After analysing England's difficulties against New Zealand, JONATHAN HOWCROFT nominates an unfamiliar bowling attack to win back the Ashes.
Peter Siddle is comfortably one of the top four most likeable Australian cricketers. He would ...
After analysing England's difficulties against New Zealand, JONATHAN HOWCROFT nominates an unfamiliar bowling attack to win back the Ashes.
Peter Siddle is comfortably one of the top four most likeable Australian cricketers. He would also earn a place in the top four of a list of hardest working Australian cricketers. As admirable as these, and many of Siddle's other qualities are, I can't find space for him as one of Australia's top four bowlers for the first Ashes Test in July.
Why? Because swing looks set to be the most crucial weapon this winter and Australia's touring party contains better exponents of the art than the wholehearted Victorian.
Australia's best chance of taking home the Ashes is by out-bowling England. Both squads have fragile batting orders but both have deep stocks of top quality bowlers. Australia must look to exploit England's weaknesses as best they can, and that may require an unfamiliar attack based on executing the task in hand, rather than rewarding seniority.
England's form since thrashing Australia in 2010-11 has been patchy, particularly with the bat. In 2010 England averaged 40 runs per wicket, in 2011 this rose to 59, but has since plummeted to 33 in 2012 and just 31 so far in 2013. Touring difficulties in the subcontinent can account for part of last year's figure, but New Zealand has provided the only opposition so far this season.
In seven innings against New Zealand since the beginning of March England has been dismissed for 232 or less on four occasions.
The attack that has caused England such trouble doesn't appear especially threatening, but beneath this benign exterior lies a skilful unit – one that can offer Australia plenty of clues for how to win back the urn.
Trent Boult is the standout. A left-armer, Boult delivers at a reasonable pace without being rapid, but has the ability to move the ball both ways, with excellent control of line and length. Interestingly, Boult has the wood over England's two key batsmen, Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott. Cook has fallen four times in seven innings to the Kiwi, Trott on three occasions. If Australia is to regain the Ashes, these are the key scalps.
Boult's dismissals of Cook and Trott in England's first innings at Lord's are classic examples of subtle control of line and length, exploiting the natural variation offered by English conditions and Duke balls.
Neil Wagner took the most English wickets during the series in New Zealand. Another left-armer, Wagner is of a similar pace to Boult but has a greater capacity to move the ball in the air. A fierce competitor, Wagner is the kind of bowler who makes things happen through force of will, bowling a slightly wider line than Boult, always tempting the batsman into playing a shot.
The touring bowler who most resembles Boult and Wagner is James Faulkner.
Selected to compete with Shane Watson, the Tasmanian's suitability for English conditions suggests he could offer both an alternative to the former vice captain, and justify inclusion in the bowling attack alone. Considering Watson's poor Test batting form, lack of recent Test bowling and susceptibility to injury, Faulkner offers plenty of upside for a captain looking to take 20 English wickets.
Another factor to gain prominence in recent months is England's overly cautious approach. In the previous Ashes, England rattled along at 3.5 runs per over, in New Zealand that dropped to 2.6 rpo and a torpid 2.46 rpo at Lord's. If Australia's attack can remain patient and disciplined, runs will dry up and England's batsmen will find themselves under increasing pressure.
Cook and Trott are not naturally aggressive strokeplayers and have the temperament to work though such mini-droughts, but the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell and Matt Prior are more likely to try to play their way out of trouble, resulting in chances for the fielding side.
It is also worth noting, though probably of little surprise, that most of England's wickets fell at
