Um - no English fan was laughing the last time we met the Aussies playing Rugby.. or, for that matter, the last time we met the All Blacks or the French playing Rugby. We were very nearly not laughing in the Rugby world cup final.. and had the conditions not been positively appalling in our semi final in that great tournament we wouldn't have even reached the final!

If Harmison carries on bowling as badly as he's been in the current series... Simon Jones continues with form that doesn't get him into the Glamorgan 1st XI... Anderson continues learning his trade at a reasonable pace (rather than overnight, as some seem to think he should)... and Hoggard, Giles and Flintoff merely plateau at their current adequate but not outstanding levels... do you really think we're ready for the half dozen or so world class batsmen that the Aussies field with Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Martyn, Lehman and Gilchrist?

Of course.. Harmison might prove that his heroics in the West Indies on helpful pitches were more than a flash in the pan, Hoggard, Giles and Flintoff might continue their slow but steady progress and either Jones or Anderson might suddenly, rather miraculously turn into the missing link - but isn't that being a bit far-fetched (too many ifs for me).

Then there's the other concerns: can Tresco's overcome his own lack of footwork against a world class attack that reckons they already have him beaten? Assuming Strauss isn't flattering to deceive.. and that Vaughan's genuinely as good as he seemed to be a few years back.. and that Thorpe will keep going.. there's still the question of whether we can get Butcher to deliver at the level he's started to really promise.. or get Bell in and established at that level (I can't see it being Key). Then there's the thought of Freddie vs. Warne to contemplate (remember Freddie vs. Murali a few months back?) and the even bigger question of how long (if ever) it will take Jones to make the grade (2 years? 3 years? Seems more likely than 6 months).

I think we're slowly turning a corner.. and that before long we'll be better set than we've been in a long time... but the Aussies, despite some bizarre knocking in some corners, look set to come to us with what will perhaps be the strongest side they've ever fielded. More to the point.. they come to face an England seemingly intent on trying to play to the Aussie's own strengths: seems pretty mad to me.

The Aussie's look vulnerable to one thing alone: self-destruction. Ponting has given his batsman a dressing down for complaining about wickets on which the batsman's job is actually testing... and the side have had verbal lashings from left, right and centre for failing to show guts when the going gets tough - but under Fletcher and Vaughan we seem to be heading down the same path. What sign, now, that we're learning from the sides like Sri Lanka that have troubled the Aussies by playing adhesive cricket on bowler-friendly wickets? I don't see it.