Australia's brightest young cricketers will provide all the illumination needed to bring customers through the turnstiles this summer.
Never mind that the visiting teams seem an unimpressive lot not expected to issue a formidable challenge to the powerful and capably led home side.
Often it is the teams from which least is anticipated that spring the biggest surprise.
In any case Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee will be worth watching on their own account. Already both are finding their best form with stirring deeds at the batting end of the pitch (in which regard the Wollongong swashbuckler has improved considerably) and fierce blasts from the end occupied by the turners of sods and hewers of wood, as Mr O'Reilly used to call them.
Lee's performance in Melbourne last week was a statement of intent. Encouraged by supporters in the stands whose enthusiasm suggested they must be close relatives, or else comrades from his days surfing the waves, Lee bowled at roughly the speed of light and quite fast enough to test the nerves and reflexes of opponents even sturdier than those currently representing Victoria.
Repeatedly the ball thudded into the distant gloves in which Brad Haddin had placed his hands. And only dull spectators cannot appreciate this sort of vitality.
And it was all accomplished with a smoothness and athleticism indicating that this young fast bowler could reach high pace without any deterioration being detected in his action. If Lee's work does ever suffer it is usually towards the end of a long spell. Much the same can be said of Shoaib Akhtar, another man capable of stirring supporters with his uncompromising thunderbolts unleashed from 22 yards and designed to hit something wooden, preferably not the bat.
Rather earlier than is common among pacemen, Lee has taken a glance in the direction of sophistication. As a rule youngsters with a bit of pepper in them bowl as fast as they can in their youth, an approach learnt in backyard matches of suburban life wherein a fellow gets his turn with the willow only after he's bowled his chum out, or knocked him out.
Generally speaking subtleties come along a little later, as the bowler realises the need to blend fire and water in his presentation. To suggest to a young fast bowler that he might try a slower ball or move wider in the crease invariably provokes the same reaction detected from a blood-curdling swordsman informed that he has been chosen in the epee team and that he was expected to dance around on tip-toe with his left arm delicately raised.
Putting aside such reservations Lee has added to his repertoire this winter and can produce a crafty slower one and send down an inswinging yorker from wide of the crease, a delivery that might have turned the one-day match against Victoria upon its head had luck been on the bowler's side. As it was, Lee was forced to admit defeat but his spirit shone through and his final spell might have alarmed the West Indians had they been watching.
Ponting has also been in captivating form and the only frustration is that he is likely to bat at fourth wicket down when he is clearly capable of taking a position higher in the order.
As it stands Matt Hayden is the front runner to open the innings with Michael Slater, and Justin Langer can hardly be ignored after his doughty contributions in New Zealand. The main choice lies between Mark Waugh and Damien Martyn, worthy candidates vying for a single berth.If the Western Australian is nominated he could bat at six leaving Ponting to rise a couple of places. And yet Ponting is better suited to first drop. To my mind he's either a youngster learning his trade in the middle order or a top class batsman walking out to meet any challenge at the fall of the first wicket. Really it's a pity Langer is not an opener.
Wherever he bats, wherever he fields, and provided he finds some form, Ponting will be worth watching. He's an exciting player left with a wide range of shots, the footwork of a cat and hands as fast as Dean Jones'. The feeling remains that his best days lie ahead, that he is only beginning to master his mind.
Happily these fellows riled each other up in Hobart. Doubtless it was all playful stuff, a couple of lion cubs fooling around before going in search of supper.
Clearly these young men are fit and rearing to go, in which regard they are not alone.
- PETER ROEBUCK