We will hit the ground running
JOE ROOT has challenged his players to be ruthless from the start of this Ashes tour ahead of their fi rst warm- up match this weekend.
England’s preparations suffered a setback yesterday when Moeen Ali was ruled out of the opener against a Western Australia XI with a potential side strain. Steven Finn will also miss the game after he injured his left knee batting in the nets. Both will have scans today.
With three weeks to go before the fi rst Ashes Test in Brisbane, England are not concerned about Moeen’s fi tness at this stage.
However, with Ben Stokes already absent from this tour, losing another key all- rounder in Moeen, even for part of the series, would be a major blow to their hopes of retaining the urn.
Even without Moeen, Root wants England to hit the ground running in the two- day game that starts at the WACA tomorrow.
“We want to be as ruthless as we can and start the tour as we mean to go on,” he said. “Everyone is really excited and up for the challenge of this tour.
“We want to give guys the opportunity to play in the middle when those chances arise but, at the same time, not at the expense of losing and not being at our best.
“We will have the attitude of trying to win the game even though it is a two- dayer.
“We want to get into the habit of winning early in the tour so when the Tests come around we have belief from what we have done in the warm- up games.”
Root also confi rmed that a temporary deputy will be appointed to serve under him in place of missing vice- captain Stokes before the fi rst Test at the Gabba starting on November 23. Alastair Cook, Root’s predecessor in the role, and Stuart Broad, England’s Twenty20 captain from 2011 to 2014, are the frontrunners to take on the job.
“Over the next few days, myself and the management JERMAINE McGillvary has shrugged off the rave reviews of his World Cup debut, saying: “I’ve only ever had two good games.”
The Australian media were full of praise for the Huddersfi eld wing’s rock- solid defence and strike threat in the 18- 4 loss to the Kangaroos last week.
Even hard- to- please England coach Wayne Bennett was moved to tell McGillvary he was happy with his display. But the 29- year- old will have a chat and it will be sorted by the fi rst Test,” said Root.
Mark Stoneman, meanwhile, is relishing the prospect of Ashes cricket just seven years after watching opening partner Cook slay Australia in their own backyard.
Stoneman was playing grade cricket in Sydney when he witnessed England seal their fi rst away Ashes series win in 24 years in 2010- 11. Cook scored 766 runs at an average in excess of 100 and Stoneman, who also sat among the Barmy Army during the 200607 campaign Down Under, is pinching himself at the thought of joining him out in the middle during this series.
“It is quite surreal because back in 2006- 07 I was sat behind the bowlers’ arm as Brett Lee was steaming in bowling to Andrew Flintoff,” he said.
“The Barmy Army were going mad in one corner, the ground was full and the atmosphere was unbelievable, so to have the potential to be playing in the same fi xture is unreal.”
England have been searching for a reliable partner for Cook at the top of the order ever since Andrew Strauss, captain in Australia seven years ago, retired in 2012.
But after a positive start against West Indies at the end of the summer, England appear to have fi nally found a solution to their longestrunning selection dilemma.
The Australians, though, will prove the ultimate test for the 30- year- old.
And after spending a decade playing grade cricket in Australia, this is a country he knows well.
Stoneman, who met his Australian wife Serene during his second winter Down Under nine years ago, said: “My fi rst three Tests against West Indies were great but the Ashes is something completely different. It’s very exciting.
“The wife is defi nitely backing me and England. The in- laws want to see me do well, but I’m sure they’ll be keen for Australia to do well too.” that. Probably in my career I have played about two good games, according to me.
“It is not harmful to me. If people think I’m doing all right it is good for them, but I have got a lot of improvement in me. There are things I could probably do better and contribute to the team more.”
England play their second group game tomorrow against Lebanon, shock winners over France in their opening match. The Cedars are packed with Australian players and have genuine NRL stars in Robbie Farah and Mitchell Moses but McGillvary, who will win his eighth cap, will not be losing too much sleep over it.
“I didn’t see their game. I saw some of the highlights but I don’t really want to watch much rugby,” he said. “I like to keep my mind clear. I want to relax when I’m not training.
“I do not like rugby 24/ 7, I am not a guy