SYDNEY, June 14: Australia's limited-overs tour of England and Ireland represents the start of a two-year campaign to make them the top nation in all three forms of the game, captain Michael Clarke said on Thursday.

Australia head the one-day ratings, but are third in the Test standings and sixth in the T20 format.

“We've been the number one ODI team in the world for a while now but we need to continue to raise the bar,” Clarke said before the squad’s departure on Thursday. “I think our cricket of late in the shorter form hasn't been as consistent as we would like.

“I think once we get on the plane it's probably the start of a two-year journey for this Australian team, whether it be the one-day team, the Test team or the Twenty20 team, to have a lot of success and get back to being the number one in all forms of the game.”

Australia are also keeping half an eye on next year's Ashes. To that end, he is keen for the younger players, particularly quick bowlers Pat Cummins and James Pattinson, to get as much experience as possible on English wickets.

“The Ashes is a long way from my mind right now but any opportunity you get to play in the same conditions you will face in 12 months time can only be good for a team.” “I think a lot of guys involved in this squad have a big chance of being involved in the Ashes team so it's important that we get as accustomed to those conditions as possible.

“England have got a very strong one-day team, particularly in their own back yard, and we've got a lot of new players who don't have much experience in the UK,” he added.

Teenager Cummins and Pattinson, 22, were two of the more exciting finds for Australia last year as they turned their Test fortunes around after the humbling 3-1 defeat in the last Ashes series.

Clarke said he was not remotely bothered about showing them off to the English over the next few weeks.

“These days you can get as much footage on a player as you like,” he laughed. “It is important they get experience of playing in those conditions. I think them just being in England, seeing what those conditions are like, and if they get an opportunity grab it with both hands, is important.”

Clarke said he would be looking to the more experienced bowlers, like the returning Mitchell Johnson, to bring the bowling group together and ensure they operate as a unit – as they did so effectively against India earlier this year.

Clarke said he had been surprised by England batsman Kevin Pietersen's recent retirement from ODIs.

“I'm thrilled I don't have to play against him in one-day cricket because he's such a good player and he's had a lot of success and he's a natural in it,” Clarke said. “But England have a lot of good players in their team.”

Clarke said he was confident that a pay dispute between Cricket Australia and the players would be resolved this month.—Agencies