Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has taken a shot at Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes‘ Bazballers for playing well only on flat pitches and warned them that they won’t be getting batting-friendly tracks when they arrive for the Ashes in November.“It’ll be interesting to see which way we prepare our tracks,” Ponting told The Times.“I don’t think the Aussies will be saying anything to the groundsmen. Certainly through my time, I didn’t speak to the groundsman, and even my coaches didn’t speak to him.“They always expected them to prepare the best wicket they could… I don’t really know which way England want it.“They probably play their best cricket when they’ve got flatter pitches because that’s what they need for their batting, but in Australia, they probably need something in the wickets to help their bowling.”
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Ponting suggested that although England do play an exciting brand of cricket, Australia will be favourites to win the Ashes.“I’m as Aussie as anyone and I love watching the way England play. The Aussies embraced it and learnt about it the last time they were here,” Ponting said.“They’ll have an understanding now of what is a slightly more refined version of what England started a few years ago.“I think they can [bat aggressively in Australia], and they will definitely try. It’s the way they naturally play and it’s the way the coaches and captain want them to play.“It’s the way they need to play — it just sets up everything for England, putting immediate pressure back on the bowlers. The fielding side has to adapt really quickly. They probably hold the key in Australia.“If they can bat really well at the top and set things up, that will give them a good chance in the series,” said Ponting.
