Bazball cops legend’s iconic 5-0 Ashes prediction: Why these hyped Poms are doomed Down Under

Glenn McGrath has delivered an Ashes prediction as reliable as the accuracy with which the ‘Pigeon’ used to bowl on off-stump.

The Aussies to win 5-0 this summer? You guessed it. It would not be an Ashes series against England without the Aussie great predicting a series whitewash.

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The prediction caught the eye of Stuart Broad, who wrote on X: “It’s August! At least let us land Glenn!”

But here is a twist to the tale with the revolutions McGrath’s old mate Shane Warne used to impart on the Kookaburra.

There are elements of England’s game including “Bazball” that the 55-year-old admires, with McGrath stating that he has enjoyed watching the manner with which Harry Brook plays.

“I love seeing sportspeople go out there and play without fear. That is what Baz (McCullum) is looking to bring into this English team, (to) play without fear,” he said.

“I’d like to see a bit more accountability and the mental side of the game, just them (being) switched on a bit more, (but) it is exciting.”

The champion fast-medium bowler was renowned for identifying an opposition batter to target and, while no longer in the middle, is no less adept at targeting a threat.

Brook, who was England’s player of the series in the recent thriller against India, has made ten centuries in 30 Tests but is yet to feature on a tour of Australia.

“Brook’s the one that I’ve enjoyed watching. He just goes out there, plays his game and takes it on. The Australians will need to get on him pretty early,” McGrath told the BBC.

Former England captain and Fox Cricket expert analyst Michael Vaughan is confident that for the first time in 15 years, his nation will arrive in Australia with a settled top order.

“The top seven is pretty solid. I guess you would like some more runs from Zak Crawley and have liked a few more from Ollie Pope at number three,” Vaughan said.

“But I think it is the first time since 2010 when England won in Australia that we arrive in Australia with a top seven that we are really not going to debate going into that first Test in Perth.”

But McGrath has no doubt much rests on Brook and English champion Joe Root, who is yet to score a century in Australia, where his average of 35.68 is 15 runs lower than his career output.

“This series will be a big one for Root. He’s never really done that well in Australia,” he said.

“He’s not even got a 100 over there, so he’ll be keen to get out there. He is in fine form.”

While McGrath is confident in his prediction of a whitewash, quipping “it’s very rare for me to make a prediction, isn’t it?”, he acknowledges there are concerns with Australia’s top order.

Exactly who will open alongside Usman Khawaja in Perth, and whether Marnus Labuschagne will get another chance, is far from settled.

Australia’s chairman of selectors George Bailey said in Darwin on Thursday that Labuschagne, who will play South Africa in the one-day series this month in the Top End and Far North Queensland, remains a contender despite being axed in the West Indies.

Sam Konstas, who failed to fire in the Caribbean, and Nathan McSweeney, who debuted against India last summer before being discarded, will tour India as part of an Australian A team are also in contention, along with the uncapped Jake Weatherald.

“(Weatherald’s) doing a lot of things right, isn’t he? His performance last year was awesome. His performance in the Australia A matches was great, too,” Bailey said.

“So that’s the clear message to him, on the back of talking him through the Australia A selections, the clear focus for him is just to continue that and be consistent.

“A lot of selection is potentially being in the right place at the right time. So if he starts the year as he did last year, he’ll be well in the mix.”

Although there is uncertainty surrounding the Australian top-order, McGrath is confident the hosts outstanding pace attack will enable the Aussies to comfortably retain the Urn.

England have failed to win a Test in Australia since their success down under in 2010-2011 and McGrath doubts they have the capabilities to break the drought this summer either.

“I’m very confident with our team. When you’ve got Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon firing in their home conditions, it’s going to be pretty tough,” he said.

“Plus, that track record England have had, it’d be interesting to see if they can win a Test.”