Wow! It hasn't even started yet, and still the thread is 39 pages long!
Anyway, I'm all England this year. And I'm also ready with grave-digging instruments. Will have to dig King Philip III's grave after this series.
![Stick out tongue :p :p](/forums/styles/planetcricket/xenforo/smilies/tongue.png)
![Stick out tongue :p :p](/forums/styles/planetcricket/xenforo/smilies/tongue.png)
Honestly, I want Andrew Strauss and Co to show a particular guy here how overrated King Philip the third is. Seesh!
![Rolleyes :rolleyes :rolleyes](/forums/styles/planetcricket/xenforo/smilies/rolleyes.png)
:
5-0 for England with the King scoring ducks everytime. Know it isn't possible, though.
Alright, let's be serious. It will be a good contest, but judging the two teams by their current performances, it seems that England has
just the upper hand. Still, you never know Ricky Ponting's men, they are experts in turning tables, as they did in the WC 07 proving all cricket pundits wrong. Hope Lee gets back his form in the Ashes. Poor chap! He's such a terrific bowler!! And if you want to get back to form and show the whole world who you really are there can be no better platform than this. Coming to the main part, no team will start as the favourities, though the English look one tiny bit ahead of the Aussies based on the current performances. Also, the Aussies will start bit heartbroken, no matter how little importance the tournament might have, crashing out of it in the very first round- it's a really bitter pill to digest, specially when you are the world's no 1. This loss is bound to influence their youngsters. Though Ponting has faced similar situations many a times, and he has handled them quite effectively. In the end, it can be said that, after a long time, before the Ashes- both the teams look equally poised. Will be a really interesting Ashes tour. Both the teams have equal strengths and weaknesses, and both are totally charged up and ready to go. Might well turn out to be the best Ashes I've ever watched in my life. Will watch every match eagerly. I predict that Brett Lee will be the star with the ball (Maybe because I'm a huge fan of Lee) and KP, and Hussey will shine with the bat. Results? Right now, very difficult to say, as
both the teams look equally dangerous, it is just that if I judge by recent performances England remains one tiny winny bit ahead. Though there can be simply no question of under-estimating the Aussies. In my eyes, both the teams will start as favourities. An even Ashes after so many years. I'll not predict any result. Let us just wait till everything ends. I'll just sit back and enjoy the cricket.