The Ashes and Cricket World Cup Discussion Thread

Like anyone who's followed English cricket since the dark days of the late 80's decline and the pit of English cricket's underachievement during the 1990's, if I'm ruthlessly honest I'd take the draw down under to retain the ashes. I know Australia aren't the team they once were, but on home soil they're still a match for anyone. I'm very pleased to see the selectors favouring aggression with the squad, though. Tremlett and Panesar are both bowlers who care more about taking wickets than restricting run rates and as much as I respect Tredwell and Rashid, the Aussies are well known for their frailty against attacking left arm spin, so if he ends up being needed I think Monty will give them far more to think about than Tredwell or Rashid would.

I know a lot of people are up in arms about Bresnan's inclusion, but I'm not one of them. He's an improving batsman, possibly a genuine test match no. 7 in the making (far more than Broad, who was once thought of to eventually fill that slot), and is usually economical with the ball, if not what you'd call dangerous. If England go into the last match in the series needing to defend a lead, Bresnan could find himself thrown into the pressure cooker to try and stifle the Aussies, with Prior moving up to no. 6. A role I think Bresnan might well be ideally suited for. Some purists will disagree, but there are times when you need a seamer who can just bog down one end for a lengthy spell.

I really like the look of that performance squad, into the bargain. By the time Australia come over here next, and also assuming their development continues as it has, I can see three or four names on that list who should have forced their way into the full test side. For the first time in my life as a cricket watcher, I feel genuinely hopeful that England can retain the Ashes down under (by win or draw) and win them outright again back on home soil. It's a strange feeling, I have to say, and one which is always tinged with that faint hint of panic at the possibility of abject failure. God knows, I've seen enough false dawns in the past.

I'm not even thinking about the World Cup just yet. I'm simply enjoying the feeling of England being world champions in at least one form of the game, for now. I'll start thinking about the world cup after the Ashes.