“With Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson, two of England’s best ever bowlers, along with myself and the other bowlers, we’ve got enough to cause them problems”
Saturday 28 October 2017 20:46, UK
Chris Woakes says England are ready for the intensity of an Ashes series in Australia as they look to retain the urn this winter.
After a string of fine performances in 2016, the 28-year-old bowling all-rounder endured a frustrating summer, sustaining a side injury that restricted him to playing just one Test match but says he is now fully fit, refreshed and ready to take his place in the England XI for the opening Test in Brisbane.
Woakes will be experiencing Test cricket in Australia for the first time but after David Warner's recent remarks comparing the Ashes to a war, he insists he will not be taking a backward step once the series gets underway.
"The words he used might have been a bit extreme but it is Ashes cricket, it's going to be intense," Woakes said.
"It's two teams coming up against each other who are desperate to win and when you go to Australia you're taking on the nation as well, not just the team. They'll feel the pressure of that as well. It'll be two teams battling hard to win a Test match and win the Ashes.
"You'd expect nothing else I suppose. I'm sure it'll be intense on the field, they'll be a few things said as you expect in any other series.
"Maybe a little bit more intense with it being an Ashes series, a little bit more publicity, a little bit more press coverage, but it's exciting and we're looking forward to it.
"I never have trouble getting into the battle. Everyone does it in their own way, David Warner might want to chirp and get stuck in, other guys do it in completely different ways.
"You have to find what works for you, some people might find getting stuck in a battle distracts you from doing your day job. It's each to their own and David can do it however he wants and we'll just react by playing our best cricket, which is what I'm sure they'll try and do as well."
Woakes also admitted that the Australian bowling attack has the upper hand when it comes to outright pace but insists England have the experience and the skills to cause the home side's batsmen plenty of problems.
"Everyone talks about having to drag your length back in Australia but I actually think if you look at the great bowlers who have done well there, Glenn McGrath was not express pace and bowled a full length in Australia and had great results," he added.
"Broady and Jimmy have been there before and taken wickets from that fuller length. There is a lot talked about that short ball in Australia, which is obviously quite an important delivery, but a lot of the time it is the follow-up delivery that is most important and that fuller length can actually work well in Australia with that bit of bounce.
"They've got some pace, Australia have always got some pace and I know there has been talk about bouncers and stuff but it's Test cricket in Australia and if bouncers weren't bowled it would be quite a strange Test series.
"That is what you'd expect I suppose, the Australian bowlers have got some pace, Pat Cummins obviously hasn't played a huge amount of Test cricket in Australia, if any at all, so that will be as much as a test for him as it will be for me, who also hasn't played a Test in Australia.
"They've probably got a bit more pace than us but in terms of experience with Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson, two of England's best ever bowlers, along with myself and the other bowlers, we've got enough to cause them problems."
