So while the Poms have given us plenty of time to figure out a way to whitewash them, I figured we'd select an Aussie starting XI (as well as 12^th and 13^th men) to match them.

While there are a lot of familiar faces here, there are one or two gaping holes in the line-up.

1 - David Warner

This ain't your daddy's Aussie batting line-up, but this selection is a no-brainer.

Despite not having played a first class match since the beginning of March, Warner takes this spot on reputation alone. It also doesn't hurt his case that there's nobody performing well enough at state level to push the near 35-year-old out the door.

Despite a sub-par record against England (43 innings @39), I've still got more confidence in the NSW opener than I would with any other in the country.

2 - Will Pucovski

An awfully unlucky start to his test career saw him out with concussion before he got the chance to don the baggy green.

But once he did get a shot at the big time, he definitely didn't look out of place. Sure he hasn't played a first-class match since his singular test back in January, but if we want to find our opener of the next decade, what better place to start than against our bitter rivals.

3 - Marnus Labuschagne

The man, the myth, the legend. Was there ever a doubt that The Alphabet wouldn't crack the starting side?

He's also been carving up for Glamorgan on the England T20 circuit. While I'd prefer a few more of those scores come in the longer form of the game, runs are runs and this man isn't just a match winner, he is a series swinger.

4 - Steve Smith

I'm glad I didn't have to use much brain power with these last two picks because the upcoming middle-order is a doozy.

Arguably Australia's second-greatest batter, Smith scored an incomprehensible 774 runs in the 2019 series against England, more than twice the amount of the next best Aussie.

Unlike Warner, Smith has risen to the occasion when up against the Poms, averaging 65 in 48 innings, a schooch higher than his career average of 61.

If Smith and Labuschagne don't fire at home, then the Aussies are no hope taking out the series. If they do, the unproven middle order might not even be needed.

Speaking of...

5 - Cameron Green

He's taller than Andrew Symonds, he bowls faster than Andrew Symonds and if wanted to roll a few offies down the pitch every now and then I wouldn't have a problem it.

To me, Green is the perfect player to complement a great team. Unfortunately for him, this current outfit is not a great team, merely a good one, which is why he's batting a spot higher in the order than I'd ideally want him.

"You've got to be good enough at one discipline where you would be picked without the other." You hear it every time a new all-rounder bursts onto the scene and for good reason.

Nobody wants to pick an average player in a test match side, let alone a player who is average at two things. Thankfully in Green's case, his batting class would have him selected in this side even if the bowling was non-existent.

One of the more exciting prospects to pop up around the country in recent years, Green has the talent to be a staple on the international scene for years to come.

Does injury concern come with his 140km/h bowling? Sure. But that's a future problem to assess if it does come to that. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to seeing those long levers in action this summer.

6 - Henry Hunt

Yes, you read that right, the 24-year-old from Cowra not only makes the squad but gets the start ahead of the likes of Matthew Wade, Marcus Harris and Redbacks teammate Travis Head.

I've liked what I've seen from the young Central West opener, who has been plying his trade for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield since 2019.

I understand he may not be at the top of many people's rankings of up and coming prospects and a 5-6 of Green and Hunt does worry me (especially with the keeper still to come), but I think a good showing here from our young guns could set up Australia for a decade of dominance.

7 - Tim Paine (C)

This is by far my least enthusiastic pick of the bunch. The captain has done an admirable job since being thrust into the role following sandpaper-gate, and while his performance with the bat hasn't been ideal, a lot has to be said about the leadership shown by the Tasmanian.

But I say this in the nicest way possible; I hope Paine retires after this series. With the likes of Sam Whiteman and Alex Carey waiting in the wings, I don't think Australia can afford to continue with the 36-year-old for much longer. Hopefully he can notch up his first test ton against England, but regardless of the outcome, I think he should hang up the gloves after the summer.

8 - Pat Cummins

While the batting line-up is a little shaky, the bowling unit is a masterpiece. Cummins has overcome injuries to prove he is one of the best bowlers in the world and I think he is in line for a career-defining series here.

Hopefully this also proves to be the last series before he is handed the captaincy for a long while.

9 - James Pattinson

The one outlier in this attack in the big-shouldered Victorian. He comes into the side in place of Mitchell Starc and while this leaves us without a lefty, I would chop and change the two throughout the series depending on conditions.

Is this selection a bit harsh on Starcy? Possibly. But while he is a great of the white-ball game, his performances in the longer version have always left a little to be desired which is why I've decided to change it up a bit.

10 - Nathan Lyon

Old reliable. Similar to Warner, Lyon earns this spot not only on reputation, but also because there is a distinct lack of up-and-coming spinners around the country pushing for his spot.

Will Lyon win us a game? Probably not. Will he lose one for us? Once again, probably not. He's been a great servant for Australia over the years and he'll likely be missed more than we realise once he's retired, but for now it's an unenthusiastic pick with a low ceiling and a high floor.

11 - Josh Hazlewood

Rounding out the XI is poor man's McGrath. Now don't get me wrong, that is indeed a compliment to the player who boasts more than 200 test wickets @25. I was surprised to see that he is only 30 years old, meaning he should have a few more years left in the legs.

Against an England side where batting technique is near non-existent, The Hof's line and length could prove deadly.

12 - Mitchell Starc

As previously stated, Starc just misses out on selection and instead will be carrying the drinks in the opener for me. I've got no doubts he will get a run in at least one test in the series, but his lack of swing in the red-ball game has always worried me.

13 - Matthew Wade

With an unproven middle order, Wade provides that consistent inconsistency that I would be more than willing to bring in to bat anywhere from 1 to 6.

At this point in his career, he's almost like a pinch-hitter in baseball; A once dynamic player who you would no longer want in your everyday line-up, but can provide some entertainment every once in a while.

England squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

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