England bowling remains a question mark – Sir Andrew Strauss

Sir Andrew Strauss has warned England’s bowling attack still have plenty to prove before they can consider themselves Ashes ready.

The former England captain will help turn Lord’s ‘Red for Ruth’ on Friday, raising funds and awareness for his Ruth Strauss Foundation, and will be paying a close eye on how the team shapes up on day two against India.

And while he is content that Ben Stokes’ side have the batting depth to compete with the best in the world, uncertainty remains with the ball after seeing India rack up big runs at Headingley (471 and 364) and Edgbaston (587 and 427 for six declared).

Strauss was the last England captain to win the urn Down Under but hopes Stokes can pick up the baton this winter.

“I don’t think Ben needs to worry about where he sits in the pantheon of England cricketers, he’s already done so many extraordinary things as a player and a captain,” he said.

“But if you want to win in Australia the number one things you need are momentum, confidence and a very stable team. These Tests against India will determine the mood in the camp heading to Australia.

“You need to have a complete team who can win in all competitions and the bowling has been exposed on some very flat tracks in good weather so far this season. That will be one question mark he’s still scratching his head around…how can we take 20 wickets?

“They have sharpened up one or two elements overall and their batting is very dangerous. They grab the bull by the horns and have a lot of batters who can hurt you but there are familiar concerns and issues around the bowling.”

Friday marks the seventh ‘Red for Ruth’ event at the home of cricket, in honour of Strauss’ late wife, who died of non-smoking lung cancer in 2018.

The foundation has attracted donations of over £4million over the years, supporting more than 5,000 families facing an incurable cancer diagnosis and offering training to more than 1,300 healthcare professionals. A new school education programme is also being launched, featuring a Minecraft educational game.

“I’m very proud to see what the foundation has done over the last six years and we couldn’t have done it without the support of the cricket community,” he said.

“It’s always humbling to see Lord’s resplendent in red, it’s an incredible showcase and we never take it for granted.

“The impact we’ve made in the past six years is extraordinary, and a huge part of it is down to the generosity of the cricketing community and the public. With the schools programme now in place, we’re ensuring that families feel supported not just at home or in healthcare settings, but in schools too.”