STUmpcam on Cricket 24x7

Thanks for the invite Jagadish. It's great to be contributing to a site like this, with so much passion for the best game in the world.

It is exciting times here, "down-under". We're only a couple of weeks away from the most anticipated Ashes series in my life time. 18 months ago, it was late nights and weary days for us in Aus, sitting up most of the night glued to the TV sets - and for most of us, our employers suffered as we turned up to work. Bleary eyed and hopped into more than our fair share of the coffee.

This year, productivity will probably suffer again, but this time, it will be the CricInfo feeds and the radio blaring during the day that will be the culprit.

From early on this year, I've felt the England would start favourites in this series and that their apparent slump in form would prove to be somethig of a "red herring". When push comes to shove, in the big time, I have felt that the likes of Trescothick, Vaughan, Pietersen and Flintoff will post some scores big enough to make Australia's task of winning this series, too difficult. Last time around I thought the English batting was too brittle to beat the Aussie's and how wrong I was. This time around, I think it could just be the English bowling that will struggle. The injury to Jones and a recovering Flintoff may just take it's toll over the summer.

The Australians, just in the past few weeks, have gathered a bit of momentum and started talking like a tight knit team, rather than a group of individuals. It will be that attitude that will need to be at it's strongest, if they are to regain the Ashes, come January.

Anyway, I, as does everyone, look forward to another cracking Test Series and most of all, look forward to sharing the experience with everyone here on Cricket 24x7 and of course, "STUmpcam".

Thanks again Jagadish, it's great to be aboard...

Labels: ashes, ashes 2006, guest blogger