Smith is a flash in the pan: Swann

Speaking at a Chance to Shine school in Nottinghamshire where he helped launch a new card game for the charity 'Switch Hits', Swann said: "I think the Ashes are going to be a lot closer than people think. I truly believe that Australia aren't the best Test team in the world at the moment. New Zealand are. If England fire — if Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler have good games —they'll win a couple of Tests."Only one Ashes series in England since the nineteenth century has not included a draw. But the game is speeding up, as England catch on to 50-over cricket at long last, so it is conceivable that every one of the five Tests this summer will be definitely concluded.

As for the specifics of spin bowling in the coming series, the great plus is that England do not have to face Warne, far and away the biggest wicket-taker in Ashes history with 195 wickets, but Nathan lyon. Swann is adamant that England have to attack Australia's offspinner, instead of poking around as they did against Mark Craig at Headingley, and Marlon Samuels in Barbados, which resulted in two defeats in England's last three Tests.

"I think you should always attack the spinner," Swann said.

"England players throughout history have always been tentative against spin. You always have a look first — have a look and see what it's doing before you attack. It's just the English way. And it's not the way to play finger-spin, I think."Here is one more reason for England to alter their batting line-up. Having three lefthanded batsmen at the top of the order — Adam lyth, Alastair Cook and Gary Ballance — is an invitation to lyon to come on early and keep it tight, allowing Australia's three pace bowlers to rest and rotate. Following Australia's 2-0 walkover in the West Indies, they can be expected to start with Mitchell Johnson, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, while Ryan Harris is built up for lord's, where he was Australia's stand-out bowler with seven wickets for 103 in 2013.

If Ian Bell has a signature shot, it is coming down the pitch to a spinner early in his innings and driving him straight for six. Given his better, near-perfect technique against pace as well, Bell has to be promoted to three in place of Ballance, who was pinned in his crease by half-volleys in the New Zealand series.

Australia's number three in the West Indies was Steve Smith, who has rocketed to the top of the Test batting rankings on the strength of five centuries in his last six Tests, culminating in 199 in Jamaica. Swann is amazed by his sudden progress."I didn't think he was a great player. I still don't think he's got a great technique," Swann said. "He's a very good player of the short ball and picks it up extremely quickly for his pull shot. He pulls the length that most people just fend at and nick. But he's been incredible over the last 18 months. He must have surprised himself, as well as everyone else, with his output. The trick for him is to try to keep that going.

 "I don't think he'll score runs at three if it's swinging. Normal balls that get normal batsmen out don't get him out because of his weird technique. But a bit like (Jonathan) Trotty, who was stellar at the start of his career, the more people study, the more they find weaknesses."He's not like a Steve Waugh, a nugget — no obvious ways of getting him (Smith) out. I hope for England's sake that he's a flash in the pan and he's had a great 18 months, and he's screwed. But he doesn't strike fear in you like the Aussies used to with a Hayden or a Gilchrist. The ACB put a tweet out the other day saying 'Coming in a minute' with a picture of Steve Smith, whether it's supposed to be intimidating or not… But it wasn't."As for England's spinner, Swann is certain that his successor Moeen Ali has to start the series because "he's very natural, he rips it." What he needs is loads of bowling in county cricket to learn the craft.

Swann disabuses us about sledging being the essence of a modern Ashes series. "Don't believe what you read in the papers — the sledging and the antagonism are urban myths. On the field there'll be the odd flash moment and everyone will hate each other for a few hours. If one Australian gets runs in the first innings, he'll be chirpy for a bit. Stokes will have a look at how he reacted in the West Indies and think 'I don't need to do that now.' They'll try to wind up the players who they think they can wind up. If you're looking for a fist-off brawl, it won't happen."Swann laughed at the memory of James Anderson being told in the last Brisbane Test by Australia's captain that he was going to have his arm broken. "It was Michael Clarke — Pup! That was just kicking a team while they were down.  It was just that the press went mad because it got on terrestrial TV and they went 'oh my God, it's disgusting.' It's not disgusting. Have you heard what a centre-half and centre-forward say to each other every time they pass each otherIJ It's just tit for tat." Daily Telegraph