JOE'S GOT NO FEAR
ENGLAND skipper Joe Root has reminded Australia that Mitchell Johnson is NOT playing this time round.
The home team have looked to the oneman wrecking crew who effectively won the 2013-14 showdown single-handedly for inspiration ahead of the current series.
With the action starting at the Gabba tonight, Root took time out to remind the Aussies they are going to find things much tougher without him.
He pointed out that just three of the side who wrapped up that 5-0 victory remain and there is no visible damage in the England dressing room.
“You hear a lot about these scars but it’s a series which happened four years ago. We’ve won four of the last five Ashes and we are coming off a great series in England (in 2015),” said Root.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who were part of that squad and have very fond memories, so I don’t know whether they are just trying to brush that under the carpet.
Harness
“What happened four years ago is irrelevant. It is a different set of players against a completely different Australia side – there are only three guys in their squad who were in the last series.
“You want to harness those experiences and make sure you don’t fall into a similar trap, but both sides are in very different places to where they were back then.”
Australia have been bigging-up their pace attack of Pat Cummins, due to play his first home Test, and Mitchell Starc, saying they have TWO players capable of performing like Johnson did.
Root insists England’s batsmen can turn the tables if they see off the new ball and force the bowlers back for repeat spells.
“Those guys have not played an Ashes series in Australia so they are going to be under pressure as well,” he said. “It’s not just us feeling the heat, it’s them as well.”
The Aussies have not lost in Brisbane in their last 28 matches going back to 1988,