Alastair Cook confident England can win The Ashes as long as they improve rapidly

England captain Alastair Cook believes that he and his teammates are capable of winning The Ashes on home soil this summer as long as they improve rapidly.

Trevor Bayliss's side will take on Australia in five weeks' time and they head into the contest on the back of a 1-1 series draw with New Zealand.

England's top order collapsed as the Black Caps wrapped up a 199-run victory at Headingley on Tuesday.

"Yes, I do think we can regain The Ashes," The Express quotes Cook as saying. "In our conditions as well we are comfortable, but we have to make that step forward as a side and we have to do that quickly."

The first Ashes Test will get underway in Cardiff on July 8.