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Birmingham, July 28: Joe Root is confident England’s latest collapse against an Australia pace attack led by Mitchell Johnson won’t haunt them come the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston starting Wednesday.
Left-arm fast bowler Johnson took 37 wickets at 14 runs apiece as Australia thrashed England 5-0 on home soil to regain the Ashes in 2013/14. However, he failed to do a repeat act against England at the first Test at Cardiff which the visitors lost. However, he led the Australian charge in the second Test at Lord’s (match figures 6/80) as Australia levelled the series 1-1.
But a defiant Root said Tuesday of Johnson: “It’s wrong to single one man out. You look at Cardiff and he only got two expensive wickets so it’s about putting him under pressure. I am sure we can do that.”
England have responded to their drubbing at Lord’s by dropping Gary Ballance and promoting the experienced Ian Bell – himself struggling for runs to No. 3, with Jonny Bairstow coming into the side at the expense of his Yorkshire colleague scheduled to bat at five.
Australia left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc was not concerned by England’s attempts to stabilise a top- order that has been 43 for three or worse seven times in their past 13 Test innings and promised there would be no let-up from the tourists’ pace attack.
“I am sure we will be following suit from what Mitch (Johnson) dished up at the end at Lord’s,” said Starc here Monday. “It is great to see a few of the guys jumping about, and we got a few wickets that way. We have got extra pace in our side.”
This year has seen England bounce back from defeats by the West Indies and New Zealand with a win in their very next Test.
“Throughout this summer we’ve always come back from heavy defeats well,” said Root. “There’s so much confidence in the camp and we’ll be looking to put them back on the backfoot Wednesday.”
England have usually done well against Australia at Edgbaston. They have won five of the 13 Tests played at the venue against their arch rivals. The Aussies have won thrice while five Tests have ended in a stalemate.
The second Test defeat prompted England’s Australian coach Trevor Bayliss to call for a livelier surface than the one on which England great James Anderson went wicket-less at Lord’s.
But Starc is unconcerned by the state of the Edgbaston pitch. “It doesn’t matter what they dish up, we’ve got all bases covered,” the gangly left-arm pacer stated.
Australia, meanwhile, are set to field an unchanged side with opener Chris Rogers opening the batting.