If confidence is the elusive elixir for self-doubting sportsmen then those requiring a top-up should clearly seek out Simon Jones, the "Llanelli Locomotive", who positively thrives on the buzz of the big stage.

"If you don't want to play in front of a big crowd what's the point in playing?" he asks with genuine bemusement. "At the end of the day they've all come to watch you play cricket and it's a great feeling to want to do that, especially if you do okay and the crowd get behind you."

Of course, not everyone does "okay" - English cricket is littered with the broken remnants of the mentally fragile – but Jones rose to the occasion (of his Test debut at Lord's last summer) as if to the manor born. Everything about him oozed relish for the challenge ahead, from his whirlwind 44 (off 43 balls) through to his joyous second innings dismissals of Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman to set up a hard-won victory.

As an introductory calling card it was as dazzling as Graham Thorpe's debut century against Australian in 1993, ensuring Jones an immediate respect among both his peers and new-found fans.

Not for him the flip-flop philosophy of the recent Ashes past – one kick and they're off. No, Jones is of the big, broad and brash variety, with an ego (or self-belief) to match. He could be, well, Australian, and as such he's keen to stand up and be counted.

"I think we've got to be really aggressive and try to put them off their game," he says with obvious delight. "That's what they do to every other country and if we can match them then we should do alright."

You get the feeling when Jones says "alright" he means more than just putting up a good show, and although his bravado has echoes of Tony Greig's ill-judged "We'll make them grovel" comment (circa 1976), it is wonderfully refreshing to hear the tyro speedster brag: "We've got to fight pace with pace".

By naming six fast bowlers in their squad of 16 England have made their intentions abundantly clear but pace means nothing if ill-directed and Jones knows he'll have to be on his mettle right from the off, together with his fellow graduate academician Stephen Harmison.

"At the end of the day I would back myself 'Harmy' to do well out there. We're both genuinely quick bowlers and I'd back us to do well out there against the Aussies. There's no bigger occasion than playing against the Aussies and if you can't get yourself pumped up for that then there's no point playing," said the 6ft 4ins fast bowler.

But while his confidence tank is clearly full to overflowing Jones does have the good sense to know that bowling on Australian wickets will be a test of his adaptability, albeit just one year after wintering out there under the tutelage of Rod Marsh.

"They are a lot different from the ones we play on over here, which is a good thing because it is quite hard work bowling at Sophia Gardens nearly every week. It will be nice to bowl on something with a bit of help. Obviously they are very good batting wickets but the pace and bounce is good there as well."

No-one knows the potential success a true quick bowler can have Down Under better than Frank Holmes Tyson, now 72 but still the possessor of an acute analytical brain and revered by no less a judge than Richie Benaud as the fastest bowler he has ever faced.

Tyson, like Jones, was picked for an Ashes tour on the back of just one Test cap and plenty of potential, but even he was surprised by the ensuing havoc he wreaked as the "Typhoon" swept Australia in 1964/5. In just five Tests he garnered a 28-wicket harvest at a seriously impressive strike rate of 43.14, leading England to a 3-1 series win in the process.

Like Tyson, Jones generates much of his pace from his awesome upper body strength, and also like Tyson he will be fighting to establish his starting place ahead of more experienced others. In the latter's case that meant unceremoniously barging aside the ever reliable Alec Bedser, whereas with Jones his passage may well be eased by the likely initial absence of Darren Gough.

Another similarity between the two quickies is their age. Tyson was only 24 when he first ventured to Australia in 1954 and although Jones will travel as a 23-year-old England's new fast bowling Messiah will celebrate his birthday on December 25.

Tyson, who now lives in Australia, has obviously been stirred by the prospect of England 'fronting up' this time around but he's also wise enough to know that pace alone is no guarantee of success.

"People who bowl fast have got to have a real passion for bowling fast," he said in a recent interview, before adding: "You've got to have the ability to give your all for the five or six overs you're required to bowl – and Nasser Hussain can't afford to bowl Jones and Harmison, if they're any good, in spells of more than five or six overs."

Tyson also advised Jones he'll have to bowl a shorter length than he's used to back home, especially on Cardiff's tired old wicket, but the man nicknamed "Racehorse" due to his thoroughbred sporting physique, can also call on dad – ex-England quickie Jeff Jones – for the inside track on touring Down Under.

"He said the very first game I play they'll try and get after me, but at the end of the day that's the way they are, that's the way they've been brought up. The Aussie team is probably quite similar to the spectators, they get stuck into you and try to put you off your game. You've just got to be psychologically switched on and focus on doing as well as you can," said Jones jnr.

In that regard he'll be more than happy to take his lead from his hugely respected captain.

"I've never met anyone as mentally strong as Nasser Hussain," he said admiringly. "He's just unbelievable, he's a freak I think. He's just so switched on all the time and if you're not 100pc he'll get on to you and keep you focused. He's awesome.

"He doesn't want to get too familiar with you if he's captaining you, and I think he that's what he does well. All the boys respect him and whatever he says we listen to. If he starts speaking the changing room will go quiet. He's brilliant at that."

The other dominant force with Team England is coach Duncan Fletcher, another familiar face from his Glamorgan days and the man who has now handed Jones both his first-class and Test debuts.

"He's quite similar to Rodney Marsh in lots of ways," says Jones by way of a compliment. "He's got very high expectations of everyone and if you don't perform or train as he wants you to then you know about it.

"But 'Fletch' is a good coach and he was really good to me on my debut, and so was Nasser. Just having people like that who know what they're talking about really puts you at ease."

And if for some bizarre reason Jones ever doubts in his own ability he's always got last winter to reflect on when the England academy side thrashed their Australian counterparts by an innings and some.

"It was so nice to show them what we're made of because obviously they were all thinking these Pommie boys are coming over and we'll have to give them a bashing like the senior boys have done in the past. It was just nice to put them in their place and it would be nice to do that to the senior boys as well."

Well, we're all allowed to dream aren't we?

15 Oct, 2002