STEVE SMITH, Cricket Australia, Darren Lehmann and even the Roos in the Outback have been looking forward to this Ashes series for years.
It is THE one. The one you have to win. Simple as that. And you want to win it well, too. Grind the Poms into the Aussie dust.
When I was playing, ahead of each Ashes series my team-mates and I had a sheer single-minded determination to thrash our traditional rivals in every Test and series.
I have no doubt the feeling in the England team is mutual but now that I work in the media my attitudes have softened!
I want an Aussie win but I also want a competitive series — which we’ve had at times even though the Aussies are 3-0 up.
But I am in the minority!
It is not until you speak to the Aussie fans in the street or at a Perth Cricket Club function, as I did in the recent Test, that you are reunited with real Aussie passion.
When I asked if they would prefer a series that was level going into Sydney and then an Aussie win, or to just beat England in every Test, it was emphatic: “Every Test — by an innings!”
DI5MAL Bob Willis: England lost the Ashes because their five senior players have been desperately poor
Waca days are gone
GOODBYE Waca my old friend. At your best you provided pace to rival Usain Bolt, swing like Frank Sinatra and bounce to match Pamela Anderson’s beach sprint.
Like all of us you have slowed over the years.
But we’ll always have the memories — from Doug Walters’ six off the last ball for his 100 in a session to your final match with Mitch Marsh’s epic first Test ton.
It’s just a shame our last one is of groundsmen using a Rod Stewart blow-drier to dry you out!
England changes must be Broad
ENGLAND’S experienced batsmen Alastair Cook and Joe Root have seriously struggled so far.
Moeen Ali is troubled by the bounce when batting and his off-spinners are as cuddly as a Koala to the Aussie batsmen.
I thought Stuart Broad would be fine like in 2013-14 with 21 wickets at an average of 27 — but he lacks any potency.
It might be time to play your quickest bowler in Mark Wood and a spinner who actually spins the ball in Mason Crane.
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Smith is not Don yet
WHEN you start getting compared to Sir Donald Bradman (Test average 99.94) you know you’re in pretty good form!
Steve Smith is averaging an amazing 72 as captain, which is not full-on Sir Don but still damn good.
More importantly for this series he is soundly winning the captaincy battle with 426 runs at an average of 142 to Joe Root’s 176 at 29.33.
His apprenticeship was less Perfect Cricket Manual and more backyard and club cricket.
He just preferred to play, have fun with his mates, win, sometimes fail and adjust tactics and technique accordingly.
His mantra at the crease is to keep your head still at the moment of the delivery.
Of the Aussie batsmen I have seen, I put him in fourth place — Bradman is the greatest with Greg Chappell and Ricky Ponting joint second. But Smith has the time, hunger and skill to leapfrog those two.
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