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LONDON. – New coach Trevor Bayliss has told England they must “fight fire with fire” if they are to regain the Ashes from his native Australia.

Former New South Wales batsman Bayliss, the first Australian to coach England, has been installed just ahead of the Ashes, which begin next week with the first Test in Cardiff.

England named their squad for that match on Wednesday, with the XI who finished the drawn two-Test series with New Zealand plus Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid and Middlesex fast bowler Steven Finn all selected.

“To be successful against Australia it’s certainly not going to be by taking a backward step or allowing the Australians just to dictate terms,” said Bayliss.

“You’ve got to get out and fight fire with fire, be positive and aggressive and individuals have to play their own natural game,” the former Sri Lanka and New South Wales coach added.

“They have been selected to play their way and that is what’s going to be successful for them.”

England won plaudits for the way in which they transformed their white-ball play by beating World Cup finalists New Zealand 3-2 with a series of dynamic displays in a recent one-day international series under the guidance of Paul Farbrace, now Bayliss’s deputy. – AFP.