Andrew Strauss Wants Fighting Start

Andrew Strauss has revealed that the England will not be using their pre-Ashes matches in Australia as a warm-up.

England are looking to become the first side to win the Ashes on Australian soil for nearly twenty five years when the series starts later this month.

Last time England played Australia down under they suffered an embarrassing 5-0 whitewash. But Strauss is keen to tackle the three day match with Western Australia, which stars tomorrow, with the same intent as the first mach of the Ashes series.

Speaking to Sky Sports the England captain said: "The last thing we want to do is approach these matches like warm-up games. If you use that sort of attitude you're always going to come unstuck.

"Preparation-wise, we want it as close to a Test match as possible. We've got to hit the ground running, treat them like first-class games and go out to win them.

"That's the key. We want to achieve some winning momentum, good form and some good clinical cricket."

"In Australia, you generally come up against a good side who are very keen and intent to prove a point.

"We don't expect anything different from two good state sides and then Australia A, who should be very competitive - especially in conditions they are very comfortable in."

England go into the Ashes with confidence after a good year, winning the ICC World Twenty20 competition before winning the series against Pakistan this summer.

Australia on the other hand are struggling for win as they were beaten by Sri Lanka in the first one-day international in Melbourne on Wednesday.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw