Michael Clarke insists England chiefs will turn to Steve Harmison

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Harmison was left out of England's 16-man training squad for the five-Test series but the selectors offered the Durham paceman a glimmer of hope by including him in the Lions team to face the tourists from 1-4 July.

After a slow start to the season, Harmison's recent form has been excellent, returning match figures of seven for 103 in Durham's recent win over Warwickshire. Clarke, who struggled against Harmison when England regained the urn four years ago, said: "Harmison and Andrew Flintoff are both fantastic cricketers, and I think England would want them fully fit and taking part in this series.

"We want to beat England at their best, and I hope for their sake they're both fully fit and ready to perform if they get that opportunity."

Australia begin their four-day tour match against Sussex at Hove tomorrow, the first competitive cricket for Ricky Ponting's men since their early exit from the World Twenty20.

They have been preparing for the Ashes in Leicester, a training programme Clarke described as "a little bit of a boot camp".

"There's obviously hunger because it's a new Test series, it's the Ashes, which you grow up as a kid looking forward to playing," added the tourists' vice-captain.

While the Ashes is one of the oldest rivalries in sport, Brett Lee hopes that this series is played in the right spirit.

The sight of Aussie fast bowler being consoled by Flintoff just seconds after England's two-run triumph at Edgbaston in 2005 has gone down as one of the most famous episodes in Ashes history.

Lee said: "It's important that the guys respect each other as blokes and that was a very special moment in my life and one that I'll always treasure. I hope 2009 will be similar but the result will be different."