Is 2013 the new 1985 ... or 89? Border, top right, holds the Ashes after the sixth Test against England at The Oval in London in 1989. The match ended in a draw. At the Ashes squad announcement, former Australian captain Mark Taylor gave the compliment of an era. "I think the Australian side ... has played pretty well in recent years and they can do the same thing that we did back in 1989," he said. It was the year the Australians arrived in England to ridicule as the worst Ashes tourists yet. By series end, Taylor had amassed 839 runs, second to Don Bradman's 974 in 1930. Steve Waugh went from struggler to superstar, averaging 126.5. Dean Jones, Allan Border and David Boon were rocks in the order. Terry Alderman toyed with illustrious England batsmen en route to 41 wickets, assisted by Geoff Lawson with 29, and leg spinner Trevor Hohns, who snared big scalps at critical times. Only 12 players were used in the 4-0 sweep, which might have been 6-0 but for rain. A dynasty sprouted and England would not regain the Ashes until half a decade into the next century. Ashes evolution: Richard Ellison bowls Allan Border, above, in the fifth Test of the Ashes series at Edgbaston in 1985. The title "worst ever" now belongs to the class of 2013. Like in 1989, it brings immense opportunity. It's the chance to not only win against the odds, but spark Australian cricket's next renaissance. "We had a lot of inexperience and players who were trying to prove themselves, including myself, and all of a sudden we just clicked," Waugh said at the squad announcement. It was a four-month tour, we got to know each other very well touring on the bus together and got this great camaraderie going. All of a sudden, we became this really strong force. The first Test, in which Australia scored 7 (dec) -601 in the first innings, set up the series and vindicated the players' quiet confidence. Lawson kept newspaper cut-outs leading up to that day. "The English media wrote us off, but we didn't feel that way," he said. We held meetings and talked about what crap it was. At the press conference when we landed, they were quite condescending. That's why I'm loving the Poms' complacency this time again. Lawson, not easily satisfied with selections, feels good about the 2013 squad, largely because of its likeness to the class of '89. Border was the one certain pick, like current skipper Michael Clarke. But also included was the experienced Geoff Marsh, similarly to Chris Rogers. With Border and Marsh was a group consolidating or determined to step up - Taylor, Jones and Waugh, today's David Warner, Phil Hughes and Ed Cowan. The bowlers, Lawson, Alderman and Merv Hughes, had belief and spirit, as do Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Ryan Harris and Mitchell Starc. Hohns' turners proved as useful as Nathan Lyon's may. There was, too, a sense of ownership. Bob Simpson was coach but, Lawson says, players dictated tactics. Border trusted his bowlers' plans. Alderman and Lawson had captained their states. There were plenty of decision-makers in the team, one reason we never believed we were as far behind as some thought. We had some good young players and some experienced cricketers. We had a team that had the potential to play well, and did. Australians like being underdogs. As long as everyone in the dressing room believes they can win. omparisons with '89 will extend to day one at Trent Bridge on July 10. But a less pleasant comparison might emerge if things go awry. Four years before everything went right, much went wrong. The lead-up to the 1985 series was fraught, not distinctly different from the upcoming series. Retirements of Dennis Lillee, Greg Chappell and Rod Marsh left a gaping hole, like those of Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey. Kim Hughes had ceded the captaincy, given, more dramatically than Shane Watson's relinquishing the vice-captaincy. The rebel tour of South Africa tested team dynamics, not entirely unlike "homework-gate" on the recent India tour. "It wasn't the most conducive environment leading into it," said Lawson, one of only three, with Border and Boon, who played in 1985 and 1989. Some of us wondered about our teammates' dedication to playing for Australia. It got a bit messy. Alderman, particularly, was missed. Hughes would have had a great tour that year. Graeme Wood, Dirk Wellham and Wayne Phillips did backflips [on the Rebel Tour] after Packer said he'd pay them out. That wasn't going down very well. Murray Bennett just changed his mind on principle. We missed a lot of guys. When you've only got 66 first-class cricketers to choose from and 16 go off and play somewhere else, it makes it tough. Nevertheless, the team played well at times and came close to snatching an unlikely win. As can happen in cricket, a crucial decision had fateful consequences. "We were about to draw in Edgbaston and then came the worst decision in the history of Ashes Test matches - Phillips given out off the boot [of Allan Lamb] after a 10-minute discussion, when it was clearly not out," Lawson said. We lost that Test, which made it 2-1. If not for that, by the last Test we were still a chance of bringing the Ashes home. It was a series of lost opportunities. We were 1-1 at Edgbaston, got ripped off, then dropped our bundle in the last Test. All things considered, he says, the team performed well. And, in the same way the current team's uneasy lead-up may have been harped upon, Lawson believes the idea of "the bad old days of the 80s is an exaggeration." "We won the Ashes in 82-83, beat Pakistan in 84-85, and then played the West Indies 10 Tests in a row - the greatest side ever," he said. We lost the Ashes in '85 when there was a rebel tour on. Then we won the World Cup in 1987. The fate of the class of 2013 is found somewhere between 1985 and 1989. The batting line-up is more settled than in 1985 but less so than 1989. What's Hughes going to do? Lawson said. Is Khawaja going to play? If Rogers opens with Watson, what does Warner do? There is confusion over the spinners - three in 1985, two in 1989, one this time. "If you put all your eggs in the seamers basket and turn up at Edgbaston or The Oval and it's a Bunsen [turner] like it was last series, you might get egg on your face," Lawson said. Overall, however, he sees more of 1989 in this squad. "I haven't backed the Australian selectors much with all the problems and whatnot, but I like the squad they've picked and I just have a good feeling about this team," he said. I just think there's a bunch of good selections. The bowlers have all done the business. [James] Faulkner's a great selection - he plays tough cricket, a genuine all-rounder, a left-hander. Mitchell Starc could be dynamic. You know what you'll get with Siddle and Pattinson. They'll do the job. And, it's a huge opportunity for Clarke. The next 12 months, with 10 Ashes Tests, if he's 5-2 in front, or 5-3, he'll be doing very well and will have some good players around him. Possibly setting up a great era. Twitter -@davesygall