The Ashes: England's best chance to win a series in Australia in 15 years, says Steven Finn | Cricket News

Steven Finn says England have their best chance of winning an Ashes series in Australia in 15 years.

Finn, a member of England's last victorious tour in 2010/11, believes the continuity favored by Brendon McCullum could help exploit the vulnerabilities of an unstable Australian side.

With uncertainty over Australia's opening pair and captain Pat Cummins ruled out of the first Test, Finn is backing England to reclaim the urn.

“England have their best chance in 15 years,” said the former England bowler. Sky Sports News. “They have a relatively stable line-up, which lends itself to consistency – exactly what you need in an Ashes series.

“There is also a bit of turmoil in Australia, with a roster more unstable than in the last 15 years. They are struggling to fit the two all-rounders – Beau Webster and Cam Green – into the team.

“Determining their top three is one of Australia’s biggest question marks heading into the series.

“I'm going to err on the positive side and predict a 3-2 win for England.”

Cummins' absence “a big blow for the series”

Steve Smith will captain Australia in the first Test in Perth after Cummins was ruled out with a back injury. The skipper runs to recover in time to play a role later in the series, and Finn hopes he returns – for the sake of the competition.

“It’s a huge blow to the show,” Finn added. “As much as we want England to win, we want the best players involved.

“I love watching Cummins bowl, and it’s a shame he’s not fit for the first Test, at the very least.

“It’s good news for England because he’s an amazing bowler, but not great for the series – you want to see the best.”

Woakes shares Finn's optimism

Finn's former teammate Chris Woakes echoed his confidence in England's chances.

“England’s chances are high,” Woakes said. “I really think we have a great chance of winning – and we will win the series.

“Winning Down Under is difficult; it won't be easy. But the team we've built over the last few years has a great opportunity to go there and do it.

“We have worked hard together for a while and have reaped the rewards of being a cohesive group. Now comes the ultimate test: winning in Australia.”

Labuschagne issues pre-Ashes warning

Marnus Labuschagne has issued a pre-Ashes warning to England, comparing their current form to their breakout year in 2019.

The 31-year-old smashed his fifth century in eight innings for Queensland against NSW in the one-day cup, with a blistering 101 which took his summer average to 84.87 across all formats.

When asked how that run compared to previous career highs, Labuschagne highlighted his meteoric rise in 2019, when he went from Test debutant and England Ashes winner to the top of the batting rankings.

“The only time I can compare it to is probably 2019 at Glamorgan,” he said. “But not in both formats.

“Right now I feel like my bat is in a good position – I'm just trusting my skills and myself. Everything is coming together.”