With overcast and humid conditions tipped for Brisbane over the next few days, the Gabba Test is shaping up to be a paradise for swing bowlers.

Rodney Hogg feels England star James Anderson is ready to take full advantage.

If I was an Australian batsman I’d be very concerned about facing James Anderson at the Gabba this week.

Looking at the five-day forecast it looks like there’s going to be a lot of overcast, inclement weather in Brisbane.

Cloud cover is the most important thing for bowlers, and I think bowlers – James Anderson in particular – will dominate this game.

In Australia we keep saying no one’s swinging the ball anymore. But if the conditions are cherry ripe, people will move it.

We’ve had very dry conditions in Australia for a long time, but the weather up north at the moment is quite unsettled.

It’s going to be a bowler’s game up there, and it’ll be tough for George Bailey making his debut.

If you’re a batsman, you’re going to have to work your butt off to get runs.

It reminds me of a Test match in 1985, when New Zealand absolutely slaughtered us.

The Kiwis won the toss and they sent Australia in.

Sir Richard Hadlee took 9-52 in the first innings and we were bowled out for 179. In the second innings Hadlee took 6-71.

I racked my brain, and I can’t recall anybody as close to Hadlee as what James Anderson is.

Anderson swings the ball both ways, and I think he can seize the moment.

I remember the last series here, he knocked a couple over early in Adelaide, took 2-0 at the start of play, and there was that beautiful delivery to Clarke in the first Test in Nottingham that knocked his bail off.

Anderson is a beautiful swing bowler, and I think this game up at the Gabba will be a worrying time for batsmen facing someone who can swing the ball.

Ryan Harris can swing it a little bit, I love Harris as a bowler, but Anderson is the biggest worry I see.

He’s only played one lead-up game, but any bloke that’s got 300 Test wickets isn’t interested in impressing journalists in warm-up games.

Lead-up games are for someone coming back from injury, or going through their run-up, getting a little bit of fluency and the timing right.

He’ll be ready to go.

At the moment the bookies have Australia favourites, but can anyone tell me why?

I don’t think Shane Watson will bowl and on Monday, three days out from a Test match, he could manage only six balls at half pace in the nets.

And Watson, in those conditions, is a fantastic bowler – he’s a big loss for Australia’s attack.

Mitchell Johnson’s the X-Factor, Harris and Siddle are fantastic and Nathan Lyon is underestimated.

But I think James Anderson is on another level, and if he gets it right he could pose some serious problems.

*Rodney Hogg, a former Australian fast bowler, is a cricket commentator for The New Daily