Australia head to England for grueling summer
The Australian squad for the ICC World Twenty20 left for England on Wednesday for a long summer of cricket in England which includes the ICC World Twenty20, which will be followed by the Ashes, two Twenty20 Internationals and seven one day internationals against England.
The ICC World Twenty20 starts on June 6 and the final ODI against England ends on September 20.
The squad for the ICC World Twenty20 2009 left on Wednesday for England to try to win the only major international trophy the Australians haven't won in recent seasons.
The remainder will head over in the coming weeks for tour matches at the Hove and Worcester ahead of the first Ashes Test starting July 8 at Cardiff.
There was no bold 5-0 prediction from Glenn McGrath before the first section of the Australian cricket squad jetted off to England on Wednesday ahead of the Ashes series.
In fact, many of their experienced candidates who have previously played crucial roles in winnings games abroad are not part of this Australian squad. Some of these former Australian match-winners include: Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn and Jason Gillespie.
Four years ago, an experienced squad departed for England full of confidence but suffered a 2-1 series loss. They largely stayed together to avenge that defeat with a 5-0 Ashes series win at home in 2006-07. Then the retirements started.
Skipper Ricky Ponting, who was the first captain since Allan Border in 1986-87 to taste Ashes defeat when he led the 2005 tour, is one of only five survivors of that trip.
Among the other survivors are vice-captain Michael Clarke, opener Simon Katich, Brad Haddin - now first-choice wicketkeeper but a non-playing backup in 2005 - and paceman Brett Lee.
"It still sits inside me that I was part of that tour," Haddin said in a recent newspaper interview. "And knowing how the guys felt coming back to Australia, I know they were upset and embarrassed. We were caught on the hop a bit but you can be sure that won't happen this time."
Australia won the series-opening match at Lord's in 2005, with McGrath voted Man-of-the Match. But Australia's dominance faded quickly after McGrath was sidelined for the second and third matches after twisting his ankle in a warm-up little more than an hour before the second Test was to start.
Though Lee shouldered a greater load, McGrath's absence exposed a lack of depth and form in Australia's pace bowling attack. England, meanwhile, confounded Australia's batsmen with a pace-quartet that mastered the art of reverse swing.
Ponting will monitor practice games to select final Ashes squad
Depth shouldn't be an issue this time among the Australian quicks. The selectors named five in the Ashes squad and competition is so intense that only left-armer Mitchell Johnson - Player of the Series in Australia's 2-1 series win in South Africa in March - is a certainty to start.
He has taken 94 wickets in 21 Tests and, adding significant strength to the batting order, scored an unbeaten 123 and a 96 not-out against No. 2-ranked South Africa.
Lee may be the only current bowler with Ashes experience in England, but will have to push his case in the ICC World Twenty20 as he returns from ankle and foot operations.
Stuart Clark has Ashes experience but only on Australian soil, and is returning from an elbow problem. Still, his economy and McGrath-like line and length means he should force his way into the reckoning.
"Where Stuart and Brett are in the pecking order, we don't know at the moment," Ponting said this week, adding, “The first two games before the first Test will tell us."
If selectors stick with the incumbents, Peter Siddle - the sturdy 24-year-old Victorian pace-man, nicknamed Vicious, who now has 29 wickets in seven Tests - will hold his spot.
And Ben Hilfenhaus, the 26-year-old Tasmanian, may also be chosen ahead of more seasoned teammates. He has only seven wickets in three Tests but English conditions should suit his swing bowling.
Lee has 310 wickets in 76 Tests and has been a contributor with the bat, scoring five half centuries. He was Australia's best paceman on the 2005 tour but could easily miss out on the first Test.
Australia will use the tour matches to decide on its combinations, with most attention on the bowling line-up and the all-rounder spot, where Andrew McDonald and Shane Watson are vying for selection.
