Coach Brendon McCullum believes England’s batting struggles in the 3-0 one-day international series loss to New Zealand were format-specific and will have little bearing on the Ashes.
One century from Harry Brook aside, England’s top order failed to produce sufficient runs in New Zealand to give their bowlers the opportunity to put pressure on the Black Caps.
McCullum, while obviously disappointed at being whitewashed in his homeland, did not think there would be any carry over into the test series against Australia when it begins in Perth on November 21.
“I don’t envisage it,” McCullum told reporters in Wellington after the third ODI on Saturday.
“Obviously it’s a different form of the game, and it’s a completely different kind of challenge which we’ll be confronted with as well.
“In T20 cricket, we’re going really well. I think in test cricket, we’ve got a pretty good template of where we’re at, and I think we’ve performed reasonably well, albeit we’ve got a huge challenge in front of us.
“I think one-day cricket is clearly the area we need to improve.”
McCullum said England had not yet figured out their batting tempo in one-day cricket, an issue further complicated by the sometimes challenging conditions in New Zealand.
Again, the New Zealander thought that would not be an issue in Australia.
“I think when we do come across the trickier conditions in Australia and test cricket, I feel like we’ve got a pretty good understanding of how we’re going to go about,” McCullum said.
“It doesn’t guarantee us anything, but it gives us a level of confidence going into that series.”
One major plus from the tour to New Zealand was the return to England colours of fast bowler Jofra Archer, who looked in good shape when he played in the final two matches of the ODI series.
“Obviously he had a little bit of time off and was a little bit late to this tour, but he was training the house down in Barbados,” said McCullum.
“He’d done a lot of skill work as well as fitness work, and for him to get through two matches with his full quota of overs and build towards what’s coming in the next couple of weeks is a big bonus.”
McCullum was in charge when England drew the last Ashes series in 2023 and said he could not wait to get across the Tasman Sea for his first taste of the rivalry on Australian soil.
“I’m excited, like proper excited,” he said. “We’re incredibly respectful of the challenge that Australia is going to present us.
“We know how hard that tour is going to be. It’s going to require a team to stay together right throughout, to be as strong as we can at trying to block out any of the outside noise.”
(Reuters)
