The Ashes: Mark Wood and Josh Hazlewood news boosts England’s chances

A sunny Saturday morning in Perth, on picturesque Lilac Hill, with bad news in the forecast.

There was even advance warning from England that an announcement on Mark Wood was due – not usually a sign of optimism.

Bad news will arrive, but not on the English side of the Ashes. Exactly 86 minutes after Wood was cleared following concerns over a hamstring injury, Australia’s Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the first Test on Friday with a dodgy knock of his own. Hazlewood was helpless, Wood was hamstrong.

The shockwave spread around the white picket fences of Lilac Hill, rendering the fieldwork for England’s warm-up match against the England Lions insignificant compared to the work of hamstring scanners in various parts of Australia.

Hazlewood joins skipper Pat Cummins on the bench, after two-thirds of Australia’s big three players missed the series opener at Optus Stadium.

Before we hand the urn over to Ben Stokes, remember that Hazlewood missed four Tests in the last Ashes Test played in this country in 2021-22. Cumin also missed one. Australia won 4-0.

In home Tests played without both Cummins and Hazlewood in the XI, the Australians have not lost for 13 years.

However, this is not the Australia it was four years ago. Aged, and with questions over their squad line-up, the hosts will find it difficult to stomach the absence of two genuine fast bowlers. Australia could field any player from six different lineups, none of which look entirely satisfactory.

It is a golden opportunity that England cannot miss.

This does not mean that Australia is suddenly in danger. The hosts remain favorites as they have some very good cricketers and do not lose at home very often.

It is not a big leap to say that this is England’s best chance of winning the urn in Australia in 14 years, with 13 defeats and two draws in 15 Tests since 2010-11 representing a low bar to success.

In order to reclaim the Ashes, England have no choice but to start well. Reverse momentum is rarely achieved in Australia, so a comeback in 2023 style is much more difficult. The second Test is day and night, and the Australians, led by pink-ball genius Mitchell Starc, rarely lose under the floodlights.

Given their exhaustion, imagine the boost Australia would gain by winning the first Test, especially with skipper Cummins on track to return for the second Test. Let us consider here the fears that England will face if it loses.