We got hit pretty hard but we will come out swinging in round two

MARK WOOD has called for England to “fight fire with fire” and avoid being hit with a knockout blow in the Ashes.

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The tourists found themselves at a loose end in Perth, with three unscheduled days off after losing the series opener inside two days.

Wood was the first player to put his head above the parapet after Travis Head’s brutal century wrapped things up on the second evening, appearing on former teammate Stuart Broad's For the Love of Cricket podcast.

The fast bowler offered some insights into how the team had taken their shattering defeat, revealing the mood was “flat”.

But he remains confident they have the time and talent to turn things around.

“We've been hit pretty hard in round one but we've got other rounds to try to throw some back,” said Wood. “Ultimately we have to stick together because it’s about the end goal, not this one game.