Australia’s cricket superpower role not in crisis: Warne

SYDNEY - Former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne believes that reports of Australia’s death as a cricket superpower are greatly exaggerated, and predicted that they will win the upcoming Ashes series.

“Australia aren’t playing as well as they’d like, but a crisis is when you haven’t got good players. But don’t tell me Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Peter Siddle aren’t good,” the Daily Express quoted Warne, as saying.

“Australia will win because our bowlers know the conditions here better,” he added.

The 41-year-old further criticized Andrew Strauss-led England team saying that they possess the “wrong attitude”.

“I sense for the first time in a long while the English attitude is different - more sarcasm, lip and arrogance. And if England come over with the wrong attitude it could end in tears,” Warne said.

England have arrived Down Under to defend the urn they claimed with a 2-1 success on home soil last year.

Australia have not lost an Ashes series Down Under since 1986/87, but have been struggling in recent months and suffered a 2-0 Test whitewash on their recent tour of India. (ANI)