As impressive as the show can be, the real carnage could be on the pitch if Australia's latest fast-bowling trident proves to be as perilous as many are predicting. It's taken years to assemble the three parts but already Josh Hazlewood wonders whether the "perfect storm" has arrived in time for the first Ashes Test.

There's always an overdose of mythology and cliche before an Ashes opener. The pitch is rarely the rearing, snarling monster of the endless previews and it's skill and execution with the ball, not intimidation, that causes the damage on the scoreboard.

Yet the combination of Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc has sent a jolt of expectation through the cricketing public ahead of Thursday's series opener. Even the men involved can't wait to play with each other for the first time at Test level after stepping out just once as a unit in the more serene surrounds of Sydney's Hurstville Oval.

"We've obviously all played some limited-overs format for Australia and our first-class game the other week was the first one. There was a little bit of excitement at Hurstville and obviously more so for Thursday," Hazlewood said.

"It's sort of the perfect storm. Hopefully we can come together and provide those results that everyone thinks we can."

The unfiltered pace of Mitchell Johnson, the wily swing and seam of Ryan Harris and the constant niggling length of Peter Siddle produced the right results in the 2013-14 whitewash series, with Nathan Lyon back again, this time as one of the game's leading spin bowlers.

On paper, their 2017 counterparts look equally as well-equipped to fire against an arguably weaker batting line-up. England have the red alerts out for Cummins and Starc, who bring the fire and brimstone, but Lyon rates Hazlewood as the premier quick in the game, by some margin.

"Josh Hazlewood, in my book, is the best fast bowler in the world. And by a long way. You look at Paddy [Cummins], who is exciting. Mitchell Starc is an X factor. I moved to NSW so I didn't have to face those guys. They are exceptional," Lyon said.

"He can do anything. He's quick. He can bowl a bumper. He can control the new ball, swing it in or out. He can reverse it. I haven't seen a bowler that has that control in a long time. I'm happy for you to put it in a headline - he's the best fast bowler in the world."

The national selection panel and captain Steve Smith clearly believe they can fulfil their promise. With no all-rounder picked, Hazlewood, Cummins, Starc and Lyon will be tasked with rolling England with no assistance from a qualified part-timer.

As such, they have nutted out batsman specific plans, as well as when they are likely to produce their optimal spells of bowling.

"I think the guys who bowl really fast it's obviously a little bit easier to use in three or four over spells as Johnno [Mitchell Johnson] was. You can hold your pace through those three or four overs if you bowl 150km-plus," Hazlewood said.

"I think in certain times they'll get used like that. They're both really fit guys. Patty, we've seen get through a couple of subcontinent Tests in the heat and bowl long spells as well. I think that if the situation dictates that they might go in short spells but they're capable of bowling whatever the captain needs."

Even so, Cummins has already flagged the prospect of a rotation throughout the series. Given he's never played more than back-to-back Tests, he stands as the man most likely to put the feet up should pink ball gun Chadd Sayers be given a bowl in Adelaide.

"I think it is going to be hard work without an all-rounder up here," Cummins said. "I spoke to the boys ... Brisbane and Adelaide tend to be more bowler friendly, we are all pretty fresh, so I don't think it should matter too much.

"I think maybe if we bowl heaps of overs in the first two games they might have to look at that but we are pretty comfortable with how it is."