England eyes record Ashes Series win

While the final test is a victory lap for England, there might be more at stake for the beleaguered Australians.

But with runs slipping away from Clarke, who has reached 25 just six times in his past 30 Test innings, the old charges against him soon resurfaced.

It would be nice to see an England team winning this week on a pitch that is flatter than what we had at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston.

England will play their fifth and final match against Australia at the Oval from August 20.

“It’s about fitting it in at the right time”.

“It does not feel any different at this stage and I don’t think it will until the test match is finished”, he said. “I’ve never seen a player improve like that”. “I’ve always said there’s a lot of talent, whether it be in this group or back playing first-class cricket, and now we’ve just got to turn that talent into consistent performance. Win or lose, I know our the attitude has been in practice and we are ready to go again”.

It eventually led the Sydney Morning Herald to say sorry to Clarke for comments about his lifestyle but, as cricket writer Jarrod Kimber observed: “To get a public apology all Michael Clarke had to do was score 329 not out, 210, 259 not out and 230 in one year”.

He added: “I didn’t really watch long enough to pick out individuals – and even if I did, it wouldn’t be fair to name anyone in particular”.

The party will start at the Kia Oval from the moment the first ball is bowled tomorrow, but Cook wants to make sure that when he lifts the urn for the second time, he is doing so as a match-winner.

Mark Footitt has been in and around the Test squad this season, and he could have a key role to play.

“It’s still important for us to play well”, he said. But if the 22-year-old was chosen as a replacement it would significantly affect the composition of the attack, given Hazlewood would have been relied on to hold up an end and allow Mitch Starc and Mitch Johnson to attack.

Such has been Root’s form during the past two months, he has displaced Australia’s Steven Smith at the top of the global Cricket Council’s Test batting rankings, with England paceman Stuart Broad now his main rival for man-of-the-series honours in the Ashes. “But I’m really excited about what lies ahead for Australia cricket”.

“Before the series he was someone I looked up to as a fan of the game, this series I’ve been up against and have had to try and get him out and that will be the same this game”.

“It’s been a hard week. A lot of guys have felt a bit flat, I imagine”.

“But there’s a big game on Thursday which I want to be a part of, and then a heavy schedule coming up after that”.

“Obviously it’s Michael’s retirement as well – but not only that, there’s places up for grabs as well in this side, and no-one’s going to be taking that for granted”.