “Over 25 days of Ashes cricket, Australia’s ability to maintain consistency, play the percentages wisely, and execute better for longer periods will probably be the deciding factor in this series.”