Bell is going into the third test at his home ground of Edgbaston and he knows improvements have to be made to his, and the teams, performance if they’re to re-gain their series lead.
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They must therefore restate their credentials in Birmingham, and the captain will not be complaining if inspiration is drawn from the thrilling two-run victory which began England’s brilliant 2005 fightback to regain the urn for the first time in a generation.
With Mark Wood is battling an ankle injury, England captain Alastair Cook revealed Finn could play at Edgbaston on Wednesday with the series locked at one-all following Australia’s thumping 405-run win at Lord’s last week.
Meanwhile Jonny Bairstow was brought back for his first Test since facing Australia at Sydney last year after England dropped his fellow Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance.
But a defiant Root said of Johnson: Its wrong to single one man out.
Ian Bell and Joe Root will move up to three and four, with the in-form Jonny Bairstow coming in to bat at No 5.
Lord s was an absolute disaster in one sense, after Cardiff (where England won the first Test by 169 runs) to play as badly as that.
“I am sure we will be following suit from what Mitch (Johnson) dished up at the end at Lord’s”, said Starc.
“The lads have been talking about the opportunity we have got ahead of ourselves now”.
“We have got extra pace on our side”, he said.
“It would be a fantastic anniversary of those 10 years to win here after losing at Lord’s”, he said. “Throughout this summer we’ve always come back from heavy defeats well”, he said. With the series level at 1-1, the stakes could hardly be much higher for all concerned, and Bell knows he must not be intimidated by the Australia attack which bowled England out for 103 in 37 overs just eight days ago.
Peter Nevill, who made his worldwide debut at Lord’s, retained his position as wicketkeeper after Australia decided against recalling the experienced Brad Haddin, who missed the second Test for “family reasons”.
“The lights – fixed to a mobile structure so they can be wheeled out onto the Edgbaston pitch – were used throughout the winter to heat up the soil and replicate warmer conditions”.
They need to build an innings and build partnerships and, hopefully, get that good first innings score which can put pressure on the Australians.
Bairstow is averaging over a hundred in the County Championship this season, having scored five centuries, but how well that has prepared him to face Australias quicks remains to be seen.
However after Australia’s easy win at Lord’s last week, is Wood’s omission from the side actually beneficial for the POMs?
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Australia’s opening batsman Chris Rogers has survived a stiff examination from his bowling team mates in the nets but expects England’s pacemen to come even harder at him in the wake of his dizzy spell that forced him to retire at Lord’s.
