Recent reports claim Cricket Australia are keen for the "best umpires in the world" to stand in the five Tests, regardless of their nationality.

But an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) spokesman said: "The ICC have a well-established principle of appointing neutral umpires for Tests.

"It's a process that the ECB are extremely comfortable with."

There are 10 umpires on the ICC's elite umpiring panel.

Under existing rules, Australians Simon Taufel, Darrell Hair, Daryl Harper and England's Mark Benson would not be considered for on-field duty during the Ashes series.

But Peter Young, Cricket Australia's Head of Communications, said recently: "If we lived in a perfect world it would be great if the forthcoming Ashes series, played between the best two teams in the world, could have the world's best umpires officiating.

"At the moment, the best umpires officiating are Australians."

During the 2005 Ashes series in England, which the home side won 2-1, umpiring duties were rotated between New Zealand's Billy Bowden, South African Rudi Koertzen, Aleem Dar of Pakistan and West Indian Steve Bucknor.

Benson and two other English officials, Jeremy Lloyds and Nigel Llong, were chosen, however, to fill the TV umpire role.