Aussies will prove Ashes critics wrong - Clarke

Skipper Michael Clarke says Australia will prove their critics wrong and bring the urn home from England despite his team being panned as the “worst Ashes squad”. Clarke has backed his 16-man party named on Wednesday to do the job in five Tests against England, starting at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge ground on July 10. Sections of the British press have slammed Clarke’s touring party with The Daily Mail declaring:” Aussies name worst Ashes squad in memory”, addinggloatingly: “Is that it, Australia? Is that all you have got?” Clarke said the reaction does not surprise him following Australia’s ignominious 4-0 Test series rout in India in March.

“It didn’t come as much of a surprise when an English reporter described us as Australia’s ‘worst Ashes squad’ at yesterday’s team announcement,” Clarke wrote in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph on Thursday. “I’ve been hearing comments like that throughout my time as captain and, more often than not, I’d like to think we’ve proven our critics wrong. “I’m not going to make any Glenn McGrath-style (5-0) predictions about the Ashes result, but I will say that I’m confident we can bring the urn home with us if we play to our potential.”

Clarke said his team will give England “due respect” in their home conditions but he added that Australia had selected a number of players who have succeeded playing in English conditions.

AFP