Glenn McGrath forced into Bazball U-turn despite Australia retaining Ashes
Glenn McGrath has urged Australia to copy some of England's 'Bazball' tactics for the final Ashes Test at the Oval this week, having previously criticised England's approach earlier in the series for being "too casual".
The Aussie bowling legend is a fan of the basic principles of 'Bazball' having told Mirror Sport back in November that the idea of playing without fear and backing yourself is "the way everyone should play cricket".
However, the 53-year-old was critical of England's execution in the first two Tests, stating: "It has been Casual Ball - CazBall if you will, not Bazball". After going 2-0 down in the series, England have responded brilliantly with an excellent three-wicket win at Headingley and a dominant display at Old Trafford before rain rescued a draw for Australia.
Pat Cummins' side may have now retained the Ashes, but they will be desperate for victory at the Oval as they eye a first series win in England since 2001. And McGrath believes Australia need to learn from the way England played at Old Trafford if they are to get that elusive win.
"I hope Australia take something from the best of England's style when they turn up in south London and analyse what happened this week," he told BBC Sport. "Cummins and the management have had this plan to set the field back ever since the opening delivery of the series but it was not the fours and sixes that hurt them at Old Trafford.
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"It was the constant availability of ones and twos that had the bigger impact. You have got to back yourself to force a batter to hit good shots for boundaries off good balls more often.
"Set a field with more chance of getting a wicket. Australia may say this ploy has worked but now they have retained the Ashes I would like to see them be more aggressive. Play with freedom and take to the field without fear.
Australia retained the Ashes after the fourth Test ended as a draw due to rain (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)"We saw it from Marnus Labuschagne with his century at Old Trafford on day four, and Mitchell Marsh at Headingley. I would rather see Australia lose the last Test by backing themselves, really taking it to England, rather than going down with a whimper.
"Winning in England for the first time since 2001, beating this energised England team under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, should be massive motivation. To return to Australia with a 3-1 victory would be a huge response to Bazball - an incredible achievement."
England captain Ben Stokes said he was "very proud" of his team's efforts to try and force a win despite the poor weather and insisted they are now desperate to deny Australia a series win. "It's very similar to 2019, when we had to go to The Oval and win to draw the series," he said.
England captain Ben Stokes says his team are now desperate to deny Australia a first series win in England since 2001 (Getty)"We'll have to get over the disappointment of today and then focus on that game. It is a massive game for us and 2-2 sounds a lot better than 3-1. The mentality and mindset within the dressing-room is to go out and win.
"Go back to the Pakistan series, where we could have taken it easy in that last game knowing we'd won the series but we didn't. We still went out with the same mentality of how we wanted to play our cricket.
"Every time we walk out on the field, that's all I encourage the players to do: just concentrate on what you need to do as an individual to influence a game in the right way. If it doesn't happen, you've still got an opportunity to do that in a different way or a different session. Everything we do is to try and be positive and get a result for England."
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