West Indies Cricket Fans Forum
England ready for Australia’s aggression, says Root
MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) – England were caught out by Australia’s aggression during the ill-fated 2013/14 Ashes campaign but captain Joe Root says they are fully prepared for short-pitched bowling and on-field chatter when the series kicks off in Brisbane next week.
Root was a member of Alastair Cook’s side that was demolished by a Mitchell Johnson-led pace assault and sledging relentlessly throughout the 5-0 series defeat four years ago.
Root, then 22, won praise for a defiant half-century in the Adelaide Test but, like the rest of the England batters, struggled to score runs on most of Australia’s pitches.
“I think last time it maybe caught us out,” Root told reporters yesterday in Townsville where England are preparing for their final warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI.
“I think we’re a little bit wiser to it this time around.
“It’s still about making sure we’re absolutely prepared for any scenario out there.
“We’re expecting it to be hostile, we’re expecting it to be very loud and rowdy atmosphere at the Gabba.
“Hopefully we’ll be in a really good place and really ready for that because I think we’ve got our heads round what to expect.”
With all-rounder Ben Stokes absent from the tour, Root will have a bigger load to carry in leading a team with a number of inexperienced batsmen.
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon said last week the home side’s bowlers would compete fiercely for the England captain’s wicket.
Root was unfazed by the attention.
“I’ve heard a lot of chat about them targeting me in particular,” he said.
“From our point of view we’ll be targeting every single one of them, we won’t be singling any guys out.
“Bring it on. It’s what it’s about. You want that competitive element and those little in-house rivalries, if you like.”
Former England captain and media pundit Michael Vaughan has accused Australia of making things hard for England in their preparations by serving up low-quality tour sides away from the Test venues.
The tourists will play another modest Cricket Australia XI in the remote northern city of Townsville from today.
Root said it was nothing different from the last tour.
“I think we’ve mentally approached that slightly differently this time round and probably slightly better, if I‘m being brutally honest,” he said.
“Obviously it would have been nice to get a feel for the grounds, especially for the guys who haven’t played at those venues.
“I don’t think it makes too much of a difference.”
About the author
Guyana Diaspora Forum
We have a large database of Guyanese worldwide. Most of our readers are in the USA, Canada, and the UK. Our Blog and Newsletter would not only carry articles and videos on Guyana, but also other articles on a wide range of subjects that may be of interest to our readers in over 200 countries, many of them non-Guyanese We hope that you like our selections.
It is estimated that over one million Guyanese, when counting their dependents, live outside of Guyana. This exceeds the population of Guyana, which is now about 750,000. Many left early in the 50’s and 60’s while others went with the next wave in the 70’s and 80’s. The latest wave left over the last 20 years. This outflow of Guyanese, therefore, covers some three generations. This outflow still continues today, where over 80 % of U.G. graduates now leave after graduating. We hope this changes, and soon.
Guyanese, like most others, try to keep their culture and pass it on to their children and grandchildren. The problem has been that many Guyanese have not looked back, or if they did it was only fleetingly. This means that the younger generations and those who left at an early age know very little about Guyana since many have not visited the country. Also, if they do get information about Guyana, it is usually negative and thus the cycle of non-interest is cultivated.
This Guyana Diaspora Online Forum , along with its monthly newsletter, aims at bringing Guyanese together to support positive news, increase travel and tourism in Guyana and, in general, foster the birth of a new Guyana, which has already begun notwithstanding the negative news that grabs the headlines. As the editor and manager of the publication, I am committed to delivering Blog entries and Newsletters that are politically balanced, and focused on the positive ideas we wish to share and foster among Guyanese.
| ||||
