The 2009 Ashes series offers the England Cricket Team a chance of sweet revenge since the 5 – 0 white wash dealt out to them in 2007. They will be keen to ensure the return of the famous urn to the home shores and wipe the painful memory of defeat from their minds.
The England Cricket team having spent an extended time in the cricket wilderness now seem to have made a welcome return to form and have produced some good performances of late. Whilst there may remain doubts at to the form of Andrew Strauss, he is surrounded by a number of senior players including the powerful Kevin Peterson he will not be short of advice.
Coinciding with England’s return of form is that of Andrew Flintoff who looks like having overcome his injury and his results indicate that he is peaking just in time to give the Australian Cricket team a real headache just as he did in the 2005 Ashes when arguably he was the real difference between the England and Australian cricket teams.
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The addition to the England cricket team of talented spinners the likes of Monty Panesar, Graham Swann and Adil Rashid add a new and exciting element to the bowling attack. The frontline bowling attack will also be pretty formidable with Ryan Sidebottom leading from the front. The mixture of youth and experience in England 2009 Ashes team should provide the ideal balance.
A look at the Australian cricket team reveals a team many of the members of which are unknown to England Cricket fans. The old guard of Shane Warne Glen McGrath and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist having retired from their ranks a new crop of young Australian cricketers has taken their place but still ably led by Ricky Ponting. As we know the Australian cricket team can always produce that extra something against the old enemy when the Ashes are at stake and 2009 will be no exception.
In a break from tradition the first test will be at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
Ashes 2009 Test Series
1st Test: Wednesday 8 July – Sunday 12 July (Cardiff)
2nd Test: Thursday 16 July – Monday 20 July (Lords)
3rd Test: Thursday 30 July – Monday 3 August (Edgbaston)
4th Test: Friday 7 August – Tuesday 11 August (Headingley)
5th Test: Thursday 20 August – Monday 24 August (The Oval)
Following on from the World Twenty20 which proved such a great hit England and Australian cricket fans can not wait for the 2009 Ashes Test Series to start !