We have no excuses: Lehmann

Darren Lehmann says Australia have enjoyed an "outstanding" preparation for the Ashes and will have no excuses come the first ball of the series in Cardiff later this evening.

Australia have played five first-class matches in six weeks leading into this series and have a reasonably settled line-up, despite the shock retirement of Ryan Harris last week.

The build-up to this series is in sharp contrast to Australia's lead-in to the 2013 Ashes, when Mickey Arthur was replaced by Lehmann as coach just 16 days before the first ball of the series at Trent Bridge.

That series came on the back of a disastrous Champions Trophy campaign, which injured skipper Michael Clarke took no part in, while the Aussies also had to deal with the fallout from David Warner's infamous altercation with Joe Root at a Birmingham nightspot.

England took advantage of the unsettled Australian camp and completed a 3-0 series win, but Lehmann says his side has no reason to start the series poorly this time around.  

"There's certainly going to be no excuses from our end," Lehmann told 5AA.

"We obviously went to the West Indies and played a tour game and two Test matches, that was a good four-week tour. And then we've had the two tour games (in England) which have been really good for us.

"We've had a really good lead-in, a better lead-in than 2013 when we basically just changed coach very quickly, had two tour games and were straight into it.

"From a preparation point of view, the skipper is really happy where everyone's at, myself and the coaching staff are really pleased and we're ready to go and looking forward to the game starting."

Cook tight-lipped on England's XI for first Test

This series marks two years since Lehmann was sensationally drafted in as coach, which marked the beginning of an impressive period of success under the watch of the former Test batsman.

Australia have won 11 of 16 Tests since the 2013 series, as well as the World Cup earlier this year, and are the No.1 ranked team in ODIs and No.2 in Tests.

In his exclusive column for cricket.com.au following Australia's successful tour of the West Indies, Lehmann reflected on the stark difference between the current environment and the one he inherited two years ago.

"It's been two years since our last Ashes tour and there's a big change in mindset for me personally and the team compared to when were there in 2013," he wrote.

"Obviously with me coming into the role a few weeks before the series started two years ago, it was a case of swapping over really quickly and chopping and changing how we wanted to do things.

"But now we're far more settled with how we want to go about it. The guys are definitely in a better space than they were two years ago.

"We're really close as a team and we know what we've got to do on and off the ground to achieve our goals."

Lehmann said selectors had settled on their XI for the Test in Cardiff, adding they had been forced to make some tough decisions with all 17 members of the squad injury-free and in good form.

"It's been difficult. Obviously we know which way we want to go and it will become clearer on day one at the toss," Lehmann said.

"We're really happy where everyone's at and there are some really tight calls.

"And that's a good problem to have because you want everyone fighting for their spot.

"We've got some great depth and we want those guys performing. And if you're not performing, then obviously there's someone waiting to take your spot.

"It's a difficult position to be in and there's no right or wrong answer, it's just what we think as selectors after speaking with the captain will be right for the first Test to win the game."