Alastair Cook believes England, currently on offer at 3/1 to retain the Ashes, are warming up well for the big winter trip following their successful tour to Bangladesh.

Cook, the stand-in captain for the tour in the absence of Andrew Strauss, who was rested, guided England to an impressive 3-0 one-day series win before taking charge of the Test series – which England comfortably won 2-0.

The Essex opener says his side were tested by Bangladesh in difficult conditions but he believes it was a good way to prepare for the trip down under.

“We’ve had to work for our results here,” he said.

“Bowling in Australia will be different to bowling on the sub-continent but for the side to come here, under expectation to win, and deliver when it matters in hard conditions, in terms of heat and flat wickets, can only bode well when it comes to playing in Australia.”

England must now concentrate on getting themselves ready for the Twenty20 World Cup and you can get odds of 10/1 on the Three Lions winning the tournament outright.