Australia will beat England,
says Geoff Marsh
England will not score enough runs to beat Australia in this summer's Ashes series, according to former Australia coach Geoff Marsh.
"Australia will win the Ashes. If we get Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne all bowling well, England won't make enough runs to beat Australia," Marsh said in India on Thursday.
Australia, who begin their three-month England tour on May 29, will play five Tests against England after a triangular one-day tournament also involving Pakistan.
Marsh predicted that leg-spinner Warne would dominate the England batsmen despite struggling in the recent 2-1 Test series defeat in India.
"He is a world class bowler. He will come back. He will terrorise the English again," Marsh said.
Warne, who holds the Australian Test record of 376 victims, managed only 10 wickets at more than 50 runs apiece in the three-Test series against India.
But he has dominated English batsmen since bowling Mike Gatting with a perfectly pitched leg break eight years ago, his first delivery of the 1993 Ashes series at Old Trafford.
Marsh said England were an improved side after their recent Test series wins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, but felt such performances would not be good enough against the world champions.
"They have improved no doubt. But to us there are not too many different players," he said. "Australia will do their homework well."
Marsh, who coached Australia to their 1999 World Cup victory in England, said fielding would be another major factor in deciding the series.
"If the ball goes to an Australian fieldsman, he is out. They don't drop too many catches," he added.
Marsh said Steve Waugh's team would bounce back from the defeat in India, adding that the return of young fast bowler Brett Lee could be crucial.
Lee, who is vying for the tag of the world's fastest bowler with Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar, missed the Indian tour following an elbow operation but has been named in the squad to travel to England.
Marsh, a former Australian vice-captain, is in India working as a consultant for the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
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