Cricket World Cup: Australian pace attack planning to decimate England

IF the deathly silence at England training on Friday was anything to go by, Eoin Morgan and his men know there’s a storm coming in the World Cup opener at the MCG.

Pace attack plans to decimate Poms

IF the deathly silence at England training on Friday was anything to go by, Eoin Morgan and his men know there’s a storm coming in the World Cup opener at the MCG and are almost powerless to stop it.

Australia have unveiled their plans to unleash an all-out fast bowling frenzy and “kill off” the besieged tourists, with Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh and Shane Watson all lining up for a shot.

“With our attack we can do a lot of damage up front and kill games off,” said captain George Bailey.

“We can win games early which is just so exciting.”

England spearhead Jimmy Anderson says he’s fully expecting a volley of verbal abuse from David Warner and company, as well as 90,000 screaming fans.

And England’s gloomy body language at the MCG nets would suggest they’re almost resigned to being like lambs to the slaughter, as they have been all of this summer and the last.

Stuart Broad seemed preoccupied with finding out the meaning behind a cheeky advertising campaign hanging from an overhead helicopter claiming England have ‘lost their balls’.

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But even though his concentration should have perhaps been on game one of a tournament they’ve never won, at least he was talking – none of his teammates were saying a word as they went through the motions.

In contrast, heavy favourites Australia were bouncing off the walls, with skipper Bailey smiling ear to ear that it’s England and not he who has to face his electric pace bowling cartel at the MCG cauldron.

“It’s horrible at training … but it’s amazing come game time,” said Bailey.

Australian players Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell are itching to take on the Poms at the MCG on Saturday.

“I for one can’t wait for the actual game to start so at least I can direct it rather than just cop it.

“It’s pretty special. They’re a pretty special group of bowlers who I think if they work as well as they hope they can throughout this tournament, they could be a real difference.

“People talk about dead periods or periods when the game floats along, but when you’ve got that sort of arsenal at your disposal you can be continually pushing the game and controlling the game – and that’s pretty special.”

England lost all three matches they played against Australia in the recent ODI tri-series, and were sitting ducks for the final in Perth – with Johnson clearly in the head of Morgan and the rest of the top order.

The ICC have the two teams sharing the same lodgings in Melbourne, but Australia are yet to sight their English counterparts around the breakfast table.

However, Bailey says Australia won’t be taking their opposition lightly.

“I guess we are taking it as a danger game,” he said.

“I imagine they would have expectations on them. There’s a lot of very good and very proud cricketers in that side.”

Veteran danger man Anderson made his debut at the MCG way back in 2002, and can succinctly sum up the difference between then and now.

“I guess the abuse at the time was a bit of a shock and tomorrow it won’t be a shock,” he said.

Fiery Australian star Warner is supposedly on his final warning for on-field behaviour, and is facing a suspension the next time he crosses the line according to the ICC’s strict new guidelines.

Asked whether England would consider trying to poke the bear, Anderson said they wouldn’t waste their time.

“Having played against him in the past I’m not sure he needs too much encouragement,” he said of Warner.

“But we’re going to go out there and concentrate on what we do. We’re going to be aggressive with the ball up front and try and take wickets all the way through the innings.

“Our main job is to try and get him out, not to rile him up, so we’ll concentrate on that.”

Morgan clumsily accused Johnson of not even swinging the ball in the tri-series final when he had one stage had them reeling at 3-11.

But Anderson says the batsmen have now taken their medicine.

“We’ve learned a lot from Perth, the guys have been working hard in the nets and figuring out plans, and we realise we’ve just got to play well no matter what he sends down,” he said.