Watch the video with England team director Andy Flower as he reflects on the drawn third Test and looks ahead to the fourth
Andy Flower has urged England’s seamers to exploit what should be favourable conditions at the Emirates Durham ICG during the fourth Investec Ashes Test.
Alastair Cook’s side retained the urn yesterday at Emirates Old Trafford thanks to a draw and can win the series with a game to spare in the north east.
Having spent 182 overs in the field at Manchester, England’s bowlers in particular must rest before battle resumes on Friday. Graham Onions and Chris Tremlett have been added to the squad, alongside fellow seamers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan, should cover be required.
“Our bowlers have put in some extremely hard work over the first couple of days here,” team director Flower said in reference to Australia’s 527 for seven declared.
“The Australians batted well in the first innings and our bowlers will need to look after themselves over the next few days to be ready for that Durham Test. Durham can traditionally help the fast bowlers so we’d like to exploit that help.”
England’s own first innings was also strong, measuring 368 all out, and Flower thinks that was crucial to earning a draw that was sealed by last-day rain.
“We were behind the game here at Old Trafford for most of the game but we fought hard,” he added.
“I thought our performance in the first innings was the key to drawing this game, to bat for 140 overs on a wearing pitch, Cook and Bell with excellent sixties and Pietersen with a brilliant hundred and some of our lower order playing well in amongst the tension of getting past the follow-on.
“I thought they did brilliantly and I thought the fight and the resilience and the character we showed in that first innings is the reason why we drew this Test.”