@ScottStevo, astutely put, agree with you. I do think the arrogance could be taken down a few notches, it isn't sporting and that is one thing that English teams are know for is their good sportsmanship. Granted, it is not always an association we make with their fans.

@ Mitty2...not sure you can really claim that getting a few batters out or showing some chinks in their armour can be deemed getting something out of England? Same works the other way around with your top order wouldn't you say? Bottom line is England won 3-0. The 4-0 that (lets be honest) probably would have happened is Clarke's fault. Brave, yes. Attacking, yes! Stupid? Undoubtedly. He didn't have the bowling for the job. Sure Root misfired but what would Clarke have averaged without the 187? More than Root but not much I'd wager. Aus got nothing out of England and claiming otherwise would be a sad indictment of Australian cricket and their own expectation levels. I'd be more concerned that England won convincingly without many of their big guns firing. Sure, they might not again and the Aussies might come alive (and Clarke & Harris stay fit!) but what if England'd top order do revert to type? More ifs for Aus than Eng I'd say!

@Yourshire Pudding, I agree and thank you for respecting my point. I mentioned that no one has beaten Australia at the Gabba since 1988. Will England care? No way. England won the last series 3-0. Will either team care? Nope. We carry on about the results and stats but the coaches and support staff will look at getting the players up for this test. It's a clean slate and no team has a predetermined right to victory, despite what any of us say. Good luck.

@Front-Foot-Sponge, completely agree anyone who thinks its a sure win for england is mistaken, its going to be a tough grind, england may edge it but I wouldnt be surpised to Australia win or draw the series on home turf.

A lot will depend on the form of the England batting line up, if they can recreate the form of 2010/11 with Cook, Trott, Bell and KP all firing then England should be able to make the best of it.

For Australia a lot will depend on the fitness of Harris, and Johnson being more consistent than he was in 2010/11.

All in all a good contest awaits us fans, and all we can do is hope for some exciting cricket over the next 3 months.

Luck plays its part in test matches as well and with a little luck, the correct assumption of the DRS, win a coin toss here and there and Australia can certainly win.

No ground breaking story here. I expect England to be thorough (wary of Australias strengths) but also confident that they will win as they have had success in the last 3 series against Australia. Although the scoreline suggests otherwise with the recent Ashes but in the last 3 series the most dominant win from England was on Australian soil. However, Australia in my opinion have started to get the coaching, selection and playing group finally on the same page and I expect improvement to come. I may be an optimistic Aussie but I certainly think Australia can win this series as there has been reasons for there losses in recent times. In England other than the Lords debacle they had opportunities to win the other tests (but were unable to grasp, experience will help take these opportunities), the Indian losses is because we have always been average on Indian soil and the loss to South Africa was due to unfortunate injury to Pattinson in Adelaide and no bowler able to play the last. TBC

@5wombats, a rather fanciful recollection of events, buddy. Eng were only in the test at the Oval because WE allowed it with a more than sporting declaration that Clarke was forced into to try and get a result as the rains the evening beforehand cut our chances of batting Eng out of the match completely. Aus did finish strongly. Only the rains saved you from imminent defeat in the 3rd and 2 spectacular batting collpases in the 4th test after Aus had been sitting pretty. I'd say that we did finish strong. Wow, the way you guys talk is amazing? What's your record in Oz like? You've won once in like 27 years and think you're going to turn up, toss a ball about a bit and walk home happy. Its about time Eng's arrogance was taken down a peg. Especially arrogant for a team that can't even reach #1 and have scrimped and scraped by in the last 2 years....

@cloudmess, I think the point is if you think that England have any right to victory because the of even the last test result let alone years worth of results you don't understand professional sport. It's a clean slate starting Thursday and despite what all of us experts here think, I would bet my house the teams won't care one iota about what happened yesterday let alone years ago. Sport is full of upsets, that is what makes it compelling. Good luck and here's to some good cricket.

Although Brenton1 is good enough to acknowledge his slip, his attitude is typical of the Aussie supporters, media and players over the last 6 months. Judging from so many of the comments I've read, I'm sure Brenton isn't the only one to completely forget the existence of the 2010-11 Ashes; and many others talk as if it is Australia and not England who won the last 2 Ashes series 6-1.

Apologies gents. I went back to 2006 Ashes in Aus but I did miss the Eng win of 2009/2010 I think.