Strauss still wary of Aussie threat

Andrew Strauss' England are committed to "fearless" cricket, but there will be no lack of respect for the opposition when the NatWest Series gets under way against Australia on Tuesday.

England's new ethos of attack and industry in the limited-overs formats has been cited time and again by the captain and coach Andy Flower since they reached a "watershed" moment after their 6-1 trouncing at home to Australia last September.

Back-to-back series victories have followed in South Africa and Bangladesh, but Strauss warned: "If you look at the way Australia have played one-day cricket over the last 12 months they are the team to beat."

Following the ICC World Twenty20 final thrashing of Australia under Paul Collingwood, last autumn's Johannesburg summit meeting of the whole squad and coach has taken on legendary status as the moment when England realised and admitted the errors of their ways in limited-overs cricket.

But Strauss is too canny to spend the eve of a tough five-match series at home to the team top of the world rankings publicly trumpeting England's new world-beating formula.

Instead he stressed that even an Australia team missing several high-profile players through injury will represent a major test of England's credentials.

"I don't think there's a one-day team out there with a better record than them," he added. "We're going into this with our eyes open. It's not going to be easy.

"They're a well-drilled unit. They may be down on experience of past Australian teams, but that hasn't stopped them winning.

"I think we understand the size of the job in front of us but we're a pretty confident unit ourselves.

"It's going to be a good gauge of where both sides are at for the World Cup."