Michael Atherton criticizes one-dimensional Ashes series due to lack of spin bowling
Former England captain Michael Atherton has criticized the ongoing Ashes series for becoming “one-dimensional” due to the lack of spin bowling, which he attributes to pitches being prepared to favor fast bowlers. Atherton’s comments come ahead of the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), where neither team has selected a specialist spinner despite the venue’s traditional reputation for turning tracks.
Atherton: “Cricket has become one-dimensional”
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Cricket Podcast, Atherton lamented the absence of spin bowling throughout the series, which has resulted in a lack of tactical variety.
“It means the cricket we have seen in this series has been a bit one-dimensional. Looking at the pitch (on day one in Sydney), you wouldn’t say it offered enough for five seamers but that is not to say it is going to turn on the last day either. We will have to wait and see,” Atherton said.
England have not selected a specialist spinner for any of the five matches, with off-spinner Shoaib Bashir repeatedly overlooked. Will Jacks bowled occasional off-spin but was not considered a frontline option.
Australia, meanwhile, named Nathan Lyon for the first and third Tests but omitted the veteran off-spinner from the day-night fixture in Brisbane before losing him to a hamstring injury sustained during their series-clinching victory in Adelaide. The hosts opted against replacing Lyon with fellow off-spinner Todd Murphy in both the Melbourne and Sydney Tests.
“Not picking a spinner may be a reflection on Murphy”
Atherton suggested that Australia’s decision not to pick a spinner in Sydney may reflect concerns about Todd Murphy’s quality compared to the experienced Lyon.
“(Not picking a spinner) may be a reflection on Murphy—if Lyon had been fit, I imagine he might have played. Murphy is not a bad bowler but he is no Lyon. Pitches have become more uniform and less varied, partly because of the drop-in pitches at multi-sport grounds like Brisbane and Adelaide,” Atherton said.
“Sydney used to be the outlier in terms of spin and if that’s gone the way of the other grounds in terms of more grass left on, there is a lack of variety and that is not necessarily a good thing for the game. What you want to see in a five-Test series is the whole range of skills,” he added.
Atherton’s point is that the modern Ashes series in Australia has lost some of its traditional diversity, with pitches increasingly prepared to suit pace bowling at the expense of spin, reducing the tactical complexity and entertainment value of the contests.
Nasser Hussain offers different perspective
However, former England captain Nasser Hussain expressed a different view, arguing that teams must consider the forecast and conditions on the final day when making selection decisions.
“I think you have to be careful. The forecast is to be hot and you have to pick a side for the last day as well as the first day. However, I think both captains feel that with the heat the cracks will open up and that’s when you want your seamers,” Hussain said.
Hussain’s point is that even if the pitch doesn’t initially favor spin, the hot conditions and wear-and-tear by the fourth and fifth days could create cracks that reverse swing and seam bowling can exploit more effectively than spin.
Sydney Test begins January 4
The fifth and final Ashes Test begins on January 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, with the series standing at 3-1 in Australia’s favor. Both teams have opted for five-seamer attacks, reflecting their belief that pace bowling will dominate on a pitch that traditionally offers more assistance to spinners than other Australian venues.