Of course it’s been coming, the opening salvoes will be fired in under a month’s time, but the rhetoric from the Australian camp already looks like clutching at straws.
Mickey Arthur’s claim of the the Australians having the best bowling attack in the world is based on nothing more than the fact he sees them all the time.
Every coach and player talks up their charges/colleagues, that’s just the nature of sport at all levels, but it carries more weight if it is actually based on some sort of fact.
This isn’t.
Better judges than me have stated the Australians’ strength is in their bowling and, judging by the efforts of their top order in recent outings, that isn’t wide of the mark. But all Arthur is doing is offering up some provocation to his opponents and setting himself up for a big fall.
They certainly stack up reasonably well against their English counterparts and those in the home camp will be well aware of this, however, there are serious question marks hanging over the visiting attack.
The first of these has to be their respective fitness records.
James Pattinson, the pick of the bunch if he’s firing, has had injury issues, as had Ryan Harris, who must be a dab hand at filling in insurance claim forms.
Mitchell Starc has the advantage of his left-arm delivery but is yet to pull up trees at the top level and Nathan Lyon is dependable but won’t win games off his own back.
Jackson Bird looks like he could be a good find from the handful of appearances he has made but James Faulkner is an unknown quantity.
That leaves Peter Siddle, who is a tried and trusted performer and could make a case for inclusion in most sides on the circuit.
But the best in the world? Hardly.
And when you factor in the English conditions, which the home attack will always fancy their chances in, the argument looks even weaker.
This won’t be the first statement made that fans the flames and there will be plenty of nonsense uttered as the Trent Bridge encounter draws closer by both sides as the hype escalates.
‘We’re stronger at home’, ‘We like being the underdogs’, ‘We’ve got the momentum’, ‘We can handle the pressure’ etc etc etc.
It’s all space filling and, in the main, won’t count for anything and Arthur should be smart enough to realise this.
So he would be better advised to keep his counsel and concentrate on getting his side in some sort of shape for what’s to come.
Shooting from the hip is all well and good but it loses effectiveness when you don’t have the ammunition.
Alex
Guest
Another problem is the sports scientists running the selection of the attack. The only way to condition a players body for hard back to back test matches is to make them bowl. It's part of the reason Glenn McGrath didn't 'break down' towards the end of his career or even Brett lee around the mid 2000's. Another problem is their complete inability to bowl in partnerships. With one bowler tying up an end and another actually being a STRIKE bowler.
Gezza
Guest
It's about time this lot learned to shut their big gobs and concentrate on playing cricket. For the last few years, we've been hearing Arthur and the players talking crap before every series, but you can read straight through their boasting. They are scared little men who feel the need to talk big without having actually achieved anything of substance. Allan Border's teams NEVER talked rubbish before a series, and always displayed humility. No wonder this team is on the nose with the public; Aussies don't like big-headed underachievers.
Tom Callaghan
Guest
You seem a bit moody yourself Frankie! Don't worry. You will probably find more Pakastani talent to shore up Australia's sinking ship!
Osmond
Guest
Or somebody you masturbate with...
Osmond
Guest
Sorry, a flog mate? Is that a bondage thing?
Showbags
Guest
Don't agree that County Cricket is a better league. Still reckon Shield is better (the gulf has shortened since Australia's decline though). And the difference between the Aussie youngsters and the English youngsters is our blokes that we have been talking up are all playing Test Cricket or have played. Topley, Harris, Roland-Jones haven't even played an international match between them and you are trying to compare them to Pattinson, Cummins and Starc who have all played Test Cricket. You are a flog mate.
Aakash bhat
Guest
They cnt make 280 even
Bobbo
Guest
SA are hands down the best Test bowing unit. England are very good. NZ are developing nicely with good young bowlers in Boult, Southee, Bracewell, Wagner and McClennegan. I like the early signs of Anderson as a potential alrounder as well (NZ fan here) Australia- if fit (and that's a big if) it is a good solid pace bowling attack. But with only one class batsman in the team, Australia will struggle. No point in bowling a team out for 350 if you can only make 280 with bat
Bayman
Guest
Jameswm, You may be right, but that's still a lot of 'ifs' and 'maybes'.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
And you Poms can? IIRC the South Africans destroyed you last summer... People in glasshouses...
Frankie Hughes
Guest
Yawn You Poms will all ways be pathetic. Now I see you've stolen Rankin from Ireland and Ballance from Zimbabwe Poms getting more desperate by the day.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Ridiculous. Absolute storm in a teacup. I refuse to give this story any more oxygen, as it will be forgotten by tomorrow.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Rubbish. What pressure has he put on them? He's said they're great. If that's putting pressure on them, heaven help us when Trott is on 150.
Tom Callaghan
Guest
I thought that New Zealand beat Australia in last test between Australia and NZ played in Australia whereas England comfortably beat NZ 2-0 just recently!
Tom Callaghan
Guest
Ah,,, Just because Aus batsmen can't deal with moving ball....
Tom Callaghan
Guest
He-e- y Mr F! Tremlett got a five for in a county game recently....Whadya think of dat Mr. F....?
Uncle Eric
Guest
Only because the poms struggled to beat them.
Uncle Eric
Guest
Yeah Tom Callaghan I put it all down to de-regulated shopping hours.
Uncle Eric
Guest
Gr8rWeStr, Lyons is a spinner and most spinners have a better second innings strike rate, not surprising in light of the usual deterioration in the pitch. Conversely a lot of quick bowlers have better first innings strike rates, pitch quicker, greener etc.
English Dan
Guest
Let's see how gobby you are by the end of the summer, Frankie.