Andrew Strauss is fearing an Aussie backlash

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10 April 2012

Andrew Strauss today warned his team to beware a "wounded" Australian side as England seek the victory here in Perth that will ensure they retain the Ashes before Christmas.

Should England prevail in the Third Test, which starts in the early hours of tomorrow morning at the WACA, it would give them a 2-0 lead in the five-match series and would mean they return home with the urn for the first time since 1987.

The England captain said: "We've got some good momentum in the series from how we played in Adelaide but that counts for nothing if we give it away here this week.

"If Australia were wounded in Adelaide and have a point to prove, they will be much harder to beat and we have to be ready.

"Australia's record here is very good, which suggests they're better at adapting to the conditions than other teams, but that's a great opportunity for us to show we're a better side than we used to be. Motivation to win and desperation to win can be positive things.

"If it spills over into getting too emotional it can be detrimental but we have to be just as desperate as Australia. If we're not, we'll come unstuck."

Chris Tremlett is expected to be chosen ahead of Tim Bresnan to replace the injured Stuart Broad as the selectors make a like-for-like change with the 6ft 7in bowler offering similar height, pace and bounce.

When they have been in touching distance of a series victory, Strauss's team have suffered heavy defeats, against Australia at Headingley in 2009 and against South Africa at The Wanderers last winter. With the Aussies knowing a win will give them momentum going into the Christmas and New Year Tests, Strauss knows England cannot allow their guard to slip.

Strauss's opposite number, Ricky Ponting, is aware his position will be in serious doubt if Australia are beaten here. Defeat would make Ponting the first Australian for 120 years to lose three Ashes series as captain.

Ponting has made only 70 runs in four innings in the series and is in charge of a struggling side but he is confident the tide is about to turn.

The Aussie selectors must choose whether to give a Test debut to left-arm spinner Michael Beer or play Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris and Ben Hilfenhaus in a four-man pace attack.

Ponting believes two factors are in his team's favour - the Perth wicket which he claims England will struggle to adapt to and a tourists' bowling attack missing Broad and including Jimmy Anderson, despite the paceman's 20,000-mile round trip in a week after flying home for the birth of his daughter, Ruby.

He said: "I've been excited about the last few days. Just thinking about England having at least one change to their side, as well as the situation with Anderson. Much as he's talking it up, not really worrying, we've all done those flights in the past and it takes a couple of days to get over them.

"England haven't a great record here [they have won only one Test at the WACA] and these conditions are as foreign to English players as any in the world. Hopefully we'll exploit that."

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