, so that’s as far as I’ll go with that one.”
Team Lineup and Strategy
The in-form Marnus Labuschagne will bat at his favoured No 3 berth behind Khawaja and Weatherald. Cameron Green has dropped down to No 6, according to Smith.
“When he’s batting at his best at No 3, it makes us a very, very good cricket side,” said Smith of Labuschagne. “We couldn’t really leave him out after he came back and did exactly what was asked of him.”
Australia have already made their call, with Nathan Lyon making the cut for Perth. “Nathan has done really well out here,” said Smith. “He bowls nicely when the wicket’s bouncing, so we’ll see how the game pans out. We’ve got four seam options with Greeny there and then, when we see fit, we’ll bowl the spin. We might lock him in down one end so the quicks can bowl and … we’ll see how England try to play him.”
England’s Preparations and Challenges
England named a 12-man squad for the first Test on Wednesday, with their lineup expected to be confirmed by Thursday. The selection over an all seam-bowling attack or the inclusion of Shoaib Bashir’s spin is a key dilemma for the English team.
The cricket world watches closely as both teams prepare for what promises to be a grueling and competitive series. England captain Ben Stokes praised Smith, suggesting he was “neck and neck with Joe Root in terms of the greatest batters of this generation.” This praise was reciprocated by Smith, who acknowledged Stokes’ importance to English cricket.
With the stakes high, both teams are gearing up for a thrilling contest. The first Test at Perth Stadium is set to begin on Friday, marking the start of what could be a defining series in the Ashes history.
