England opener Rory Burns has stated that experience of playing Ashes in Australia will help the home side.
A core of English squad including Burns, Ben Stokes, skipper Joe Rooyt have reached Australia earlier this week and they are currently on a mandatory three days of confinement to their hotel rooms before they can undertake training at the Gold Coast’s Metricon Stadium. The rest of England’s squad will fly in after the T20 World Cup in preparation for the first Ashes Test at the Gabba on December 8.
“The majority of places that I’ve toured in my career so far with England, I actually haven’t been to before, so it’s obviously nice that I’ve been here. I’ve got some experience of conditions out here and plans can start being formulated a fraction earlier,” Burns was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
“But it all depends where you go – I’ve never been to Brisbane before, so wickets and surfaces change dependent on where you are. So it’s good to have some experience in Australia, but I’m trying not to formulate too many opinions off of just that,” he added.
Burns didn’t have a good series against India back in August and September but he is confident to play good cricket against the arch-rivals Australia in the Ashes.
The 31-year old Burns, who averaged 39 in the last Ashes series and registered a career high 133, said he hoped to use the conditions and experience of facing the likes of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon to his advantage.
“I’ve been able to see them, I’ve been able to play against them before, I’ve got a good picture of how they operate so that allows me to put my best sort of plan together and prep for them.
“It’s obviously a very good bowling attack (and) they’re very good operators. They don’t give you a lot of bad stuff, they’re pretty relentless when they get it right, and they obviously bowl at a good pace,” the opener said.
