Cricket tips / Andy Morris / 02 December 2010 / Leave a comment Bet Now

Andy Morris is watching the worm turning in the battle for the Ashes.

Before they won their first Ashes in 2005 after the many year-gap, media reports of in-fighting, too many injuries before important games and selection woes emanating from 50-50 decisions going against them were typical of the English team.

The wheel seems to have come full circle and the boot is on the other foot.

Barely 36 hours before the start of the second Test match at Adelaide, reports of a spat between Mitchell Johnson and the selectors have been doing the rounds, which, according to the same reports, had led to Johnson not practising before the game.

Michael Clarke did have a more soothing story to tell. He blamed the absence from the nets on the workload that Johnson had had to face in the first Ashes Test match.

However, Clarke did praise the two pace bowlers, Ryan Harris and Doug Bollinger, who had been selected in the squad for the second game. There was enough hint in his voice to suggest that the change was definitely in the offing.

"They've [Harris and Bollinger] both had success in international cricket, whether that be in one-day or Tests, and they're both looking forward to an opportunity. The selectors have obviously got a tough job, but we've got to pick the attack we think can take 20 wickets on a pretty good batting wicket."

It is a surprise that there is so much doubt over Johnson's exclusion two days before the game. There has been enough evidence to suggest that Johnson does need a break - from both, his team and his own point of view. It is not as if the debate is on Shane Warne's exclusion. Nor is Johnson a McGrath. And even if he were to be half as good as those two respected gentlemen, he is definitely not mentally as strong.

Interestingly, the odds for Johnson to finish as the top-wicket taker of the series are at 21, while Graeme Swann is the favourite at 4.1. Quite expectedly, Peter Siddle is the favourite Australian to end as the best bowler for the Aussies with odds of 2.2.