Former England player Michael Vaughan has claimed that Australian captain Michael Clarke has no chance of winning back the Ashes if his side loses the first Test at the Gabba.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Australia has not lost in Brisbane for 25 years, and even then it took a mighty West Indian team led by giants of the game like Viv Richards and Malcolm Marshall to bring them down.
Vaughan, in Australia to commentate on the Ashes for Channel Nine, believes the series could well hinge on the outcome of the first Test, the report said.
He believes England are strong favourites and will prevail if Australia, who have not triumphed in a Test since January, cannot immediately rediscover the sensation of winning in Brisbane, the report added.
However, Vaughan does give Australia some chance if Clarke can fire and fast bowler Ryan Harris can stay fit for the majority of the series but argues their hopes will be buried if England captain Alastair Cook and No.3 Jonathan Trott can re-produce the prolific output of their last tour Down Under, the report further said.
