Aussies aim pre-Ashes fire at Strauss and Pietersen

England's cricketers might be the favourites to win the Ashes but that has not stopped Australia from talking up their own chances before battle commences on Thursday morning.

First the home side took aim at Kevin Pietersen, England's most dangerous - yet out-of-form - batsman, claiming that he was unpopular and had been ostracised by the rest of the team. To rub salt into the wound they then declared that he was unable to play left-arm spin, and promptly selected Xavier Doherty, a left-arm spinner, in the squad for the first Test in Brisbane.

Then Australia's main strike bowler, Mitchell Johnson, turned his fire on England skipper Andrew Strauss. He announced that he believed he was suspect against the short ball, and promised to bombard the opening batsman with bouncers.

It is an old Australian tactic to target the opposing captain, based on the idea that it undermines the entire team. And Johnson promised Strauss that he would also be in for some "verbals" in the field. He said: "If we can get him to crumble then hopefully their players start thinking negatively, so he's someone we'll definitely be going after."

In times gone by the pre-match threats were almost as unsettling for England as the sight of Glen McGrath or Shane Warne at the end of their run-ups. And often they were just as accurate. But times have changed and this England team appear to be taking it all in their stride, and have even lobbed back a few grenades of their own.

Coach Andy Flower laughed off Shane Warne's remarks about Pietersen's standing in the dressing room while spinner Graham Swann - currently ranked second in the world - questioned the wisdom of picking a journeyman bowler like Doherty, who has 84 first class wickets at an average of 48, for the first Test.

Swann said: "We've seen [Pietersen] destroy left-arm spinners. Any batsman can get out to any bowler any time. I know it doesn't worry Kevin and it doesn't worry the rest of us."

And Michael Atherton, writing in the Times, pointedly commented that while Mitchell Johnson is considered the spearhead of the Australian attack he does not have the chutzpah to take the new bowl, unlike his predecessor Glen McGrath.

But with the phoney war almost over, attention is turning to the main event, and while England already know who will take the field at the Gabba on Thursday morning, Australia have yet to decide on their final XI and are sweating on the fitness of vice captain Michael Clarke. ·