Ashes 2019: Ian Chappell Predicts Australia To Whitewash England

Former Australian skipper Ian Chappell has predicted that it going to get bad to worse for the hosts, England in the ongoing Ashes series. Chappell had earlier stated that England would crumble if they lose the first Test match. Australia had drawn first blood in the series as they defeated England by a gargantuan margin of 251 runs.

Consequently, the former Australian skipper believes the visitors will clean sweep England 5-0 in the series. In fact, Australia had their backs against the wall in the first innings of the Test match as they were tottering at 122-8. However, Steven Smith was able to bail his team out of the jail as he scored a brilliant knock of 144 runs.

England would crumble – Ian Chappell.

Furthermore, Smith followed it with another gutsy knock of 142 runs when England took a first-innings lead of 90 runs. Australia had won their last Ashes on English soil in 2001 and they have a great chance to replicate the same success now.

“I can see a five-nil coming up here,” he told Sports Sunday.

“I said before the series that if they (England) lost the first Test they could crumble very quickly.

“We saw that happen out here (in Australia) and we’ve seen it happen a couple of times. I can see it happening again as long as the weather doesn’t intervene.”

The start always plays a key role in any series and the tourists have got the start they wanted. England is now on the backfoot and Australia should make the most of the impetus they got from the first Test match win.

Steven Smith was brilliant for the Tim Paine-led side and the others had also chipped in their contribution. On the other hand, it is expected that England would include Jofra Archer in their playing XI, who would be making his Test debut. Archer has got serious pace under his belt and he can be a threat to the Australian batters.

England and Australia will lock horns in the second Test match at Lord’s from 14th August.