Ashes!

Lets do Sports first:

England - Rise from the Ashes?

England announced their team for the first test of the Ashes starting in a week from now. No real surprises with the team, I expected Pieterson to be picked ahead of Thorpey and thats what Graveney & Co also thought.
Let's see man-to-man on how the two teams compare (thanks to ICC for not implementing the stupid rule - 12-a-team like in one-day internationals)

Hayden - Strauss : Andrew Strauss is in unbelievable form this last year and Hayden atleast to me has already seen the best of his days. Hayden is scratching around the wicket these days than dominate the bowlers.
1-0 England.

Langer - Trescothick : I have never been a fan of Trescothick, not very technically sound for an opening batsman and tends to get carried away after hitting a couple of boundaries. Langer on the other hand has played second fiddle for Hayden, Slater over the years and he is the bride's maid all the time. Although Agarkar time and again exposed his weakness with shuffling across the line, think he is going to shine here in England.
1-1

Ponting - Vaughan:
hmmmm, thats something really close to call. Vaughan has always shined against Australia (just like our VVS) and Ponting's unsureness of his off-stump initially makes it a tough call to make. But going on current form and Ponting's tendency to carry form between innings, I would go with Ponting to win the battle.
2-1 Australia.

Martyn - Bell:
Does anyone else wonder like me as to how Damien Martyn has carried on for years both in ODI's and tests without having any special skills? (atleast I have never seen him possess one!). Not much to talk about these 2 guys in picture here, I would give this point as well to Australia counting on Martyn's experience.
3-1 Aussie!

Clarke - Pieterson:
Pieterson is in the form of his life. Did you know he averages close to 87 in his 20 odd ODI's and most of them were against Australia. Clarke was voted the cricketer of the year 2004 in Australia, but unfortunately not in a good form, although he is rich in talent. I will go with the wind here and choose Pieterson.
3-2 Australia.

Katich - Flintoff:
Again too close to call, surprisingly. (Didnt you expect me to pick Freddie easily?)
Katich impressed me most in his last tour to India and he has the temperament to go on with a long innings. Flintoff has learned to build a innings and could be a potential threat with his quickfire 50 or 60. I would go with Flintoff because his effectiveness as a bowler too! (Infact I expect him to pouch a lot of wickets this series)
3-3 back to even stevens!

Gilchrist - Geraint Jones:
4-3 Australia, lets move on! :)
That being said, Jones has the knack of scoring one big innings in a series, so better watch out! But to compare with Gilchrist whew! No way.

Warnie - Giles:
I feel Shane Warne was sorely missed in the evenly fought ODI's recently. Warne coming back to Australia side is going to be a big boost to Aussie bowling. Giles, sorry nothing big to say about you!
5-3 Aussie power!

Gillespie - Simon Jones:
Alright, Gillespie is fighting for a place with Kasprowicz on who bowls less worse (thats exactly the case happening!), but Simon Jones is still way short of fire-power to make a potential match winner.
6-3 Aussies and they are already winning!

Brett Lee - Harmison:
Harmison has been touted as the answer to Australia's Lees and Mcgraths, and I feel so too! Brett Lee has come back strongly from being the 4th choice pace bowler to an automatic pick with Mcgrath in tests, but again its Lee! I still have Lee pictured as being genuinely pacey, possesses good yorker length deliveries but then when he gets erratic, he tends to be that way for the rest of the day. I would go with Harmison on this one.
6-4 Aussie!

Mcgrath - Hoggard:
Outside off stump, Outside off stump, Outside off stump, Outside off stump, Outside off stump, Outside off stump.

Thats the Mcgrath over. Hoggard has the ability to pick up a couple of early wickets and then eventually fade out in the remainder of the innings.
Pick Mcgrath and make it 7-4.

I feel England would be able to pull one test win to make this Ashes series a 'contested' one after 1989.
My prediction about the series :
2-1 Australia.

Comeon! England aren't that bad to lose 4-0 or 5-0.
But as the saying goes, "Stranger things have happened". So lets look forward for an interesting battle of cricket ahead.