Australians not surprised by England fightback

BRISBANE, Nov 26 (Reuters) Australian batsman Justin Langer said he was not the least bit surprised at England's fightback in the first Ashes test after he silenced his own critics with a century.

Although Australia remain on course to win the match, England succeeded in stalling their march to victory with a spirited batting display today to force the match into a fifth day.

But Langer, who completed his 23rd test hundred in the first half of play before Australia declared 647 runs in front, said he had been waiting for England to launch their counter attack.

''We were expecting England to put up a fight, and that's what they did today,'' Langer told a news conference at the Gabba.

''We expect nothing less than that from England. They hold the Ashes.'' England have been heavily criticised by sections of the British media for failing to put up a show in the first three days but Langer said their performance was really a reflection of how well Australia had played.

''It shows how well prepared we were, and how focussed and committed we are for this series,'' he said.

''The way we've played, we haven't let England into the game.

''It's more indicative of how we're playing, not how England is going.'' However, Langer did concede there were some worrying signs on the first morning of the test when Steve Harmison's first delivery of the series veered straight to second slip and his next ball flew down the legside.

STARK CONTRAST Langer said those first two deliveries were in stark contrast to the way England started the 2005 Ashes series at Lord's.

''It was very clear, the body language of the England team, after the first two balls at Lord's, they were buzzing around, they were all over us,'' Langer said.

''I'm not suggesting England aren't up for it now, but in six weeks' time, I just wonder if that will be significant.'' The left-handed Langer had resumed on 88 on Sunday and wasted little time chalking up his fifth ton against England, reaching the milestone with a single off Harmison to finish 100 not out off 147 balls.

Langer also made 82 in the first innings and said he hoped his peformances would silence the critics who had called for him to be sacked and replaced by a younger man.

Although Langer has played 101 tests for Australia and scored more than 7,500 runs at a healthy average of 45, the 35-year-old has always been under pressure to hold his spot.

''One of the frustrations about all this speculation is that I'm probably in the best form of my life so it was just nice to put the runs in the bank now.

''I would love to be able to walk out every day and be relaxed and not have it but at the same time I'm thankful I've been under pressure a lot of my career because it's meant that I've had to eliminate all those distractions and become very mentally strong.

''I couldn't have played 100 test matches unless I was mentally strong. That's the thing I'm most proud of in my career. I've had a lot of distractions and people questioning my ability.

''If I hadn't have had it, perhaps I wouldn't have been as strong as I am mentally so in those ways I'm thankful that I've been under the pump.'' REUTERS PM BS1541