Eoin Morgan says England still have a chance of retaining the Ashes but conceded that the fact they are playing away makes their challenge even more difficult.
England go into the third Test in Perth in the early hours of tomorrow morning with the odds firmly stacked against them after Australia won the first two matches.
But Morgan believes Joe Root’s side can still salvage something from the five-match series Down Under, beginning with the must-win clash at the WACA.
“The Ashes is a bigger challenge when it’s played away,” said the England ODI skipper, during the Elite School League cricket tournament launch last night, which will be run by former Indian international Robin Singh’s RS Sports Academy.
“I think Australia find that out in England and I think we can find out when we go out there (to Australia). Every Test match is crucial because we are 2-0 down and you’re trying to wrestle down the momentum back and hopefully we can do that in Perth.”
Morgan, 31, will be keeping an eye on the action during his time in the UAE where he will skipper Kerala Kings in the inaugural T10 Cricket League, which gets under way in Sharjah tomorrow.
Another compatriot who will be doing the same thing is Morgan’s international team-mate Alex Hales. The England ODI and T20 opener will also feature in the T10 tournament for Maratha Arabians and the 28-year-old is convinced they are still capable of pulling things around.
“They got it in them,” he said after the team’s practice session at Springdales School yesterday. “It’s going to be tough at the WACA, which is one of Australia’s best grounds at home. But the guys are tough. I know them all and know them well as a team and they are really tough individuals.
“I think they missed out on Adelaide and they had chances to win the game there and they will know that. I don’t see why they can’t turn that around in Perth and suddenly it’s 2-1 and is anyone’s for the taking.”
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Having been cleared by the police earlier this month following his part in the Bristol altercation involving Ben Stokes in September, Hales has been named in the ODI squad for their series against Australia later next month.
And admits it has been tough watching his team-mates in action but is looking forward of the challenge of playing T10 cricket.
“It is tough,” he said. “Because of the time difference I couldn’t see it all as I’ve been practicing at home and I saw the highlights. I was a little bit disappointed not to be out there for the Ashes trip. But if I was out there, obviously I wouldn’t be here (for the T10). When one door closes, another one opens.”
