Heat rises on England, metaphorically and literally

England arrive in Adelaide facing a must-win Test, but the odds
are stacked. Australia have lost just once in their last 11
Tests, and only one team in the 149-year history of Test cricket
has ever come back from 2–0 down.


Brendon McCullum backs continuity, rejecting “knee-jerk”
selection calls. Bashir and Tongue remain in the frame, with Ed
noting Bashir could be “more effective on day one in Adelaide
than at any other point in the series.” The batting order looks
locked in, but Ed warns it’s “a hard bet that it just turns
around.”


Corbin’s been doing the calculations, and the numbers show this
red-ball Adelaide Test is far tougher for batters than the
pink-ball version. Ed explains why: “The ball can get caught in
the grass and bounce more slowly - it almost feels like you’re
facing a tennis ball,” making the toss and bowling first crucial.


They also discuss a rare India–Pakistan umpiring pairing, ongoing
Australian selection debates, preview the BBL where Perth’s list
stands out, and wrap up with the Hurricanes dominating the WBBL
final as Lizelle Lee stars and Elyse Villani signs off in style.
It's a packed episode across the wide world of cricket.


ABC Grandstand cricket commentator Corbin Middlemas is joined by
Ed Cowan to bring you all the highlights and match analysis to
keep you up to speed. The pair discuss the key players and big
issues that are dominating the cricket agenda. Whether it's Ashes
results, the latest in live fixtures or you just need a hit of
cricket banter, Corbin and Ed are here to keep you up to date on
the game in Australia and abroad.


Catch every episode of ‘The ABC Cricket Podcast,’ hosted by
Corbin Middlemas on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts,
and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport This
podcast was formerly known as ‘The Grandstand Cricket Podcast’