Have you seen the Aussies record in Brisbane?? It's quite staggering, I fear we're going to be in for a long hard winter if we play like we did for much of the summer.
Is this the Brisbane where last time out it was a draw by we mentally screwed the Aussies with our second innings, to the cause them to be thrashed by an innings in Adelaide?
Just checking like.
Your assessment fails to take into account that the Aussies batting is still iffy. We did not play well in the summer, but we beat the with ease. Yes the pitches will be faster, but that can play into the hands of Broad plus which ever of Finn, Boyd or Tremlett they pick.
If Anderson can get in to a rhythm at one end with Broad softening them up at the other end we will have a fighting chance.
I wont be writing the Aussies off just yet, we all know their bowling attack is as good if not better than ours but I think their batting line up was starting show signs of coming together towards the back end of the Summer as well.
Their likely top 7 at Brisbane will be Rogers, Warner, Watson, Clarke, Smith, Bailey, Haddin. When you add in the batting ability of their tail and the form of our batsmen (Bell aside) I would say they are favourites
it will be close ....no-ones mentioned ryan harris yet......as good as johnson if not better....i'll go 2-1 series win England or drawn series.
Not sure their bowling attack is better. Swann or Monty are better spinners than Lyon.
Siddle is willing, but does he have the talent of Broad or Anderson? Johnson is Johnson, on fast pitches such as Perth or Johannesburg he is unplayable, but less favourable conditions he has been dismantled.
Their batting had a couple of good innings, but Smith is a place too high, Warner can score quickly, but get out quickly. Watson does not historically convert a good start. Rogers is a short term pick (as is Carberry for us). Clarke is their one world class bat.
You have to remember England's batting never got going in the summer, other than Bell and we still won with ease. It is a worry that the Aussies seem to have worked out how to get Trott out, but the others were form rather than technique.
Mitchell Johnson a one day player? Lately he might have only played for Australia in that form of the game, but he has also got over 200 test wickets to his name. His previous record against England goes against him, but Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle aside, no-one else really nailed down the third seamer's role in the Ashes series in England. Given he's now 32, Australia's selectors might think he will be determined to prove he can bowl consistently and take wickets against England.
All said and done though, the only way I can see England not winning the series is if they get too complacent. Less because of Australia's bowlers but more because Clarke aside, I don't see anyone in that team who is going to make big hundreds when the pressure is on.
2 0 England. I still don't think they have the bowlers to get 20 wickets.