Botham slams 'fragile' Oz batting line-up as 'weakest ever for Ashes series'

English legend Sir Ian Botham has slammed Australia's batting depth and has branded it as the 'weakest Ashes line-up ever'.

The all-time leading Test wicket-taker in England believes that Australian openers Chris Rogers and David Warner will need to go beyond their call of duty if the home team is to claim back the urn this summer.

According to News.com.au, Botham, who single-handily destroyed Australia in the 1981 Ashes series, said that Australia's batting is very fragile and is the weakest that he has ever seen in an Ashes line-up among all the Australian sides over the years.

Stating that he does not mean to be detrimental to the Australian batsmen, Botham however, said that the team needs to have a good start at the Gabba Test and expose their best players in the game early, instead of being two or three wickets down, adding that England bowlers are aware of the pressure on the openers are going to target them.

Botham, who claimed 383 wickets in 102 Tests for his nation, also believes that Australia does not have the bowling depth to challenge England in the series, saying that with the exception of veteran Ryan Harris, the other bowlers, even Mitchell Johnson, have got to deliver and bowl consistently.

Botham also described the attempt to wind Kevin Pietersen up as 'dumb' and said the recent slanging match would only wake the sleeping giant.