BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | Hussain turns to Ashes

Nasser Hussain believes England have the talent to challenge Australia in this winter's Ashes series, providing they have better luck with injuries.

Hussain was handicapped throughout the summer by injuries to established players like Darren Gough, Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Flintoff and promising newcomers like Simon Jones.

England still managed to beat Sri Lanka 2-0 and draw 1-1 with India but skipper Hussain acknowleges that they need everyone available in order to shake up the Aussies.

If we can get some key bowlers fit, I think we have got a real good chance against Australia

Nasser Hussain

"We have now got to move on from being a side that lost nearly everything to a side that finishes off games, which we haven't quite done," he commented.

"We have got to work out how to get 20 wickets, but there have been a lot of positives this summer - the coaching, Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick."

"If we can get some key bowlers fit, I think we have got a really good chance against Australia - the best chance we have had for a while.

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"We are in much more confident mood but they are obviously the best side in the world. They have hammered everyone."

Shane Warne
Warne's threat may be negated

Hussain believes England are now more confident against quality spin bowling after facing Saqlain Mushtaq, Muttiah Muralitharan, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh in recent months.

And he suggested the new-found confidence could be key against their nemesis Shane Warne.

"I saw something I thought I would never see in my captaincy today during a rain break. Rahul Dravid went up to Michael Vaughan and said `how did you play (Muttiah) Muralitharan?'

"That's a first for me, an Asian lad asking Vaughan how to play spin.

"If we are going to be successful in Australia we will have to put an end to one or two of our hoodoos and that includes Warne."

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The squad for Australia will be named on Tuesday and the selectors may include Jones and Steve Harmison, who both made their Test debuts against India, to back up Gough, Andy Caddick, Matthew Hoggard and Flintoff.

Gough will, however, need to convince the selectors of his fitness prior to departure after missing out on Test cricket this summer because of knee problems.

Possible England Ashes squad: Nasser Hussain (capt), Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher, John Crawley, Graham Thorpe, Andrew Flintoff, Craig White, Alec Stewart, James Foster, Ashley Giles, Andrew Caddick, Matthew Hoggard, Darren Gough, Alex Tudor, Simon Jones, Steve Harmison.