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One of the most prominent numbers of 2016 has been the batting stats for Englands lower middle order. Jonny Bairstow has already scored 1355 Test runs in 2016 - which is more than any other batsman this year - of which 1161 have come when he has batted at No. 6 or 7. With Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali contributing handsomely at those positions too, England have enormous firepower in their lower middle order, who are capable of turning matches around with the ability to not only score runs, but score them quickly. All three have shown the ability to build on a solid foundation by the top order, but more importantly, have repeatedly hauled England out of a hole when they have lost early wickets. Against Australias strong pace attack, it is entirely possible that England lose a few early wickets. If that does happen, the presence of a strong lower middle order could be priceless.While Englands lower middle order has proved their quality time and again in these last 15 months, Australias has struggled. In the period since the last Ashes series in 2015, their Nos. 6 and 7 batsmen have averaged 19.81. The averages for Australia and England are at the two ends of the list: England are at the head of the class with their 50-plus class, while Australia make up the bottom. The difference between the averages for England and India, the next best team, further illustrates how much better than all other teams they have been in this aspect of their batting. Three England batsmen have scored 450-plus runs at Nos. 6 and 7 since the last Ashes, and the numbers for all of them are hugely impressive: they have all scored multiple hundreds - with a top score of more than 150 - and average more than 44 at strike rates greater than 59. Only two Australian batsmen have batted more than twice at those positions in this period, and their numbers are limp by comparison. Peter Nevill, no longer in favour with the selectors after the Hobart fiasco, has tried to dig in and bat time, but only averages 21.61, while Mitchell Marsh hasnt done much better. Nevills 66 is the highest for Australia at these two slots, and one of only three 50-plus scores in 36 innings, compared to Englands highest of 258, and 20 fifty-plus scores in 65 innings.Australia tried new faces at these positions in the Adelaide Test against South Africa, but unless they contribute handsomely and cement their places by the Ashes, England will have a huge advantage in this aspect. The fact that all three of their stars at these positions have a second skill in their armoury - Bairstow behind the stumps, Moeen and Stokes with the ball - further adds to Englands depth. The pace comparisonBoth Australia and England are largely reliant on their quick bowlers for wickets, and on pitches which should be reasonably fast and bouncy, this battle between the two pace attacks promises to be an enthralling one. In the recent Australia-South Africa series, fast bowlers accounted for 82 wickets, the fourth-highest ever in a three-Test series in Australia - the three higher ones were all between 1979 and 1982, and two of them featured West Indies. In the 15 months since the last Ashes, South Africa, England and Australia have the best fast-bowling stats, and on pitches likely to offer reasonable pace and bounce, this promises to be a spicy pace contest. James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have all taken 50-plus Test wickets at sub-30 averages in the last 15 months, but England seem to have the better support act, in the form of Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes, both of whom have taken 35-plus wickets at impressive averages during this period. Australias third-highest wicket-taker among their pace attack is Mitchell Marsh, with 20 wickets at 38.40. That also suggests Australia might be more reliant on their top two bowlers, and could be badly hit if either of them is unavailable due to injury. Steven Smith v Joe RootThey are the best batsmen in their teams, and among the best going around today. In the last 15 months, they are both among the top six run-scorers in Tests: Root leads the charts with 1669 runs to Smiths 1216, but Smith has played only 24 innings to Roots 36 and has the better average. Roots recent conversion rate - three hundreds in 15 fifty-plus scores - is also a bit of a worry, compared to Smiths four in ten. Both Smith and Root were prolific in the 2015 Ashes - Smith scored 508 runs at 56.44 and Root 460 at 57.50, but the overall averages for both in Ashes games are in the early 40s: 41.29 for Root, and 43.19 for Smith. Those numbers will only go up, since both werent so prolific in their first couple of Ashes series. Smith will have home advantage next season: he averages 63.29 in home Tests, while Root only averaged 27.42 in eight innings in the 5-0 drubbing in 2013-14. Given Roots class and his recent form, though, the numbers are unlikely to be as skewed in the 2017-18 Ashes. The Cook contrastAlastair Cook has played six Ashes series. In the 2010-11 series in Australia, he was in irresistible form, scoring 766 runs in seven innings, with three centuries. In the remaining 25 Ashes Tests, he has scored less than twice the tally of 2010-11, with only one hundred in 48 innings.The Bairstow-Stokes-Moeen troika gives England plenty of muscle in the middle order, but England will a long way towards winning the Ashes if Cook can summon some of the form of 2010-11. With Starc and Hazlewood expected to be at the top of their game, a solid Cook defying them for long periods will significantly ease the run-scoring task for Englands middle order. BT Sport is your new home for Australias home international matches and Big Bash League, including the 2017-18 Ashes series. For more info please visit sport.bt.com/cricket Air Max 95 Cheap Sale . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. 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The Clippers were angry about blowing a big lead; the Kings didnt like being in that kind of hole and nearly digging themselves out only to lose. Ronda Rousey hasnt fought in nearly a year since her upset loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193, but her trainer says that when she does come back we promise the best Ronda Rousey that anyone has ever seen.Rouseys trainer, Edmond Tarverdyan, told ESPN that a fight with reigning UFC bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes has been discussed for Dec. 30 in Las Vegas, but that no decision has been made yet as she works her way back into form following a minor knee surgery this summer.Earlier this week UFC president Dana White hinted that theres a great chance Rousey would return to the Octagon by the end of the year in an interview with the Brazilian newspaper O Globo. He has previously ruled out the Nov. 12 card in New York, which leaves UFC 206 on Dec. 10 in Toronto or UUFC 207 on Dec.dddddddddddd30 in Las Vegas if she were to return by the end of the year.Tarverdyan confirmed that Rousey has been training for the past month in preparation for a comeback but did not promise it would be before the end of the year.There have been talks about her coming back, but we havent made a final decision yet, he said. Theres a chance she fights to get her belt back this year, but nothing is set yet. If we do make a comeback this year, we will. If not we will make it next year. We want to thank all our fans for being patient.When she does come back, we promise the best Ronda Rousey that anyone has ever seen. ' ' '