The 1989 batting looks stronger on paper (Gooch, Gower, Smith/Lamb, Broad), even though they didn't stick around too oftenn that series. Part of the problem was they often faced huge totals as our bowling was so useless.
I also think the current Aus bowling is stronger than 20 years ago, Alderman excepted.
Yeah, your bowling attack was utter cannon fodder during that series. They were especially hopeless against a young Steve Waugh, who scored 393 runs
before being dismissed! I believe that Paul Jarvis was the worst of them.
I'm not so sure about your comment about Australia's bowling. I'll analyse them:
1) Alderman and Clark - Alderman, having been wretchedly unlucky with injury throughout the 1980's, took wickets at will during that series, befuddling the inflexible English batsmen with outswing. Clark doesn't swing the ball much and is kind of like an Angus Fraser-plus, which means that he is very effective when there is a little bit of seam movement, but merely economical and unpenetrative on flat decks.
2) Lawson and Johnson - Johnson is better at the moment, but Lawson was a good fast bowler. He'd be better if he wasn't injured frequently. He also had to lead a pretty weak Australian bowling attack during much of the 1980's. Johnson was also put in a similar position during the series with SA at home and shined.
I do think that Lawson is superior to Brett Lee overall, though. Lee got to bowl with McGrath, Gillespie and Warne and was still generally mediocre. Granted, when Brett Lee was good, he was brilliant. He has also shown that he can lead attacks with aplomb. Generally though, he's had a disappointing Test career.
3) Hughes and Siddle - Siddle's start has certainly been better than Merv's (who had a nightmarish debut) and Merv had yet to reach his peak in 1989 (despite taking 13 wickets against WI in 1988/89). Siddle is more gifted (indeed, Siddle is like a combo of both Merv and Craig McDermott), but both take wickets using sheer force of will as much as anything else.
4) Hilfenhaus > Campbell/Waugh/whoever else served as fourth seamer
There's nobody to really compare to Doug Bollinger, etc.