Can England go toe to toe with the world's best?

But since their last Ashes series in England in 1997 (which Australia won 3-2), the Englishmen replaced Michael Atherton as captain with Alec Stewart, settled on a veteran side and developed a new mettle, culminating in a come-from-behind 2-1 home series victory over the formidable South Africans in August. There have been hiccups along the way, including another series loss in the Caribbean and a mauling at The Oval in August when Muttiah Muralitharan's 16 wickets inspired a famous Sri Lankan victory.

But Australia, too, was on the wrong side of the ledger in India in March when the incomparable Sachin Tendulkar led the home side to a 2-1 series victory. However, they rebounded with an historic 1-0 win in Pakistan in September, their first series triumph there since Richie Benaud's touring team of 1959, to justify their rating as the world's best. England's form in the lead-up games has been patchy, and bookmakers have installed the tourists 6-1 series outsiders. But if Atherton's suspect back can stand the rigours of five tests and add stability at the top of the order to complement the undoubted class of Stewart, Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe, the English batsman could provide stout resistance to an Australian bowling attack minus the great Shane Warne.

Glenn McGrath aside, the local attack of Stuart MacGill, Damien Fleming, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz lack the experience of their veteran counterparts like Angus Fraser and Darren Gough, who have proved an outstanding success in Australia before. But Fraser and co will have to be on their game otherwise they could be put to the sword by an imposing batting line-up featuring the rejuvenated and inspirational captain Mark Taylor, Michael Slater and the Waugh brothers, who have all feasted on English attacks in the past. And any side that can afford to omit Darren Lehmann based on recent form must be feared.

So as the focus shifts to Brisbane's Gabba ground for the first Test starting Friday, the big questions are:

• Who will carry the drinks for Australia - Gillespie, Kasprowicz or Fleming?
• Will Atherton's back pass a fitness test?
• Will England go on the defence and pick seven batsman, or take a risk and play five bowlers?

ENGLAND: Alec Stewart (capt), Nasser Hussain (vice capt), Michael Atherton, Mark Butcher, Graham Thorpe, Mark Ramprakash, John Crawley, Dominic Cork, Robert Croft, Darren Gough, Alan Mullally, Angus Fraser (12th man to be named).