The Australian media has torn into the 16-man squad to tour England in this summer's Ashes series, calling it a 'dog's breakfast' and questioning whether the 'motley mob' is the worst to ever leave their shores.
The selections of 35-year-old batsman Chris Rogers, who has just one Test cap to his name, and the appointment of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, also 35, as vice-captain, drew particular criticism, with one paper likening them to 'Dad's Army'.
A perfect storm of perceived weaknesses - a lack of specialist spinners and top quality batsmen, and a fear of conflict within the squad - led Aussie pundits to fear a 5-0 whitewash.
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Brave face: Captain Michael Clarke (centre), vice-captain Brad Haddin (left) and fast bowler Peter Siddle following the announcement of Australia's 16-man squad for the Ashes tour of England this summer
'It's a dog's breakfast of a squad with some hardened old heads infused in a desperate attempt to give some stability and grunt to a team torn apart by internal strife on the recent Indian tour,' wrote Ben Dorries in the Herald Sun.
'You could make a case for this motley mob being Australia's worst Ashes tourists.'
A number of newspapers compared the selection to the side led by Allan Border in 1989, which was described as the 'worst ever' only to return with the Urn following a 4-0 win.
'This touring party is without question the least-credentialled Ashes squad since then, but it is better than the ramshackle 17 that ventured to India with such painful on- and off-field results a couple of months ago,' wrote the Sydney Morning Herald.
Return the Urn: Michael Clarke (centre), Steve Waugh (left) and Mark Taylor before today's squad unveiling
The Herald Sun also picked up on the consequences of this dressing room discord, particularly the disagreements between Shane Watson and Michael Clarke, which led to Watson stepping down as vice-captain last week.
'The incompatible Clarke and Watson simply can't cop each other and Watson's ridiculous claim that he resigned from the vice-captaincy to allow succession planning was shown up to be nonsense when 35-year-old Haddin was handed the vice-captaincy gig.'
Trying to pre-empt the reaction of the English press following the selection, Dorries wrote: 'You can already hear them calling it Dad's Army.'
Big call: Jackson Bird (left) was surprise inclusion in Australia's 16-man Ashes squad. He is pictured here alongside Peter Siddle and Brad Haddin
Australia announce Ashes squad
Other areas of weakness were also analysed, including the selection of just one specialist spinner.
The Herald Sun said 'Australia's selectors are putting most of their eggs in one basket and banking on pure pace,' while the Daily Telegraph said the omission of promising left-armer Ashton Agar was a 'shock.'
There were also deep worries about the top order, with the Herald Sun calling it 'woeful' and the 'fly in the ointment.'
It continued: 'Consider this. Not one of Australia's top-order planks of Dave Warner, Ed Cowan, Phil Hughes or Shane Watson average more than 40 at Test level.
'You cannot bank on our batsmen.'
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But Steve Waugh, part of that 1989 team, suggested that history could repeat itself.
He told the Daily Telegraph: 'There is certainly enough talent here for this team to be successful. We can beat any team in the world and we proved that, almost, last year when we nearly beat South Africa, who are the No.1 team.
'So we're not that far away. It's a matter of the top six getting some consistency, getting some confidence.
'England have themselves been very inconsistent over the past 12, 18 months.'
ESPN Cricinfo's Brydon Coverdale wrote: 'England could look at these facts about Australia's 16-man Ashes squad and wonder if it is a touring party or a touring wake.'
But he added: 'What's relevant now is that John Inverarity and his selection panel have picked the best group they could. The squad is neither a throwback nor a forward gamble; it is a team for the here and now. And in a year featuring two Ashes series, what else matters but the here and now?