We're ready to wrap up Ashes, insists Strauss

David Lloyd
06.08.09

Andrew Strauss believes England are ready to put Monday's Edgbaston draw behind them and win back the Ashes with a match to spare.

"I'm excited about these five days," said Strauss as his team completed their preparations for tomorrow's Headingley Test.

"I think it's a great opportunity for us to nail home our advantage and make sure we win the series.

"This is a massive Test and, as is always the case in an Ashes series, each match you get closer to the finish it becomes more dramatic.

"The pressure rises a level, the expectation rises a level, and as players you have to cope with that."

England gave themselves a chance to go two up with two to play in Birmingham but could not bowl out Australia for a second time.

And that reopened the debate about whether Strauss's pace attack can do the business when the ball doesn't do much.

"The key in those situations is pressure," said Strauss. "You put pressure on by getting a lot of runs yourself and then making sure you make it very hard for them to score.

"We haven't done that as well as we could have done when the wickets have been flat. But I think we have the bowlers to do it.

"Jimmy Anderson has been a threat, Graham Onions has bowled wicket-taking deliveries and Andrew Flintoff showed at Lord's he can take wickets when it's flat."

Although Headingley pitches are much more batsmen friendly nowadays, the last 10 Tests have produced positive results with six wins for England and four defeats.

"Coming here expecting a draw is the wrong way to go," said Strauss. "We are looking to win the game and the Ashes."