Paine hoping for his finest hour Aussie skipper inspired by Churchillian quote

make them better. On the field we’ve spoken about making sure we’re driving our own energy, building our own atmosphere out on the ground and if we can do that we know that our own circle is unbreakable.”

The Churchill quote which Paine alluded to was “I no longer listen to what people say, I just watch what they do. Behaviour never lies.”

And for all that the former Prime Minister never apparently actually said it, it seemed appropriate for a period in Australia cricket when their behaviour has become the story more than their sporting prowess.

“Brad Haddin brought that up with me the other day in one of the chats we had and I quite liked it,” said Paine.

“It’s a great quote for us and it’s a great quote for you guys. It’s amazing, we come into every press conference in the past 12 months and talk about our behaviour – you can just watch us and judge us.” Asked whether it was possible to win the Ashes battle and hearts and minds, Paine nodded.

“I believe we can do both. It’s not just about me being a winning captain, it’s about us being a winning squad and a winning team. Our guys understand what’s expected of them.They are role models not just for Australian people but all around the world.”

Australia will be mindful not to strip the essence of their competitive spirit any further given the narrow points of difference between his side and England. And with assistant coach Haddin in the background, they are not going to back down too far.

Smith andWarner have had a foretaste of what to expect in theWorld Cup but Bancroft has not played for Australia since the Cape Town Test in March 2018 and his captain admitted the opening day of an Ashes Test will be a notch up.

“It’s got the potential to unsettle anyone,” said Paine, who initiated a pre-match handshake with opposite number Joe Root yesterday. “They’re human beings, they’ve got feelings, they’re no different to anyone else.” AUG: 1-5 First Test Edgbaston, Birmingham

AUG: 14-18 Second Test Lord's, London

AUG: 22-26 Third Test Headingley, Leeds

SEP: 4-8 Fourth Test Old Trafford, Manchester

SEP: 12-16 Fifth Test the Oval, London