Australia made short work of the West Indies in their recent Test cricket series. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

The recent Test series between Australia and West Indies might have been a one-sided affair with the Aussies winning with ease, but aside from the comprehensive 2-0 victory, one of the main takeaways is that Australia already have half an eye on the 2023 Ashes series in England.

What is Bazball?

The English Test cricket team is doing rather well at the moment and is a far cry from the shambolic mess that was defeated 4-0 in Australia a year ago. As per usual, the English media has gone to town, and they have now started using the term “Bazball” to describe the attacking style of play that England is using.

The term is derived from their new head coach, Brendon McCullum’s nickname, which is “Baz”.

Never ones to back away from confrontations with the English, or their Kiwi head coach, the Australian Test team have been quick to dismiss “Bazball” with a mixture of dry humour, and – it would be fair to say – downright contempt.

David Warner was quick to quip that he “hadn’t taken much notice of it,” when asked recently. While back in July, Steve Smith questioned whether to keep playing like that would be sustainable.

And this is the burning question. Is it sustainable? Particularly against a top-class bowling attack, like the sort that Australia has. At the moment, the best sports betting sites aren’t convinced, as they all still make Australia the favourites to win.

Sites such as https://puntersport.com/ will provide more information to Australians looking to find a good betting site to bet on the Ashes with.

And even though England recently won 3-0 away in Pakistan, as impressive as that is, it’s not like batting against Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood. The https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/mens/team-rankings/test show that Australia are still the top side in the world in Test cricket, and until England face that trio, we won’t know how good “Bazball” really is.

Aussies fight back with their very own Ron Ball

In a further attempt to undermine Bazball and all the furore surrounding it in the English press, the Australian team appears to have now sarcastically coined their own phrase, “Ron Ball”.

“Ron Ball” is in reference to their own head coach, Andrew McDonald, who is nicknamed Ronald for obvious and very unoriginal reasons. And in an attempt to directly ridicule “Bazball”, a handwritten “Ron Ball” sign was clearly visible in the Aussie dressing room in the recent Second Test win over West Indies.

This is only really the starting gun for the hype and stick that will be flying around in the build-up to the 2023 Ashes. No doubt the flak will fly further in the coming months, and the volume will be ramped up on both sides.

Winning the Ashes is huge, as you can see from the information available from the home of cricket at https://www.lords.org/lords/our-history/the-ashes – so the Aussies will have to ask themselves, have they already chopped on to their own stumps with the “Ron Ball” sign?

Would they have been better off simply ignoring “Bazball”? By responding to it, they might just have sent the English a message that it’s already getting into their heads.