England quicks can expose Aussies: Bond

Recently-appointed fast-bowling consultant Shane Bond believes England's pace attack is well equipped to take down an Australian batting order that "has had its problems over the past two years" when the two sides meet in the Ashes this summer.

Bond, who last week signed on as bowling coach with Brisbane Heat for another two years and will juggle his responsibilities between the two roles this summer, was recruited last month by England coach Trevor Bayliss, the Australian mentor who is leaving no stone unturned in a bid to make it two from two Ashes triumphs against his native country.

The former Black Caps tearaway played 15 ODIs in Australia, taking 32 wickets at 19.81 in a career that was chequered by injuries.

"It was completely out of the blue," Bond said of the Bayliss phone call. "I've been an Ashes fan for a long time … I'm very aware of the rivalry but to be a Kiwi and then get the invite to be part of the series, I was always going to jump at it. So I'm really looking forward to being part of the set-up."

Bond said it was more than just his playing career that interested Bayliss, with the 42-year-old having spent the past two summers working in Australian conditions courtesy of his role with the Heat in the KFC Big Bash.

"There's a whole range of factors: being over here for the last couple of years, I've played a bit here, (I've got) experience with the Kookaburra ball," he said of his recruitment for the role, in which he'll be working with veteran pair James Anderson and Stuart Broad, among others.

"Also I've got a couple of pretty handy campaigners in the England team who I'm getting the opportunity to work with.

"So I've been in touch with those guys and I'm really looking forward to getting over to Perth (this) weekend and getting stuck into what is a nice lead-in time to the first Test match."

England's touring squad is due to arrive in Perth on Sunday, and Bond was unequivocal when asked if he believed they have the firepower to win just a second Ashes series in Australia since their 1986-87 success.

"One hundred per cent, I mean you've got a couple of blokes with 900 Test wickets between them, and then some blokes with pace and bounce built in around that," he offered.

"So there's no doubt the team has the talent to win the series.

"I think it's going to be a close series, two pretty even teams and from my point of view, I'm just hoping it will come out on the English side – I never thought I'd say that."

While England's new-ball duo are well versed in Australian conditions (Anderson has played 13 Tests, Broad seven), neither player's record is as flattering as their overall career numbers.

Broad (career average 28.81, in Australia 32.13) fares better than Anderson (27.39 versus 38.44), and Bond stressed that preparation would be paramount in finding a way through the Australians on their home turf.

"Coming to Australia, you know the seams are going to be flatter, the wickets are flat, the ball doesn't do much," he explained.

"So you've got to find a way to get the ball to move off the straight. Australia are bloody strong in their own conditions, especially their batting line-up, so that's the stuff we've got three-and-a-half weeks to work through before we turn up in Brisbane.

"And if we get that right, with the quality bowlers we've got, we'll give them a pretty good run for their money.

"We'll be well prepared, well organised and we'll know exactly how we want to attack the Australians come that first Test match."

As ever, much of the build-up to an Australian home summer will be focused on the first Test at the Gabba, where Australia had an almighty scare against Pakistan last year but maintained their unbeaten record at the venue, which stretches back to 1988.

England haven't won a Test in Brisbane since November 1986, losing five and drawing matches in the intervening period.

"I'm sure it'll be talked in the lead-up that it's a fortress, that the Aussies haven't lost here in however many years it is," Bond added.

"That all means nothing. There's pace, there's bounce, there can be swing here.

"And if our bowlers can use that when the conditions suit, there's no reason we can't knock over an Australian batting line-up that has had some problems over the past two years."

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 13

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21