ANDREW Strauss leads his side into a historic first Test on Welsh soil but will let actions speak louder than words when the Ashes get under way in Cardiff this morning.

After months of build up, and a series win over the West Indies that was just an aperitif, the first ball of the five-match series will finally be bowled.

Strauss, who admitted he would never have dreamt of the honour of captaining his country against the Australians a few years back, will steer clear of trying to rouse his team with a passionate speech in the Swalec Stadium pavilion.

Instead he will remind them of the small details that will make all the difference in a series that is tipped to be just as close as the nerve-jangling classic of 2005.

He said: “I will have a chat before going out but there are not going to be any massive Chuchillian speeches – it’s just about 11 guys going out there and doing their job and being focused and controlled.

“There will be a lot of emotion around and a lot of excitement but it is important that we use that in a positive manner rather than letting it get to us and get ahead of ourselves.

“It is important to play your game and not get carried away, continue to be controlled in what you do and execute plans for long periods. Do that and you have got a good chance of getting on top of the opposition.”

Strauss is one of the few members of the England side that are still wounded by memories of the last time that the nations met.

A 5-0 whitewash in 2007 saw the Aussies regain the urn in style and understandably it is not a series that today’s hosts have talked about in great detail.

But the members of that side, who were skippered by Andrew Flintoff, will have some extra hunger for success admitted Strauss.

He said: “Losing that series hurt and I remember the pain of Adelaide (when England lost despite declaring after scoring 551 first innings runs) in particular. You don’t struggle for motivation in an Ashes series but if that gives us a little bit more then that is a good thing.”

Sporting clashes with Australia are never quiet affairs and Strauss is looking for his side to match the aggressive, intense approach of 2005 while staying on the right side of the line.

“You need to play positive cricket against Australia and you need to give as good as you get,” he said.

“I don’t want it to descend into a slagging match or anything like that, and I don’t think it will do, but it’s more of a body language thing.

“We have got to be prepared to stand up and be counted and we all have our individual ways of doing that. But the simple nuts and bolts of cricket are most important.”