Ashes 05

The Big Easy · #1 08-29-2005, 08:13 AM

Hope everyone had a good weekend. The English had a fantastic weekend as you can see and are 2:1 up in the series. I have been in and out of the office and on the tracks so did not have time to post anything till now. Come on Australia, what is happening?

Can't wait for the final test.

Cheers,

Vaughan wants win in Ashes finale

England lead Ashes after epic win

England captain Michael Vaughan expects his team to go all out for victory in the final Test at the Oval, despite needing just a draw to win the Ashes.

England went 2-1 up in the series after a thrilling three-wicket win over Australia in the fourth Test.

"If you go into the game thinking you are going to play for the draw it's the wrong mindset," said Vaughan.

"We will just go out and try to play in a similar fashion as we have done in the last three games."

Sunday's epic victory at Trent Bridge sees England lead the series for the first time since 1997.

We realise we are on the brink of something special

Michael Vaughan

Now Vaughan's side head to The Oval next week knowing they need only to prevent Australia from winning to make history and win an Ashes series after eight successive defeats

"It's too early to say whether we are going to win the Ashes," Vaughan added.

"But we are playing good cricket, we are 2-1 up with a game to play and I am sure The Oval will be an epic like the last three.

"To be 2-1 up is obviously a nice position to be in, but to win eight [Tests] on the trot last year was fantastic and we played some excellent cricket.

The Aussies will not fear anyone at The Oval - there is going to be a hatful of runs on both sides

From AKAH

Have your say on TMS

"We are challenging ourselves against the best team in the world now and we must continue it."

Vaughan will urge his vibrant side to remain the same as they build up for one of the biggest sporting occasions England has ever known.

"I think we have just got to be exactly how we have been for the last four weeks," he stressed.

"We went 1-0 down and we didn't change, we went to 1-1 and we didn't change, and we should have won at Old Trafford and we didn't change.

"We will be exactly the same at The Oval. We realise we are on the brink of something special, but we have to be very, very controlled and continue to work at our games. "There are areas we have to work on over the next week, make sure our practice and preparation is good in the lead-in and try to play a good, positive game again and if we do that things will look after themselves."