After vanquishing England 5-0 next on the agenda for the Australian Test team is the world number one, South Africa.
The three-Test series kicks off at Centurion on 12 February followed by matches at Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.
Watching England disintegrate was painful, akin to observing an autopsy on a man who is still alive.
The Proteas will not yield as simply at that.
The respective pace attacks look comparable which is a strange thing to say given South Africa boasts the top-two ranked bowlers in the world – Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn.
However the form displayed in unison by Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle in dismembering England was as clinical and effective as you would ever see.
One area where the tourists will hold a distinct advantage is the spinning department with Nathan Lyon noticeably improving with every outing – he claimed 19 wickets at 29 against England.
South Africa started its recent two-Test homes series against India with leg-spinner Imran Tahir as the preferred slow bowler before replacing him with left-arm finger spinner Robin Petersen.
If Australia’s bowlers can fire as they did during the Ashes the chances of an Australian victory will go up astronomically.
There were signs during his devastating return against England of Johnson bending the ball back in the air towards the right-handers, a skill he first displayed on the tour of South Africa in early-2009 – although he lost it soon after.
His sheer pace and aggression will test any of the Proteas’ batsmen if he gets favourable conditions.
The Australian bowlers executed their game plans superbly against each of the England batsmen and never let any of the off the hook – often the concerted pressure brought about wickets.
In South Africa they will face batsmen with very differing techniques – Graeme Smith’s on-side dominance predicated on a strong bottom hand; Hashim Amla’s wristy clips through the onside and a devastating cut shot; A B de Villiers’ counter-attacking attitude and Faf du Plessis’s broad bat defence.
Key to Australia’s hopes will be hitting the right areas consistently and being patient enough to make it a battle of attrition for the batsmen.
Ryan Harris (now ranked number three in the world) was outstanding during the Ashes series with 22 wickets at 19 to give him stats of 93 wickets at 21.6 from 21 Tests.
He was initially planning to have surgery on his troublesome knee following the England series but has now put it on hold until he returns from the South African campaign.
It is crucial to Australia’s prospects that his body holds up for all three Tests.
While the bowling attacks look comparable given recent the batting is a different story thanks in the main to Australia’s top-order inconsistencies.
Like the bowling, the Proteas boast the top-ranked batsman in the world in de Villiers while Amla has recently slipped to number four – both men boast career averages in the fifties – with Smith at number ten.
Any one of those, if given sufficient latitude, can win a match off their own bat.
One area that South Africa will be forced to fill is the massive hole left by Jacques Kallis who has been a fixture at number four for over 15 years.
His absence is a triple blow to Smith’s team as he was the fourth seamer along with being one of the best slip fieldsmen in the world.
His absence throws out the entire balance of the South African team.
It will be fascinating to see how the selectors go about filling the void.
The Australian top seven – excepting George Bailey, should he be selected in the squad – carries confidence into the series as they all scored at least one century in the Ashes series with Clarke, Chris Rogers, David Warner and Steve Smith doubling up.
While they all made triple figure scores during the series the consistency was still a major issue.
Too often the likes of Brad Haddin and Smith had to rebuild following top-order collapses.
Similar showings against South Africa will largely eradicate any prospect of a series victory as Steyn, Philander and Morne Morkel are likely to provide too greater handful for the tail.
It is easier said than done but Australia has to bat for long periods of time.
Rogers and Clarke need to be at the forefront in this area.
Without Kallis and lacking potency in the spin department much will be asked of the Proteas’ pace trio.
With three Tests in the space of three weeks if Australia can force the opposition bowlers to work overtime by prolonging their time at the crease there is the prospect that fatigue may come into account towards the end of the series.
During the Ashes series Australia’s fielding was as good as it has ever been with very few cheap runs afforded and the bare minimum of grassed catches.
The standard was set behind the stumps where Haddin was in arguably the best form of his career.
The Aussies must again maximise their chances given the potency of the Proteas’ batting line-up.
The Australian outfit is a happy one under the tutelage of Darren Lehmann and they are playing confident and winning cricket.
The series in South Africa will be a litmus test as it will give everyone an indication of just how far this team can go in its quest to regain the coveted number one ranking.
Australia can win it if they execute the key moments in matches as they did against England.
But they must be wary of collapses while at the batting crease.
Recovery from such against Steyn and co is far less likely.
Bring it on!
Bearfax
Guest
No worries. The facts were worth it any way.
Sorry mate, just confirming your point. ;)
Bearfax
Guest
Is there an echo in the forum Biltonbek. I think I just said that. Of course I didnt have the figures, which I thank you for
The difference between Steyn and Johnson is consistency. Steyn took 51 wickets in 18 innings this past calendar year. This at an average of 17.66 Johnson took 34 wickets in 12 innings this oast calendar year at an average of 17.52 The difference is, Steyn has been doing that for the past number of years, where as Johnson did this in a series. He might emulate that again, but what if he doesn't?
Aransan
Guest
Mitchell Starc is 6'5" (195cm) but won't have recovered from a back injury in time to tour SAfr: http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/player/311592.html Australia is going very quietly on young fast bowlers coming back from back injuries. Pattinson, Starc, and Cummins are on the recovery trail, Although not in the young group, Jackson Bird is also 6'5" but only bowls in the 130s (85mph), he should be available for SAfr after coming back from injury: http://www.cricket.com.au/players/jackson-bird Pattinson might be nearly ready but there has been no rush to bring players back on the recovery trail given the success of Johnson, Harris and Siddle. The future for Australian pace bowling is very bright.
DanUK
Guest
You should really look at the fall of wickets again, so pretty poor batting as well
DanUK
Guest
Sorry but when Philander got 5 for 7 against NZ there was nothing wrong with the pitch, just good bowling lines, lengths and hitting the seam very very often. He only needs some seam assistance
DanUK
Guest
Proteas, not boks
DanUK
Guest
Does Australia have any 6"6 bowlers like Morkel?
scotty a
Guest
While I agree with some of your points the one about Smith is answered. He is in for a long run now after 2 tons dduing the ashes. Developing into a splendid player. Wish he would have kept bowling though.
Bearfax
Guest
I mentioned Robin Petersen as virtually an all rounder. You're right I didnt check Philander's average. His test average is 23.45, but that's a match for Johnson's efforts. I also forgot Quinton De Kock, who looks a very impressive youngster. Thanks for your information. Maybe they do have a stronger back up than I first thought. Makes South Africa firm in my mind for the trophy....is there a trophy?
jakes
Guest
i personally watched that match aussies got 260-odd in the 1st innings(we should have won that game btw) only to face a fired up sa attack on a pitch that had its demons but not a 45 all out wicket it did flatten out a bit at the end there. SA commentators checked i during lunch and tea they said it had something in it but nothing to suggest 45 all basically was a pitch with something in it and an impecible attack
Robbo
Guest
You forgot to mention that SA got rolled for 96 in the first innings! Good pitch? Clarke got 151 and nobody else could get it off the square! Yes it finally flattened out in the last innings, but that was more luck than anything else.
jakes
Guest
when we got trolled for 47 that newlands pitch was a good pitch. graeme smith and hashim amla both went on to record centuries hardly a monster pitch
Robbo
Guest
Jakes, how many would England have made if they had played on the same SA track where we got rolled for 47? The Poms were 5/25 on a tricky, but hardly tough wicket in Sydney. If the Saffas serve up the same wickets this series, the matches will be over in a day and a half, it will be a lottery as to who wins!
jakes
Guest
not at all the south africa went to england played 3 test matches won 2-0.australia went to england played 5 test matches lost 3-0 hardly any similarities there
JGK
Roar Guru
Both attacks performed about the same against England in England over the last two seasons with Australia's attack since boosted by the return of Johnson.
jakes
Guest
47 43 45 49 sound familiar? these are the scores that the saffers attack has been able to humiliate international test playing nations to in the the last 2 and a half years. Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan were all given notice of the greatness and potency of this attack at their best. i certainly dont remember the aussies or windies do this in their glory days so this showr that this attack is certainly up there with the best While the aussie attack was nothing short of brilliant they never knocked england out for less than 136. best attack in the world? lets be honest guys the saffers attack is the best by a long way, they have performed everywhere and are hands down worthy no.1. if australia is not at their peak this might be a very long tour!
felix
Guest
Looking forward to sieng M.Johnson vs G.Smith,How good is the aussy top order at pulling and hooking because I sence rivalry will see plenty of to the ribs and head bowling,surely they cant do a S.Waugh and duck all day till a century is scored. I rate aussy batsman as way more aggresive,I do not think its in the aussy nature to leave the ball like the Indians,safe to say the Gilchrist,Hayden and Ponting fever to hit themselves out of trouble has gone on to the now generation.Big question for me is do the current crop of players have the talent to follow the trend successfully?. :-)
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
All I can say is that let's not get too ahead of ourselves even though the Ashes whitewash was immensely satisfying. As long as the team can continue on with their consistent performance and keep the same XI fit to play all three tests then we are in with a strong chance of toppling the number one test team in the world. And also I still remember last time we toured South Africa in late 2011, the debutant quicks such as Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc were all over the very strong South African batting.