Gatting predicts 'cat and mouse'

Mike Gatting believes the one-day series will be a game of "cat and mouse" before the serious business of the Ashes. Both teams will fight for a psychological advantage in the two tournaments before the first Test, but Gatting said the result would not influence the remainder of the summer.

"It would be nice to win the one-day series but that won't have any bearing on the Ashes," Gatting, who was the last England captain to hold the urn, told the Herald Sun. "I think there will be a bit of cat and mouse leading into the Test series. I don't think Steve Harmison will play many of the lead-up matches against Australia. I think he'll just play against Bangladesh."

Australia have their first match of the tour today in a Twenty20 warm-up against the Professional Cricketers' Association before the official game against England at the Rose Bowl on Monday. The tri-series begins on June 16, but Australia's opening fixture is against Bangladesh at Cardiff on June 18.