1-0 Aus

Well well - this Ashes has started like all others in recent living memory - an easy peasy Aussie win. It was quite boring to watch, to be honest, except for one brief spell when KP and Vollingwood took to Warne and co. Freddie appeared weighed down, and that can't be good for the team. However we clutch at straws, and most of England's top order got some runs, so hopefully Adelaide will see them scoring heavy. How they can take 20 Aus wickets, though, remains a major concern. Especially if Harmison insists on bowling direct to second slip.

Speaking of which, do make it a point to read Martin Johnson wherever he writes. He is bloody funny - and his take on Harmy's wonder ball first up at the Gabba made me forget that India are playing woeful.

Maybe it was Harmison simply being prescient, because it quickly became obvious that the sooner the ball found its way into Flintoff's hands, the better.

Read his articles in the Telegraph, and the Age. Also make it a point to follow some comments on the respective blogs - good banter for a neutral to enjoy without being too emotionally involved.

And yeah, India lost, again. They should not have - not after having SA at 70 odd for 6! But they did, and quite badly. The heat is well and truly on at home - politicians are debating it in Parliament, the BCCI is adding more pressure by sending additional monitors, and the team management is doing the morale of its batsmen no good by picking a standby wicketkeeper over 3 established bats. They better turn it around quick - can't be easy though.