Australia Bat Against England in Second Ashes Test

Nevill makes his Test debut at the age of 29.

“I don’t know the eleven so I don’t know how anybody else does at this stage”, he said.

‘Series is not played on paper’

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“People can say it is extra pressure, but I do not find there is any extra on me”, he said.

“But I always said I didn’t think it was going to be like that”. “We can’t do that, certainly not against Australia. The last two Test series we haven’t done that”, said Cook. It is about our attitude and approach.

England played well for their 169-run victory which they wrapped up by the end of the fourth day of the first Test. The one area that they will be looking to improve on would probably be the batting at the top of the order. England beat Australia at their own game. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid is most likely to come in if Ali is unfit. “He’s obviously been talked about as being his (Haddin’s) replacement for a couple of years”, added Cook.

The competition with Wade for a playing spot in the Victoria team prompted Nevill to move to New South Wales in 2008 and that is where he blossomed both with gloves and bat and developed a close friendship with Haddin. “He is a fighter and has had a great year back in Australia. He gets his opportunity, I’ve got no doubt he will be ready to go”. I did not consciously make a change.

Australia appear to be increasingly confident that left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, the pick of their attack in Cardiff, will be fit for Lord’s despite suffering an ankle injury in Wales.

At his pre-match press conference, Clarke said he had yet to be given the side by the selectors but dropped heavy hints that he would be dissatisfied had the news been relayed first to reporters.

“He had a really good game at Cardiff, particularly the way he batted in our first innings”. He is a wicket-taker.

Australia: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Steven Smith, Michael Clarke(c), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin(w), Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Peter Siddle, Shaun Marsh, Shane Watson, Peter Nevill, Pat Cummins, Fawad Ahmed.

“We came to Lord’s, Glenn McGrath was the man that day, he took 8-38 and we turned the series around”.

“There’s been a real feel-good factor about English cricket this summer”.

Pitch conditions: Light brown pitch should provide a good surface to bat on but cloudy skies above Lord’s could help England’s pace bowlers. “As always the next challenge starts tomorrow at Lord’s, which is a great place to play cricket”.

Cricket Australia (CA) said Wednesday they would not comment on the Fairfax report, saying that the Test side would be announced as scheduled on Thursday morning at Lord’s.

“He has played with or against all of us in the squad”.

“But we have five days ahead of us now”.

Their partnership was so far worth 259 runs and broke the previous Australia second-wicket record at Lord’s of 231 set by Bill Woodfull and Don Bradman which had stood since 1930.