England's director of cricket Andrew Strauss has insisted that Australia will have to be at their very best if they are to end a 14-year wait to win the Ashes on foreign soil.

The Aussies are firm favourites heading into this summer's tournament having regained the urn with an emphatic 5-0 drubbing Down Under 18 months ago, but they have not managed to beat England in England since 2001.

The two sides have suffered contrasting fortunes over the last year or so, but Strauss believes that home advantage will help his side in their quest to upset the odds.

"We know this Australia side is a good side, they're full of confidence, they've just won the World Cup," he told Sportsweek.

"They'll be a hard side to beat but we'll hopefully have the support of the nation behind the players and it's a hard thing to win away from home, and I think if Australia do win they'll have to play some outstanding cricket to do so.

"There will be plenty of times over the next seven weeks where both sides are very even and the match will be on the line and those are the times you need to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Pretty simple in theory, in practice a bit more difficult."

The Ashes get underway with the first Test in Cardiff on Wednesday.