Pattinson v Anderson in duel of quicks The challenger: James Pattinson. Within the battle for Ashes supremacy there will be a fight for bragging rights among the fast bowlers, and if Australia is to upset England's quest for three consecutive Ashes victories, the quicks will have had a lot to do with it. The Australians were outbowled in the previous Ashes in their own backyard, but since then an impressive, aggressive collection of young quicks has emerged to complement the veterans of 2010-11, Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris. Damien Fleming, former Test paceman, swing specialist and veteran of two Ashes contests, believes England boasts the outstanding fast bowler on either team, but Australia has more in reserve if, as it invariably does during a battle of attrition such as the Ashes, injury strikes. The champion: James Anderson is mobbed by teammates after dismissing Michael Hussey in the fourth Test at the MCG on Boxing Day in 2010. [Jimmy Anderson] is clearly No.1. Just his ability to swing the new ball but also the old ball. He can bowl outswingers to right and left-handed batsmen," Fleming said. I would go James Pattinson at No.2 and then it gets a bit murky. But I think we've got an advantage in that Anderson is more important to them than any one of our bowlers is to us. So, even if 'Patto' broke down, Harris can spearhead our attack no problems. I would say we've got the better depth. The Anderson/Pattinson comparison is intriguing because while the Lancastrian is a master of moving the ball, especially in English conditions, the young, confident Australian is quicker and bouncier and boasts a superior strike rate. "To me, he [Anderson] is the most skilful fast bowler in the world," England bowling coach David Saker said after he claimed his 300th Test wicket against New Zealand. Pattinson strikes every 43 balls, Anderson every 59. He has played only 10 Tests, but after a history of injuries the 23-year-old should be entering his physical prime. The ultimate test of an English cricketer used to be whether he would get a game for Australia, and there is no doubt Pattinson would be picked for England, given coach Andy Flower sent Saker to sound him out about using his UK heritage to join the English system. Elsewhere in the pace ranks, Fleming doesn't doubt the damage Stuart Broad is capable of - he recently grabbed his best figures of 7-44 against New Zealand - but also thinks he is prone to bowling too short. Broad has got a lot of experience but if he bowls too short he doesn't look like he's in the game. Whereas the strength of Mitchell Starc is that when he gets it full, he does swing the ball a long way, and he errs on the full side, which won't hurt him in England," Fleming said. Steven Finn, who will battle Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan for the third seamer's spot, boasts enviable pace and bowls from a great height but has had to change his approach because of his habit of jumping into the stumps, and has been below his best this year. Onions might not seem like an intimidating bowler to have in reserve, but took 4-45 against Australia at Edgbaston in 2009, and bowls what Fleming describes as a "no nonsense, stump to stump" line and can move the ball off the seam. Equally, England would love to have a back-up as reliable as Jackson Bird, who has 11 wickets from his first two Tests. There is no better place than Trent Bridge, which suits fast bowling, to get an early gauge on which pace attack has the goods. "I think Australia are going to bowl very well," said Jason Gillespie, who played in five Ashes series and is now coach of Yorkshire, which is leading the county championship. It's a green attack; a bit wet behind the ears and I was a bit surprised not to see Ben Hilfenhaus on the trip, but there's a lot to look forward to. Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson are wonderful young bowlers and I think Peter Siddle will have a consistent time of it. He's the leader of the pack, remember, he's a guy with 150 Test wickets.