'Aussies in decline'

Australia legend Dennis Lillee believes the current side are "losing their stranglehold on the Ashes".

"They are a team in decline, suffering from the ageing process," he told the Mail on Sunday.

"England are on top while this side are on a downhill run, coming towards the end of an extraordinary time when they have conquered everything.

"This is a very good England side playing against a team containing some players reaching their sell-by date."

Lillee took 167 wickets in 29 Ashes Tests between 1970 and 1983, and his haul of 355 Test wickets was a world record until Ian Botham overhauled it in 1986.

He believes "the best England attack I've seen for many years" is now exposing some Australian batting deficiencies masked by their dominance.

"The pace of England's bowling has exposed technical problems caused by advancing years and playing against some mediocre attacks in recent times," he continued.

"That lack of sharpness is never more exposed than by a pace attack such as the blindingly quick one England have deployed."

But former Australia batsman Mark Waugh believes England "may have missed the chance to beat us by not winning at Old Trafford".

"They still lack the confidence and killer blow in their make-up," he said in the Sydney Sun-Herald.

"At Edgbaston they fell over the line to win when it should have been much more clinical and decisive.

"They really got the wobbles in the last Test -- even though they were much the better team.

"On the last day, when they should have been going for the jugular, they had defensive field settings and two bowlers in Ashley Giles and Steve Harmison who cracked under pressure.

"Halfway through the tour, there is still all to play for and I might sit on the fence and predict a drawn series."

His brother Steve Waugh, the former Australia captain, believes the form of Adam Gilchrist could determine the outcome of the series.

"The way I see it, England hold the advantage of better form while Australia have more potential to improve," he wrote in the Sunday Times.

"The influence of Gilchrist has yet to be felt and it is here that the balance of power may rest.

"'Gilly's all-round game has appeared lethargic at times, and it is no coincidence that Australia have also lacked a sharpness and edge to their play that has characterised them in the past.

"Wicketkeepers are the soul of the team and their voice and actions have consequences second only to that of the captain, so it isn't really a surprise to see so many chances being squandered at present."