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| November 05, 2006 | Sunday | Shawwal 12, 1427 |
England fly out to Australia for Ashes defence
LONDON, Nov 4: England flew out to Australia for the defence of the Ashes here late on Friday having reiterated their promise to play positive cricket in a bid to win their first series on Australian soil in 20 years.
However, were the five-match campaign, which starts in Brisbane on Nov 23, to end in stalemate then a drawn series would see England retain the Ashes and for many of their fans that would be an equally acceptable outcome.
Playing for a draw, though, against Ricky Ponting's world number one-ranked side could prove a recipe for defeat and England opening batsman Andrew Strauss said what his team needed was a repeat of the bold play which saw his side regain the Ashes for the first time in 19 years with a 2-1 success in 2005.
“When you try to hang around or you are content to just occupy the crease and survive, you are liable to come unstuck because they just swarm all over you,” vice-captain Strauss told the Daily Mirror.
“But if you answer fire with fire – and pick the right balls to go after – it is possible to live with them as Michael Vaughan showed on the last Ashes tour.”
Vaughan's knee injury means he won't be making the trip and England have fitness doubts regarding several members of their 16-man squad.
Although captain and inspirational all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has been cleared to bowl, doubts remain over how his ankle will hold up to the stresses of an Ashes tour.
Meanwhile Ashley Giles may have been passed fit following a hip problem but the left-arm spinner hasn't played Test cricket for some 12 months and fellow 2005 Ashes-winner Marcus Trescothick's well being remains a concern after the opening batsman missed the Champions Trophy event in India because of a ‘stress-related’ illness.
England captain Andrew Flintoff believes that his side's upcoming series could be “the biggest series ever” in cricket history.
Flintoff, speaking before the team left, was the star performer in the 2005 Ashes series with 02 runs and 24 wickets in England's 2-1 series victory.
But Flintoff said he wasn't sure if the same sense of 'Ashes fever' that gripped the British sporting public a year ago could ever be recaptured.
“It is going to be tough. We know that 2005 was something special and whether that can be recreated I am not quite sure,'' said the Lancashire pace bowler and hard-hitting batsman.
“In England each Test match got bigger and bigger and we got a real feeling of what the Ashes was about.
“It was the first time I had played in them and this is the first time I will have played an Ashes series in Australia; so too for a few of the lads and there is a real excitement.
“This is the reason we play. We are going over there to play in what could be the biggest series ever so there is an excited group of lads.”
Australia, revitalised by a run of 11 wins in 12 Test since the Ashes are likely to provide likely to provide an even sterner challenge for England on home soil.
But Flintoff said his side were up to the task of becoming the first England team since Mike Gatting's men in 1986-87 to win a Test series in Australia.
“Having the chance to go to Australia and compete against the best side in the world again is something the lads are very excited about,” he said.
“We have got a young, talented side looking forward to Tests against Australia, the best side in the world, in front of Australian crowds.
“There will be some late nights for people (back in England) because the games start quite early but hopefully we can do something special.
“It is something which we are looking forward to doing and hopefully we can create that buzz about cricket again over the next few weeks.”
Although inspirational all-rounder Flintoff has been cleared to bowl, doubts remain over how his ankle will hold up to the stresses of an Ashes tour.
England were due to arrive in Sydney at 2000GMT Saturday (7am Sunday local time).—AFP
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