Geoff Lawson says Oz's 'bowling cupboard' looks 'decently stocked'

Former Australian cricketer Geoffrey Lawson has said that the Ashes hosts' 'bowling cupboard' looks 'decently stocked', and has plenty of 'quality reinforcements' if necessary.

Lawson mentioned that for the first time in a decade, Australia has been given the luxury of naming the same starting XI for the Boxing Day Ashes Test as they did for the opening three matches, although their reversal of fortunes has been built mainly on the back of England's lack of decent totals.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Lawson said that the real consistency in performance has been the pressure, discipline and penetration displayed by the Australian bowlers, with formerly erratic Mitchell Johnson miraculously resurrected via the white-ball game and some simple body mechanical advances.

Lawson also said that although Johnson has been the leader of the pack, but he has had some able lieutenants, who have kept the runs dried up and taken wickets like Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon and Shane Watson.

According to Lawson, captain Michael Clarke can rely on each of his bowlers to do their job well as individuals, but more effectively, as a collective, adding that although the bowling may need some reinforcements, they are just over the hill with James Pattinson, Doug Bollinger and Nathan Coulter-Nile looking to be in career-best forms.

Lawson further said that Jackson Bird has recuperated enough to be bowling four-over spells in the Big Bash, thereby also meeting quality not quantity requirements, while others on the rehabilitation path such as Mitchell Starc and Patrick Cummins will add serious spice to the competition for future places.