Make them eat their words! Forget the Aussies' attempt at trash talking, England in mood to make history Down Under

By Paul Newman

PUBLISHED: 18:04 EST, 19 November 2013 | UPDATED: 11:45 EST, 20 November 2013

There has been so much ‘trash talk’ in Australia this past month it would have been easy to mistake the greatest battle in cricket for a low-key boxing clash but the time for Shane Warne’s barbs and Michael Clarke’s feeble attempt at humour is over. It is time once again for the Ashes.

England will take to the Gabba, that great Australian bear pit of an arena, for the first Test on Wednesday with the chance to make modern cricketing history by winning their fourth successive Ashes series. It is an opportunity they are determined to grab with both hands.

Such has been the ferocity of the ‘phoney war’ this time it is easy to forget that England are unbeaten in 13 Tests while Australia, thrashed 4-0 by India then 3-0 by England, are without a win in nine.

Thumbs up: England captain Alastair Cook, seen here in the nets at The Gabba, is ready to lead his team in the upcoming Ashes series against Australia

Hosting series: Australia captain Michael Clarke will have to deal with the extra pressure of playing in front of a home crowd

Talking is over: Opposing captains, Clarke, left, and Cook's teams will fight to win the Ashes

Listen to Warne’s constant jibes at Alastair Cook, the cheerleading of the Australian press and Clarke trying to raise a laugh by ‘naming’ the England team nine days before the first Test and you would think it is the home side who will be favourites to end their barren run.

There was even more Aussie tub thumping on Tuesday from David Warner when he was asked about Stuart Broad.

‘He’s already  complaining and having a sook (whinge),’ said Warner. ‘He can expect a lot of stick. If you have a good laugh and enjoy it, the people get behind you.

'That’s what happened in England.

‘Every time someone said something to me I would entertain the crowd and they actually enjoyed it.

'They want you to enjoy it, embrace it and nobody takes it personally. If you take it too seriously, then it’s going to be a long summer.’

Yet it is England who should approach the Gabba with confidence because they have the better players while Australia, dare it be said of such a great cricketing nation, seem to have forgotten how to get over the winning line.

Yes, there is a valid argument to suggest it will be much closer this time, with Australia being more  settled under Darren Lehmann and England’s preparations in the build-up to tonight’s Test being far from ideal.

But Australia, to further the boxing analogy, will have to punch above their weight if they are to emerge victorious in Sydney in the new year.

Having his say: Australia's David Warner has been talking about the reception Stuart Broad, right, can expect from the Aussie crowd during the Ashes series

Words of wisdom? Former Australia spin king Shane Warne, left, has criticised Cook's captaincy and Clarke tried his own brand of mind game, giving out the England team he thought would play the first Test

Fond memories: England players Jonathan Trott, left, Cook, middle, and Andrew Strauss all scored centuries the last time the team were at The Gabba in 2010

England need think back only to the last time they played a Test in Brisbane to appreciate they should have nothing to fear here now.

A better Australian side than this one conceded 517 for one in England’s second innings, with centuries for Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott and an unbeaten 235 from a certain Alastair Cook.

The England captain remembers the draw well.

‘It’s nice coming back to a place where we’ve done well,’ said Cook with considerable understatement.

‘We have some very good memories of the last time we were here.

‘The last seven months have been as big as it gets for an England cricketer, with the Champions Trophy and two Ashes series. Now we are about to start here, it’s very exciting.’ 

Sweetly timed flick: Cook scored 235 for England at The Gabba in the 2010/11 Ashes series

If Australia are going to maintain an unbeaten record at the Gabba that goes back to 1988, they will need Ryan Harris to stay fit and firing as he did last summer and Mitchell Johnson to be mentally strong and to stand up to be counted.

On Johnson’s fragile shoulders could Australia’s Ashes hopes depend.

Ricky Ponting insisted in these pages on Tuesday that Johnson is stronger and more consistent than he was, that he has matured and is bowling faster than ever.

Vital weapons: Australia will be hoping Mitchell Johnson, left, can find his form and Ryan Harris can stay fit during the Ashes series

Not for the first time the words of Australia’s legendary former captain were persuasive, more so than Clarke when he was doing his Mickey Flanagan impression.

But it is a gamble to place faith in Johnson.

England will have their third opening partnership in three series when Michael Carberry joins Cook, and much may depend on how the 33-year-old deals  with the erratic but potentially  dangerous Johnson.

‘I think he realises how lucky he is to be here and he’s making the most of every opportunity,’ said Cook of Carberry.

Opening duo: Cook, left, and Michael Carberry walk on The Gabba turf ahead of the first Ashes Test

‘At 33 he knows his game and he’s impressed us all. He’s looked the part.’

Matt Prior came through a tough training session on Tuesday as he looks to extend his unbroken run in the England team to 58 Tests but Cook will not want to risk him aggravating his calf injury and missing the series. So Jonny Bairstow may still replace him.

‘I think Matt’s come through unscathed and we’re fairly positive,’ said Cook. ‘He’s got to be 100 per cent right. The last thing we would want is for him to feel it halfway through the second session.  Four-and-a-half days is a long time to go without a keeper.’ 

Timely boost: England wicketkeeper Matt Prior, centre, came through a training session and could be fit to play in the first Ashes Test

If Prior is fit, Clarke will have been spot on in his prediction of the England team.

But Cook for one is still bemused he made it.

‘I don’t know what he was trying to do but it certainly doesn’t bother us,’ said Cook.

‘We all know, with all the hype, what happens in the lead-up is irrelevant. Come 10am on Thursday, that’s when it counts.’

The build-up may not have been as smooth as last time in Australia but I still cannot see England  losing this series.

I take them to win 3-1 with a draw here. Just hope that Johnson’s radar is still awry.

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TopofOff, New Delhi, 5 days ago

England In the Mood might well turn out to be the news throughout the season; amidst so much talk, what we have heard from Cook has felt like silence, surely, the main man will be in the mood and when he is in the mood, he stands as mightily as a statue. How many could you count on being able to turn the series for Australia: Clarke? Johnson? to think so would be to greatly underestimate his opponents, Harris? Lehman thinks he can from the dressing room; for England it would be a combination of 3 or 4: Trott is due, KP- for so many reasons though only one is ever needed, Anderson, Broad has unfinished business here, Swann; there's been so much talk about Cook, good, when there is pressure, Ali Cook is a man on a resolve.

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