WA cricket champion Michael Hussey believes England will resist unleashing Mark Wood, Jofra Archer together

Former Australia Test batsman Mike Hussey expects England to resist the temptation to unleash twin pace aces Mark Wood and Jofra Archer in next month’s Ashes-opening West Test at Optus Stadium. While a number of experts have called for an all-out fast bowling assault on the Aussies to make the most of a pace-friendly Perth pitch, Wood is coming off a 12-month absence in the long form of the game due to knee surgery and Archer played his first Test in four years against India in July following a series of injuries. “I think they will share Archer and Mark Wood. I think one will play one Test and then the other one play the next one and then go that way,” Hussey said. “I might be wrong. They might try and hit Australia as hard as they can in the first couple of Test matches and and just see how they go. “That might be one tactic. The other might be let’s try and manage it so we can get through the full five Tests.” Wood, 35, was England’s leading wicket-taker in their 4-0 loss in the 2021/22 Ashes and was player of the match at Headingley in the 2023 series when he bowled the quickest spell recorded in the country for 18 years to capture 5-34 on day one. But Wood missed the English summer after knee surgery and has not played since the Champions Trophy in February. Archer, 30, has played only two Test matches since 2021. However, they were pictured bowling together with the red ball in New Zealand on Sunday ahead of England’s one-day international against the Black Caps. Archer sounded an early Ashes warning by taking 3-23 amid 51 dot balls and four maidens in Wednesday’s second one-dayer in Hamilton. Hussey said he understood how damaging the pair could be as both regularly clock 145kmh, but it could also work in Australia’s favour. “England have obviously got a philosophy that they want to hit Australia hard with pace and bounce,” Hussey said. “They have Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse. They all bowl a pretty heavy ball and obviously they want to try and really ruffle the Australian top order. “It’s going to be exciting to watch our guys hop around against them. “But you still have to bowl well in Australian conditions - on pitches if you are off, you can get scored against quite quickly. That’s going to be tantalising to watch.” On the batting front, Hussey said he expected a toned-down version of the fast-scoring Bazball method. “They seem like they have just wound back the Bazball a little bit trying to find a bit more of a balance,” Fox commentator Hussey said. “But their natural instinct is to attack. That is going to create exciting cricket but it might also create opportunities for the Australian bowlers to pick up wickets as well. “Depending on what the pitches are going to be like, if there is pace, if there is bounce, if there is seam movement, there is going to be plenty happening.” Former England Test firebrand Stuart Broad has urged the selectors to “throw the kitchen sink” at Australia in the first Test as the tourists chase their first Ashes series win since 2015 and their first series win Down Under since 2011. Former Aussie Test pair Brett Lee and Brad Haddin agreed with Broad on a full-strength West Test bowling attack. “If England are going to win, they’ve got to play Jofra Archer and Mark Wood,” Lee told News Corp. “Mark Wood to me holds the key. It’s a big key that he’s holding, a big opportunity. If Mark Wood is fully fit, unleash the dogs. Let him out. Let him out first Test. Try to decimate the top order of Australia.” Hussey said England’s poor recent record in Australian conditions would mean nothing once the first ball was bowled in Perth. “History doesn’t mean anything to me to be honest. I think this is a different team. You have got Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes leading this team. They will instil an enormous amount of belief in this England team. The way they play, the way they back each other,” Hussey said. “I don’t care about the history at all coming into this series. I know they’re gonna come in really confident and positive and they won’t back down. I think it’s going to to be a wonderful series.” England will play only one practice match in Australia before the first Test, from November 13-15 against the England Lions at Lilac Hill, after six white-ball matches in New Zealand. England squads have in the past prepared for an Ashes tour with multiple warm-up games, including red-ball contests against the State sides. England great Ian Botham has been critical of a lead-in that “borders on arrogance”. Hussey said it was not ideal preparation. “If I was England I’d be trying to get a few more practice games going, because getting used to the Australian conditions is going to be the biggest challenge,” he said.