Ian Botham warns England's mollycoddled bowlers could cost them the Ashes

Cricket legend Ian Botham has put the heat on England's “mollycoddled” bowling attack and admitted he fears an Ashes collapse – while revealing his biggest concern for the series.

One of Test cricket’s greatest all-rounders, Ian Botham, believes England’s frontline attack is “mollycoddled” but predicted the visitors would win the Ashes, 2-1.

With the First Test starting in Perth on Friday, the 383-wicket icon said he had no issues with England captain Ben Stokes calling him and Michael Vaughan “has beens” for questioning the visitors’ preparations.

However, he maintained England’s attack hadn’t bowled enough ahead of the opening match of the series as the tourists chased their first Test win on Australian shores in almost 15 years.

“That’s my concern. They don’t bowl enough,” Botham said at Club Tarneit on Monday night.

“It’s as simple as that, our bowlers are mollycoddled and it’s going to backfire if they’re not careful.

England great Ian Botham believes the team’s pace stars have been ‘mollycoddled’. Picture: AFP

“If we lose (Jofra) Archer and (Mark) Wood ... then god knows what will happen.

“Stokes is going to be the key ... if he can bowl 12, 15, 16 overs, something like that per day, then that gives the bowlers a bit of a rest.”

Botham said Stokes looked “extremely fit” and was better placed to impact the Ashes than four years prior, but playing speed merchants Archer and Wood together could be “rolling the dice” considering their injury histories.

“He had two operations on his hamstring and hopefully he’ll be right,” Botham said of Stokes.

“If he is, we’ve got a great chance, if he goes down the deck of cards could crumble all together.

“I’m still waiting for a message that the England bowlers are all fit, now that’s a rarity in itself.”

Meanwhile, Botham said he had no issue being called a “has been”, predicting England would win 2-1.

“We’ll, he’s right,” he said of Stokes’ comments.

“If that helps him get the side going, calling me a has been, well it’s fine.

“He’s a fantastic player and a great leader and he actually looks the fittest of all of them out there.”

Meanwhile, at the same event, 212-wicket Test bowler Merv Hughes believes injured pair Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins were replaceable but if “point of difference” Mitch Starc was sidelined it could be the end of Australia’s chances.

“If he goes down I’d be worried,” Hughes said.

“I think we can cover the other guys, obviously they’re not going to be as good or as experienced, but we can cover the other guys.

“But if Mitch Starc goes down I think we’ll be in trouble.

“As good as Pat Cummins is, and no disrespect to him ... Scott Boland comes in and you lose a bit of experience but you don’t lose a hell of a lot.

“With Hazlewood, you’d think that (Michael) Neser would come in, same sort of bowler, just bangs away at off stump, nibbles it around a little bit.”

Originally published as Ian Botham warns England's mollycoddled bowlers could cost them the Ashes