SIR Ian Botham believes Australia will suffer another Ashes defeat on English soil next summer.

Former Test skipper Botham, renowned for his urn-winning performances in the 1981 series, believes the retirement of key figures like Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath have undermined Australia's bowling reserves.

He has therefore tipped England's bowling unit, which in Steve Harmison and Lancashire's Andrew Flintoff features just two of the five-man attack which won the Ashes in 2005, to dominate their opponents. That despite England suffered a humiliating 5-0 whitewash in Australia just over 18 months ago

“I do believe we'll win quite comfortably over here,” said Botham.

“I don't believe they will win. I predicted it in 2005 and I predict it again. We have the bowlers - the one thing Australia are lacking.”

Botham does not appear to rate especially highly the likes of Mitchell Johnson, part of the attack behind pace spearhead Brett Lee.

“They have Brett Lee. But after that, there's nothing; there's no spinner and no Glenn McGrath.

“There's no threat. If the (English) bowlers stay fit I think we will win the series.”

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