England confident of regaining Ashes

Andrew Flintoff imminent return and England's added depth has left captain Michael Vaughan confident his team can regain the Ashes next year.

Vaughan, 33, was conscious of developing momentum towards the 2009 series but will have to take the first steps towards that target again without Flintoff, against New Zealand at Lord's next week, due to injury.

Flintoff incurred a left side strain bowling for Lancashire against Durham at Old Trafford on Friday and will be sidelined for the first two of three Tests against the Black Caps.

Given his influence on the 2-1 triumph over the Aussies three years ago, however, when he scored 402 runs and took 24 wickets, Flintoff's presence will be vital.

"A year before 2005 me and Fletch [former England coach Duncan Fletcher] sat down and said that might be a year too early for the team," Vaughan said.

"As I sit here now I honestly think England have got a very, very good chance next summer."

"I think we are in a better position now than we were a year before '05."

"There are a lot of good players around and a lot of good things happening with the England set-up."

One of the reasons for such optimism is the emergence of a new crop of fast bowlers - none of the fabled 'fab four' pacemen of 2005 were in the team which came from 1-0 down to beat the Kiwis in March.

Like Flintoff, back from a fourth ankle operation at the start of this summer, Simon Jones has been bedevilled by injury while Mathew Hoggard and Steve Harmison were axed for poor displays.

The door is not closed on either according to the England hierarchy but Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad and James Anderson are the men in possession.

"We have bowlers that swing the ball and I think one of the key areas to beating Australia is swinging it," said Vaughan.

"Also Monty Panesar spinning the ball, in our conditions."

"From the experience I have of playing with Monty he seems to spin it more in this country than abroad."

"So if we get the ball swinging and Monty spinning it like he can you can get 20 wickets against that Australian side, and that is where you're going to beat them."

"Then if you look at the unit we have in terms of batting it will be a real battle who gets the most runs and I firmly believe we could do that."