Prime Minister's XI coach Phil Jaques has warned of an England cricket revival led by new one-day captain Eoin Morgan as they attempt to bury the demons of a disaster tour of Australia last year.
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The former Test opener will renew his partnership with Chris Rogers when they combine to lead the PM's XI against England at Manuka Oval on Wednesday.
Jaques and Rogers were opening batsmen rivals for almost all of their careers and battled for a spot in the Australian Test team, before they teamed up in Rogers' Test debut in 2008.
Now they have a chance to continue England's Australian woes after their nightmare Ashes trip 12 months ago.
England suffered a 5-0 Ashes whitewash and won just one 50-over contest before returning home with its tail between its legs.
It led to an English cricket downfall, with Graeme Swann, Kevin Pietersen and Alistair Cook no longer part of the one-day international set-up and Morgan stepping up as skipper.
"England have definitely taken a different angle since their last tour," Jaques said.
"The change in leadership will be a factor in what they're trying to do, no doubt about that. They're in a bit of rebuilding, but they're still a good side and it's going to be exciting when England starts playing.
"I think Morgan's going to be great, I've seen him around the group at the Sydney Thunder and he will lead from the front and be aggressive."
Jaques, who played 11 Tests and averaged 47 with the bat, is an assistant coach at the Thunder and also played with England duo Joe Root and Gary Ballance at Yorkshire.
Rogers has been called in as a last-minute replacement as the PM's XI captain, while Jaques takes the coaching reins.
Controversial former England star Pietersen was keen to play against some of his old teammates in the invitational match in Canberra when PM's XI captain Mike Hussey suffered a calf injury.
The individual contest would have been a promoter's dream, given Pietersen's abrupt exit from the England team and his willingness to be critical of the hierarchy.
But Jaques backed plucky left-hander Rogers to sparkle in the contest after notching six consecutive Test half centuries for Australia in the series against India.
Rogers played for the PM's XI in 2005 alongside Michael Bevan.
"I've worked closely with Chris in the past, we've got a big history of playing together and competing for the same Test spot," Jaques said.
"Chris is a real busy player, he'll strike it [at] a decent clip. Don't worry about that, he's very skilled and brings enthusiasm to the group. He's a great leader as well.
"Hussey is a big loss, but Chris brings a wealth of experience and all of the young guys are going to benefit from that."
Jaques is also keen to see former Wests-UC batsman Matt Condon in action as the teenager continues his impressive rise through the ranks.
Condon scored 1000 runs while playing for Essex last year and is rated as a star of the future.
"Matty is a good up-and-coming player, I'll be interested to see how he goes in that step up. I'm excited by that, he's made a lot of runs and he's 18 years old, he's obviously very good," Jaques said.
"We've got some of the best rising batters in the country playing and guys who no one knows ... the new breed really excites me."
