Australia fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz hopes his side can draw inspiration from legendary boxer Muhammad Ali and deliver a knockout blow to England's hopes of regaining the Ashes at The Oval next week. Australia trail 2-1 in the five-match series with England scenting a first Ashes series win in 18 years.
But Kasprowicz said the fact that both of England's wins had been nailbiting affairs - by two runs in the second Test at Edgbaston and, most recently, by three wickets at Trent Bridge - gave Australia hope of squaring the series and so retaining the Ashes they've held since 1989.
Former Essex seamer Kasprowicz, speaking Friday ahead of the tourists' two-day warm-up game against his old county, said the position his side were in was similar to that of Ali when he fought fellow American George Foreman for the world heavyweight title in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, in 1974 - a fight that was billed as the 'Rumble in the Jungle'.
"No one likes losing and we've gained a lot by the fact that we've taken games pretty close," he said.
However, Ali's 'rope-a-dope' ploy was a deliberate tactic whereas the position Australia find themselves in is not where they would have wanted to be come the final Test of the series.
Even so 33-year-old Kasprowicz, who played in both of England's victories in place of the injured Glenn McGrath, said Ricky Ponting's men could still turn it to their advantage.
Meanwhile England, who are due to announce their squad on Sunday, will hope that Simon Jones is passed fit.
If the Glamorgan quick is given the all-clear following a right ankle injury sustained at Trent Bridge it will enable England to field the same eleven in all five matches of an Ashes series for the first time in over a century.
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