'We play our best when the chips are down' - Clarke

An Australian cricketer's confidence, at least in public utterances, never wavers. Not in the face of sparse results, a growing list of doubters or being behind in an Ashes series for the second time in consecutive tours. The players are preparing to enter the third Test with an opener who hasn't been able to cope with the short ball, a blunt bowling spearhead and a number of possible permutations over their XI, but with the way they talk it's almost like they own the 1-0 advantage.

There are only positives in the problems of Phillip Hughes and Mitchell Johnson, and opportunities for those who might be so lucky to replace them. Michael Clarke, the vice-captain, said the make-up of the team had not been discussed among the group this week, other than everyone being told by the captain and coach that they could play at Edgbaston. It's not quite a crisis, but with only three matches remaining the time for cheerful chatter must soon switch to on-field action.

So given their situation, why do the tourists have such confidence in a swift comeback? "It's the Australian way, I guess," Clarke said. "We play this game for one reason: to win. We love the game we play, we'll be out there on Thursday backing ourselves 100% to win this game."

Times of trouble spur Australians more, they claim, and there have been series full of them over the past year. It is virtually impossible to speak to a player in the squad without them mentioning the tour of South Africa, where they beat the hosts to maintain their No. 1 ranking. However, on current results that series is the exception, not the light to guide them through a blip.

"We play our best cricket when the chips are down, we are 1-0 down and we'll take the positives out of that," Clarke said. "We know where we let ourselves down over the past two Tests and we know the areas we want to improve. I'm certain if we play our best cricket we will win this Test."

Four years ago the Australian selectors were slow to act as Ricky Ponting's squad lost the Ashes 2-1. The refurbished panel, which is led by Andrew Hilditch, has also shown a tendency to let things slide rather than make a firm decision when it comes to their respected players. It happened with Brett Lee and Matthew Hayden during their home summer and appears to be occurring again with Mitchell Johnson, who has been a shadow of the hero who turned up in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. All Johnson's team-mates expect him to do an excellent job if he plays at Edgbatson.

The closest Clarke came to admitting things haven't gone exactly to plan came when he said "things could be better". "We could be 1-0 up, there are things we need to improve with bat and ball," he said. "We need to be playing our best cricket to beat England in these conditions."

Despite losing Kevin Pietersen, England remain inspired by the Andrew Flintoff wave that rose in the second innings at Lord's. Flintoff is sleeping with an ice machine to ensure his problem knee is ready for back-to-back Tests and the Australians are wary of him.

Clarke is the most qualified batsman to deal with Flintoff, having not been dismissed by him in 12 Tests. The statistic surprised Clarke - "I didn't know that, touch wood, hopefully Thursday's not the day" - but he does not expect Flintoff to carry England to victory.

"He's an amazing player and has been for a long time, but I'm not disappointed that I won't have to face him after this series again in Test cricket," Clarke said. "It's always a contest. I hope Andrew is fit and ready to go and can finish the series, he certainly deserves that. Unfortunately, I think he's going to be finishing as a loser when we win the series." Of course, an Australian player would say that.