Survival of the fittest: Ashes hangs on pace and endurance

MELBOURNE - While pace bowling quality has been a reliable predictor of Ashes success, resilience and depth may ultimately decide the battle for the urn in Australia.

The hosts face an immediate test in the series-opener in Perth starting on Friday, with captain Pat Cummins and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood sidelined by injury.

Scott Boland will step up and uncapped Brendan Doggett is tipped for a high-stakes debut to try to shore up the loss of a combined 604 test wickets of experience.

How long Cummins and Hazlewood will be out is unclear, but for an England team desperate for a good start, their absence is like Christmas coming early.

Going one-up in Perth could go a long way in England's quest to win back the urn for the first time since 2017/18.

After all, they have not won a first test in Australia since 1986 nor won an away Ashes after losing the opener since 1954/55.

STAY FIT

If buoyed by Australia's injury concerns, England may be nervous about their own attack's endurance.

Bowling long spells on Australia's hard wickets in often blistering heat is no easy matter for the fittest of fast men, never mind those with a history of breaking down.

Mark Wood and Jofra Archer can trouble Australia's batters with sheer pace but few would bet on either playing a full series.

Archer has managed only 11 tests since his first Ashes in 2019 when he took 22 wickets and floored Steve Smith with a bouncer at Lord's.

"It's one of those big ifs. If England's bowlers can stay fit -- which doesn't happen very often -- and the captain can play a full part, then I think England have got a real chance," said former England all-rounder Ian Botham.

Skipper Ben Stokes took 17 wickets against India in this year's home series, an outstanding all-round effort in the 2-2 draw, and England will look to their talisman again.

The 34-year-old will hope for heroes to emerge from a new generation of seamers led by Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Josh Tongue.

None have played a test in Australia but bring plenty of pace, a vital ingredient for success Down Under.

One or two will need to produce a big haul of wickets, just as back-up quicks Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan did in 2010/11 during England's last Ashes win in Australia.

Australian bowling coach David Saker, who guided England's attack in that triumph, will again plot against his home nation.

While pace invariably rules on Australia's fast and bouncy wickets, a quality slow bowler can still make a difference.

LYON DIFFERENCE

None have for England since Graeme Swann took 15 wickets in 2010/11, while Jack Leach leaked more than 50 runs for each of his six wickets four years ago.

A big test looms for England's 22-year-old off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in his debut Ashes.

His opposite number Nathan Lyon is ready for his eighth Ashes campaign, though, having been an essential cog in the hosts' dominance on home soil.

The 37-year-old has taken 56 wickets in 15 tests against visiting England at an average of 27.66, better than his career average of 30.14.

Though sometimes forgotten in the buzz around Cummins, Hazlewood and left-arm quick Mitchell Starc, Lyon leads one of the most feared attacks in world cricket with 562 wickets.

With all well into their thirties, it could be the last time the they combine in an Ashes team.

If all four are fit and firing from the second test and enjoy solid all-round support from Cameron Green or Beau Webster, England may well depart Australia without the urn again.

"Our attack is relentless when they're on," former Australia paceman Ryan Harris told Reuters.

"We've shown over and over again that we are really good in our conditions." REUTERS