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ENGLAND legend Ian Botham has launched a scathing attack on Australia's batting depth - labelling it the weakest Ashes line-up ever.
Botham, speaking at a sports lunch on the Gold Coast yesterday, also described the attempt to wind Kevin Pietersen up as "dumb" and said the recent slanging match would only wake the sleeping giant.
The South African-born Pietersen, who celebrates his 100th Test for England at the Gabba tomorrow, has been the subject of a media tirade this week.
He was dubbed "so arrogant not even his own team likes him" on the front page of Monday's Courier Mail and was later involved in a Twitter exchange with a News Limited journalist about the story.
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The episode seemed harmless but Botham warned the attack would only motivate Pietersen.
"If that's the best the Aussies can come up with in the newspapers and if you think you are going to rile people of his experience then you're dumb," he said.
"What you are doing is winding him up and I wouldn't wind him up if I was you guys, and you might well pay heavily.
"KP only wants to play in big series.
"The big arena is not playing in warm-up games and he will be just building himself up nicely until Thursday."
Pietersen's perceived arrogance has caused headaches in the England team for years.
His international career was in jeopardy last year after he was embroiled in a texting scandal when he sent messages - including an attack on his then England captain, Andrew Strauss - to rival South African players.
But Botham said players like "KP" are essential in the modern era where world cricket has lost many of its colourful characters.
Ian Botham and Greg Ritchie chat about old times at an annual charity lunch in Surfers Paradise. Source: News Limited
"Yes he gets under people's skin but that is what he is there to do," he said.
"Does everyone like Michael Clarke? Does everyone like Ricky Ponting? And did everyone like Dennis Lillee when he played?
"We need great players ... and he is one of the best players that has walked on the planet.
"There's been so much talk, so much gobbledygook spoken and I bet Australia wish they had a player like Kevin Pietersen."
England's all-time leading Test wicket-taker said Australian openers Chris Rogers and David Warner will need to go beyond their call of duty if the home team is to claim back the urn this summer.
"Their batting is very fragile and it's as fragile as I've ever seen an Australia line-up," said Botham, who single-handily destroyed Australia in the 1981 Ashes series.
"It's not detrimental to the players out there but when I think of the sides we've seen over the last few years and the quality then you need to get a good start and you can't be two or three (wickets) down and expose your best players early in the game.
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"There is pressure on the openers and the England bowlers know that and will target that."
Botham, who claimed 383 wickets in 102 Tests for his nation, also believes Australia doesn't have the bowling depth to challenge England this summer.
"You better look after Ryan (Harris) because if he goes down and where you are with cricketers at the current moment you are going to suffer," Botham said.
"I don't see the other guys coming up to the plate.
"Mitchell Johnson has got to deliver and he has got to be able to bowl consistently and you can't leave it all down to Ryan Harris."
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