Ramprakash eyes Ashes place

Ramprakash has been in excellent form for Surrey

Mark Ramprakash is ready to answer the call of the England selectors if they choose him to replace Surrey teammate Graham Thorpe in the Ashes tour party.

Have your Say: Who should replace Thorpe?

Ramprakash has not played Test cricket since last winter's tour to New Zealand but is eager to resume his international career.

He is seen by many as the favourite to fill the vacancy, primarily because of his excellent record against Australia.

The 33-year-old topped England's Test averages on the 1998-99 tour, scoring 379 runs at 47.37, and also made 133 against Steve Waugh's side in last summer's match at The Oval.

"If you're a professional cricketer, you know the challenges that an Australian tour brings and I think any cricketer would welcome the chance to go and play there.

"It's a very exciting place to play cricket, good facilities, and obviously you're playing against the best team, probably, in the world," Ramprakash told BBC Radio Five Live.

  Ramprakash's record

Tests overall
2,350 runs in 52 matches, average 27.32, 2 100s 12 50s
Tests v Australia
933 runs in 12 matches, average 42.40, 1 100, 6 50s

The selectors are expected to make their choice by the beginning of next week at the latest, with Nick Knight, Robert Key and Ian Ward also likely to be considered.

But none of them has the record and experience against Australia to equal Ramprakash, who is well aware to the scale of the task facing Nasser Hussain's side.

"There's no obvious weakness. They've got six very, very good batsmen who've been playing Test cricket for a while now and their records speak for themselves.

"Adam Gilchrist comes in at seven as wicket-keeper/batsman and he's a prolific player, then they've got the fast bowlers and the wrist-spinner, Shane Warne.

A ton against the Aussies at The Oval last year

"England are going to have to play very well to compete with them."

Thorpe decided to withdraw just two weeks after persuading the selectors that he was in the right frame of mind to tour following prolonged marital problems.

If chosen, Ramprakash would be leaving behind two young daughters and he is sympathetic to Thorpe's predicament.

"I've got two girls, one five years old and one six months. For the most recent addition, I was away in New Zealand, so I missed the birth, which was a shame.

"It's difficult and you have to weigh up things as a cricket player - obviously (when) touring for three months in Australia. I've got a very understanding wife and you need that, you really do need that."