‘That was a ridiculous request’ - Ian Healy reacts to rumours concerning England’s flat-fast surface injunction for first Ashes Test

In the build-up to Ashes 2023, multiple media outlets reported England’s desire to play flat-fast surface for the entire five-match series as it will help them to play an aggressive brand of cricket. Even though the curators later denied such reports but interestingly, the surface at Edgbaston for the first Test was tailor-made for the batters to succeed. England took advantage of the same and declared their first innings on 393 runs, which later came back to haunt them as Australia eventually won the match by two wickets.

Meanwhile, talking about England’s strategy, former cricketer Ian Healy mentioned that the home team’s game plan may boomerang as veteran pacers like James Anderson and Stuart Broad will not be that effective on flat decks. He also called it ridiculous and eventually mentioned that the batters will have to step up big time if they don’t change their strategy.

“They didn't want dry decks, did they? They wanted fast flat ones. Now how do you do that in England? That was a ridiculous request if it ever did get made because it took away from their greatest. Their greatest weapons over the last 10 years have been Broad and Anderson. They have got about a thousand wickets in those 10 years, digging the batters out of trouble, because even on flat wickets, they weren't even making scores of 250 in each innings for way too long,” Healy said during an interaction on the SEN podcast.

I would be picking Jimmy Anderson again for Lord's: Healy

Despite being very poor in the first Test, Ian Healy believes that the Ben Stokes-led should back James Anderson for the upcoming Test in Lord’s as he has the much-needed experience and dropping him may affect his morale.

“I would be picking Jimmy Anderson again for Lord's. Traditionally it's got a bit in it, early in the mornings as well as early in the match. So they should enjoy that more. He has had a good bowl, he is a man that does thrive on bowling and needs to keep going. Dropping him is not going to be any good for the future,” Healy added.