England are desperate to strike the first Ashes blow by beating Australia in the first of several meetings over the next ten months when the fierce rivals meet in the ICC Champions Trophy.
This is the year of back-to-back Ashes series, but England and Australia’s first battle will be in the group stages of what will be the last-ever version of the 50-over tournament.
Staged in England and Wales, the hosts begin their campaign against Australia at Edgbaston on Saturday, June 8 – just a month before the home Ashes series begins, including a return of Test cricket to Old Trafford.
And Ashley Giles, England’s limited overs head coach, believes striking an early blow on their rivals can whet the appetite for a summer of success.
“It’s important for us to lay a marker down,” said the 2005 Ashes hero.
“It will be nice to beat Australia – it always is – and it will be nice to do it at Edgbaston. It will be my first return to the ground for a match since I left at Christmas, so that will be a good day if we can beat Australia.
“There’s a huge summer of cricket coming up in England and hopefully we can start it off well.”
England’s sole success in a limited over tournament came in the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, but Giles is confident they have the qualities to win their first 50-over event.
“Every game you go in to win, but again we have never won a major 50-over competition so the chance to do that in England is huge,” he said.
“Whether the competition is stopping or not, with the World Cup coming up in 2015 it is a good opportunity for us to pit ourselves against the best teams in the world.”
See the best eight teams in one-day international cricket take part in the ICC Champions Trophy from 6-23 June at The Oval, Cardiff and Edgbaston – tickets are available now at icc-cricket.com or call 0844 249 2013
Image courtesy of Sportsbeat, via YouTube, with thanks
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