Stuart Broad admits England are up against it in the Ashes but has backed his team to come out fighting and turn the series around.
Alastair Cook’s side went into the first Test as favourites with Australia cricket betting pundits to win a fourth series in a row against Australia but left Brisbane red faced after a 381-run defeat in which they failed miserably with the bat.
Mitchell Johnson has been a figure of fun for the Barmy Army but he had the last laugh at the Gabba with match figures of 9-103. England had no answer to the left-armer’s pace and bounce.
Since then, things have deteriorated for England fans who bet on cricket, with experienced number three, Jonathan Trott, back home managing a stress-related illness.
England must now shuffle their batting order and choose one of three inexperienced players to replace Trott for the second Test in Adelaide, which begins on December 5.
Broad fully believes England have the character to bounce back from a disastrous start to the tour. They have previous for starting tours badly and hitting back, most notably in India in 2012.
“We’ve got a huge task on our hands. We had a blip last week, but I can’t see this group of players allowing that to happen throughout the tour,” said Broad, who was England’s best performer in the first Test with eight wickets.
“There will be some guys who know they didn’t perform to the level expected of them in international cricket and will have to do better in Adelaide.
“This squad has a real steely determination and the Gabba result hurt us. We’re a proud bunch and I’m sure that the performance levels will be back up to where they need to be come Adelaide.”
An Australia win in the second Test would leave them on the brink of their first Ashes triumph since 2006-07.