“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust; if Johnson don’t get ya, then others must.”
Ashes 2015
Pace is an advantage, but ONLY if it’s accompanied by accuracy and movement. Johnson was just as fast in 2010/11, but he wasn’t accurate and didn’t move the ball except in the 3rd test, when he took 9 of the 15 wickets @36 he got in the series. He was comprehensively outbowled by Anderson, who took 24 wickets @26.
For this series, England needs greentops. Yes, it will make the Aussie fast men more threatening, but they are plenty threatening already. What it will do is give the England bowlers a chance to get at the somewhat vulnerable Aussie batting. The strength of England’s batting is its length, with 5,6,7 and 8 all genuine batsmen. Australia has a good top 5 but after that they can be had. Green wickets with movement will give England its best shot. Ali can’t bowl sides out in the last innings the way Swann could, so turners aren’t an option. Flat tracks will just play into the Aussies’ hands.
Ashes
Be scared, be very scared. Some serious pace on the way.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/891809.html