SHANE Warne believes Australia will "wipe the floor" with England in next summer's Ashes showdown unless Kevin Pietersen's men can win the forthcoming Test series in India and the West Indies.
Pietersen and fast bowler Steve Harmison both predicted England could regain the famous urn after they beat South Africa convincingly in the final Test of the summer.
That was Pietersen's first Test in charge as captain and he went on to lead En
gland to a 4-0 victory over South Africa in the one-day series.
But Warne laughed off the idea that England are suddenly good enough to down Australia on the back of one Test match and a handful of limited-overs games.
"I've heard all this stuff about the Ashes. I'd like to see England win something first," said Warne. "They've just won a dead rubber against South Africa and everyone is saying: 'We're going to win the Ashes'.
"I suppose it was exciting for England to win a dead rubber, to win a Test match. South Africa won that series 2-1 and really they've only got a couple of batsmen. They (England] have to start winning something before the Ashes come along. Start to win some series and get some momentum. That's what happened in 2005.
"If England can win their next Test series, and then the next one, I'm sure they will give Australia a real shake. But if they keep losing series, and winning dead rubbers, then I think Australia will thrash them. They will wipe the floor with them.
"Australia are a fantastic side. They are not on the decline."
Warne is in London to promote his new book – Shane Warne's Century – which features the top 100 players he competed with and against through his career.
Pietersen comes in at 33, and Warne believes his old Hampshire team-mate is the right man to get that vital momentum going in the England camp.
"The way England won that Test match is exciting. I wouldn't get my hopes up too high but it is encouraging," said Warne.
"With Pietersen as captain, he has confidence, he is the best England batsman and people will follow him. Sometimes the best players don't make the best captains but Pietersen is hungry for it. He likes being the man."
Warne also believes Michael Vaughan is still England's best option to bat at number three, despite the former captain's drop in form and omission from the tour of India.
Warne, who placed Vaughan at 54 in his book, said: "Michael Vaughan was the best English captain I ever played against.
He is still the best number three that England have got. I have still got some doubts about Ian Bell and a couple of others."
Warne named India's Sachin Tendulkar at No 1, ahead of the West Indies' Brian Lara and Curtly Ambrose. The leading Englishman was Graham Gooch at 14.
The full article contains 492 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
