MICHAEL CLARKE has been warned to expect the hardest Test series of his career against England this summer.

Former Australian captain Ian Chappell believes Clarke will find the Ashes much harder than his first two Test series in India and at home to New Zealand.

Clarke, Australia's Player of 2004, spent most of last season at Hampshire where, by his own admission, he learnt to deal with failure.

He scored 709 championship runs at 35.45 and 285 one-day runs for Hampshire at 28.50.

But within two months of leaving the Rose Bowl after an indifferent first summer in England, he scored 151, his highest first class score, on his Test debut against India in Bangalore.

He then notched another ton in his first Test on Australian soil against New Zealand in November.

He now has 631 runs from nine Tests at 48.53, and also has 1353 runs from his 44 ODIs at 45.10.

But Chappell has warned him to expect a tough time back in England.

Chappell said: "On the Ashes tour Clarke will be playing in conditions he knows well but also against opponents who have seen his game at close quarters.

"His stint in county cricket last season had a definite upside but the downside is the England players now either have first-hand knowledge or a dossier compiled by Hampshire teammates of his strengths and weaknesses.

"This intimate experience is much more valuable than trying to gauge a player's ability from videotape replays."

Hampshire captain Shane Warne, meanwhile, is relishing the prospect of his last Ashes series in England.

The leg spinner has won all six of the Ashes series he has competed in since introducing himself on English soil with the 'ball of the century' that knocked back Mike Gatting's off stump in 1993.

He has taken 132 of his 566 Ashes wickets in 26 Tests against England, at an average of 23.03 - but expects a harder time this year against an England side that

He said: "England have a real chance this time.

"It will probably be my last one in England so I have to make sure I keep myself fit and am bowling well enough to be selected to upset the Poms.

"I wouldn't like to lose a series against England in my time."