The Ashes 2023 predictions: Wisden Cricket Monthly, Tailenders and broadcasters make their calls

Probably 2 or 3-1 England, pretty much in the usual way. Anderson and Broad, grey skies, green nibble. Some 5.5 an over stuff, but I think the classicists will do more than the revolutionaries. Smith won’t be Bradman, Marnus might be, and for all the Bazball talk, it will be Root and the two warhorses who get it done. Cummins will be admirable.

Both sides will enjoy their golf and talk about it a strange amount. There is something final about all of this. The dying embers of something. I am going to do my best to savour it. So actually, Australia will win. 0-3.

Tim Key

Actor and comedian

2-2 with a big one right in the middle that England point-blank refuse to draw, go all out for the win and are pipped and people are (wrongly) furious. Other than that, everything the same, Root virtuoso, Anderson metronomic, Harry Cherrington Brook thrashing a triple century. Meanwhile, Labuschagne and Smith unremovable and as far as I can remember the idea of Boland is he plays three of the Tests and gets 9-16 in each of them, misses out on the other two.

Greg James

Radio 1 DJ and host of the Tailenders podcast

For mains, I’d like to order a Tailender (preferably Jimmy) at the crease batting out a thrilling draw to save the Oval Test, therefore securing a triumphant 2-1 series win for England please. I’d also like a side of Duckett cementing his place at the top of the order and Australia to suffer a comedy injury a la McGrath ’05 – ideally to Marnus. I’d only like him to miss one Test though. I’m not completely evil.

Oh, and the women’s Ashes will also be won by England. Issy Wong to be player of the series.

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Mark Pougatch

ITV chief sports presenter

As a full-time member of the wicketkeepers’ union I’m very worried the Foakes decision will come back to haunt England. His keeping is magnificent and the yin of his batting seems to complement nicely to the yang of everyone else’s.

I’m also concerned about the fitness of England’s fast bowling battalion and dismayed about and for Jofra Archer. All of this makes me lean towards Steve Smith twirling his bat like a drum major as Australia just edge their first series win here in two decades.

Felix White

Musician and Tailender

Has this been the most oddly distressing Ashes build-up in history? You can’t move for (brilliant) pieces and extended speeches from the heart on the future of Test cricket and how we must protect it even if it’s too late. This has set this series up miles from its usual posturing of the “5-0 to us” crowd. You sense the most important thing for all concerned is that it is just good. You know, as good as we all know it can be.

So amongst all of that, credit to Stuart Broad for ploughing head first into the Ashes-isms. He has a new delivery up his sleeve. It’s specifically designed for Labuschagne and Smith. The sheer self-belief required to say this out loud is enough to help me believe too. He has a career-encapsulating burst at The Oval to win a once in a lifetime Ashes 3-2 on the last day. You never know. It really really really could happen.

Mel Farrell

Australian writer and broadcaster

Under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, England have been adamant they don’t do draws so I’m going to take them at their word, as long as the weather cooperates. I suspect the results may swing dramatically from match to match and I wouldn’t bank on many lasting the full five days.

The management and fitness of fast bowlers in a jammed schedule may prove decisive and England have more concerns in that regard. The all-round skills of a red-hot Cameron Green, not to mention the flexibility and balance he offers Australia, could be key. And I expect Ollie Robinson to make a huge impact on the series.

I love a dramatic dénouement so I’m backing Stokes to be true to his word, with a slight variation; 2-2 going into the Oval Test, Stokes declares at three wickets down on the final day, setting Australia 300, and England take the 10th wicket in the final hour to seal victory.

The women’s Ashes should be more competitive than the last series but Alyssa Healy’s squad has more depth than the Mariana Trench, even without Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes.

England’s younger recruits seem less fearful of Australia’s daunting reputation and Nat Sciver-Brunt is in sensational form. As always, much hinges on the Test, where Ellyse Perry will score a century that sets up a tight victory. Australia take the series 12-4.

Jo Harman

Wisden Cricket Monthly magazine editor

The men’s series feels gloriously unpredictable, with any scoreline possible. Can England hit their way out of trouble against a formidable Australian attack? Last summer’s Lord’s Test, when Rabada ran riot and the hosts were thumped by an innings, showed us the flipside of Bazball and one or two English implosions feel inevitable against such high-quality bowlers. And with Stokes unlikely to be able to offer much with the ball, I’m concerned about the balance of the side in what could essentially be a four-man attack.

That said, I still make England marginal favourites, largely because of the strength of that ridiculously watchable middle order. I’m going for a come-from-behind 3-2 win sealed by Stokes at The Oval, the skipper somehow still standing despite only having one working knee.

As for the women’s series, only a fool would bet against Australia, even with Meg Lanning absent, but I do think England will push them harder than in recent contests. England to win the Test match at Trent Bridge before coming unstuck in the white-ball stuff, eventually going down 10-6 – Nat Sciver-Brunt and Tahlia McGrath the stars of the summer.

Phil Walker

Wisden Cricket Monthly editor-in-chief

I think Australia will edge it. 2-3. Their attack is made for English conditions. Scott Boland seems like the perfect accompaniment to the big names. And while we like to remember Nathan Lyon bent double after fluffing that run out at Leeds, he still took 20 wickets four years ago, and nine at Edgbaston, scene of this year’s first Test. Cameron Green at No.6 offers them promise of the epic, the only question is when it materialises, and Alex Carey is a quality keeper-bat.

England’s attack concerns me. If Anderson and Robinson play every Test they have every chance, but it’s a huge ask in a condensed series. Both have had niggles already this season. Ben Stokes – the cricketer – is the other deciding factor. Two questions: Will he bowl? And how will he bat? If it’s like Manchester last year – controlled, ruthless, latterly expansive – then anything’s possible. Root (who’s due against Australia) and Smith for a top-runs double.

I see it as much the same for the women’s Ashes, Australia to edge a tight one, with England winning the Test match to set up a humdinger that falls to the yellow wall at the death. 6-10.

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