The Ashes 2013: The Australians are in for a hard time this summer

Shane Watson’s bowling makes him a vital member of the side, but having counted only two centuries in 41 Tests he needs to now show his true mettle with the bat in order to help the tourists withstand the new ball onslaught from James Anderson and company, and to improve his standing within the team. He has his work cut out, especially if there is much swing on offer.

Shane Watson will be an important cog in Australia’s wheel

Apart from Clarke, Australia’s middle order is unlikely to cause the England attack many sleepless nights. Not that they will be walkovers; there is enough talent among Ed Cowans and David Warner (If they find a place in the middle), Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Phillip Hughes and Brad Haddin to provide some runs, but it is likely that England’s formidable attack will be able to limit the damage they can do.

Australia’s best chance of gaining the upper hand over their hosts lies in their pace bowling. High quality fast men like James Pattinson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc have the ability to impose quite a bit of difficulty on their opponents. Pattinson showed what he could do even on lifeless subcontinent surfaces on the recent Indian tour; Peter Siddle can be quick and unrelenting; and if Mitchell Starc finds conditions to his liking he can really be a disruptive force, taking wickets in bundles.

But the Aussie pacers will find that English top order wickets don’t come cheap. Captain Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott are two of the most adhesive batsmen in world cricket, and the reinstatement of the gifted Kevin Pietersen means that the hosts also have a batsman that can snatch the game away in a flash.

It could therefore be a long summer for the Australian attack, especially since they might find themselves deficient in the spin bowling department. Nathan Lyon is a hard trier but the English batsmen will be confident they can deal with whatever he throws at them, and they may even be more concerned that exiled Pakistani leg spinner will probably become available during the series.

Still, cricket is a game of uncertainty – nothing is guaranteed. An unheralded player or two could possibly come out of nowhere and spur the underdogs to a spectacular and unlikely victory. Bradman did it for Australia in 1930; Tyson did it for England in 1954. The 1989 Australians were called the worst ever to visit England, yet players like Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor and Terry alderman administered a sound beating on their stunned hosts.

England are heavy favourites because, as far as we know, they start with a much better team than the Australians. It will take a brave man to wager against them retaining the Ashes.