Cook rest is precaution - Prior

Stand-in England captain Matt Prior expects Alastair Cook to be available to resume the role long before the Ashes series gets under way.

Opening batsman Cook will sit out the first game of England's tour, against a Western Australia Chairman's XI at the WACA Ground from Thursday, due to a stiff back after the long flight Down Under.

But Prior told Sky Sports News: "Him missing this game is purely precautionary, so I'd be very surprised if he doesn't play the next one."

England have four-day warm-up games against Australia A from November 6-9 and New South Wales starting on November 13 before the Test series begins in Brisbane eight days later.

Before that, though, they have the opportunity to acclimatise in the 30-degree heat and traditionally lively conditions of Perth.

With Stuart Broad also resting for the same reason as Cook, there is the opportunity for Steven Finn, Chris Tremlett and Boyd Rankin to exploit any bounce on offer and stake their claim for a Test place.

And Prior said: "Nets have been good fun at the moment with the big guys steaming in, all playing for their place - the batters have been hopping around a little bit.

"It's great to have competition in a team and in a squad, I think that's very healthy. It's not just in the bowlers, it's batters, all-rounders, throughout the team there's a huge amount of competition.

"Everybody's pushing each other very hard and that gets the best out of the final XI chosen."