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9 minutes ago
Former England bowler Steven Finn believes the team have their best chance of winning an Ashes tour since their most recent series victory down under in 2010-11.
Finn played on that tour but England have not even won a Test on their past three trips to Australia, with their last series victory coming at home in 2015.
However, the team has a different mentality under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, who was appointed in 2022.
“I think this is England’s best chance in 15 years to win the Ashes [in Australia],” Finn told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport. “I don’t think they’ll allow themselves to be bullied the way that has happened in the last few series that England have sent teams down there. I’m very optimistic about England’s chances.”
In 2010, England ensured they would retain the Ashes by winning the fourth Test by an innings and 157 runs, before adding the fifth Test to seal a 3-1 series victory.
“For all of the sniping and the pre-series stuff that goes on, [the Australian public] respect people who try hard, who puff their chest out and don’t get pushed over when the Australians puff at them,” Finn added.
“I don’t see this England team going down timidly or meekly, which I think the Australian public will respect.
“In 2010-11, the tide turned on Australia – I reckon [on] the morning of day two of the fourth Test, when we bowled out Australia for 98. We were miles ahead of the game.
“The Australians turned on themselves and it felt like we had everyone in the ground supporting us. You felt that when you walked down the street people were stopping you and saying ‘we respect how you’re playing your cricket and we love it’.
“That is England’s task – to do that early enough in the series to turn the tide on Australia.”
