The sledging has begun in England with the naming of Australia’s unfancied Ashes squad prompting predictions of a 5-0 thrashing.

After a British journalist suggested to chief selector John Inverarity that many English fans would consider it Australia’s worst Ashes team, some UK media took a similar stance on Monday.

“Is that it, Australia? Is that all you have got?” cricket journalist Paul Newman wrote for Daily Mail online.

“First impressions upon looking at the group of cricketers tasked with winning back the Ashes is that England will never have had it so good.

“Look beyond Michael Clarke, unquestionably the best batsman in the world in recent months, and there really is nothing to be scared of.

“No Australian side will ever make it ‘easy’ but surely this will be the worst bunch of Ashes tourists to visit these shores in living memory.

“A 5-0 victory to England? Don’t rule it out.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan led a chorus of taunts on Twitter over the omission of pace bowler Mitchell Johnson, suggesting supporters would miss his wayward performances in past series.

“Thousands of England fans will be in mourning today with the news Mitchell Johnson hasn’t made the Aussie Ashes squad….,” Vaughan tweeted.

But Vaughan, who led England to victory in the 2005 Ashes, said an Australian attack featuring Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson and Jackson Bird could trouble the home side.

“Aussie Bowling looks strong.Aussie Batting looks vulnerable,but will be alot closer than people are saying because they can get 20 wkts,” he said.

Some fans on forums and Twitter backed predictions of an easy English victory while others remained wary of an underdog Australian side.

Other British media gave selectors credit over the squad selection.

“England will retain the Ashes this summer, but it is going to be closer than it would have been if Australia had selected poorly,” wrote Scyld Berry for the Daily Telegraph, predicting the selection of Brad Haddin would “put spine into the team”.