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Siddle backs quicks to cover Johnson

Peter Siddle says Australia can fill the sizeable void left by the retirement of Mitchell Johnson

With 313 Test wickets, a wealth of international experience and an intimidation factor few in recent times have come close to matching, there's little doubt Mitchell Johnson leaves a gaping hole in Australia's pace attack.

Yet the quartet of quicks included in the squad for the third Commonwealth Bank Test can certainly lay claim to being capable of covering Johnson in just about every facet.

Certainly Peter Siddle, who was 12th man for the opening two Tests of this trans-Tasman series and looks set to be included for the final match in Adelaide, believes the Fast-Bowling Cartel remains in extremely healthy shape despite the departure of the 34-year-old left-armer.

Indeed Siddle nominates himself as the man capable of offering the experience now missing among younger tyros Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson. 

"Just (Johnson's) experience side of things and knowing how to play in the conditions (will be missed)," he said. 

"All those things you learn off the experienced guys, and the knowledge they have over years of cricket, you lose a lot of that. 

"That type of experience around the group is going to be hard to pick up on, but I think I can play a part in that.

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"I've been around for (a period) just a little bit shorter than Mitch but I've been around and played enough Test cricket, played enough around the world, to be able to give enough knowledge and experience to these guys.

"All these guys debuted with me alongside them (already in the team), especially 'Starcy' and 'Patto' a few years ago ... I think I'll be able to pass on enough to them and work alongside them. 

"Obviously my skillset works well with the way their play their games."

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And in Starc, as has previously been mooted by captain Steve Smith, Australia have the heir apparent to Johnson; a man with the potential to intimidate with express pace and outright hostility.

As Player of the Tournament in the 2015 World Cup, the left-armer has this year established himself as the world's pre-eminent ODI fast bowler, while also taking significant strides in the Test arena. 

Criticised in some quarters for lacking the necessary aggression to take on the mantle of pace spearhead during the last Australian summer, Starc has been noticeably more volatile and willing to impose himself on a contest since. 

Whether that's a response to the initial condemnation or simply a growing self-confidence is of little consequence; moreover, Siddle believes his fast-bowling colleague now has the ingredients to succeed the other Mitch.  

"All in all we're still in a good place," Siddle said. "Starcy has shown over the past especially 12 months the way he can perform, that he can take over that mantle as the type of player Mitch Johnson was in the (2013-14) Ashes; the fast, aggressive wicket-taker.

"Starcy has definitely shown in the past 12 months that he can fill that role, and fill it well ... When he's on and has those spells I think it shows that he can be a very fierce competitor and put a lot of pressure on the opposition.

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"There's enough to cover (Johnson). Obviously time will tell whether it will work. But I think we're in a good place."

Adding his name into the mix with some hostile spells in the Sheffield Shield is Pattinson, who bowled fast in the Adelaide Oval nets today as coach and selector Darren Lehmann looked on. 

World Cup winner and Pattinson's Victoria teammate Aaron Finch sung the speedster's praises today, and with Hazlewood's bowling loads known to be particularly close to 'overworked', the 25-year-old could be in line for his first Test since March 2014.

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The question mark over Pattinson centres upon his fitness, principally whether he has sufficiently recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered at the end of last season to come through the rigours of a five-day match and the bowling workload such a contest demands. 

The right-arm quick has played 13 Tests, taking 51 wickets at 27, and seems destined to play a key role in Australia's future across both Tests and limited-overs cricket. 

Yet given his chequered injury history, his rehabilitation has been and will continue to be carefully monitored by Cricket Australia.