Gough believes attitude is the key

Southampton: Darren Gough has told his England teammates they must have the same ‘arrogance’ as Australia if they are to win their first Ashes series in nearly 20 years later this season.

Gough is still a member of England’s ODI squad.

The 35-year-old pacer is in line for another crack at Australia when England take on Ricky Ponting’s team in Monday’s Twenty20 game at Hampshire’s Rose Bowl ground.

“As long as our players have the same mentality as theirs and are as confident, and sometimes as arrogant, there’s no reason why England can’t do well in all forms of the game,” said Gough.

“Even if you are getting smacked around, you still have got to have that belief. It only takes three balls. I had none for 60 when I took my hattrick (in the 1999 Sydney Ashes Test).

England administrators have been accused of helping Australia by devising a schedule which delays the start of the Test series until July 21, with all the one-day Internationals ? including the tri-series also featuring Bangladesh ? taking place beforehand.

But Gough, the first England bowler to take 200 ODI wickets, said: “It makes me laugh when I hear people talk about England giving Australia practice here, practice there. It’s nothing like it. Test match cricket is totally different. You’ve got three slips, short-leg.

England are second behind Australia in the Test rankings and for many of their current players, facing the men in baggy green caps is still a relatively new experience ? something Gough believes can work to their advantage.

“A lot of these guys have done well against other teams and now they’ve got the chance to do well against the best team in the world.

“If they can win this series, they are made for life. They can be absolute heroes to us all,” said Gough, who took 229 wickets at 28.39 apiece in 58 Tests.

“The players now are not too scarred. In the last few years of my (Test) career we had a lot of players who were doubting their ability before we went in there.”