An Aussie mate of mine emailed me this - apparently they're going a bit mad about it down under...they don't like it up 'em!
Australia scared, says Beefy
IAN Botham claims Australia will be wracked by fear at the prospect of facing England's pace attack in the Ashes this summer.
The legendary all rounder also believes England's decision to make Andrew Flintoff captain for the tour, rather than Andrew Strauss, will have sent shockwaves through the Australia squad.
England's outstanding fast bowling paved the way for Ashes glory last year, with Simon Jones, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison and Flintoff proving a destructive force.
This series, England will tour without Jones, whose knee injury has sidelined him until next season, but the remainder of the attack remains intact, with Sajid Mahmood and James Anderson vying for the role of fourth seamer.
"I expect England to retain the Ashes this (northern) winter because our four-pronged pace attack will haunt Australia as much as they were unsettled in 2005," Botham told the Daily Mirror.
"I can't see how Australia's batsmen will be any better equipped to deal with 'Freddie' Flintoff's fab four quick bowlers this time round."
Botham, 50, added: "For me, if Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Sajid Mahmood stay fit and hunt as a pack, the Ashes will stay where they belong: right here (in England)."
Botham argued that Australia "must slay the demons" of its Ashes defeat, but predicted that with Flintoff at the helm England would be a daunting opponent.
"I notice Ricky Ponting was surprised by Flintoff's appointment as captain, which means the Aussies would have preferred to see Andrew Strauss get the job," Botham said.
"That's no reflection on Strauss, who did a terrific job against Pakistan this summer, but chairman of selectors David Graveney was right when he said the Aussies fear Freddie."
Flintoff himself said he'd draw on Strauss's tactical nous as much as possible, making the pair a potentially deadly leadership.
Ponting said yesterday he had expected England to hand the captaincy reins to Strauss on the back of his series win over Pakistan and the fact that Flintoff has been out injured for several weeks.
Opinion remains split on who should have been given the job. Significantly, though, Australia legend Rodney Marsh, who helped mastermind England's success last year as director of its cricket academy, believed the right choice had been made.
"He's a magnificent cricketer and a wonderful leader of men. Why wouldn't you pick him as captain?" Marsh said yesterday.
"It's exactly what I would have done if I'd been a selector.
"If I was in the England team I'd be very comfortable having him as captain.
"He's got everyone's respect in England, and I think he's got the respect of the Australian players as well.
Conversely, former England captains Mike Atherton and Tony Greig believe Flintoff, 28, could wilt under the relentless burden of being leader, key fast bowler, batsman and second slip fieldsman.
But Marsh disagreed with their assessment.
"Freddie's the sort of bloke who likes work and responsibility. The more you give him to do the better he goes," he said.
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