Here's our team in batting order. Ashton Agar has "smooth and soft hands" says WA coach Justin Langer. Credit:Getty Images 1. Nathan Lyon – the spinner may not get many overs on the Ashes tour in seam-friendly England, but he is a proven nightwatchman. He should continue to hone his ultra-determined crouch in order to see out the first four overs of the innings. In a return to traditional values, he will be an opener played purely to get the shine off the ball. Scoring of any kind will be considered a bonus, and if he is still in after ten overs, he will be sacrificed via run out. 2. Fellow opener will be Peter Siddle, who showed with his pair of 50s when batting at No. 9 in the fourth Test in Delhi – a world first – that he has far greater determination to hold on to his wicket, and powers of concentration, than any so-called Australian batsman. 3. Into the fray after a maximum of 24 balls at 1-10, is counter-attacking budding all-rounder Mitchell Starc. He will either smash the bowling to all corners, or succumb quickly, but when the times he comes off will turn the game in Australia's favour. That skill set is shared by incumbent first drop Phillip Hughes, but Phil doesn't bowl handy spells at 145km/h.

4. At four, we will position elegant leftie James Pattinson. He has a temperament and technique to match most of the previous top order, and by averaging 28 in 10 Tests more than matched their recent output. His searing bowling will be a nice bonus. 5. At five, a controversial selection. We are going to sneak in Australia's best and most under-bowled spinner, left-arm tweaker Michael Clarke – even the greatest fast bowling line-up needs variation. The skipper will have to prove that he can handle sending down 36 balls per Test at the pre-tour bowler's boot camp, by carrying heavy weights over a commando course. He'll make it – in recent times, Clarke has carried the entire batting line-up for whole Test series. 6. Combative all-rounder James Faulkner gets his chance here after excelling under pressure in the Sheffield Shield final. He averages 36 from his five ODIs, and an improving 29 in first-class cricket, with eight 50s. 7. Because our stellar attack will beat the bat so often, and so often catch the edge, we'll be forced to name a keeper. Matthew Wade, who also sends down respectable medium pacers, will do, as long as he never again bats at six against spin. 8. Mitchell Johnson owns number eight, with an average over 20 and a blistering Test century already under his belt. Mitch's erratic, occasionally unplayable bowling will come off spectacularly, once, in the series. The rest of the time he will exploit his athleticism as a specialist fine leg and specialist lower-order thrasher.

9. Underrated Tasmanian all-rounder Luke Butterworth has earned a place ahead of Moises Henriques due to his superior seam bowling. A big-occasion specialist, he scored a ton and a 50 in a Shield final in his fifth game, made 86 in the final just decided and has first-class averages of 27 with the bat and 23 with the ball. 10. Twice in the 2012-2013 season, Ashton Agar's tailender heroics for WA single-handedly changed the course of matches. He helped them chase down 358 for victory in Hobart with 71 not out, when they had slumped to 6/203; and put on an unbeaten 68 for the last wicket to defy South Australia at the Adelaide Oval. Impeccable credentials for this team. Coach Justin Langer: "He can bat. He's got incredibly soft and smooth hands when he bats. I haven't seen anyone bat like it for a very long time." Agar will be our final secret weapon, driving the Poms to distraction just when they think they are finally done with our stubborn group of battlers. Agar's 10-year spinner's education will be furthered by giving him three overs at the Oval, if three of our quicks have broken down. 11. We figure we can carry one bunny with this stellar line-up, so 11 belongs to fast bowling jet Patrick Cummins. As he plays once a series before disappearing due to injury, we will bring a squad of bowlers who can bat to back him, and the other fragile pace demons.



And those back-ups are: NSW all-rounder Moises Henriques, who made a pair of 50s in India on slow decks; Victorian right-arm quick Clint McKay, a hard-hitting right-hander; WA veteran Michael Hogan (the other half of the match-winning partnership with Agar); rising NSW star Girender Sandhu (average 23); Queensland quick Ryan Harris (top Test score of 68 not out); Croweater Joe Mennie (first-class top score 79 not out); and crafty NSW trundler Trent Copeland (average 19.12) Kane Richardson, Jackson Bird, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Josh Hazlewood and Gary Putland? Hit the bowling machines boys. It's all very well being a highly promising fast medium in Australia, but come back when your batting average is pushing 20. Loading So here's how we see the First Test at Trent Bridge:

Australia 1st Innings

Lyon c Prior b Anderson 4

Siddle c Prior b Broad 17

Starc b Swann 18

Pattinson c Compton b Finn 21

Clarke b Anderson 67

Faulkner lbw b Anderson 16

Wade c Trott b Swann 38

Johnson b Swann 7

Agar c Anderson b Finn 19

Butterworth not out 18

Cummins lbw b Broad 2

Sundries 13

Overs 81

Total 240

Bowling: Anderson 21-7-51-3, Finn 18-4-59-2, Broad 22-5-65-2, Swann 18-8-47-3, Trott 3-2-5-0



England 1st Innings

Cook lbw b Pattinson 19

Compton b Cummins 7

Trott c Wade b Faulkner 39

Pietersen lbw b Agar 51

Bell c and b Pattinson 31

Root b Cummins 0

Prior c Wade b Cummins 11

Broad b Siddle 21

Swan c Clarke b Starc 27

Anderson b Starc 0

Finn lbw b Pattinson 6

Sundries 15

Overs 72

Total 237

Bowling: Pattinson 10-5-22-3, Cummins 9-3-23-3, Siddle 14-5-43-1, Starc 10-3-40-2, Johnson 8-0-29-0, Faulkner 7-2-29-1, Butterworth 5-2-14-0, Agar 4-1-19-1, Lyon 2-1-17-0, Clarke 3-1-2-0



Australia 2nd innings

Lyon b Anderson 1

Siddle c Prior b Finn 18

Starc b Swann 42

Pattinson c Trott b Swann 29

Clarke lbw b Broad 47

Faulkner c sub (Bresnan) b Swann 11

Wade lbw b Anderson 28

Johnson b Swann 5

Agar not out 22

Butterworth c Cook b Finn 19

Cummins b Finn 0

Sundries 11

Total 233

Bowling: Anderson 16-7-47-2, Finn 13-4-62-3, Broad 18-3-68-1, Swann 24-9-47-4,



England 2nd Innings

Cook c Pattinson b Siddle 67

Compton b Pattinson 0

Trott lbw b Cummins 1

Pietersen c Clarke b Starc 8

Bell lbw b Siddle 46

Root c Agar b Faulkner 17

Prior b Cummins 0

Broad b Starc 1

Swan lbw b Siddle 17

Anderson lbw b Pattinson 4

Finn not out 5

Sundries 13

Total 179

Bowling: Pattinson 12-6-22-2, Cummins 6-3-14-2, Starc 12-3-34-2, Siddle 18-7-56-3, Johnson 3-0-26-0 Faulkner 5-2-11-1, Butterworth 4-1-11-0

Australia won by 57 runs