Former Australian captain Steve Waugh says the Ashes series in England will be a lot closer than many people are predicting.

Waugh believes the England are rightly favourites to win at home but thinks the Australians could claim the return series Down Under in 2013/14.

“The Ashes will be a lot closer than people are saying,” Waugh told UK tabloid The Daily Mail.

“It’s much the same as when I first toured in 1989 and they said we were the worst team ever to come over and we won 4-0.”

Waugh said he “would not be surprised” if Michael Clarke’s men did manage to win on tour.

His comments came as former England captain Ian Botham joked the Aussies were in such disarray they could lose the back-to-back series 12-0 “which is saying something when they are only playing 10 Tests”.

“This is the worst Australian team I can remember,” Botham wrote in The Daily Mirror.

“Even when I played against a side decimated by the Kerry Packer circus they still had Rodney Hogg to take 40 wickets in a series against England.”

Australia is coming off a 4-0 clean-sweep loss to India and the controversial suspension of four players for not completing a team assignment.

But Waugh says being the underdogs will allow the Australians to play with more freedom as expectations are so low.

“My gut says you guys may win in England and we might win in Australia,” he said.

“We can win in Australia definitely.”