Andy Winter gears up for The Ashes
Australian captain Ricky Ponting with Clare Calder, occasional photographer for this column, at Hove last year
The last time England toured Down Under was 16 months after that amazing summer of 2005 when England regained the Ashes in a series that captured the nation’s imagination. As the players set off for Australia in November 2006, there was such optimism that the Ashes would be retained in Australia but that optimism proved hollow. Not only did Australia regain the most prized trophy in international cricket, they absolutely slaughtered England, winning the series 5-0, the first ‘whitewash’ since 1920-21. It was abject humiliation.
So, once again, the England players have left for Australia having won the Ashes in 2009. Is there any room for optimism or are we facing yet another humiliation at the hands of our oldest enemy? The arrogance that pervaded the 2006 England team, all of whom had just been awarded MBEs, and who were cashing in on their newfound fame, is noticeably absent on this occasion. In 2010, under the leadership of the two Andrews, Strauss and Flower, there is a greater work ethic and no self-appointed ‘superstars’. The opposite could be said of 2006 under the feeble leadership of a third Andrew, Flintoff.
The way in which Andy Flower is managing Kevin Pietersen is a perfect example of how no player is bigger than the team. KP has been required to return to county cricket and has spent a short, unsuccessful spell playing provincial cricket in South Africa to try to regain some form with the bat. This from a player who said that players like him didn’t need coaching! Flower would have no hesitation in dropping Pietersen should he, once again, fail to score the runs required of him.
The other fundamental difference between 2010 and 2006 is the retirement of some all-time greats in the Australian side including Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath. Australia will always be a formidable opponent, especially on home turf.
I suspect the Ashes will, once again, change hands. Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, will be playing in what will probably be his last Ashes series. He will not want to go down in history as having lost to the ‘pommie b******s’ on three occasions, especially not at home.
It is likely that for the first two Tests there will be just one Sussex player, Matt Prior, in the England team. Waiting in the wings will be Monty Panesar and, in the event of injury, Luke Wright and Mike Yardy. They are in Australia preparing to join the England squad for the one-day series, taking place in the new year. I can hardly wait for the early hours of Thursday 25 November when the greatest contest in international sport recommences.
As the development of the American Express Community Stadium continues, it is difficult to not feel a sense of optimism about the future of sport in the city. Gus Poyet’s Seagulls are flying at the top of League One, still playing at their temporary home, the Withdean Stadium. Barely three miles down the road from the League One-dominating team, Sussex County Cricket Club have picked up an astounding 10 trophies since the turn of the millennium, including three County Championships.
