WILTSHIRE ace James Vince is hoping England can render Australia's pre-series predictions as meaningless when the Ashes gets under way in Brisbane on Wednesday night.

The Test series gets started at the Gabba on Wednesday as Australia bid to win back the urn they lost in England in 2015 and the home side have promised the tourists a traditional warm welcome, with their attack of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood the men seeking to do the damage this winter.

Steeple Ashton's Vince is poised to start the opening Test at number three in the visitors' batting line-up and the former Warminster School pupil is wondering whether Australia's boasts may backfire.

"The way they are talking is almost...if they don't come out and start well, they put themselves under a lot of pressure," said the former Warminster and Chippenham player, who now plays county cricket for Hampshire.

"They've got to back up their chat, and if they don't the crowd might wonder why they haven't done what they said they were going to do."