Ashes 2010: Cook confident of England win against ‘humbled’ Australia

PERTH - England opener Alastair Cook has expressed confidence about his team’s chances of defending The Ashes Down Under in the wake of Australia losing the first of its two Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Australia was humbled conclusively by seven wickets with 21 balls remaining..

“As a side we’re in far better place,” The Telegraph quoted Cook, as saying after a gentle training session.

Cook added: “We’re a great unit with two great leaders in Andy Strauss and Andy Flower but what we’ve been through in terms of those tough Test matches when we’ve hung on - at Cardiff and the two in South Africa last winter - show that that spirit is there.

“When the going gets tough, and we’ve been outplayed, we are still a tough team to beat. That is going to be crucial over here,” he said.

Cook believes the mix of effervescent youth and grizzled experience can help achieve the success that has eluded England teams here for almost a quarter of a century.

“We’ve got that blend of those who’ve been before and newcomers who can approach the thing with a fresh mind,” Cook said.

He added: “Hopefully, that great balance in the side can deal with past failures and put them right.”

With 60 Tests to his name, Cook is now in the first camp, the memory of how not to tour Australia imprinted on his mind from four years ago following a fiery rite of passage (it was his first year in international cricket). He did make one Test hundred, at Perth, but a Test average of 26.2 against the Australians overall suggests the trauma of that first encounter has stayed with him.

“The one side I haven’t played as well against are Australia. I’ve got that point to prove over the next three months. But I was 21 four years ago and it was a tough learning curve, especially to be pitched in as opener after Marcus Trescothick suddenly went home,” he said. (ANI)