October 10 Thursday 2002
Australia can be beaten, says Hussain

LONDON: England captain Nasser Hussain believes his team should not be intimidated by Australia in the forthcoming Ashes series because they are capable of breaking their poor run of form against their fierce rivals.

Hussain told a news conference on Wednesday that his side could end their losing run of seven successive series against the world's top side. 

"There's no reason why not... There is no reason if everybody is fit. If the key battles are won, particularly in the first Test, there is no reason why we can't beat Australia and I expect everybody to be thinking like that. 

They (poor statistics) are there to be broken." England, who set off for Australia later this month, last beat Australia in a series in 1986-7. The first Test in Brisbane starts on November 7.

In the past Hussain has often talked of merely wanting to compete with Australia rather than beat them. On Wednesday, however, he was more bullish. 

"Everybody knows Australia are a fine side. We have got to work at finding ways of beating them. There are tactics, field settings that can beat them.

"I don't see why you should be intimidated by Australia. I've really enjoyed playing them. They play really tough, but you get a great deal of enjoyment out of doing well against them.

"The one thing that is intimidating is their style of cricket. They will come at us with bat and ball and verbally and I hope everyone is ready for it." Leg-spinner Shane Warne has often been England's chief executioner since he bowled Mike Gatting with the 'ball of the century' with his first Ashes delivery in 1993. The England captain, however, added: "There's no reason we can't play Warne. He'll get wickets, but we must make sure he has to work hard for them."

Hussain also minimised the importance over whether Australia decide to axe the Waugh twins from their Ashes squad. The pair have already been dropped from the one-day side and are battling to retain their Test spots. "That's none of our business. I'm worrying about my side," Hussain said. "Their selection problems are not that major. Whoever replaces Steve Waugh will have a few first-class runs under his belt." England's worries have centred around the fitness of paceman Darren Gough, batsman Michael Vaughan and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, 
who've all undergone surgery in recent months, with Gough's knee problems the major concern.

Hussain said: "For us to beat Australia we need a few things to go well off the field including Gough." Gough was quoted in the British media on Wednesday as saying he might not be fit for the first two Tests.

But Hussain said: "I would rather look at it as wait and see." England have selected two young bowlers of express pace in Simon Jones and Steve Harmison, but Hussain, while excited by their potential, added: "You have to cover all the bases, including spin." When Hussain arrived at a fashionable department store near Piccadilly Circus for the 
news conference, alarm bells were ringing and reporters had to be evacuated from the building for a brief period. Asked if those were the last alarm bells he would hear in the next few months, the England captain said: "I'm sure we'll hear a few more along the line, we always do."