The Ashes

We've waited months for this (well, just me then!) Get ready for some long nights glued to the box, plenty of coffee (lager on weekends) and hopefully a series to rival the last one in 2005 when the Ashes finally came home.

Having travelled in Australia during the early part of this summer, I know for a fact, the Aussie's in Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney will be extremely pumped up for this. Yet, so will England. Watching the re-run's on sky recently, the last series brought great rivalry and sportmanship, commentatary from channel 4 (over to you, sky), support, drama and most of all, moments.

McGrath's five-for at Lord's, The Best Test Match ever at Edgbaston, Vaughan and Ponting's centuries at Old Trafford, Strauss' catch at Trent Bridge and KP's masterclass at the Oval to seal the series are all etched in cricket folklore. And that's not to mention the brilliance of Flintoff and Warne!

Sure, both teams have slightly changed since then with Australia creeking with age but, positively, welcoming into their party Mike Hussey and left-arm seamer Mitchell Johnson. Admittedly, England have been deprived of key players like Vaughan, Trescothick and Jones through injury and illness but it's time for the new stars to step forward in Ally Cook and Monty.

A couple of mates and I went to the multi-coloured 40,000 seated venue where the first ball will be bowled in Brisbane and i, for one, can be sure the Gabba will be one hell of an intimating arena come midnight on Wednesday.