Captain Strauss urges England to raise their game

Andrew Strauss has told his England team they will have to prepare for their biggest challenge yet now they are a “hunted” side after rising to number one in the world Test rankings. Test captain Strauss led hosts England to a 4-0 series rout of India earlier this year as the Ashes holders climbed to the summit of the five-day game.But England’s new-found status will come under threat when they face Pakistan in a three-match series in the United Arab Emirates starting in January.“We recognise that the next 12-18 months will be the biggest test we’ve had yet as a group,” said Strauss. “It’s a different mindset being the hunted rather than the hunters,” opening batsman Strauss added.“We’ll have to retain that desperate desire to improve if we want to stay on top. “There are a lot of teams below us who want to knock us off our perch.”After the Pakistan series, England complete their off-season Test programme with a two-match contest in Sri Lanka. Next year England are at home to an improving West Indies and South Africa, who recently tied 1-1 in an exciting two-Test series with Australia, in three and four match campaigns respectively. “We’ve seen a resurgence in West Indies cricket in recent times, so that will be a challenge for us,” said Strauss. “Hopefully (English) early-season conditions will suit us more than them.“And we all know about the qualities of South Africa, they’ve just finished an outstanding series against Australia.