Flower hopeful he has struck right balance for England

England coach Flower is well aware of his and fellow management staff's responsibility to get the timing right for the arrival of his squad's wives, girlfriends and children.

The players will have the support of their families close at hand for the remainder of the Ashes, as they seek to retain the urn for England in Perth this week – before the final two matches over Christmas and the new year in Melbourne and Sydney.

"It is quite a tricky decision to make," Flower conceded. "We are setting dates for families to be allowed – when players and families are adults and want to be free to make their own decisions about which country they travel to or the timings of those trips."

He acknowledges there are bound to be some mixed feelings over an imperfect situation, but believes the stakes are too high for him to get it wrong as England seek to win the Ashes Down Under for the first time in almost 25 years.

"You can't get everyone agreeing to whatever dates you put in, but the players in the end did react very well to it."

James Anderson is one player who will not have his wife and young family with him over the next three weeks, having only just returned from watching the birth of his second daughter.

Anderson left the evening after England won the second Test in Adelaide and arrived back with the team yesterday.

Flower accepts there are qualms about the fast bowler's tiring schedule, and short preparation time before the third Test at the WACA on Thursday, but hopes he has got a tough call right.

Flower appeared confident before the drawn match against Victoria at the MCG that he knew who would replace the injured Stuart Broad for the third Test.

The prospect of a traditionally bouncy surface makes 6ft 8in Chris Tremlett the obvious favourite ahead of Yorkshire pair Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad.

Whoever is picked, though, Flower is well aware of the history England must overturn at this venue. "England do have a poor record in Perth – one win out of 11, and that was back in 1978 during World Series times – so we do recognise the challenge in front of us, and I think the guys are excited about attempting to turn that round," he said.