Angus Fraser yesterday reassured England's management that his disappointing start to the Ashes tour is merely a temporary setback and not the gradual weakening of his powers at international level.

Fraser has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance since earning a shock recall for last winter's tour to West Indies, claiming 54 wickets in 11 Tests to establish himself as England's finest exponent of traditional values like line and length. Yet a wicket-less return in the drawn match against Western Australia at the WACA and the manner in which flamboyant opener Ryan Campbell savaged his bowling is causing concern, with the opening Test at Brisbane just over a fortnight away.

"I seem to have a match at the start of each tour when you think you've lost it for a while and all of sudden you get it right," said Fraser. "It makes you realise you have to put in the hard work rather than taking it for granted, so it's not a bad thing to come that early in the tour."