Root keeping calm under pressure

Joe Root will make no allowances for Australian back-chat on the topic of David Warner when he makes his Ashes debut at Trent Bridge.

He will do so almost a month to the day after revelations broke about his close encounter with Warner's fist in a late-night bar after England's Champions Trophy victory over Australia at Edgbaston.

Root confirmed he will not bat an eyelid if any of Warner's team-mates are tempted to mention his spot of bother in Birmingham while he is taking guard. He said: "It's just part of the game, isn't it? You've got to try and get on with it, and do your thing."

Root does not expect the remaining Australians to reference Warner in any case, once they are out in the middle.

"I don't really think so - it shouldn't bother me anyway," he added. "I try and concentrate on the cricket out there and making sure I perform well. I'm just really looking forward to getting out there and getting absorbed in the cricket."

However Australia fare in the first Test, with the second match of five following back-to-back at Lord's, it appears highly unlikely Warner will return until the third at the earliest - at Old Trafford.

Root will have no qualms if he does so.

"That's Cricket Australia's decision - that's out of my hands - and I just want to move on," he said. "There's been a lot of talking about (it) - and as far as I'm concerned, it's all behind me. He's apologised; I've accepted it; we can just concentrate on some cricket."

Warner's antics have put Root centre stage in the inevitable Ashes hype, whether he likes it or not, as he fine-tunes his preparations in England's four-day match starting against Essex at Chelmsford on Sunday for just his seventh Test - having made his debut only last December.

England (v Essex at Chelmsford, starting Sunday at 11am, from): AN Cook (Captain), JE Root, IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, JM Bairstow, MJ Prior (wkt), GP Swann, SCJ Broad, ST Finn, JM Anderson, TT Bresnan, G Onions, WB Rankin.