Root refuses to be intimidated by Australia’s Gabba record
AUSTRALIA PLAYED 69 PLAYED 325 TESTS 59 ENGLAND PLAYED 34 PLAYED 162 TESTS 20
ENG 32 DRW 89 DRW
13 LOST
8 DRW
5 ENG 106 TIED
1 AUS 32 AUS 130 AUS WON
37 ENG 14 ENG 56 DRW 24 DRW
5 ENG 4 DRW
2 AUS 18 AUS 82 AUS
11 different. We can’t play this game on what has happened in the past.
“We’ve got to make sure we read situations quickly out in the middle, play the surface and control our emotions. If we do that, we will give ourselves a really good chance.”
As expected, Jake Ball has been given the nod over Craig Overton for the final place in the seam attack, with England due to confirm the batting order only at the toss.
In the absence of Ben Stokes, Root and coach Trevor Bayliss must decide whether to use Moeen Ali or Jonny Bairstow at No6.
Bairstow is more effective at batting with the tail, meaning the wicketkeeper may remain at No7 with Moeen jumping two places.
Root and his players have tried to keep their heads down in the face of classic pre-Ashes barbs from
Australia, with off-spinner Nathan Lyon even suggesting that the home side would try to end the careers of some England players by repeating the 5-0 whitewash of 2013-14.
Root can rarely be tempted to step off the fence when speaking publicly but his displeasure at Lyon’s words was clear today. He said: “That’s not