"In time, when we look back and talk about the best bowlers Australia have ever produced a number of these current names will be in those conversations."
Monday 4 May 2020 14:31, UK
Jason Gillespie believes Australia have the best bowling attack in world cricket with the current unit featuring arguably some of the Baggy Greens' greatest bowlers ever.
Seamers Pat Cummins (first), Mitchell Starc (sixth) and Josh Hazlewood (10th) are all in the top 10 of the ICC Test bowing standings, with spinner Nathan Lyon slotting in at 16th.
Speaking on a Sky Sports Cricket Podcast Australia Special, former paceman Gillespie also said his country have strong bowling depth as they look to keep hold of their newly-acquired No 1 Test ranking.
"It would be hard to argue with that," Sussex head coach Gillespie said when asked by Ian Ward whether Australia's bowling line-up was the best around, on a show you can listen to in the player above.
"I have been saying for a couple of years that Starc and Hazlewood are potentially going to be our greatest opening combination. They complement each other so well.
"You have the left-arm attacking option of Starc, who can go for a few runs but is a wicket-taker and creates indecision with his pace. Hazlewood is a wonderful bowler - I could watch him bowl all day.
"Cummins can fulfil any number of roles - with the old ball, with the new ball - and those three are backed up by Lyon, who has been brilliant. I think the depth is there as well.
"James Pattinson, who has just turned 30, still has a role to play in the next couple of years at least. Michael Neser has been in the wings for 18 months and there is the young lad in Jhye Richardson. We have the makings of a fine bowling attack.
"In time, when we look back and talk about the best bowlers Australia have ever produced, a number of these names will be in those conversations."
Last summer's 2-2 drawn Ashes series in England - meaning Australia retained the urn they had won at home in 2017-18 - saw the emergence of batsman Marnus Labuschagne.
The South-Africa born star took Steve Smith's place as a concussion substitute after the latter was felled by a Jofra Archer delivery in the second Test at Lord's and went on to score four fifties in the series.
Labuschagne then struck four hundreds and three half-centuries in eight Test innings at home, at an average of 112, as Australia reeled off two innings wins over Pakistan and three crushing victories over New Zealand, results that helped them usurp India at the top of the Test rankings.
Former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody told the podcast: "If it wasn't for the concussion rule we probably wouldn't have seen Labuschagne emerge as a player of world-class standing.
"From a freak story, we have unearthed an absolute gem. It's not just what he did in The Ashes, but what he has gone on to do in the Australian summer.
"Where we were vulnerable was with the bat and he has covered a few cracks in our batting."
Shane Warne also hailed the roles coach Justin Langer and captain Tim Paine have played in lifting Australia from the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in March 2018.
But he has warned that international players must feature more in domestic cricket for the side's success to continue.
"When you think back to where Australia were after sandpaper-gate to where there are now - top of Test cricket and T20 - the two leaders, Langer and Paine, have done a terrific job," said Warne.
"The players themselves have to take a lot of credit for playing some good attacking cricket. There are not too many spots up for grabs - you know what the side is bar for maybe a few debatable spots.
"In the main we know what our best side is and that had been the issue. Some guys have grabbed their opportunities with both hands.
"When you put two class players in Steve Smith and David Warner back in the mix and have the bowling side Australia have at the moment - the awesome quickies and Lyno [Nathan Lyon], who has been brilliant - you are looking at a pretty good team."
On Australian domestic cricket, Warne added: "The international players are not playing state cricket - if they do, it might be a token game.
"There has to be a gap where the internationals have to, and want to, play more state and club cricket. If that happens, and second XI cricket is not just young players, then Australian cricket will be stronger for a longer period of time.
"Then Australia will have a chance to be at the top of the tree for a long period of time again, rather than going through cycles of being good for a couple of years and then average for a couple of years. You need a strong foundation and at the moment we don't have that."
Also on the Sky Cricket Podcast, Warne, Moody and Gillespie discussed…
