Mark Wood has sent a strong message ahead of the first Ashes Test. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images) England fast bowler Mark Wood has sent a strong message heading into the Ashes series in Australia, even as he acknowledged the challenge of facing the hosts on their own terms. Australia will host the opening Test in Perth from November 21, with captain Pat Cummins racing against time to regain fitness after a back problem. Cummins was ruled out of the first Test but increased his bowling intensity in the nets and was looking for a return for the second match. Wood said England were under no illusions about the difficulty of the task. “Australia are obviously favorites in this series, but I think there’s a quiet confidence in our group that we can do well here,” he said in a Sky Sports video.“The Australian side are very difficult to beat in their own conditions, they’ve been proving that for a number of years,” added Wood. “We haven’t been able to win many games here at all, so I think the first game is a huge game. He added that an early breakthrough would be crucial for England’s bowlers if they were to build pressure. “I wouldn’t say there is one particular batting line-up, but obviously as any bowling group knows the first couple of wickets are vital. If we get off to a good start we can try to put some pressure on,” Wood said. The 35-year-old pacer also spoke about the need to quickly adapt to local conditions, where pace and bounce are often the deciding factor. “The wickets are tough but I’m sure we’ll adapt and the guys who have been there can pass on that knowledge,” he said. Wood praised Australia’s approach to fast bowling and admitted that England wanted to learn from it. “From what we’ve done here, we’ve copied their model of a bit of lads who have bowled quickly. It’s been relentless and they’re one of the top four in the world, Australia,” he added.
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Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood, who is closing in on 300 Test wickets, said Australia’s experienced bowling group remains motivated despite the age-related scrutiny. “No doubt there will come a time (when the team is too old) but I don’t think it is yet,” Hazlewood said. Both sides are expected to finalize their XIs closer to the opening Test in Perth.
