Australia’s bowling riches can deliver an Ashes win in England

Keep the bowling attack fit and healthy over the next 18 months and there is no reason why Australia cannot break a drought that stretches back to 2001 and win the next Ashes series in England. In fact it looks there for the taking if they do. Right now Steve Smith is a blessed Test captain who possesses an envious blend of bowlers in Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon. Never before have a side had only four wicket-takers over the course of a five-match series but is easy to see how it occurred. Through Starc’s left-arm angle and fuller length, Hazlewood’s relentless accuracy and heavy ball, the ability of Cummins to switch from mid-80s workhorse to 90mph shock bowler and Lyon both tying up an end and yet still attacking in the process, pretty much every base is covered.When people ask about the greatest Australia attack, it is hard to look beyond any of those that included Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. But while statistically McGrath and myself are the most prolific Australia fast-bowling pairing in history, sharing 484 wickets from the 58 Tests together, I have maintained for some time that Starc and Hazlewood will go beyond us.Add Cummins in there and that is three potential all-time great fast bowlers in the same side and we are just scratching the surface with him too, following a first home summer in which he has ended up the leading wicket-taker on either side. It is a truly heartening story after battling back from setback after setback since his debut in 2011. The body has adapted and the mental toughness has shone through. Here’s to a long and fulfilling career from now.Smith described winning the Ashes away from home as being on his bucket list and with these three seamers it can be achieved, especially if Starc and Hazlewood remember the right lengths from their past tours. That said, to level up some of this Australian optimism it must be noted there remains a challenge for the batting lineup when it comes to conditions. The two wins in the last away Ashes tour came on the flattest pitches, at Lord’s and The Oval.It is here where Australia’s selectors must back the bulk of the current side during the intervening time and not chop and change too much. In the recent past there has been a bit too much overthinking in Test cricket played away from home. This has mainly manifested itself on the subcontinent but there is a danger that past records in England could be factored in.Batsmen, in my opinion, need to be afforded the chance to learn from failings on foreign pitches. Ricky Ponting averaged 18 after his first two tours of India before going on to become a fine player in those conditions and yet Usman Khawaja has seen early struggles in that part of the world result in little patience. Will three under-par Tests in England in 2013 count against him? You would hope not. The same goes for the Marsh brothers too.The makeup of the England bowling attack Australia will face remains a great uncertainty. My suspicion is Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad will still be around, although much of this will hinge on their desire to keep going. And out of the two, it is strange to see Broad, the younger man by four years, look the more vulnerable.Broad has not fully fired for a year and 11 wickets over the course of the Ashes, including five in one Test when the urn was gone, is slim pickings for a player of his pedigree. England will probably find themselves hoping for a renaissance from him, because there appears to be a dearth of seamers applying unanswerable pressure on these two at a time when it is needed most.Can Craig Overton and Tom Curran find a bit more in themselves, now they have tasted Test cricket? Will the bodies of Mark Wood, Liam Plunkett and Toby Roland-Jones allow them to push for a place in 18 months’ time? And what on earth happened to Jake Ball on this tour? He was the big hope during the warmup matches but disappeared after Brisbane. Chris Woakes will undoubtedly be a threat at home but England need more from the chasing pack.Two seamers being talked up are George Garton and Jofra Archer and I am looking forward to working with them in my new role as the Sussex coach. The former is only 20 and the latter, whose pace has caught the eye, is just over three years from qualifying to play for England. As with any player, I will do my best to try to help them achieve their dreams. (The writer is a former Australian fast bowler)