England's Kevin Pietersen sweeps Australia's Nathan Hauritz during the first day of the first test in Cardiff, Wales, Wednesday July 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)
I think I can put my head on a block and say that this will not be a 5-0 Test series win for Australia – nor for their Ashes rivals, for that matter. I am not sure why Glenn McGrath and Ricky Ponting were brave enough to stick their necks out predicting that another 5-0 whitewash was not out of the equation.
In 2006/07, when the Aussies inflicted a 5-0 series hammering on England in Australia, they were the number one Test side in the world. In their midst were players without compare, including Mattie Hayden, Justin Langer, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and McGrath himself.
Australia since then has been struggling. Among their lows is a Test series defeat to South Africa at home, and just recently going down 2-0 to India away from home.
Now, you’ve you’ve got to ask if you’re a betting man, who’s the big money on?
In fact, so dour do these teams look on paper that I’m in agreement that the spark that should ignite the fire will be lacking in this Ashes.
“I couldn’t have more faith in the boys. We had a Twenty20 loss to Sri Lanka on Sunday, but those matches are unpredictable. I think we’ll bounce back and win all Tests. They’ll be close, but I’m tipping a 5-0 whitewash,” The Age and the Herald Sun quoted McGrath as saying about Australia’s chances.
Is that the old cheap psychology trick, or has ‘Pigeon’ retired quietly to some far-off island where he has not been watching the goings-on in the cricketing world?
Now I think Kevin Pietersen with his sense of bravado and nous for the unexpected stands out from the rest, both from an England and Australian perspective.
But given his battle with form, despite his recent stint with the Natal Dolphins in South Africa, even ‘KP’ might fail to ignite the Ashes.
Oh my, what would we do right now for a Warne, Gilchrist, Hayden, Lee, or even Langer and Flintoff. Call me sentimental if you like but “C’mon Warney …” is still ringing in my ears from rivalries gone by.
Who knows, the impressive Graeme Swann or Monty Panesar might still emerge as the personalities who could add fire to this Ashes. Hard as it is to believe, there’ll be no Flintoff for England this time around.
Look it’s not to say we won’t be treated to some moments of brilliance; the Ashes always lives up to its billing.
But sadly, the lastest Ashes edition is devoid of “characters,” if I may call it that.
Let’s hope it’s not the Barmy Army we have to turn to spark up some excitement between Australia and England come Brisbane. And that’s no slight on the chorus of cricket lovers from up North.
They have my undue respect. The Ashes would indeed be poorer without them.
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