Starc wants curators to back bowlers, not broadcasters
As Australia and England gear up for another iconic Ashes series, Mitchell Starc has made his stance clear: the focus should be on cricketing integrity, not on extending matches for commercial gain. The left-arm pacer, returning to red-ball action after a four-month layoff, has called on pitch curators to ignore outside pressures and produce challenging, bowler-friendly conditions when the five-Test series begins in Perth on November 21.
Starc was speaking to media in Australia when he urged curators to avoid flattening pitches to stretch games into a fifth day, despite the potential revenue implications.
“I hope the groundsmen stick to their guns and prepare the wickets they want,” Starc told Australian media. “If we are worried about five days of revenue then there’s bigger problems at hand.”
Starc, who recently picked up four wickets on a flat Sydney Cricket Ground pitch during a Sheffield Shield match, warned that docile wickets would suit England’s attacking brand of cricket under the ‘Bazball’ philosophy.
“Yeah no doubt. Especially if they’re pretty docile wickets like this,” he said, reflecting on the conditions in that game. “We know the way they’re trying to play their cricket. We’ll worry about that next week.”
Having retired from T20 Internationals to focus on Test cricket, the 35-year-old said he felt good returning to the longer format but needed game time to regain his rhythm ahead of the Ashes.
“I think the break was a good thing, but I just tend to be someone who continuous bowling keeps in rhythm,” Starc explained. “I’ve just been speaking to (head coach) Ronnie (Andrew McDonald) then, I think I’ve sorted it out and now it’s just getting the engine going again.”
Starc is expected to lead Australia’s bowling attack in the opening Test in Perth in the likely absence of Pat Cummins, and his comments suggest he wants conditions that challenge batters and reward skill — not surfaces designed to satisfy broadcasters and gate receipts.
Botham criticises England’s light-touch build-up
While Australia’s top players tune up in domestic red-ball cricket, England have opted for a low-key preparation — a move that hasn’t impressed former captain Ian Botham. Speaking to reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday, Botham didn’t hold back in his criticism of England’s lead-up to the series.
“It’s not the way I would prepare,” Botham said.
He pointed to Australia’s unique playing conditions — from bouncier wickets to the Fremantle Doctor breeze in Perth — as reasons touring teams must allow time to acclimatise before such a high-stakes contest.
“I think historically you have to acclimatise when you come down here. You’ve got to remember there are 24 million people down here, not 11. And you have to take that on board. The ball does seem to get to you quicker (in Perth), and the light’s different. You’ve got the ‘Fremantle Doctor’; there are all kinds of things that go into the melting pot,” he explained.
With just one internal warm-up match scheduled before the opener, and much of the squad only recently arriving from a white-ball tour of New Zealand, England’s preparation has been notably shorter than in past Ashes campaigns.
Despite his concerns, Botham sees a path to success for England — if their key players stay fit.
“It’s one of those big ifs,” he said. “If England’s bowlers can stay fit, which doesn’t happen very often, and the captain can play a full part, then I think England have got a real chance.”
Botham also endorsed a more aggressive bowling strategy for England, referencing the West Indies’ successful pace-heavy attack during their recent drawn series in Australia.
“I think it’s the right way. You want to be aggressive, come through and players, if they’re not playing very well, don’t like it in the ribs. So, yeah, it’ll be interesting.”
Chappell reflects on Ashes history
Joining Botham in Melbourne, former Australian captain Greg Chappell also spoke to the media on Tuesday, looking ahead to the 150th anniversary Test between Australia and England at the MCG in 2027 — a reminder of the long, storied rivalry that will once again take center stage this summer.
“It’s hard to beat 150 years of history,” Chappell said.
With a smile, he added: “Sadly, we’ve been alive for half of it.”
As anticipation builds for the November 21 series opener in Perth, Starc’s demand for uncompromising wickets and Botham’s concern about England’s preparation highlight just how high the stakes — and expectations — are on both sides of cricket’s most historic rivalry.
