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Haddin: No let-up from Australia in Ashes series

Melbourne: Australia vice-captain Brad Haddin says motivation won't be a problem for the hosts in the fourth test against England starting Thursday, though they've already reclaimed the Ashes and hold a 3-0 lead in the

haddin no let up from australia in ashes series haddin no let up from australia in ashes series
Melbourne: Australia vice-captain Brad Haddin says motivation won't be a problem for the hosts in the fourth test against England starting Thursday, though they've already reclaimed the Ashes and hold a 3-0 lead in the five-test series.



Haddin said Australia is determined to press for the 5-0 series sweep which will lift them from fifth to third on world test rankings and to further avenge its recent defeats at England's hands.

"I've been on the end of a few hidings from England so from my point of view it's not that hard at all. We'll play this game in the same spirit and with the same fight we've shown throughout my whole test career."

Haddin said Australia was already aiming not just at the No. 3 ranking, but to the summit.

"We want to challenge ourselves to be the best cricketers we can be as a group and we hope that end result is to be No.1 in the world," he said.

But Haddin said the real test of Australia's aspiration to become No. 1 will likely come in the tour of South Africa.

"That's a true test of where we're at," he said. "You want to play the best and you're not going to get to No.1 hiding away and not playing the best," he said.

"That's a challenge put to the group and we're pretty hungry to achieve that."

England batsman Kevin Pietersen said the tourists were not dispirited despite "coming unstuck" on a forgettable tour.

"The pride is there, the passion is there but when you lose there's a lot of people taking pot shots at a dressing room," Pietersen said.

"If you guys came to any of our team meetings or took a real good look into the way the boys are training, they're trying their backsides off."

Australia's opening batsman David Warner has scored two centuries and two half centuries in the three tests against England so far and was eager for that form to continue.

"I don't need much for Christmas apart from coming out here and scoring runs for the team and having a Boxing Day victory to go 4-0," Warner said.

"It's good to be on a high; I've never been on a roll like this before but I've got to work out the best way to keep scoring runs."