Langer forecasts what to expect from Edgbaston pitch

Australia's men's Test squad arrived for their first – and most likely only – major pre-Test training session at Edgbaston today to be met by some familiar sights.

The stadium's electronic scoreboard still mockingly beamed the last-ball details from the World Cup semi-final in which England defeated their arch-foes not three weeks earlier, while the pitch prepared for the Test starting Thursday also bore a haunting resemblance to the strip used in that match.

Prior to engaging in a hefty three-hour training session under warm Midlands sunshine, the Australia players and support staff took a long look at the Test surface in the knowledge that's the last they might see of it until game day.

With heavy rain showers forecast up to (and including) the first days of the series opener, it's likely the pitch will remain hidden beneath covers until the captains' coin toss.

Whenever that takes place.

But from what the Australia squad could glean today, it's a rock-hard surface that sports an even mat of grass, although that's not live grass given the dryness of the earth that lies heavily compacted beneath.

Coach Justin Langer believes that given the absence of "green" grass on the pitch it's unlikely to change markedly in nature even if kept under covers for days, save for a bit of sweating that might make it tacky and even a little lively in the initial stages when play begins.

"It's very similar to the World Cup semi-final … it was the same grass, but it wasn't green grass," Langer said today.

"But we still saw some life in it, in that we came unstuck in the semi-final.

"The grass is so brown, there's no green grass on it, and it's so hard - it's rock hard - and quite dry underneath.

Image Id: 0C342A473EBD4B58A8682367020A2C52 Image Caption: Steve Waugh, Trevor Hohns and Justin Langer assess the Edgbaston pitch // Getty

"I don't think that (potentially sitting beneath heavy covers) will make much difference.

"I'm not a horticulturalist but I honestly can't see how it's going to green up.

"It might just be a bit of sweating, but I don't think it'll make a difference because of the colour of the grass.

"The wicket doesn't surprise me, that's what I was expecting here."

In the World Cup semi-final played on July 11, Australia batted first after skipper Aaron Finch won the toss and were quickly reduced to 3-14 in the seventh over by England's new-ball pair (and Test squad members) Joffra Archer and Chris Woakes.

According to Bupa Support Team assistant coach and former Australia Test wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, it's not only the outward appearance of the pitch that he recognised from the World Cup match earlier in

Haddin also noticed that the preparation being undertaken by the Edgbaston ground staff was virtually identical on the Test surface as it had been for the 50-over game in which England romped home by eight wickets with almost 18 overs remaining.

"It was hard, but I don't read too much into a wicket three days out," Haddin told 'The Unplayable Podcast' today.

"One thing I did notice is that it was harder than normal.

"You'd like to think it will have some really consistent bounce – Nathan Lyon said it was drier than normal, but I've never heard Lyno say a wicket's not dry.

"But it's three days out and I don't tend to look much at the wicket until the morning of the game.

"One thing I noticed that was similar was that they (ground staff) were scarifying the top a lot to bring the grass up.

"I didn't look close enough, but it looked like they were doing the same things as they were to the wicket just before the one-day semi-final."

The grim weather forecast also compelled the Australian squad to bring forward their main pre-match training session by 24 hours.

Traditionally, the major hit-out happens two days before a match with Test eve an optional practice session attended only by batters who feel they need extra time in the nets while the bowlers cool their heels.

However, it now seems likely the two days before the series opener will be lighter sessions for both teams, and likely to be conducted mainly in the Warwickshire County Cricket Club indoor training facility at the historic venue.

By contrast to their Ashes rivals, England held an optional training session at Edgbaston on Monday which reflected their additional World Cup workload and their Test preparation that featured a one-off match against Ireland at Lord's last week.

Only a handful of England players, including fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad exercised that training option, while Australia's full complement underwent a searching session.

Image Id: 247B2E6ABEDB46F1A78ABA38F35740C9 Image Caption: James Anderson bowls at England training // Getty

"We got some great work done today, a three-hour session," Langer said.

"We literally cannot do anything about the weather so we'll just prepare.

"The boys have played enough cricket, they've got to be switched on.

"Whether it's between innings or no practice for the next two days, they've got to be switched on when they are out in the middle."

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

First Test: August 1-5,Edgbaston

Tour match: Australians v Worcestershire, August 7-9

Second Test: August 14-18,Lord's

Third Test: August 22-26, Headingley

Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval