Ashes pace battle will be clash of the titans

The world’s two best opening bowling teams will fight it out in Brisbane, writes David Leggat

The start of the Ashes next Thursday brings one of the more intriguing subplots — the battle of the fasties.

And while nothing thrills like the sight of a true quick delivering thunderbolts, there will only be one of those in action at the Gabba next week, tall Australian left-armer Mitchell Starc.

The other three, barring injury mishaps, will be Josh Hazlewood and the vastly experienced James Anderson and Stuart Broad, all quality fastmedium operators for whom guile is a more important factor than straightout pace.

But it begs the question: are these the best two new-ball combinations in test cricket?

The answer is yes, on the numbers they have achieved, with New Zealand’s Trent Boult and Tim Southee not far behind.

Southee’s form last summer was resounding, after a flat period before that.

His last five tests have produced 27 wickets at 24 apiece. He missed two of the three home tests against South Africa last March, curiously dropped for one, then injured for the drawn series decider in Hamilton, when a rained-out final day robbed New Zealand of an almost certain victory.

But the Northern Districts pair work well together and here’s one of the keys: good fast bowling combinations are able to bounce off each other and ensure the heat stays on the batsmen from both ends.

The West Indies, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan don’t possess a top-notch pair at present, with Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir the most gifted of the individual quicks going around from those countries.

Some of these pairs have a quality third operator backing them up, New Zealand’s bullish leftie Neil Wagner is perhaps the best example.

By the numbers, the Indian pair, Muhammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, might seem the weakest of the double acts. But their work in Indian conditions is top-notch.

Ask visiting batsmen how they rate them, remembering they are often bowling in spin-friendly conditions.

Test cricket is awash in celebrated partnerships: Lindwall and Miller; Lillee and Thomson; Trueman and Statham; Hall and Griffith; Donald and Pollock.

You tend to think of them as a single unit, as much as for their qualities in their individual right.

It’s fair to suggest whichever of the Ashes pairs outperforms the other will have taken a substantial step to helping their team win — or retain — the Ashes.

New Zealand are in an interesting situation too.

Wagner is the third wheel in the first test squad to face the West Indies in Wellington starting on December 1.

His numbers since the start of last year are compelling — 63 wickets at 24.1 apiece.

But New Zealand have a growing pile of fast bowlers waiting a chance, or in some cases a second chance, in the test game.

The New Zealand A side to play the West Indies in Lincoln next week includes three young fast bowlers, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne and Scott Kuggeleijn, all in strong form, while one-test quick Hamish Bennett completed a fine 10 for 48 off 24.5 overs for Wellington in their Plunket Shield romp over Canterbury at the Basin Reserve on Thursday.

It’s all in the timing.

It sounds as if forces are gathering behind the three test incumbents — and don’t forget Matt Henry is in the test squad too — and a bit of extra pressure to perform is surely a good thing.