Days of feverish debate will finally give way to cricket again on Thursday for the start of the third Test between Australia and England at Headingley.
The Leeds venue is expected to be an intimidating cauldron for the Australians on day one with anger over the controversial Lord’s ending still bubbling away.
Australia leads the Ashes series 2-0 and needs just one more victory to win the urn outright on English soil for the first time since 2001.
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MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs England, third Test scoreboard, video, stats
England players have claimed that the Lord’s furore has lit a fire under them — especially Jonny Bairstow, who was stumped by Alex Carey in one of the defining moments of the historic rivalry.
But England — which has already made two team changes — is also dealing with the reality that captain Ben Stokes might play a reduced role.
While he could still be a force with the bat at the site of his 2019 miracle innings, Stokes’ bowling duties could be kept light given the tight turnaround from the second Test, which ended Sunday.
“I’m not gonna lie that last week, sort of took it out of me a little bit,” Stokes told reporters on Wednesday.
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“So a big part of something that I had to think of as what would be the best team if I wasn’t to bowl a ball this game, in the worst case scenario.
“Doesn’t mean I’m not going to bowl but that was a huge part of the thinking about the team that we picked.”
England has loaded its bowling options with all-rounders Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes coming in for injured batter Ollie Pope, and veteran seamer James Anderson.
Australia, meanwhile, will be forced to make at least once change itself with Nathan Lyon ruled out of the series.
Pat Cummins all but confirmed that selectors will not pick four seamers, and will instead promote 22-year-old off-spinner Todd Murphy.
That might not be the full extent of Australia’s changes, however.
Selectors are believed to be considering resting Josh Hazlewood given his injury struggles over the past two years, and the fact he’s already played twice this series.
Scott Boland is the hot favourite to come in should Hazlewood be rested.
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The other doubt is the selection of Cameron Green, who was reportedly on light duties the day before the Test, while back-up all-rounder Mitchell Marsh was put through his paces.
Cummins hinted that there could be more Australian changes, saying on Wednesday: “Murph will come in for Nath, but we‘re just going to work through a couple of other guys today.
“Mainly just having a look at how everyone’s recovered.
“And again, we haven‘t made a decision. So literally the last couple of days us bowlers haven’t been here. We’ve been chilling out. So we’ll get together this afternoon and talk through a few different scenarios really.”
Marsh hasn’t played a Test for Australia since the 2019 Ashes.
Play in the third Test starts from 8pm (AEST).
According to the Met Office, it will be a cloudy day with only a 10 per cent chance of rain until 4pm local time, when it increases to a 50 per cent chance of a light shower.
TEAMS
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes (c), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood
Australia XI (possible): Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Todd Murphy
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