The Japan Times - Australia worries and England bravado light Ashes fuse

Former fast bowler Stuart Broad lit the fuse this week by claiming England's oldest rivals have their weakest side in 15 years.

"It's probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won (in Australia), and it's the best English team since 2010," Broad, now working as a pundit, told the BBC.

"It's actually not an opinion, it's fact."

His provocative comments came on the back of opener Zak Crawley claiming the term Bazball "winds" Australia up and Joe Root suggesting the five-Test series was the best chance to snap his record of never blasting a century Down Under.

England are bringing a powerful squad with a cartel of dangerous quicks spearheaded by Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, while Root, Crawley and Harry Brook lead a batting line-up with plenty of depth.

But the reality for Ben Stokes's men is they have an appalling record in Australia and the taunts will mean little when hostilities begin on November 21 at the first Test in Perth.

England have not won the Ashes in Australia since 2010/11, when Broad was part of a squad that triumphed 3-1. The last three trips have yielded one-sided scorelines of 5-0, 4-0 and 4-0.

Retired Australian opener Warner this week predicted another Australia rout, with only the weather preventing a 5-0 whitewash.

"I think 4-0, there's going to be a washout somewhere, generally Sydney," he told reporters, although Warner tempered his confidence amid worries about skipper Cummins.

"I think it's going to be a great series, depending on the captain, if the captain doesn't play I think they might win one game."

- Opening void -

Pace spearhead Cummins has not played since a back injury against the West Indies in July and the clock is ticking.

He admits it is "probably less likely than likely" that he will play in Perth, with concerns that his absence could drag on even longer.

Should he miss the first Test, Scott Boland will almost certainly step in and lead the attack with Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, while Steve Smith would be skipper.

Who fills the role as back-up paceman remains to be seen, although coach Andrew McDonald recently nominated Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser and Sean Abbott as candidates.

"I feel like we've got some good options if we do get stretched, which is one of the great things of domestic cricket in Australia," he said of the bowling stocks.

Of more pressing concern is who will open alongside Usman Khawaja, with no-one stepping up to fill Warner's shoes since he retired nearly two years ago.

Marnus Labuschagne, who was dropped ahead of Australia's recent Test campaign in the West Indies, has started his build-up with three hundreds in four matches for Queensland.

But Warner feels he is better suited at three, a position he occupied until being promoted to opener for June's losing World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's.

"When someone’s averaging 50 in Test cricket you've probably got to go back to that," said Warner. "I wouldn’t like to see him open," he added. "I'd like him to shuffle back down to three."

All-rounder Cameron Green most recently batted at first drop and would have to shift back to six in place of Beau Webster if Labuschagne is picked for the role.

That still leaves a chasm at the top with young gun Sam Konstas and the more experienced Matt Renshaw seen as leading the race.

Former captain Greg Chappell said Renshaw -- Khawaja's opening partner at Queensland -- was a safer bet.

"The two are domestic opening partners and the established synergy between them is of the sort that has historically been a hallmark of the best Ashes opening pairs," he wrote for the website cricinfo.

"This weighs heavily in Renshaw's favour."

S.Ogawa--JT