England plays its best cricket on flatter pitches to help its batters, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting reckoned as both teams begin preparations for The Ashes set to begin in November later this year.
“It’s the way they need to play — it just sets up everything for England, putting immediate pressure back on the bowlers. The fielding side has to adapt really quickly,” Ponting told The Times.
However, according to Ponting, England won’t get flat pitches in Australia to help its batting.
“They (England) probably play their best cricket when they’ve got flatter pitches because that’s what they need for their batting. But in Australia, they probably need something in the wickets to help their bowling,” Ponting said.
Acknowledging England’s aggressive batting approach, Ponting believes it has slightly refined itself over with years.
“I’m as Aussie as anyone and I love watching the way England play. The Aussies embraced it and learnt about it the last time they were here. They’ll have an understanding now of what is a slightly more refined version of what England started a few years ago.
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I think they can (bat aggressively in Australia), and they will definitely try. It’s the way they naturally play and it’s the way the coaches and captain want them to play,” he added.
According to Ponting, Australians won’t tell the groundsmen regarding what kind of surface they want but wasn’t sure what England’s demands could be.
“It’ll be interesting to see which way we prepare our tracks. I don’t think the Aussies will be saying anything to the groundsmen. Certainly, through my time, I didn’t speak to the groundsman, and even my coaches didn’t speak to him.
“They always expected them to prepare the best wicket they could… I don’t really know which way England want it,” Ponting said.
