LONDON, Sept 14: Following historic Ashes victory after 16 years, Ian Botham former England cricketer predicts England will prevail in upcoming series in Pakistan and India. “England now have the best team in the world, bar none. That’s right - numero uno. At full strength, I can’t see anyone living with Vaughan’s pace attack, and that includes Australia in 14 months when we travel there for the next Ashes series.”

Writing in The Mirror, Botham says, “In fact, I can’t see the Aussies getting near us for a few years.”

He believes, “Vaughan’s team has captured the imagination of the whole country, and this is only the beginning of the success story. English cricket is on the verge of something very special, a golden era.

“I am so proud of them I would go to the other end of the moon to watch England play cricket now. It wasn’t always like that.”

Botham predicts, “In two weeks, Freddie Flintoff will go to Australia to play for Rest of the World XI in the Super Series, and he will walk off the plane as best all-rounder in the world by a mile - and arguably the greatest cricketer on the planet.”

Predicting English team “going from strength to strength,” Botham writes: “This winter they go to Pakistan and India, two countries who are incredibly difficult to beat in their own back yards, and I expect England to prevail.

“Last time in Pakistan, we left it until last shaft of daylight before Graham Thorpe clinched that remarkable win in Karachi, but we have firepower to make it past the post before the moon rises this time.”—Agencies