Aussie coach Tim Nielsen insists that a spin-friendly pitch in Cardiff will heap pressure on England ahead of first Ashes Test.

The hosts have named three spinners in their 16-man Ashes training squad with reports suggesting that the Swalec Stadium wicket will encourage the ball to turn.

But Nielsen said a twin-spin strategy will play into Australia’s hands.

“It puts more pressure on the spinners, England is making the challenge for them to play well,” he told BBC Sport.

England is expected to name off-spinner Graeme Swann in their starting XI for the first Test in Cardiff, but could omit a seamer for either Monty Panesar or Adil Rashid if, as is anticipated, as the Cardiff track will assist the slower bowlers.

Off-spinner Swann is the leading Test wicket-taker in 2009, claiming 26 wickets in five matches, dismissals which have demoted left-armer Panesar to the fringes of the squad, while leg-spinner Rashid has earned the effusive praise of Australia legend Shane Warne.

In contrast, Australia have only one specialist spinner in their 16-man squad in Nathan Hauritz, who has relatively little Test experience with four caps and 14 wickets.

The beauty of our top-order is that (Simon) Katich, (Marcus) North and (Michael) Clarke can all give us reasonable part-time spinning overs