Cricket: Strauss targets four Ashes wins

Strauss wants to cap off his career with back to back Ashes series wins.

LONDON:

Andrew Strauss is targeting four Ashes series victories in a row before handing over the reins as England Test captain.

Strauss, who has 89 Test caps, lifted the urn in 2009 and 2011 but he is realigning his and England’s goals — marking out back-to-back Ashes triumphs as the perfect way to bring the curtain down on his career. “Playing in back-to-back Ashes tours would be a realistic goal,” said Strauss. “As long as I’m motivated and playing well, and feel like there’s still space in the side for me, then I want to continue. But I am not going to say that is definitely what is going to happen.

“There’s a lot of cricket to be played between now and then.  We will see where we are in 12 months, then another 12 months and go from there.”

When England reigned supreme in Australia earlier this year, Strauss became the first English captain for 24 years to win back-to-back Ashes series. A third straight win will place the batsman alongside Mike Brearley, who led England to wins in 1977, 1979 and 1981.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 23^rd, 2011.