NOTTINGHAM: England captain Alastair Cook has predicted “one hell of a battle” ahead of the start of the first Ashes test against Australia at Trent Bridge on Wednesday.
Cook’s team goes into the five-match battle as favourites and he told a news conference on Tuesday that England were comfortable with that label.
“We’ve always known that this series is going to be one hell of a battle,” he said. “Australia have got some fine, fine cricketers and we are going to have to be at our best to put them under pressure.”
Cook will be leading England in an Ashes series for the first time after succeeding Andrew Strauss last year.
Australia captain Michael Clarke is under no illusions about the challenge his team is facing when the Ashes series against England.
“We come here as underdogs, there’s no doubt about that,” Clarke said. “It would be a great achievement (to win) for all the work we’ve put in but now it’s about going out there on the biggest stage and playing well.”
Clarke is Australia’s only injury worry, and while he declared himself “100 percent” fit to play, he acknowledges that “my back (complaint) is something I’ve got to live with every day for the rest of my life.”
England counterpart Alastair Cook acknowledged his side is expected to prevail across the five tests and make it three series victories in a row and four out of the past five, but downplayed his team’s heavy favoritism. “What we’re very aware of is that cricket isn’t played on paper and never has been played on paper,” Cook said.
“I think we’ve got to try not to blow it out of proportion and use huge words like it’s a massive game. You have to keep yourselves true to what you are and try and remember it’s just another game of cricket.”
Clarke was equally unwilling to antagonize the opposition.
“Every time I’ve played England it’s been tough, whether it’s the short form of the game or test cricket,” he said. “In my career, both teams have always had the utmost respect for each other.”
He also revealed the Australia team had already been selected and that the players had been told, however he wasn’t about to make the information public.
The only selection issue for the hosts concerns who out of Tim Bresnan, Steven Finn and Graham Onions completes the four-man bowling attack, but Cook was offering even fewer clues than Clarke.
“We’re pretty happy with the composition of our side,” Cook said.
Clarke was slightly more effusive about the playing conditions, with bright sunshine predicted for the duration of the match and the pitch expected to take turn. “Having 600 runs on the board would be nice,” Clarke said. (Agencies)