Australia vice-captain Brad Haddin hopes the visitors can make amends for two straight Ashes defeats with victory in this year’s series, which begins at TrentBridge on Wednesday.
The Baggy Green lost in England in 2009 and again in Australia two years ago – a first home loss Down Under in 24 years – but wicket-keeper Haddin believes the team are confident they can now leave years of “hurt” in the past by focusing on the present.
He told Sky Sports News: “It hurts and that won’t go away. We’d love to make amends for that in this series and our progress over the last few weeks has been good. Now we’re just excited about one of the Tests being in a couple of days’ time. I think it’s important to live in the moment, there’s no point worrying what’s gone before.”
Haddin added: “We can sit and talk about some great games in Australian cricket and English cricket, but it’s now about another exciting Test series in a couple of days’ time.
“It’s a new campaign now. New dreams are made and new experiences are about to be had so it’s important we move forward and enjoy this for what it is.”
Haddin would not, however, be drawn on what role David Warner might play in Nottingham. The batsman was suspended from Australia’s warm-up matches after punching England’s Joe Root in Birmingham last month.
“I don’t know the team now,” he added. “I can speculate on a lot of things but I don’t know the team. I know the openers, and I know who’s batting seventh.
“He’s got as good a chance as anyone in the squad, but I haven’t been in discussions with him.
“Everyone’s excited about the campaign. It’s not hard to get up for a series like this. This is the biggest series that you play from a player’s point of view.
“It’s not hard to come together and enjoy the moment with an Ashes series about to start.”
