New Delhi, Nov 12 (IANS) Former Test opener Aaron Finch believes that Travis Head’s recent performances prove England’s aggressive “Bazball” approach can also succeed in Australian conditions. He expressed his support for Tasmanian opener Jake Weatherald to secure a regular spot at the top of the order, urging selectors to move away from constant experimentation.

As England arrive in Australia full of confidence, determined not only to end their long drought of away Ashes Test victories but also to reclaim the urn through their bold, attacking style, Finch says the approach could indeed pay dividends. However, he cautioned that success won’t come easily, noting that even Australia’s challenging pitches in recent summers can still reward positive intent.

“Sometimes the harder you go, the better it can be in Australian conditions. When you look back over the last couple of years, you look back at guys who just occupy the crease, eventually you’ve got one with your name on it.

“You look at Travis Head and the way he started approaching Test cricket a couple of seasons ago, where he was almost unstoppable on wickets where everyone else struggled,” Finch told The West Australian.

“At times, there is a real method in going hard and putting pressure back on the opposition. When you’ve got somebody taking you on, sometimes the field tends to spread, and all of a sudden you nick behind and there’s no third slip there because you’ve put them under pressure. So there is a method to it, but it’s a difficult place to bat the last couple of years, so it will be interesting to see how it stacks up against good bowling,” he added.

Amidst the build-up to the Ashes, Ben Stokes dismissed criticisms of England’s subdued preparations for the crucial series, stating they’ll go ‘balls to the wall’ when they take on England Lions in their warm-up match.

Stokes highlighted the intensity of the team’s upcoming training, stating that the next three days will be vigorous. With only nine days left before the first Test match, he acknowledged that much can still change, but the priority will be on giving all selected players valuable time and practice in match conditions.

–IANS

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