England's pace attack shows promise ahead of 2025 Ashes series

England’s newly assembled four‑man pace attack is beginning to show its potential after a convincing 110‑run win over Pakistan in the second Test at Lord’s. The quartet—Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson—has produced a mix of speed, swing and accuracy that has impressed the England captain and pundits alike.

In the match that ended Pakistan’s innings at 110, Robinson claimed four wickets for 11 runs, his best figures of the summer. He has taken 17 wickets in three Tests at an average of 8.84, a figure that places him among England’s most effective bowlers in the current series. Robinson’s success has come from disciplined line and length rather than outright pace; 70 per cent of his deliveries hit good length, and he bowled 31 consecutive balls without conceding a run. His 13 overs for 11 runs were the most economical figures by a pace bowler bowling 10 or more overs in England in 13 years.

Archer, who hit a top speed of 95 mph in his opening spell at Lord’s, finished with three wickets for 26 runs. He has bowled a higher proportion of deliveries over 90 mph than any of his teammates. Tongue, who has a higher average pace than Archer, finished the series with eight wickets at Headingley and now has a strike rate of 39.8 balls per wicket. He is noted for his ability to target the stumps, with 22 per cent of his deliveries hitting the wicket in the series and a 29 per cent hit‑timber rate at Headingley, the highest by an England bowler in a home Test for 15 years.

Atkinson, who took 34 wickets at 20.17 in his first year of Test cricket, delivers at a slightly higher pace than Robinson. He has shown accuracy and the ability to swing, and his bowling figures have been consistently economical. Together, the four bowlers offer a range of styles: Robinson’s control, Archer’s speed, Tongue’s wide‑crease delivery and Atkinson’s balanced swing.

England’s captain Joe Root praised the group after the first‑day win at Headingley, saying the pace bowlers “do not know how good they can be” and that they provide a variety that surpasses his previous stocks of Anderson, Broad, Woakes and Stokes. Root highlighted the importance of having bowlers who can reach high speeds, a priority set during the winter after England’s Ashes defeat.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan described the attack as “good” and said that “they can all get better and that is a really good sign.” Vaughan also noted that the attack would challenge “better batting line‑ups” and would be “quite nice” against Australia if they maintain the same performance. BBC chief cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew echoed this assessment, calling the attack a “well‑balanced” unit that offers swing, pace, reverse swing and the “donkey work” needed for a Test victory.

The attack’s composition echoes England’s 2005 pace unit, which combined pace and bounce with swing and seam. However, the current group’s variety comes more from their specific characteristics: Archer and Robinson have high release points, Tongue delivers from a wide crease (96.4 cm from the stumps versus Archer’s 40.3 cm), and Atkinson’s accuracy is complemented by a higher pace than Robinson.

With the home Ashes series less than a year away, England’s bowlers appear to be developing in a positive direction. The combination of speed, swing and disciplined line and length could provide the edge needed to trouble Australia’s batting line‑up, provided the bowlers maintain their form and adaptability across different conditions.