England captain Ben Stokes has indicated the terrible weather forecast for the back-end of the forth Ashes Test at OId Trafford will force them to change their tactics right from the first ball.
While the forecast is only for showers on the first three days, that drastically worsens for the weekend — particularly on Saturday, but also on Sunday.
Stokes said conventional thinking would be to not take the weather into effect before a match, but the fact England must break a 42-year Old Trafford Ashes drought to keep the series alive means that thinking is out the window.
READ MORE: Wallace free to play after successful judiciary appeal
READ MORE: 'Emotional' Matildas treated to Cathy Freeman surprise
READ MORE: Clarko pours ice on 'disrespectful' coaching return
"You never want to look too much into the weather, but I think in the position we find ourselves in … we have to," he told media on Tuesday evening (AEST).
"We know we have to win this game to take it to the last game for us to have a chance of getting the urn back."
Pat Cummins' Australian side need only a draw to retain the urn.
Having gone 2-0 down in the opening two Tests, Stokes said the England side lifted for Headingley. He said he had no doubt they were capable of doing so again.
Stokes indicated the aggressive 'Bazball' tactic could be leaned on even more.
"With the weather that's predicted, it might bring more out of us again knowing we might have to push the game along even more than we normally do.
"If the weather is … what it's predicted to be, then we might have to.
"You'll have to wait and see," he said with a grin.
Every ball of the Ashes will be live, free and exclusive on 9Now, and if you miss any of the action you can find full highlights and exclusive replays after every day's play here
England haven't won an Ashes Test at Old Trafford since 1981 – 10 years before Stokes was born on the other side of the world – when Mike Brearley's side beat Australia by 103 runs in the fifth of a six-Test series to take an unassailable 3-1 lead to the final game at The Oval.
Meanwhile, Australia is facing another selection headache, with both Cameron Green and Todd Murphy seemingly fighting for one position in the Australian side.
Australia haven't gone into a Test without a front-line spinner since the Perth Test against India in January 2012.
Stokes said the Old Trafford wicket was generally susceptible to spin later in the match, but in England's last Test match at the venue against South Africa last year, his quicks had more impact than Jack Leach once they began to produce reverse swing.
Doubt over Murphy's place in the fourth Test was sparked by extensive bowling sessions by Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne in the nets in the lead-up to the Test.
But Mitchell Marsh has also been seen practicing at Green's favoured position of gully.
Cummins has confirmed Josh Hazlewood will come into the side in place of Scott Boland.
Both sides have enjoyed their longest break of the series between the Headingley and Old Trafford Tests.
Stokes said the break had given his side time to refresh, and his niggling knee injury time to recover. He has carried a significantly reduced bowling load in this series. Having bowled only 29 overs in the first two Tests, he didn't bowl at all in the third.
He said while he hoped his bowling wouldn't be needed at Old Trafford, he stopped short of saying he wouldn't bowl at all.
Play in the fourth Test is scheduled to get underway at 8pm on Wednesday evening.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.