LONDON, Nov 15: Former Australian Test star Rodney Marsh has predicted that the England could become the world’s leading cricket nation within five years.

“I don’t see any reason why that can’t happen, no reason at all,” he said presiding over opening of new England Cricket Academy. He is now director of the academy based at Loughborough University in English midlands.

The Queen opened the new 4.5-million-pound complex which by 2007 is expected to be producing 95 per cent of England’s international cricketers.

It has six nets with individual tracks to assist development of spin, fast and medium-pace bowlers while bowling machines are able to dispatch deliveries at 100 mph.

“I think Australia will find next 10 years much more difficult than they found last 10, simply because they will be losing players like Shane Warne,” Marsh said.

“Shane is probably the best bowler the world’s ever seen and players like that aren’t easy to replace. But in England we now have best facilities in the world and, as a player, there’s no better place to be,” he added.—PPI