We are here to win, says Bayliss

ENGLAND are very confident of their chances in this week’s opening Ashes test in Brisbane, despite expecting Australia to hit hard from the start, says coach Trevor Bayliss.

The tourists have eased through three warm-up games leading into the first Gabba test, but Australian Bayliss expects the intensity to spike against Steve Smith’s team with the Ashes on the line.

England are the holders of the urn after winning 3-2 at home in 2015, but were crushed 5-0 the last time the Ashes were played in Australia in 2013-14.

Bayliss said England got everything they wanted out of the three warm-up games, and were confident of defying their poor record at the Gabba and pulling off a huge upset when the first test begins on Thursday.

“Australia like to hit the opposition hard early and we have been talking about going hard ourselves,” Bayliss said after England’s drawn match with a Cricket Australia XI in Townsville on Saturday.

“Over the three games, we started slow, then built it up over the last couple of games,” he said.

“An Ashes test will see our intensity rise as high as it possibly can.

“We are not here to make up the numbers. We are here to win. We’re very confident.”

The Australians have not lost a Gabba test since November 1988, while England last won there 31 years ago.