One player has leapt to the defence of the England team currently being mauled in the Ashes series - Australian skipper Steve Waugh.

Despite the tourists' two comprehensive victories in the opening matches of the series, Waugh says they don't reflect the closeness of the contests. He adds that he has been made to battle for his runs.

Speaking at the Trafalgar Square launch of the year-long countdown to the Commonwealth Games, which begin in Manchester on 25 July next year, Waugh said: "It's hard work. I've had to bat very well to get runs here, and I'd like to think people respect us for that.

"England aren't playing that badly. The results look very one-sided but we know it's a good contest out in the middle. There's certainly no easy runs and no easy wickets so we've got to work hard.

"It hasn't happened (for England) because we're a good cricket side and we put pressure on the opposition."

Speaking at the same event, Australian master spinner Shane Warne echoed his skipper's thoughts and felt that England's dropped catches had cost them dear.

Warne said: "I don't think we've allowed England to play as well as they'd have liked. We haven't actually let them into the game.

"We've played pretty well and played some very good cricket, and as we've not allowed them to get into the game, they've always been behind.

"We've got to be careful we don't get too carried away. I don't think we will; we're a very professional team and go about our business and try to just worry about ourselves, not the opposition.

"I think that's one thing that's been very important to us and one of the reasons we've been successful.

"Having said that, although the scorelines look like we've won quite convincingly, it's actually been a lot closer than people think. They've had their chances, and unfortunately from England's point of view they haven't held onto their catches, and that's probably cost them.

"It doesn't matter who's batting; you can't give a guy three or four chances. No one means to drop a catch, and I think it's probably the worst feeling in cricket. No one likes to do it and no one means to do it - but sometimes at those moments you've just got to take it.

"England have been fielding very well over the last 12 or 18 months, so I don't know what you can put it down to. I'm just hoping they keep doing it!"

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