Perth, Nov 15 (IANS) England opener Zak Crawley insists the squad will be fully prepared for next week’s Ashes opener in Perth, dismissing concerns over their limited build-up to the series.

The five-match series kicks off on Friday at Perth Stadium, but England’s choice to schedule only one warm-up game — against the England Lions at Lilac Hill — has faced criticism from pundits and former players.

Crawley, however, remained optimistic after scoring a swift 82 off 101 balls in England’s first-innings total of 426, expressing confidence that the team will be ready for the much-anticipated showdown with Australia.

“Luckily, I don’t have to worry about those sorts of things. I just try and turn up and play my role in the team. But, as far as I’m concerned, it’s good prep. We’re getting used to the weather, getting used to the flies. It’s good prep and I feel like we’ll be ready for next week,” he told reporters on Friday.

The 27-year-old is set to return to the Western Australian capital for the opening Test, having previously played for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League. He said he is eagerly looking forward to walking out as an opener at the 60,000-seat stadium.

“I love this town – it’s one of my favourite places in the world, so I love being back,” he said. “Got a lot of friends here, my old batting coach is from here and I feel like I’ve got a connection here. I love Perth. I didn’t get to (play here) last time with COVID, so it’ll be very special.

“I played for the Scorchers here and Optus Stadium is an unbelievable ground, a lot of English people there hopefully and it’s going to be one of the most special moments of my career for sure,” Crawley said.

–IANS

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