PERTH, Dec 12: Kevin Pietersen said embattled England knows it is crunch time for its Ashes defence and expects his team to rise to the challenge when the third Test begins here on Thursday.

England are down 2-0 and would hand the Ashes back to Australia with defeat at the WACA Ground, but Pietersen said the intensity at training here indicated the English had fully recovered from their Adelaide nightmare.

“I think we mean business for this week,” he said.

“The boys have been put through their paces massively today and from the first ball that was bowled this afternoon, it was 90mph-plus.

“So we'll be coming out all guns blazing, knowing we have to play positive cricket and we have to win.”

He said England captain Andrew Flintoff, was also bearing up well under the pressure of the first two defeats. Flintoff is battling ankle soreness and has copped criticism for his role in some controversial team selections but bowled well in the nets on Tuesday.—AFP