Cricket legends Shane Warne and Graham Gooch have pinpointed top-order runs and pre-series preparation as being key to England 's chances of success when they face Australia down under in the Ashes this winter.
England have struggled to win in Australia for a number of years now, getting beaten 4-0 in the 2017-18 series and being whitewashed 5-0 in the 2013-14 series.
Speaking exclusively to Mirror Sport on behalf of Advanced Hair, Warne explained why it is so important that England's openers do well this winter.
He said: "In Australia, top order batting is really important because after about 30 overs it gets a lot easier to bat against the Kookaburra ball - hot sun, flat wickets and the ball doesn’t do much.
"If you don’t strike with the new ball, then it’s a long day in the field, so top order batting is really important.
"Also, you need a spinner because once the quicks are done, it’s boiling hot and the wicket’s flat, you need a spinner to dry up an end and try and break a partnership."
Gooch helped England win the 1978-79 Ashes series in Australia as a player and was England's batting coach on their victorious 2010-11 tour down under.
As a result, he knows better than anyone just what it takes for England to be successful in Australia.
Gooch said "In 2010-11, the crucial match was the first one where Australia looked like they were going to win the game and England had to bat out two days.
"I only remember this because I was there and I’ve never seen a scoreboard like it, with England 500-1. England saved that game and then they grew from there.
"Often in Ashes series, when I played and when I’ve been coaching England subsequently, England always seem to be undercooked at the beginning.
"In that series in 2010, we had two or three state matches and we won two and nearly won the third one.
"It was good, hard cricket before the first Test and that was crucial. I’m dead against these 14-a-side games because I think they’re glorified practice nets.
"When a player’s career, stats and reputation is not on the line, they don’t play the same way."
"I agree," added Warne. "I was the same when we used to come to England, we wanted to win every game we played.
"What you can’t replicate from Test match cricket is the intensity and you need to play proper, hard games leading up to the Test match.
"The tours now are so much shorter and they try and jam pack three-day games in, but I’d rather they play one proper four-day game.
"You might only have one hit so you have to make sure you don’t get out and there’s a higher price on your wicket. You’ve got to go with the same sort of intensity as a Test match.
"When England have come over to Australia, the teams that have done well were determined. Every practice session was like a Test match, you’ve got to have that intensity.
"Guys like Goochy, who was the best England player I ever bowled to, thought 'We’ve got to win every game and it’s going to be bloody hard to get me out.'"
Advanced Hair launched a brand new TV advert at their studio in Fitzroy Square with Shane Warne and Graham Gooch
