England ready for Oz Ashes onslaught in Perth: Strauss

PERTH - England captain Andrew Strauss has hit back at his Australian counterpart Ricky Ponting’s plans of using short balls against English batsman on the fast WACA wicket to keep his team’s Ashes hopes alive.

Ponting had said that he has studied footage of England’s capitulation against the pace of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel when South Africa thrashed them in Johannesburg last January.

“If they come at us with the short stuff then we’ve got to be ready for it. They bowled a bit of short stuff to Cook, Trott and Pietersen in Adelaide,” Fox Sports quoted Strauss, as saying.

“The crucial thing is not to be surprised by anything on the day, so preparation has to be about being ready for anything - and we will be,” he added.

England currently leads the five-match series 1-0, after winning the second Test at the Adelaide Oval by an innings and 71 runs. (ANI)