In a sobering warning to England on the eve of the Ashes, Australian captain Steve Smith has boldly claimed his pace attack are more nasty than Mitchell Johnson.
Four years after Johnson had terrorised England, Smith is confident express pacemen Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins will ensure there is no respite in the first Test at the Gabba from Thursday after surviving some "quite scary" net sessions.
England might have been wary before Cummins' combination with left-arm quick Starc and the reliable Josh Hazlewood for the first time in a home Test on a juicy Gabba deck in the Ashes opener.
But they will no doubt be on high alert after Smith had described his 'net sessions from hell' this week.
"It has been exciting watching them in the nets," said Smith.
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"Back to 2013-14 when Mitchell was bowling in the nets, these guys (Starc, Cummins) are just as nasty, if not more nasty to be perfectly honest.
"A couple of the net sessions I have had against Cummins and Starc have been quite scary so that is really exciting for us."
Johnson's 2013-14 Ashes series heroics should still send shudders down England spines.
The left-arm speedster struck fear in the visitors as he claimed a staggering 37 wickets, inspiring Australia's 5-0 whitewash of the last home Ashes.
Smith believes Starc and Cummins are primed to deliver some fire and brimstone of their own in Australia's quest to reclaim the urn.
Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood were all rested from last week's Sheffield Shield action, instead attending a fast bowlers' Brisbane camp to ensure they were in peak form for the first Test.
"The bowlers have certainly been looking forward to this series," Smith said.
"It's been no real secret that these three have been on the radar to play this game for a very long time.
"They have been working up towards this.
"They are here now. They are fresh.
"They are bowling fast and I think it is a really exciting time for this team."
England captain Joe Root claimed Australia's pace attack were "completely different" to the 2013-14 arsenal and were under pressure to follow in Johnson's footsteps.
"Those guys (Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins), I don't think have played an Ashes series in Australia themselves so they are going to be under pressure as well," he said.
