They conceded 592 in just 107.4 overs as England tried to force a result before rain wiped out most of the fourth and all of the fifth day. Moody, who made 84 appearances for his country and has enjoyed an extensive coaching career, believes Australia should choose Murphy, the 22-year-old offspinner, to restore balance to their attack.
“I know they would have had a variety of reasons not to play Murphy, whether that was based on the fact that there might be weather on the horizon, but that’s not a guarantee,” Moody told ESPNcricinfo. “That would have looked pretty stupid if it had backfired.
Murphy is an exciting young bowler. He’s not Nathan Lyon, but Nathan Lyon isn’t Shane Warne either. Murphy must chart his own path and make his own journey; he has already started doing that and he started quite successfully.
“I’d be surprised if he comes to the side not just to create that balance, but to give the team better combinations for Pat Cummins to lean into. In that fourth Test match, it was almost like he was looking around the field for options – and he was looking in the mirror almost the entire time.”
“There’s no question that Cameron Green has notable advantages, but the here-and-now roster is Mitch Marsh”
He suggested Australia should leave Green out of their side to fit Murphy in.
“There’s no doubt Cameron Green has a notable advantage, but the here-and-now roster is Mitch Marsh. There are very few players in the history of the game who haven’t had setbacks, or been left out because of team combinations or form or whatever it may be. If anything, it’s probably something that could do him [Green] the world of good.”
And Moody believes winning an Ashes away game for the first time since 2001 by avoiding defeat at The Oval would be “a huge achievement” for Australia. “The way England play Test cricket is nothing short of fantastic to watch. They have set new standards, something to be admired and respected.”
“So to get a stranglehold so early in the series was an honor for Pat Cummins and his team. Winning away from home is tough anywhere in the world, but probably the two hardest places are India and England. After the way the game petered out at Old Trafford, I imagine their mentality would see them hammer the last nail in the coffin and try to win 3-1.”
Moody was speaking at Lord’s as Desert Vipers – the ILT20 franchise for whom he works as director of cricket – launched a sustainability initiative that included a full audit of their carbon footprint during the league’s inaugural season in the UAE earlier this year.
Vipers called on other T20 franchises to follow suit to reduce the negative impact of short-haul competitions on the environment, particularly with regard to long-haul flight. “Hopefully Desert Vipers will have a unique opportunity to be pioneers for other sports teams,” said Moody.
“When you see major events happening globally around the impact of heat or flooding, it is an eye-opener. Missing a day of play because it is wet is insignificant compared to, say, seeing entire communities affected by devastating flooding, which we see constantly, both in Australia and globally.”
Matt Roller is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98