Strauss says Ashes win would be career highlight

England have not beaten Australia in an away Ashes series since Mike Gatting masterminded a victorious campaign in 1986-1987.

England skipper Andrew Strauss has set his sights on a victorious Ashes series in Australia,telling his squad that a triumph Down Under would be a career highlight.

England have not beaten Australia in an away Ashes series since Mike Gatting masterminded a victorious campaign in 1986-1987.

But with England leapfrogging Australia in the latest International Cricket Council world rankings,Strauss believes his side have the ability to end the two-decade losing streak.

8220;We8217;ve really been targeting this series because an Ashes win in Australia can be a defining moment in your career,8221; Strauss told Sky Sports News yesterday.

8220;You never know how it8217;s going to play out there,how difficult or easy it might be,but what you8217;ve got to do is be as prepared as possible,be prepared for anything.

8220;When you8217;re there there8217;s a lot of off-field things to do deal with,being away from home for a long time,but if you deal with that well,it gives you a good chance of playing well on the field.8221;

Strauss said England would head into the Ashes full of confidence after a successful summer which featured series over Bangladesh and Pakistan.

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8220;We8217;re in a good place as a side,8221; Strauss said. 8220;We8217;ve made a lot of improvement over the last 18 months or so.

8220;We8217;re aware it8217;s a tough assignment going to Australia and winning,very tough,but we8217;re in a good place to do it. We8217;re quietly confident we can do it without being over-the-top arrogant.

8220;We need to play well out there,we need to be consistent and in the really crucial sessions we need to make sure we play well.

8220;But we8217;re really excited and just ticking down the hours now.8221;

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While Australia had just suffered a 2-0 loss to India,Strauss believes that series result will be irrelevant when the Ashes gets under way.

8220;The conditions in India are so different,8221; he said. 8220;They8217;ve obviously lost a few Tests and have a few questions they need to iron out and that might preoccupy them where we don8217;t have that.

8220;But we know from past experience that as soon as you arrive in Australia,from day one things get pretty tough.

8220;They8217;re a proud side,their record in Australia is outstanding and we8217;re expecting therm to be at their best this winter so if we want to beat them we have to be better than that.8221;