Legendary Ricky Ponting believes the key pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad will pose a threat in home conditions despite stating in the past that they have started to decline.
“I probably said they were (on the decline) leading into the Australian series a couple of years ago,” Ponting told cricket.com.au. “I felt then that they were starting to taper off.
“But the one thing about them is that when they get the right conditions, they are awesome still. Even if their pace is not quite as good as it was, if that ball starts swinging in the right conditions, they’re an absolute handful.
“We saw that a couple of times in Australia (in 2017) … at Adelaide when the Aussies went out to bat with that pink ball under lights, they swung it around corners.
“They seemed to be a little bit off in flatter conditions in Brisbane, but as soon as the ball started moving, then they’re as good as anybody.
“So I’m not going to say that they’re past their best or they’re tapering off because the one thing you don’t do with world-class players is ever write them off.
“They’ll always find a way, and Broad and Anderson have been two of the best fast bowlers in the world for a long time now.
The first Ashes Test match begins on August 1 at Edgbaston.
