There are a few leg-spinners coming through but to do well in Australia a leg-spinner has to be very good.'

Ray Illingworth, the captain in 1970-71, said: 'England will have to be 20 percent better away than they were at home to beat Australia. That's to make up for the different conditions, ball and crowds.'

Illingworth had two spinners, just as Hutton had 16 years earlier, and just as Mike Gatting had in John Emburey and Phil Edmonds in 1986-87.

'It's very difficult for one spinner to do the job when it's turning. And even when it's not turning, spinners can give you control,' Illingworth said.

Emburey, who was a good spinner, thinks the batsmen hold the key. 'I think getting runs up front is the most important thing. Illy's side had Geoffrey Boycott, John Edrich and Brian Luckhurst all getting runs. On Gatting's tour we had Chris Broad leading from the front, with three centuries. That made it easier for David Gower, Gatting and even Jack Richards to pile on the runs down the order. When your top order is firing you're controlling the game.'

For John Hampshire, winning in Australia is about self-belief.

'You need a strong captain, which we certainly had in Illy. You need your best players. But beyond that it is about filling your heads with strong positive thoughts. Illy made us feel we were going to win. And if you don't feel that there's no point in going,' said Hampshire, a batsman on the 1970-71 tour.