England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker Sir James Anderson says he “would not be surprised” if they stuck with the same side for the second Ashes Test. <\/p>\n
They opted for a four-man pace attack in the eight-wicket defeat in Perth, with captain Ben Stokes offering a fifth option and Joe Root as a part-time spinner. <\/p>\n
The seamers were highly praised after the first innings, but failed to replicate that in the second innings under an onslaught from Travis Head. <\/p>\n
“It [the all-pace attack] 100% worked in the first innings. We landed a few blows,” said Anderson on the latest Tailenders podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n “I think that will be in their heads and I would not be surprised at all if we went with the same XI. <\/p>\n “I just wonder whether we lack a nuance with a bit of something different and a change of pace, whether that is a spinner or a slightly different pacer. <\/p>\n “If I have one criticism of England in the second innings [in Perth], they became predictable. Head knew they were bowling short, so he just sat on the back foot and hit his areas.<\/p>\n “It felt like everything has rushed. They were bowling ball after ball, over after over rather than taking some time and slowing things down. <\/p>\n “They tried to bring Root on but it didn’t really work and there was no frontline spinner to just bowl four overs and change the pace of the game and make it slightly different for Head and give him something else to think about.”<\/p>\n