WITH a boldness previously unimaginable, the British electorate last week tore off the shackles of recent history. If the Ashes are to return home this summer the England team, too, must play boldly to beat the odds and overturn the recent results between the two countries.
Like the impending arrival of a rather fearsome mother-in-law the Australians are coming: you might or might not enjoy the experience but you know for sure you are in for one hell of a battle.
As I said last month their squad is a largely predictable one. It is without doubt a strong party and one that reflects the healthy state of Australian cricket in general. Paul Reiffel's omission caused raised eyebrows here and Steve Waugh's promotion to the vice-captaincy confirmed the doubts surrounding the current form of captain Mark Taylor. 'Tubby' is too good a player for his form to dip indefinitely but naturally I hope it continues for a while yet.
It has also been said that their batsmen, such as Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer and Matthew Elliott lack experience in English conditions. Sadly I feel this is now an irrelevance. Our game has gradually lost its individuality, its Englishness if you like. With covered and more grassless pitches our conditions now have a uniformity which are not much different to that abroad. The Test against Pakistan at Lord's last year might well have been played in Peshawar such was the snuff dry appearance of its low bounce pitch.
What is certain is that the cricket loving public here should be in for a treat. As well as the obvious individual talent within their team Australia are committed to playing positive cricket. Their recent results show an extremely low percentage of draws. There have been frequent losses, although admittedly coming at the end of an already decided rubber. Our results show a different trend - a high proportion of draws and only five losses from the previous 22 starts. I do not believe this signifies a different, less bold approach. Rest assured we are also committed to attacking cricket. Merely it reflects that within the last three or four series Australia have shown a great ability to bowl sides out.
Their key men are Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. Warne is well known here and McGrath less so - he is a rangy, aggressive opening bowler whose ascent to the top of the world rankings has been as steady as it has been dramatic. The battle between these two and England's batsmen will be central to the outcome.
One of the early decisions Taylor will have to make concerns the balance of their side. Since the victory at Adelaide against the West Indies the Australians have developed a two-seamer and two-spinner attack with Michael Bevan, the second spinner, coming in at No 7. In England that tactic would traditionally be regarded as folly and if they do bolster their seam attack then they will have to leave out a batsman and rejig the order. Continuity and certainty are important factors in success and I would think they will decide their strategy early on and stick to it.
In contrast I hope the balance and the personnel of the England team is fairly settled. Given the vagaries of fitness and form that always exist it is difficult to envisage the side for the first Test being dramatically different to that which won in Christchurch. I would have thought that the England selectors would want to continue with the policy of combining both the wicketkeeping and batting duties with Alec Stewart giving the team a five-man attack with the option to play two spinners depending upon the surface at Edgbaston.
It is true that the top six who played in Christchurch are not at the moment in prime form. However, so far we have only played one or two championship matches and the season is still in its infancy. In any case I would not be unduly worried. While it is obviously preferable to be in good form it is too easy to be distracted by county form. Far more important is that the batsmen have the fundamental technique, self-belief and composure to perform on the bigger stage. England's top six have all shown that. I am genuinely optimistic. I think the England team is in good order and, as I said last month, we are well prepared as regards our general policy for the summer ahead.
Before the first Test, however, are the Texaco one-day internationals. It is a competition that England have a terrific record in. After the disappointment of the winter one-day campaign this year's Texaco Trophy is important not only in its own right but in re-establishing our one-day credentials and in building for the 1999 World Cup.
Bob Woolmer, the South African coach, argues that in time Test and one-day squads will be entirely different. I don't share that view as the best players will always thrive in all forms of cricket. However, it is likely that our Texaco squad will look significantly different to our Test squad.
It is a policy that worked for us last year as we defeated India and Pakistan and the likes of Mark Ealham, Adam Hollioake and Graham Lloyd all had their first taste of international cricket. If England hold the Texaco Trophy aloft we will have beaten every major Test playing country since 1993 and lost to none. Surely a good sign for the forthcoming World Cup in England.
What will we need to beat Australia? Firstly we must do the basics well. You can never get away from the fact that cricket is about runs, wickets and catches and we must bat long, bowl with discipline and patience and field with energy and enthusiasm. We must play as a team, have a united vision, play with passion showing a real hunger to win. All sounds a bit New Labourish doesn't it? Well, 10 years is a long time to wait for the Ashes. It is time for a change.