Oz attack on ventilator, help sought!

The just concluded first Ashes has many firsts to it. For starters, the Australian attack looked not only weak but lacked the sting that has been associated with it for years now. Weak is an understatement. While the Englishmen fail to read the Siddle riddle in the first innings, they seemed to have made the amends in the second.
While Siddle bagged six in the first, he looked apallingly out of sorts in the second. The others in the Australian attack did not fare any better. If this is the kind of show (or the lack of it) that would sleepless nights to skipper Ricky Ponting with ground beneath him fast eroding, much like his receding hair-line. Not many times do we see mavericks turn into morons in a span of 48 hours. That is what this Australian attack has turned out to be, I am afraid, it’s not going to get any better this summer.
With Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris being picked for the second Test starting this Friday at Adelaide, will the Australian side fare any better? No. While many may blame the benign track, but the issue is in the mindset. You can create adverts pom-pomming your status as one of the best sides in the world, but you can’t win matches with bowlers who are just ‘Average’ one even in the Sheffield Shield Level.
While the much-talked-about Mitchell Johnson looked ordinary, the success of Marcus North as a bowler would add salt to fast spread wound of Punter. When none of the bowlers in the Oz ranks could penetrate the English openers, North got the prized wicket of Strauss. The issue here is that might show a drawn contest, but Punter would know at the back of his mind that, England won the game in the last two days, hands down.
History has often shown that the best in the business hunt in pairs — be it Lillee and Thommo, Wasim and Waqar, Walsh and Ambrose, McGrath and Lee. The list is endless. Can any average bowler pair up with Johnson at the other end to create opportunities for wickets. No.
The much-talked about domestic set-up has failed to churn out wicket-taking cherry hurlers for the Aussies and how. If pace is a problem, spin isn’t any better. Of the nine tweekers who were tried since Shane Warne quit the scene, none have been successful. Now, I am not comparing anyone with the Mr Hollywood but the fact remains that no one is even remotely close in terms of creating a doubt in the batsman’s mind.
Not long ago, Australian cannons used to be full of arsenal ready to dismiss the opposition much before the contest commenced, the current line-up resembles a team that one has not been used to.
The batting line-up still sports some formidable names such as Ponting, Mike Hussey, Clarke in its ranks but they can only do half of the job as the other lot leave a lot to be desired.
Going by the current scenario, the Ashes very much looks to be headed back to London.