Captain Tim Paine is confident Australia will successfully combat England’s short deliveries during the third Ashes series Test at Headingley in Leeds this week.

England were spearheaded by fast bowler Jofra Archer in last week’s second Test at Lord’s in London, where batsmen Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne were felled by bouncers. Smith has since been ruled out of this fixture with a concussion.

‘Obviously, we copped some short-pitched bowling. I think guys prepared for it but it’s another thing facing it. Guys have got plans in place and we’ve prepared really well for it – it’s now about going out and executing it,’ said Paine.

‘We think the Lord’s wicket was quite a different one to face short-pitched bowling on, so we’re interested to see how this wicket plays. But again, it’s about adapting to the situation and the wicket and what any of their bowlers are trying to do. We’ve got to have a plan to counter that and I know our boys will.’

Opening batsman David Warner, like England’s Jason Roy, is struggling to convert a fine stretch of form at limited-overs level into success in Test cricket. Warner has endured four single-figure innings in the series, so far, while Roy has a mere 40 runs to show for four innings.

‘I think opening the batting in Test cricket in England is difficult. I know our guys are struggling as well to get the runs that they’d like. I just think it’s international cricket, it’s tough,’ added Paine.

‘We’ve seen Jason play some amazing innings in one-day cricket. We saw David do the same thing in the early days of his career and sometimes it takes a little bit of time to get used to Test cricket and the differences in it.’

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