Sir Andrew Strauss has Ashes warning for England after 'Red for Ruth' day at Lord's

Ashes legend Sir Andrew Strauss says “giving the Aussies a good stuffing” remains top of his genie wish list - but warned England’s bowlers have much to prove this winter.

Strauss was the last England captain to capture the urn Down Under in 2010-11, since when they have failed to win a single Test out of the last 15 in Australia. As Lord’s turned ‘Red for Ruth’ in memory of his late wife, raising funds for the Ruth Strauss Foundation, Lord Brocket admitted England’s attack was not yet Ashes oven-ready.

He is satisfied that Ben Stokes has enough heavy artillery at his disposal with the bat, but Strauss admitted there is a “question mark” against the bowling.

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The man who led England to No.1 in the Test rankings from 2010-12 said: "I don't think Ben needs to worry about where he sits in the pantheon of England cricketers - he’s already done so many extraordinary things as a player and a captain. But if you want to win in Australia you need are momentum, confidence and a very stable team.

“These Tests against India will determine the mood in the camp heading to Australia, but the bowling has been exposed on some very flat tracks in good weather so far this season. That will be one question mark he's still scratching his head around...how can we take 20 wickets?

“The batting is very dangerous. They grab the bull by the horns and have a lot of batters who can hurt you, but there are familiar concerns and issues around the bowling.”

In the seventh 'Red for Ruth' event at Lord’s, England players wore red numbers and lettering memory of Mrs Strauss, who died of non-smoking lung cancer in 2018.

The Ruth Strauss Foundation has raised £4million over the years, supporting more than 5,000 families facing terminal cancer diagnosis and training more than 1,300 healthcare professionals. By stumps on Friday, Red for Ruth funds had been topped up by more than £300,000.

Strauss said: "It's always humbling to see Lord's resplendent in red, it's an incredible showcase and we never take it for granted.”

Red for Ruth day at Lord’s mirrors other charitable dates on the cricket calendar. The Sydney Test in Australia now features a Pink Day in memory of fast bowling great Glenn McGrath’s late wife Jane, while Edgbaston has a ‘Blue for Bob’ fixture annually to honour former England legend Bob Willis.

As well as being a much-missed wife and mother to her two sons, Sam and Luca, Mrs Strauss was an extremely nice lady who was supportive of travelling media on long tours, readily acknowledging that players and hacks go through the same trials of separation and angst.

Strauss led England to No.1 in the world Test rankings, including a 3-1 win in Australia 15 years ago.