Strauss unhappy over choice of Cardiff first Ashes Test venue
5 Jul 2009, 1248 Hrs

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London, July 5 England skipper Andrew Strauss is unhappy over selection of Cardiff as venue for the first Ashes Test, as he wants to capitalize on the home advantage during the series.

Strauss last played a first-class game at Cardiff in 2002, and the ground was known as Sophia Gardens. It has undergone several changes of name, shape and structure since then - to the point where England's captain says his players "will be walking into the unknown".

The equivalent would be Ricky Ponting leading his side into a home series starting with an inaugural Test at Canberra, where he had batted, but only seven years before, The Telegraph reports.

"We are not entirely sure what to expect. Both teams will go there not knowing what to expect, and we can only judge when the Test match is over," said Strauss about Cardiff.

"In world cricket home advantage counts for a huge amount," Strauss said in the context of Cardiff as something of a neutral venue.

England is playing with home made Dukes balls, not the Kookaburras which the Australians are used to; and this year's batch have been swinging, according to Strauss. "We know our conditions better and should adapt to them better."

He won't be too nice, as some England captains have been in amateur days.

"We'd love to see the Aussies getting a hard time from the crowds," he said, referring to 2005 when the crowd acted like England's 12th man. (ANI)

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