My (not so) secret Ashes dossier

Meticulous planning is key in any Test series, particularly in Ashes cricket, where you have to be switched on day 1, but day 25.

Techniques of both bat and ball are examined in detail throughout the five Tests, where any chink in the respective camps is on show.

There is nowhere to hide.

But as I listen more and more to press conferences of the respective teams, I keep hearing plans being ‘leaked’, and I wonder if it is getting all too predictable?

Steve Smith has publicly stated he wants to attack Graeme Swann, so has Michael Clarke, albeit they are the two best players of spin in the country.

We’ve had Chris Rogers and Dean Jones being openly honest about the Victorian’s new approach to spin, talking about using his feet to Swann more, who made Rogers look like he was playing blindfolded at times in the series in England.

We’ve had Ryan Harris and Mitchell Johnson openly state they’re going to bounce Jonathon Trott.

Even England’s squad selection gives away a fair bit, selecting numerous tall timbers to most likely bounce Australia’s number one, Clarke, who struggles with the short one.

Get the idea? Is it all too predictable, or is it just good planning? Here is a few guides to how plans may play out.

England
The openers: Alastair Cook waits for bowlers to come to him waiting to bowl to his strengths, the cut and the pull.

Was noted that Australia A’s seamers bowled not one bouncer to Cook when he made his unbeaten 150*, but still churned the runs out.

A seasoned performer and good player. Look for Australia to bowl full on off stump and just outside, as he is known to prod forward when uncertain offering edges to the cordon, as seen in 2006/07 down under, and it’ll be interesting to see if Australia have the testicles to do it again.

He doesn’t drive down the ground too often either. Joe Root will be better suited to a middle order role, where his slow moving feet against a new ball back in England was shown up somewhat by Harris and Siddle. Australia will look to bowl full to him.

Trott: The short ball has hurried the South African in recent times, where his routine of thrusting his front foot, this all his weight, forward, comes to hurt him.

Australia employed a leg gully and deep square leg to Trott in England, and if that didn’t dismiss him Australia would try to bowl full and straight to get him falling over to the offside, which got him out more than the short ball itself.

Mitchell Johnson troubled him in the England ODIs with chin music, but Trott has said he’s been working with Graeme Gooch to iron out his errors.

The man is a run machine, and smart enough to know what’s coming. If he finds a way to combat the short one, look out Australia.

Pietersen: Australia will look to work on his tendency to want to lay bat on ball, on his ego but clogging up his areas through cover and midwicket.

Siddle has dismissed him seven times in Test cricket, mostly when Pietersen pushed hard outside his off stump being caught behind. A very good player.

Bell: The man who quelled the Aussies in England and seeing it like a beach ball. Look for a deep third man to be deployed to stop his late cut and will look to bowl straighter, tucking him up on his hip as he sweats on width through the offside.

Prior: A dangerous player but Clarke staggered his cover fielders with a catching cover point to great effect last time out, with Prior tendencies to flay through the offside in the air. Surprise short balls from Johnson may also work, not a renowned hooker.

Carberry: In the recent Australia A game, although he made 150* and looked good against Jon Holland’s generous spin offerings. Even keeper Tim Paine said they could exploit him in the gully region, where he goes to drive hard.

Look for Clarke to employ two gullys early on.

Australia
Watson: Aim at his front pad. End of story.

Rogers: Swann will look to tie him down (not that he scores fast anyway).

If not, Jimmy Anderson will go around the wicket and angle the ball into the stumps, aiming for an LBW playing across the line or providing a catch to the midwicket region.

Won’t get frustrated so got to attack his stumps.

Warner: May look to just go all out and have a swing against the new ball, but has a falling back on his off stump, where he doesn’t go forward or back and can nick off. Dale Steyn did this perfectly last summer.

Clarke: Short, go short again, then try once more. Catching cover and gully as he is known to slash hard if tied down. Australia’s key and one of the world’s best.

Smith: Like Pietersen in a way, where he likes to lay bat on ball. Midwicket must be at the ready because of his unorthodox technique.

Goes hard outside his off stump, presenting opportunities behind the stumps.

Bailey: On featherbeds and in yellow no more, George Bailey is Australia’s new man.

Ryan Harris troubled him with short stuff in their recent Shield encounter, and England will look to exploit that again.

Not a big straight or cover driver so England can afford to be full-ish. Will look to take on Swann with the slog sweep and going downtown straight. Look for Cook to put fielders there straight away to plug his run scoring.

Haddin: Short balls maybe, but always saves his best for England. Does get caught on the crease defending, nicking behind often.

So there you have it, a dossier of sorts. The above mentioned may not happen, but I can’t wait for the series to start. Bring on the Gabba!