England will use build-up matches to harden minds, bodies for Ashes: Strauss

PERTH - Captain Andrew Strauss has said England will play their build-up matches like Tests to harden their minds and bodies for The Ashes.

“The last thing we want to do is approach them like warm-up games. We’re trying to do our preparation as close to a Test match as we can. We want to hit the ground running. We want to treat these three matches like first-class games and win them,” The Sun quoted Strauss, as saying.

“That’s the key - we want to achieve some winning momentum and good form and play some clinical cricket,” he added.

“We’re playing two good state sides in Western Australia and South Australia then Australia A - and all will want to prove a point,” Strauss said. (ANI)