Michael Clarke has admitted he thinks that the upcoming Ashes series will be a close fought contest as Australia aim to retain the urn by winning on English soil for the first time since 2001.

Despite the comprehensive 5-0 victories on home soil in 2006/07 and more recently in 2013/14, Australia have lost the last three series in England in 2005, 2009 and 2013.

However, Clarke says the team are solely focused on getting off to a good start when the teams line up in the first Test tomorrow at the SSE SWALEC.

“It's going to be a really close series,” Clarke said. “It's about consistency and execution and being able to do it for long periods of time. You need to be able to do all the right things ball after ball, day after day.

“It's why Test cricket is the pinnacle of our sport. There haven't been too many times in my career when the best team hasn't won a Test match.

 “It's no coincidence we haven't won here since 2001. Beating England in their own back yard is extremely tough. We're excited by the challenge, but we know it's going to be a fantastic five-Test series.

"As a team this (winning in England) is our next major challenge. This team has gone through plenty of highs and lows and we've been able to fight through the majority of them, so the players deserve a lot of credit for that.

"To be able to come out here and play entertaining cricket and enjoy what is always a fantastic tour, it would be a great reward for the hard work we've put in over the last four years."

With the pitch and conditions in Cardiff changing by the day, on top of the fact the Test marks the opener of the eagerly anticipated series, both teams are keeping their plans close to their chest.

“We haven't got a team at this stage,” Clarke said.

“The wicket has changed a fair bit since yesterday so we'll wait until tomorrow and announce our team at the toss of the coin.

“It's nice being back in Cardiff. It looks like the grass has been cut a little, but whatever we're given, that's part of playing away from home.

"There's a chance,” Clarke added on whether Australia would play four pacemen.

“There was more of a chance yesterday when that grass was left on the wicket, but there's still enough grass on there and I guess the selectors are waiting to see if it is cut again or left the way it is."

 

Tickets for Day 5 of the otherwise sold out Fourth Investec Ashes Test at Trent Bridge are still available priced at just £20. Don't miss the chance to watch the sport's most historic contest and secure your seats now.