ASHES PREDICTIONS: LYON TO TAKE A BUNDLE AND MALAN TO STEP UP FOR ENGLAND

James Coyne says Australia to win 3-1 with Lyon leading the way

With the Ashes Test series closing in, we asked our writers for their predictions - from the obvious to the obscure.

Today it's the turn of assistant editor James Coyne, who expects Lyon to take a bundle and Malan to step up for England.

Result: Australia 3-1

That doesn’t mean there is much between the teams. But if one gets on top it’s hard to turn things around in that heat. And I can’t see England winning at Perth. Best chance of a shock is to somehow emerge from the Waca ahead in the series?

Leading run-scorer

Steve Smith. Scarily good record at his age. England must find a weakness.

Leading wicket-taker

Nathan Lyon, working on the assumption that he’s the likeliest Australian bowler to play all five Tests, and will always chip in.

_{Only one Australian spinner has taken more Test wickets than Lyon}

Overachiever

Dawid Malan. I like how he’s put away his T20 intentions to knuckle down in Tests. I don’t see many big hundreds from him, but he could chime in with useful 70s or 80s when the swing recedes and before Mitchell Starc comes back. Could be a similar story for Peter Handscomb in Australia’s side, and Tim Paine could surprise a few people.

Underachiever

The big question mark is over Moeen Ali, though he tends to prosper when batsmen go after him, and he has been working on facing the short ball. But I can see him flashing it in third/fourth slip and gully’s hands a few times…. Mo, please prove me wrong.

England’s trump card

It would have been Ben Stokes… Hate to pile the pressure on him, but if the pitches turn it will bring Mason Crane into the equation…

_{"Scarily good"}

Australia’s trump card

Mitchell Starc. Can England’s lower-order resist a left-armer this potent with the old ball?

Water carrier (most likely to tour but see no action)

Could be too soon for Ben Foakes, although it will depend on the performance of England’s batsmen, as he might end up appearing in the vacated Stokes position at No.6. Hard to see him challenging Bairstow though, as Australia is a lovely place to keep wicket.

Total dropped catches: 22

Most catches

Excluding the wicketkeepers, Alastair Cook to put aside summertime worries about his security at first slip.