My attack:
Anderson
Broad
Swann
Onions
Sidebottom 12th man. I don't rate Bresnan at all.
Hilfenhaus scares me. If not for continual injuries he would be right up there with Steyn and Johnson for the title of world's best quick, and if you disagree, you just haven't seen enough of him. Hilfenhaus, Johnson and Bollinger is a better trio of pacemen than what we have, even more so in Australian conditions. Throw Smith into the mix (although thankfully at 20 he's going to be inconsistent) and they've got some X factor in there. We haven't seen Bollinger vs Strauss as yet - he's their best opening paceman since McGrath and that includes Lee. If Strauss can get on top of him it will go a long way toward retaining the urn.
The other thing that people don't seem to realise is how good a test bowler Watson is becoming. His return from injury in the last Ashes was terrible with the ball, and he didn't fire a shot in the T20 cup, but his ODI and test bowling since the Ashes have been very impressive - genuine wicket taker and near on the form all rounder in the game at present. Anyone who's thinking his T20 performance is indicative will get a rude shock.
Let's be honest here - simulate the 2009 Ashes series 10 times and we probably win twice. We took less wickets, scored less runs, and in Cardiff we dodged one hell of a big bullet. Statistically this series was the first of its kind in the sport, ever. Once in a blue moon stuff. Now we're crowing because we beat them in what is ultimately a hit and giggle format; nice to get the win and break the drought; but it's not cricket.
I worry with these victories that, much the same as when we got over them in 2005, we are starting to think we're the better side when in reality the convicts are still a ways ahead. Swann is in the form of his life but he and Hauritz are in the same ball park for ability, and Smith's potential goes above and beyond the both of them. They've got this kid in Phil Hughes who we think because we got him out early a few times as a 20 year old in his first tour of England, isn't much chop, but he has a test average of 51 and an FC average of 60.
Cardiff sticks in my mind - when the ball wasn't swinging a mile we looked so incredibly blunt it could drive a man to tears. Broad and Anderson especially. How are we going to go on Aussie decks?
We also can't forget how important Flintoff was in the last series. If he doesn't come up for the fifth test do we break the Ponting/Hussey partnership? Without his one-legged heroics at Lord's how much closer would they have gotten to completing that outlandish run chase?
We're going to have to play very well to beat them in their backyard, and we're going to have to do it without the man who inspired us last year. Hopefully Strauss keeps heads from inflating ahead of the trip.
