Australia should sweep the Ashes series 5-0

Leg-spinner Shane Warne, who has dominated England's batsmen for a decade, said on Thursday Australia should sweep the upcoming Ashes series 5-0 if the home side play to their potential.

Warne, 33, who made his Ashes debut in 1993 by dismissing England's Mike Gatting with the "ball of the century", said Australia were set to add to their record of seven consecutive Ashes series wins dating back to 1989. The first Ashes Test starts in Brisbane on November 7.

"I really believe if we play up to our ability, we could have a clean sweep of the series because at our best we should win every game," Warne wrote in a column in Melbourne tabloid the Herald Sun on Thursday.

"On the way to England last (year), Glenn McGrath stood on the beach at Gallipoli and boldly declared England couldn't win the Ashes back because they didn't believe they could.

"It made headlines over there and it put a lot of England noses out of joint because of the confidence of the statement.

"But it was true. We won 4-1 and probably could have swept it but for bad weather, a sporting declaration, and a brilliant innings from Mark Butcher in the fourth Test. Has anything changed? Time will tell."

Warne, who has taken 118 of his 477 Test wickets against England, said the touring side's biggest problem would be trying to sustain pressure long enough with bat and ball throughout a series, rather than just a day or a single match.

England captain Nasser Hussain had added steel to the touring side, Warne said. The Australian players had called him "Mike Brearley" on last year's Ashes tour, describing him as a good captain who didn't make enough runs.

"Winning an Ashes series in Australia would make him a hero and he would come here with that thought in mind, even though convincing the rest of his men it can be done could prove difficult," Warne said.

Mail Cricket Editor