This is an England Ashes squad that has the capacity to blow Australia away – or go down in a flaming heap itself. Whatever happens, the 16-man touring party led by Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum has not been devised to surrender meekly, as each of the past three England teams in Australia have done. Most importantly, if at this stage only on paper, Stokes will have the fast bowling firepower to trouble the hosts. Jofra Archer in the third Test match between England and India at Lord’s earlier this month. This time, Wood will have the assistance of Jofra Archer, after a multi-year plan to nurse the whippy fast man back to full bowling health with this assignment in mind.