The late selection for Australia of the 24-year-old Matthew Nicholson, who was expected to play despite experience of only eight previous first-class games, and the return for England of Alex Tudor, three years younger but with 28 matches behind him, offered the prospect of a particularly intriguing trial of strength.
It was a duel, however, which needed to be kept in proportion. In a close match, whichever of them performs better might well tip the balance, but not half so decisively as the possible absence of Glenn McGrath might have tipped it towards England had he not recovered from the chest virus which was threatening his participation until yesterday.
With 16 wickets in three Tests so far he has been the best bowler on either side, though Darren Gough would have pushed him closer if only the slip catches had stuck.
McGrath's simple, classical action, immaculate control, shrewd cricketing brain and deceptively fast pace make him the model fast bowler of his generation. As long as his participation was in doubt it was possible for England supporters with longish memories to dream.
There were echoes here of the second Melbourne match of the otherwise one-sided 1974/75 series when Jeff Thomson suffered a shoulder injury before the match, Dennis Lillee broke down early in the game and Max Walker was left as the only experienced fast bowler, much as Damien Fleming might have been this time.
A suddenly liberated England won easily in 1975 with outstanding innings' from Mike Denness and Keith Fletcher and a match-winning bowling performance by Peter Lever.
Perchance to dream: six away from 200 Test wickets after only 43 Tests, McGrath is the biggest single reason for Australia's outstanding record against all-comers since Mark Taylor became captain. The one recent blot on the escutcheon is the 1-2 defeat in India last March when Shane Warne played and McGrath did not.
Even the possibility that he might not be fit to bowl long spells seemed to put some spring back into English steps as the players played football at the MCG yesterday morning and then concentrated on catching practice before sitting down to Christmas lunch with wives, girlfriends and families.
No one is fuller of the joys of Christmas than Darren Gough and he more than anyone might have been forgiven a prayer that this time the catching practice would bear immaculate fruit. It was on this ground during a one-day international on the last tour that Gough's rapidly rising star was eclipsed when he suffered a stress fracture of the foot and had to go home. He looks now to be a picture of health and strength and on the verge of something big.
Inevitably, however, the focus will be on the two tyros. Their battle will not just be between two exceptionally quick bowlers from very different backgrounds but also between themselves and the batsmen who face them.
Tudor has the encouragement of including the Waugh twins among his five wickets for 108 in his first Test at Perth and Nicholson of his career-changing seven for 77 against England on the same ground seven weeks ago.
It will be fascinating to see them perform not just in this match but over the next few years. Nicholson has the advantage of coming into a powerful, confident, winning side. He is 6ft 6in and wiry, as opposed to Tudor's 6ft 5in and muscular.
Nicholson, tutored by Lillee at the Adelaide Academy, runs in straight and delivers with a chest-on action, relying for his movement on a strong wrist. Tudor, who still walks like an immature foal, becomes a graceful thoroughbred when he runs and his is a pure, classical sideways-on action with a full follow-through. They can both bat, but Tudor has much the superior technique.
Tudor will win this particular Anglo-Australian duel, in the long term if not the short. The MCG will not be so helpful to either in terms of sheer pace but there was expected to be some life in a relatively grassy looking pitch, sufficient to make winning the toss a doubtful privilege.