'Potent' Aussies impress legend Lillee

Test legend Dennis Lillee has described Australia's current bowling group as "one of the best all-round attacks I've seen for many a day".

Lillee, who established a benchmark for Australian fast bowlers with what was once a world record 355 Test wickets, has since gained a reputation as one of the best sources of tutelage for quicks around the country.

And the former right-armer believes the current pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, together with in-form off-spinner Nathan Lyon, is a particularly outstanding bunch.

"It's one of the best all-round attacks I've seen for many a day," Lillee told Fairfax. "Any of them could lead the attack, any of them could be first change and Nathan Lyon has turned into one of the best off-spinners we've seen.

"It's a pretty potent attack. Any of them can take a bag of wickets. That's rare."

Lillee has worked with tearaway Blues quick Cummins, who this year returned to the Test scene after a spate of injuries cost him the best part of six years on the sidelines.

Cummins' comeback started in India, where he replaced an injured Starc in Ranchi for the third Test in March. There he impressed with pace and accuracy, but also in his durability, sending down 39 overs in oppressive conditions. He is the only Australian quick to feature in the five Tests that followed, and now boasts an overall record of 28 wickets in seven matches at 25.96.

Lillee has famously mentored other members of Australia's '300 Club' in Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson, and it was the latter who suggested to Cummins that he seek out the services of the legendary Western Australian when injuries had sidelined him following his stirring Test debut against the Proteas in November 2011.

"From an 18-year-old, when I first saw some highlights of him in South Africa ... there are only half a dozen like this in the world who made me go 'Wow' when I've seen them bowl," Lillee said.

"I felt quite proud that he asked me to help him, but let me tell you the hard work has been done by him. And much like Mitch Johnson and Brett Lee, the contact is always open and we've kept that going.

"When he was probably going through that frustrating period of a few years I said: 'When you come back in again you're just going to be a very young man with 10 years left.' And that's what he had to have in the back of his mind so he didn't rush things."

Cummins has also delivered throughout this Ashes series with the bat, making crucial contributions of 42 and 44, as well as 11no in his three trips to the middle from No.9, and prompting calls he should be promoted up the order.

"He's got plenty of power but he has balance. No doubt he could be an allrounder," former Test captain Mark Taylor said on the Nine Network.

"I reckon he's good enough to get a Test hundred."

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

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