The Ashes: Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Ben Stokes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue among England pace options | Cricket News

No James Anderson (retired). No Stuart Broad (retired). No Chris Woakes (retired). No Ollie Robinson (ignored). No Sam Cook (overlooked).

That’s who isn’t in England’s Ashes pace-bowling cartel but here’s who is: Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Brydon Carse, Ben Stokes and Matthew Potts.

Six of those seven seamers have clocked 90mph or higher in Test cricket – Potts is the only exception – which shows you what England’s mode of attack will be. Quick stuff.

That became apparent when the team’s all-time leading wicket-taker Anderson was ushered out earlier than he would have liked in the summer of 2024.

That call signalled the start of ‘Operation Ashes’ with England since packing their pace unit with speedsters as they look to alter a dismal recent record in Australia.

Since winning the urn overseas in 2010/11, the stats make for gruesome reading: 13 defeats in 15 Tests in Australia with two draws and zero victories.

For all of the skill of Anderson, Broad et al, the bowling line-up over the previous three series has often appeared to lack venom on the hard and true Australian pitches.

Wood brought some spite during the 4-0 drubbing in 2021/22, however, pocketing 17 wickets in four Tests after being left out of the opening game. He remains England’s quickest bowler when at full tilt but now has plenty of back-up in the pace stakes.

With the 35-year-old seemingly over the tight hamstring that curtailed his involvement in the sole warm-up, it looks likely that he and Archer will form part of a five-man pace attack in Perth as the Ashes starts on what could be the spiciest pitch of the series.

England will hope that Wood can rough up Marnus Labuschagne as he has done in the past, dismissing the likely Australia No 3 five times in seven Tests, and that Archer can have Steve Smith hopping around as he did at Lord’s during his debut Test series in 2019.

Archer hit Smith on the head then, making the batter feel like he had had “a dozen beers” and leaving him unable to play in the next Test at Headingley under concussion protocol.

Archer’s stellar record against left-handers (of his 51 wickets so far in Test whites, 21 of them are southpaws despite bowling significantly more deliveries to right-handers) could also be huge.

Australia may have as many as five lefties in their top eight (Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc).

Atkinson, a ‘three-in-one bowler’ and ‘The Mop’

Atkinson, who has taken on new-ball duties for England, has 63 wickets in 13 Tests at 22.01. He is quick – if not quite at Wood and Archer levels – usually accurate and gets the ball to nip around.

Tongue can be erratic but electric, too, mixing errant deliveries with absolute jaffas and is more than just a bouncer merchant.

He moves it as well. Plus, he has a knack of cleaning up tailenders – hence his nickname of ‘The Mop’ – something England have struggled with in Australia in the recent past.

Carse, meanwhile, could perhaps be classed as an away specialist.

The strapping Durham quick took nine wickets at 60.88 with the Dukes ball during the home summer but prospered overseas last winter with the Kookaburra, snaffling 18 wickets in three Tests in New Zealand at 17.61 and nine in two in Pakistan at 24.33.

Speaking in New Zealand in late 2024, England captain Stokes (whose bowling we will get to in a minute) called Carse “three bowlers in one”, saying: “I use him as the enforcer when we go to the short-pitched stuff, but he’s also taken a lot of wickets and his economy rate has been below three. He has the heart of a lion.”

Stokes set to play huge role with the ball

Pace will not be an issue for England in Australia this time around, although Smith has suggested that the evolving nature of pitches in his homeland means the “nibblers”, to use his word, may have more of a say, so who could do that role for the tourists?

Potts, for sure, with Carse and Stokes’ Durham team-mate a potential pick for the day night-second Test in Brisbane from December 4 but perhaps the skipper will be England’s go-to man (something he has been in various guises over the years) if they find themselves on a juicy wicket.

Stokes was his side’s best bowler in the summer, picking up 20 wickets in five Tests (one vs Zimbabwe, four vs India) at an average of 24.05, with his braced front knee helping him generate pace, control and lavish movement.

As ever with Stokes, he was prepared to put in marathon spells. He will surely do the same if required in Australia. And as ever with Stokes – and Wood and Archer, for that matter – fitness will be key. Every twinge or grimace will make England fans nervous.

Stokes’ last competitive game was in July, when he hurt his shoulder. He also suffered two hamstring injuries in the second half of 2024. Wood’s previous proper fixture was in February. He has not played a Test for 15 months. Archer, despite looking hardy since returning last summer, has featured in two Tests since February 2021.

Bowling fast is hard work. But fast bowling is what England want.

It’s why they pensioned off Anderson, why they omitted Cook despite his decent record with the Kookaburra ball at home and abroad, and probably one of the reasons (along with personality clashes and fitness issues) why Robinson has been jettisoned.

The pace project all comes down to this. The intensity of an Ashes series and chequered health history of some of the bowling pack means rotation is guaranteed and most, if not all, of the seamers will play their part. Time to unleash those rockets, guys.

Ashes series in Australia 2025-26

All times UK and Ireland

• First Test: Friday November 21 – Tuesday November 25 (2.30am) – Optus Stadium, Perth
• Second Test (day/night): Thursday December 4 – Monday December 8 (4.30am) – The Gabba, Brisbane
• Third Test: Wednesday December 17 – Sunday December 21 (12am) – Adelaide Oval
• Fourth Test: Thursday December 25 – Monday December 29 (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket Ground
• Fifth Test: Sunday January 4 – Thursday January 8 (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground