Heat rises on England, metaphorically and literally

England arrive in Adelaide facing a must-win Test, but the odds are stacked. Australia have lost just once in their last 11 Tests, and only one team in the 149-year history of Test cricket has ever come back from 2–0 down.Brendon McCullum backs continuity, rejecting “knee-jerk” selection calls. Bashir and Tongue remain in the frame, with Ed noting Bashir could be “more effective on day one in Adelaide than at any other point in the series.” The batting order looks locked in, but Ed warns it’s “a hard bet that it just turns around.”Corbin’s been doing the calculations, and the numbers show this red-ball Adelaide Test is far tougher for batters than the pink-ball version. Ed explains why: “The ball can get caught in the grass and bounce more slowly - it almost feels like you’re facing a tennis ball,” making the toss and bowling first crucial.They also discuss a rare India–Pakistan umpiring pairing, ongoing Australian selection debates, preview the BBL where Perth’s list stands out, and wrap up with the Hurricanes dominating the WBBL final as Lizelle Lee stars and Elyse Villani signs off in style. It's a packed episode across the wide world of cricket.ABC Grandstand cricket commentator Corbin Middlemas is joined by Ed Cowan to bring you all the highlights and match analysis to keep you up to speed. The pair discuss the key players and big issues that are dominating the cricket agenda. Whether it's Ashes results, the latest in live fixtures or you just need a hit of cricket banter, Corbin and Ed are here to keep you up to date on the game in Australia and abroad.Catch every episode of ‘The ABC Cricket Podcast,’ hosted by Corbin Middlemas on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts, and get in touch with them on social media via @abc_sport This podcast was formerly known as ‘The Grandstand Cricket Podcast’