Despite a fingers crossed approach regarding fitness there remain grave doubts about England's two best players in Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff. It is unlikely that either will finish the Ashes!

Pietersen had admitted earlier that he might not be able to play in every Ashes Test because of his Achilles injury. He then did his best to allay concerns by declaring himself "practically fit". Receiving perineural injections into the spinal nerve so as to reduce inflammation of the heel thus easing pain does not constitute fit of any description!

These sorts of injuries need rest and it is surely only a matter of time before it resurfaces which would sideline him for the rest of the series. Remember this type of steroid injection can only be administered twice. The chances of him playing in all matches are zero and with the Dutch debacle still firmly in the mind the likelihood of England competing without him vanishes.

Likewise there is absolutely no chance of Flintoff maintaining his fitness throughout a series. Pre-match/series planning should regard him merely as a bonus selection. Building a strategy around him accentuates the folly of reliance! He will contribute little.

Shorn of the boldness and firepower Pietersen and Flintoff bring England are left with a soft underbelly. This is compounded by the negative captaincy of Andrew Strauss. He lacks courage as was shown in the Caribbean earlier this year where he was solely responsible for the series defeat. Not only will he cut a negative and solitary figure it is not impossible that we will witness him buckle, especially after the Aussies target him. It could be that bad!

There is only one thing missing from Ricky Ponting's resume and that's being captain of a winning Ashes series in England. In 2005 he made a point of absorbing the full pain of defeat and the personal taunts he endured before vowing to win on English soil in 2009.

Preparation and focus is always key and the Australians have had a perfect lead up to the Ashes. They played three high pressure Test matches in South Africa (ranked two) and won while England beat a West Indian rabble (ranked seven) that demonstrated the worst excesses of attitude I have ever witnessed by a national team.

Their early exit from Twenty20 could be a blessing in disguise. They went to Leicester for a lockdown training camp where they spent time identifying areas of concern. They worked on their fitness and intensity and have now proclaimed themselves ready.

Australia are more determined and tougher individually and as a team. Their cohesive unit will expect to win while a fragmented England merely hope. The Aussies bowlers will hunt in a pack and are quite prepared to win ugly. These things remain alien (2005 apart) to the home nation.

England do have an ace card in the quality of their spin bowlers. It is critical for their chances that they make this advantage pay dividends. They must strike early and win in Cardiff as you sense these Australians will get stronger the longer they're on tour.

My hunch is that England will start well then fall away. English patriots would be advised to enjoy the first Test in Cardiff while we have our best players available, it could go downhill from there. England are [4.2] Australia [2.62] Draw [2.6].

The fourth prong in an Australian bowling attack that will be dominated by pace bowling, Siddle has sneaked into England under the radar. Much of the pre-Ashes speculation has been about the form of Brett Lee, the talent of Mitchell Johnson and the fitness of Stuart Clark. But the powerfully built former wood-chopper from Victoria is the wild card who could deliver Ashes victory for Ricky Ponting.

Having played just eleven first class matches, Siddle burst onto the international scene last autumn and with his first ball in Test cricket, rattled the helmet of Gautam Gambhir. A learning experience in India was followed by a series of dangerous and rapid spells at the MCG against South Africa. In his brief Test career he has already shown a typically aggressive and hostile fast bowlers attitude that recalls another chunky Victorian, the great Mervyn Hughes.

He could well find himself used in a similar role to that which Hughes played so well during his memorable tours of England. Whilst Johnson and Lee will be used in short bursts and Clark will have the job of tying batsmen down, Siddle is likely to operate in long spells, sapping the will of the English batsmen with his relentless pace. Given that he is likely to have plenty of overs, he is worth a look at [5.1] in the top Aussie bowlers market.

Marcus North

It was assumed that Shane Watson would be the man to take advantage should Andrew Symonds finally destroy the career he has seemed so determined to throw away. But Watson's continuing injury problems have allowed the unheralded North to earn his baggy green. In typical Aussie fashion, having waited so long for his chance, he grabbed it with both hands, scoring a century on his debut in South Africa.

In his latest article Ed Hawkins suggested that North is a player brought up on hard Antipodean pitches who could be vulnerable in slower, swing-friendly English conditions. I disagree. Though he is a natural timer of the ball, he is more of a grinder than a flasher, scoring his runs in South Africa more slowly than any of his teammates. Indeed, his Test call-up was partly due to a reputation for scoring vital runs on tricky pitches. He has played for five English counties, averaging over fifty in seasons 2006, 2007 and 2008 so should have no problem coping with the swinging Duke ball or the English pitches.

North's contribution could be vital in other areas. If, as expected, the Australian selectors plump for a four-fast bowler strategy, he will be the main spinner. Though he is no Shane Warne, his off spin is tidy and well-organised and he is more than capable of doing the holding job required whilst the quick bowlers take a rest. The current captain of Western Australia, his experience will also be of help to Ricky Ponting on the field and in the dressing room.

Matt Prior

The third of our potentially crucial players is likely to be Marcus North's opposite number in the England batting line-up. During the World Twenty20, Prior must have grown weary of listening to the endless praise for James Foster and the inevitable calls for the Essex glove man to graduate to the Test team. But though Prior's wicket keeping has been patchy, his batting has gone from strength to strength. Indeed, he can now be considered as England's main Test all-rounder, given that Andrew Flintoff has struggled with the bat since 2005. In fact, Flintoff's average has never risen above 33, whilst Prior's has never fallen below 38 and is currently higher than that of Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood.

In 2005, Geraint Jones was criticised for some glaring errors and we should expect that Prior will make one or two. But in that series, Jones also chipped in with vital runs and was a key part of the Ashes victory. Prior is a far better batsman than Jones, worthy of a place in the top six and his quick runs should give England the middle order impetus they have so often lacked.

Although not top class, the tenacious anchorman Katich is a must. If it were not for his age, he would be "next Australian captain" material. He is of course very much a batsman rather than an all-rounder but that said, it's astonishing that his left arm spin has not been used more as he genuine spins it and regularly gets bounce. I suspect we will see him bowl this series.

Of course Bopara is not a text book opener (nor has he ever opened in Test cricket for that matter) but he has so much potential. Technique is fine but scoring runs is finer. His massive confidence is aiding rapid improvement and I am duty bound to find him a place in the team.

Whilst Alistair Cook is articulate in his post-match interviews, showing an array of vocabulary, his scoring shots are limited, meaning I prefer the battle-hardened Katich and stroke play of Bopara. It was a close call and plenty will disagree with my choice. Phillip Hughes has it all to prove and remains just a prospect at this stage.

Ponting is currently the best batsman in the world. He has scored 37 centuries (only five behind world leader Sachin Tendulkar) with 46 fifties at an average of 56.20. He is the only cricketer to have twice scored more than 1500 Test runs in a calendar year. He is a true great! At [4.1] he represents a decent wager for Top Australian Series Batsman and [5.8] to be Top Series Bat, though I know my esteemed colleague Ed Hawkins feels otherwise.

Pietersen has exceptional talent and everything needed to become a great, though English fans would prefer it if he removed some of the premeditation from his game and played each ball on its merits.

Michael Hussey (excellent on English pitches) pips Michael Clarke for the number five spot while Paul Collingwood's reliance on sheer grit rather than class makes him fall just short. And in any case, batting five is at least one place too high.

I am from the Jack Russell School of wicket-keeping, unless that is, you have a Gilchrist or a Sangakkara in your squad. I believe selectors are mistaken when compromising keeping skills. There is little to choose between Haddin and Prior when it comes to scoring runs and both do so with a healthy strike-rate. Haddin is by far the better keeper and with dropped catches synonymous with losing matches, this was an easy selection.

Dangerous left arm paceman Mitchell Johnson is currently the best all-rounder in the world. Bowling at 150km/h he can hurt batsmen first before eventually getting them out. His crippling back injuries are behind him and he is now absolutely world class! His clean hitting at number eight has been a revelation and he is improving almost daily! I have so much faith in his willow-wielding abilities these days that I'm actually going to promote him up the order by one spot and bat him at seven! He and Ponting could be the difference between the two sides.

By default, the decent Graham Swann gets the spin slot and bats at number eight. Panesar's stubborn refusal to hone a variation and Hauritz, the worst Australian Test spinner in my memory, gift him the slot on a platter.

Anderson has come of age and more importantly, he realises it. He is now confident and aggressive. Only Johnson is bowling better in world cricket. With Johnson a shade short at [3.7] to be Top Series Bowler, Anderson looks fabulous value at [9.4]. I can't see beyond these two to take the most wickets so get on!

The hostile Peter Siddle is bowling well and getting better by the day. Although he's playing the pantomime villain role that once belonged to Merv Hughes, it would be dangerous to underestimate him. Stuart Clark is on the comeback trail from injury but his nagging accuracy and length is something every team needs. He completes the side.

Improving Stewart Broad is unlucky to miss out while Brett Lee looks gone. Flintoff cannot be trusted and Strauss, Watson, North, Hilfenhaus, Onions, Bresnan, Sidebottom were not considered. Latest Betfair prices on the first Test in Cardiff next week are: England [3.8] Australia [2.54] Draw [2.8].

The draw price behaves like a German car: reliable and always gets you where you want to be on time. Although not specific to an Ashes clash, this ploy will work for most of the Test matches involving England and is almost guaranteed to get your punting off to a profitable start. Firstly, the draw price will be shorter on the morning of the first day than it was at least three or four days ago. The reason for the dip, which can be as big as 0.5, is that more punters are taking an interest on day one than in the build-up and with the stalemate a historic favourite wager, there is only one way for the price to go. Also, the weather forecast is more reliable and comprehensive so a lot of punters won't play until some bespectacled weatherman has had his say. Once play is underway, the price will usually drop even more - providing runs are being scored. From a start of around [2.40], the draw will be [1.95] if the batting side makes it to, say, 80-1 at lunch. A huge overreaction given the little amount of cricket played.

Good old Collingwood forever

This one is Ashes specific. When punting we want to know when runs will be scored and wickets taken. It would be fair to reckon that England will score their runs when Paul Collingwood joins Kevin Pietersen at the crease. Together they are a stellar partnership who have put many attacks to the sword, memorably of course in Adelaide in the previous Ashes series. These two are the reason England, since 2007, average 49.20 runs for the fourth wicket, the best return of any wicket aside from the opening partnership, which is worth two more. Runs come quicker, though than Nos 1 and 2, a vital factor to get the price moving in the direction you want it to.

Vulnerable to the southpaw jab

If the above gives us a good indication of when the runs will come, we must give more than a doffing of the cap to when the wickets will fall. Despite that opening partnership record, we have to be wary about England up front. This is because of the threat of Mitchell Johnson's 90mph left-arm swingers. Andrew Strauss is particularly dodgy. Five times in five matches he has fallen to India's Zaheer Khan, also a left-armer. Johnson should threaten the whole of the England line-up, however because of the doubts Zaheer has created in their minds. He has finished top wicket-taker in the last two series between the sides. Now, there is no point suggesting we should back Australia every time Johnson has the ball, so to be smarter factor in his strike rate of a wicket every 53 balls in the last 12 months.

Hughes got to be joking

With England [3.50] series outsiders and [4.20] for game one, we are desperate to know what they can do in-running to bring those prices down. Taking regular wickets will make the greatest dent in the early exchanges until the market is more comfortable with the ebb and flow. Removing Phil Hughes, the opener who top scored in South Africa, consistently cheaply in the first two matches will bring England's price down until everyone realises they were wrong to believe the hype about the left-hander. Expect him to struggle for runs. He has a plethora of weaknesses which England should be able to expose: his back leg moves to leg in the trigger movement, his bat comes down at an angle, he has a tendency to play across the front pad and he is desperate for width to score. His performance against England Lions in the first-innings suggests one of these flaws will be exposed, and quickly.

Go hard ... go home

Thanks to the fast and bouncy pitches Down Under, Australia's batsmen like to throw their hands at the ball, playing through the line with speed. They call it 'going with hard hands'. It is all very well in Australia but a recipe for disaster in England. Two of the 'worst' appear to be Brad Haddin and Marcus North, who could bat at No 6. They will learn. It might just take time. It makes them vulnerable to low scores in the first few Tests. If they go with hard hands on English pitches which are slow, have seam movement and swing, then they will nick off or risk inside edges onto stumps. North is one to watch in particular against the spin of Graeme Swann. Swann, who gets the ball to turn away from the leftie, will relish bowling at North if the batsman tries to hit the cover of it. Simon Katich, another left-hander, has fallen 39% of the time to spin in his career. Gosh, that's high.

I don't think you'll ever get a series as close as that. The Edgbaston Test, and then going to Old Trafford - every match was just so close. I do think the sides are very evenly matched this time, and I think what it will take is standout individual performances. In 2005 we all gelled fantastically as a team. I know Freddie Flintoff was the big plus, but if you look back every individual pulled different strings along the way. In this series, in my view it will take more individual brilliance to win a Test. I think the matches themselves will be won easily one way or the other, but it will come from one player doing something special.

Given your Glamorgan roots what do you think about Cardiff as the opening venue?

Well, I can understand why they are looking to move the Test matches around, but given the traditions that the Ashes hold I think Lord's is the only place where the first Test should be held. One of my best memories is walking out through the Long Room, that first morning on the first Test for the Ashes, so I think I'm not in total agreement with Cardiff. I think it's great to move a match down there, but I don't agree with them having the first one

How well is Andrew Strauss equipped for the captaincy?

Very well equipped. Straussy and I are similar characters and we got on very well together. From early on I saw him as a deep thinking cricketer, who was definitely captaincy material. He probably should have had that job in Australia when we went there, but of course it wasn't the case then. I think now they have the right man in the job, and so far he's done pretty well. We seem to have played the West Indies a heck of a lot, and the side seems to have grown and gelled together with him, and he's got some good ideas and he's strong enough to bring his own influence to bear on things. I'm fully behind him

You mention him being strong. He's had a difficult situation to deal with regarding Freddie this week...

It's about how you manage someone like Freddie. You just have to - not be lenient on him - but know that's what makes Freddie tick, and from what I can gather he was late for a bus, so that's been dealt with, and we should move on. Freddie's a proud guy and if he feels he's let the team down he will, as he's done, apologise and get on. What you get from Freddie is performance on the field

So will the players forgive other stuff if they get that?

Yeah, as long as those performances are coming, and you are not feeling let down on the field. I think in a series with Fred you won't be let down with him. It's a shame it happened in the lead-up but it seems they've dealt with it and moved on and that's all you can do.

What are your thoughts on the man who's got your job now?

In fairness Matt Prior deserves to play. He's clearly the guy for the job at the moment. He's averaging 40 plus in Test cricket and he wouldn't be far off getting in purely as a batsman. I've no doubts about his batting, and his keeping is growing with more games and the more confidence he gets. He's got a role to bat at six and I think that's good and from around the country he's leading the way.

Looking at the Aussies with the big names gone - most of all Shane Warne - how far through their transition are they and will they be back to their best?

I don't think they'll ever match the team from the last 10 years with Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. Warne was absolute genius. He'd come on to bowl and you'd find it hard to score runs, plus there was always the fear of losing a wicket, and at the other end McGrath was exactly the same. As the opposition you would look at the scoreboard and nothing was happening apart from wickets. That's going to be their biggest hurdle, replacing those guys. For me Australia's batting will always be strong, it's the wickets the guys grow up on, they will always find batters, but bowling will be their biggest issue in the next four or five years as Clark and Lee come to the end of their careers too.

So who will be the biggest bowling threat in this series?

I think Mitchell Johnson, who has come on the scene and given them something different as a left-armer. If at his pace he can consistently swing the ball back to the right handers that is going to be tough. He's a player who has added to their side. The rest of their guys? Well we've handled pace before. They bowl quick, and swing it out, and English batters are used to that so that's not a whole lot different. That's why Johnson as a left armer could be a threat

So tell us about this restaurant, then? Do you do the cooking yourself?

No, it's only open when Kent are playing and then I'm trying to spend my time at Canterbury out in the middle! Actually my mother-in-law does all the cooking. I put my name to it, and pop up here as much as I can, but she runs it and it's going really well. We look to use local produce as much as we can, and provide nice wholesome home cooking. It used to be run as a restaurant a couple of years ago, but had been empty, so I approached the club and asked if I could take it on.

We gather you've got your own farm to supply the meat too?

I've got eight acres at home. We've got pigs, sheep and chickens and my wife has some horses. It's tougher during the summer to keep on top of it, it's more of a winter project. But I enjoy it. You have to have something away from cricket

It must be helping because you've had a good summer so far for Kent?

Yeah, and I think they do say that one of the best things for a cricketer is to have a child, and I've done that too. Our little boy is 11 weeks old now. But home and the farm is great, it's good to finish the day, go back and potter at something outside and I can take my brain away from what's been going on. Rather than go home and stew about a shot I played it's a good way to clear the head.

We hope it goes well, and as a thanks for your time we've a free £50 bet for a favourite charity...

Thanks - the money can go to the Martha Trust which does a great job here in Kent providing homes for young people and adults with profound physical and learning disabilities. I'd like to back England to win the first Test but I'm not supposed to bet on cricket, so I'll have another patriotic choice and back Andy Murray to win Wimbledon at the same price of [4.2].

Amongst the many treats in store for us in this Ashes summer is the prospect of watching two of the best swing bowlers in the world: Mitchell Johnson and James Anderson. Both men have mastered the art of swing in all its variety and both are absolutely pivotal to their nations hopes of Ashes victory.

Though of similar ages, Anderson is the more experienced of the two. To say he has had a long apprenticeship might be considered an understatement. The England selectors were first attracted by his ability to produce that deadly late away swing that induces batsmen to play when they should not and to lose all awareness of the location of their off stump. But he was plucked out of county cricket too soon, before he'd learned fully to appreciate and understand the skill that came so naturally. His waywardness was a gift to international batsmen and if conditions were not conducive to conventional swing, then he had little else to offer.

Yet six years on from his debut, he has finally become England's premier new ball bowler. The transformation has been slow but profound. A long run in the team has given him confidence and long hours in the nets and at the gym have turned a skinny one dimensional bowler into a far more substantial cricketer. He still has that deadly late away swing in his locker but it's now delivered at ninety miles an hour. He has added the in swinger and the rudiments of reverse swing, variations which, together with a more resilient attitude, enable him to patiently probe a batsman's technique, rather than waiting for him to nick one. His encounters with Fidel Edwards this summer have also revealed an aggressive streak to his character.

But whilst Anderson's aggression has thus far tended to be of the verbal variety, his swing rival Mitchell Johnson poses more of a physical threat. In the pivotal Durban Test this spring, he fractured Graeme Smith's hand and split Jacques Kallis's chin as he terrorized the South African batsmen, employing his new tactic of bowling with a lower arm and digging the ball in shorter. It is a dangerous addition to his armoury and one that the England batsmen will have to be on the look out for this summer.

However, Johnson's main threat will be with the swinging ball. Like Anderson, he has the natural ability to swing the ball away from the right hander and was also noted as a promising youngster, Dennis Lillee labelling him, 'a once in a lifetime bowler'. But he had to wait a while to take his chance at international level. When his Test cap finally came at the 2007, he performed fitfully, deadly spells interspersed with wayward ones and, like Anderson, he was criticised for being one-dimensional.

Perhaps all this just demonstrates that swing bowlers, like the spinners of old, need time to mature and learn their craft. With the retirement of Glen McGrath and injuries to Stuart Clark and Brett Lee, Johnson was forced to take a more senior role. He worked hard to develop an in swinger and to master the mysteries of reverse swing. Given the responsibility of leading the attack on the tour to South Africa, he came of age with a performance of impressive hostility and skill. He will need to reprise that role this summer, because Lee and Clark are still some way from their best and Peter Siddle is a raw newcomer. The extent of his importance to Australia is demonstrated in his price of [2.62] to finish as top Aussie bowler.

When the Contrarian first gushed optimistically about England's chances of regaining the Ashes last August, the hosts were available at [3.5] on Betfair. The fact that the price remains the same almost a year on suggests that those wise words fell on deaf ears, although Kevin Pietersen lasting just three Tests as captain obviously didnt help instill a sense of excess optimism. Ever generous and forgiving though, the Contrarian is prepared to allow you a second chance by offering another helping of reasons to back Andy Flower's side.

England have a very strong home record

Australia may have whitewashed England two-and-a-half-years ago Down Under, but the outsiders are a completely different prospect with home advantage. Since Australia's last series win over here eight years ago, England have hosted 15 series and only lost two of them (against South Africa and India), both by a one-test margin, while winning ten and drawing three. The aggregate score of England's home test matches over that eight-year period is an overwhelming 30-8 margin in their favour.

Australia's last win here came when England were struggling at home

In contrast, the Australia team that came over and won 4-1 in 2001 were facing an England side who were nowhere near as impressive at home. Then, England had won just six of the 15 series they had hosted prior to that one with a vastly inferior aggregate test score of 18-20.

England are capable of successive home triumphs

There have been eight previous occasions when England have won successive home Ashes series. In fact, you have to go back to their failure to follow on from 1926s success in 1930 to find the last time they didn't build on a home Ashes win with at least one more.

The visitors aren't carrying their usual cocky momentum...

In recent years, Australia have headed into the Ashes on a great run of form. Two-and-a-half years ago they came into the Ashes on the back of a five series winning run in which they hadn't lost a single test, and four years ago arrived on a 16 series unbeaten streak, having won the most recent six of them. In fact, ahead of each of the last six Ashes they had won at least four of their last five series - but not this time. A year ago they were unbeaten in nine series during which they only lost one test match but since then they have lost two of four, against South Africa and India.

...and they're not the same team that humiliated England in Australia

Their indifferent form is less surprising given that since crushing England in 2007 Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Glenn McGrath have all retired while coach John Buchanan also stepped aside and was replaced by his assistant Tim Nielsen. Four years ago, Warne took 40 wickets, twice as many as Australia's second most successful bowler Brett Lee (who is still in the squad but has struggled for form and fitness recently) and 16 more than anyone on the victorious England team managed. In the 2006-07 series, Warne and McGrath took 44 wickets between them. Second choice spin bowler Stuart MacGill has also retired which leaves Nathan Hauritz, who has played in just four test matches, as the only specialist slow bowler in their squad.

England were right to change captains

The hosts decision to get rid of Michael Vaughan, the man who captained them to victory four years ago, is likely to prove a shrewd one. Only one man has captained England to more than one Ashes triumph over the last 50 years - Mike Brearley - whereas on two of the last three occasions where a victorious captain has been replaced after a home triumph, the new leader has come up trumps in the next hosted series (Peter May in 1956 and David Gower in 1985). Therefore, despite Andrew Strauss being second choice behind Kevin Pietersen when Vaughan's successor was named, there is every chance he will be successful.

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But all of those three stars reached a stage when the drinking caught up with them. And then we think only about how what should have been the last few glorious years of a career have been thrown down the drain. Botham became a shadow of the great all-rounder who had conquered the world, Gazza ended up smashing a hotel room in frustration at being dropped from a World Cup, and Hatton is being begged to retire after Manny Pacquiao floored him in two rounds.

So you have to worry this morning whether Andrew Flintoff is about to hit the same horrible wall just when he's hoping to deliver some more Ashes heroics. Four years ago we loved Freddie for his amazing feats with bat and ball against the Australians, and laughed with him as he swigged champagne on the open top bus on his way to a Downing Street reception. The stories suggested he was the player so sozzled that he tiddled in the Number Ten garden, although that's been denied. True or false it became part of his personal legend.

Now it emerges that after five months fighting to recover from a knee operation in time to face Australia, he's been on the booze again. The Daily Express led the way yesterday morning by revealing that Flintoff had been reprimanded for missing the team bus on the way to visit the trenches in Ypres during England's 'team bonding' trip to Belgium. Now it's clear it was because he was hungover from a mammoth spree after dinner the night before.

Captain Andrew Strauss has admitted as much in today's papers: "Fred has worked very hard on knowing the right and wrong times to drink but it's important he stays on the right side of that line," he says. "He's very aware that he's stuffed up on this occasion and has taken it on the chin".

All this was richly ironic given it happened a day after Flintoff had given long interviews about the work he'd done to get fit again. But it reveals there must be doubts about whether his 31-year-old battered body is capable of going through a complete Ashes series.

Flintoff is fourth favourite to be England's top wicket taker in the series at [6.4], and given his injury history, and now his drinking exploits, that price should be nearer the [25.0] you can get for him to be top batsman. Don't be fooled if he starts the summer well, trying to show that he's learned yet another lesson for his bad behaviour. The demands of a five Test series, sadly, will be bound to catch up with him.

Here's a top five of notorious sporting drinking incidents

1. The notorious Dentist's Chair drinking game in Hong Kong before Euro 96 when Paul Gascoigne and other England players were pictured laying back in the chair having drinks poured down their throats

2. Glenn Hoddle said all his players had learned from that before the 1998 World Cup - then Teddy Sheringham used the team's break to fly to Portugal and was photographed out of his skull at 6.30am

3. The 'Fredalo' affair - okay we're talking about Flintoff but this can't be left out of the list. He had to be rescued from a capsized pedalo in the early hours during the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. He was stripped of the vice captaincy as punishment

4. Ricky Hatton followed defeat to Floyd Mayweather Junior by going on a New Year binge in Tenerife - and in four days was reported to have downed 57 pints,17 vodka and Red Bulls, four vodkas, three whisky chasers, and a bottle of Moet champagne.

5. England's rugby stars followed a 37-20 defeat by the All Blacks with a 'team bonding' trip to the Pony club bar in Auckland - beneath a strip club and massage parlour. The night ended in serious sexual assault allegations although they were subsequently withdrawn.

Yet before the series began, it was blonde Aussie wunderkind Michael Clarke who was named most likely to succeed in most of the Ashes previews. A string of dazzling one day innings had taken him into the Test team and earned him the Allan Border medal. But though his raw talent was apparent from the First Test at Lord's, his cavalier attitude and brittle technique repeatedly brought about his downfall.

Four years on and both men are preparing to face one another again. They have much in common. Their batting averages are in the same high-forties territory where you find the names of those verging on greatness. Both have gone from being talented novices to seasoned veterans and both are essential to their nations' Ashes hopes. However, they have trodden very different paths in the intervening years.

In a batting line-up devoid of stars, it was inevitable that Pietersen would be propelled to the fore. Injury and trauma removed the other two class acts in Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan and pretty much since that heady day at the Oval, Pietersen has been regarded as England's only world class batsman. But the pressure to maintain his standards, burn-out, injury and the emotional scars of his failed spell as England captain had, by this spring, taken their toll on this confident but not insensitive player.

After his Ashes failure, Clarke soon lost his Test place and disillusionment could have set in at that point. But right from the start, the unforgiving culture of Australian cricket teaches youngsters that you have to work hard to earn a second chance. Clarke did just that, becoming more patient, more circumspect about when to unleash those wristy and audacious offside shots. The fashionable blonde locks were shorn off and it was an altogether more substantial young man who regained his Test place. He has repaid the selectors' faith by averaging 57.80 in his last 25 Tests, becoming the mainstay of an evolving batting line-up.

Both men will have leadership roles this summer. Vice-captain Clarke was long ago identified as a future Australian leader and his capable performance as stand-in skipper for the one day series with Bangladesh impressed many. But Pietersen will also have much to offer England. It is to his credit and to England's great fortune that his experiences as captain have not soured him. These days he is more involved than ever in working for the good of the team, offering advice to the likes of Ravi Bopara and even seeking intelligence on the Australians from his Bangalore Royal Challengers team-mates Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher.

Punters will be most interested in how the two players are likely to fare at the crease. Pietersen's preparation has been less than ideal and at the time of writing, though his recovery from his Achilles injury is going well, there has to be a slight doubt hanging over his ability to see out a frenetic Ashes series in which the matches come thick and fast. Given that injury doubt, it is a little surprising to see him quite so short in the top England series batsman market, at [3.6]

Perhaps just as surprising are the current odds on offer about Clarke in the top Australian series batting market. Ed Hawkins' most recent article explains in depth where the value is to be found here and it is hard to disagree that odds of [5.6] about the Aussie vice captain are on the generous side, given the comparatively indifferent form of the other senior batsmen. Those odds will look even more generous if England go with a two spinner strategy. Clarke is one of the best players of spin around and will be more than happy to see both Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar line up at Cardiff.

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This is a heavy subject and I understand the need to choose the words carefully when commentating on the latest John Buchanan-inspired motivational exercise. Okay - here goes, how about "pants, drivel, rubbish, tosh and garbage!"

The English were following the example set by the Australian team in 2001 (coached by Buchanan) that visited Gallipoli to seek inspiration from their fallen. To honour our dead and those who sacrificed their lives in order that we can live free is commendable, to do it as a photo op and a 'team bonding' session was in poor taste.

It is exploitation of a generation that gave their lives in the service of their country. If the trip had been done quietly away from the cameras and silent tributes paid to fellow cricketers who had perished (and the English team were given time to reflect on how blessed they are) then perhaps there might just have been some justification for the visit. But that was never going to be the case - it was a PR exercise.

The quotes from management after the event were cheesier than a four-cheese pizza with extra Mozzarella! Andy Flower said, "This visit was part of ongoing efforts designed to broaden horizons and learn more about the role of leadership and team ethics. Everyone came away from the visit with a greater understanding of what it really means to stand shoulder to shoulder and fight for your country. We hope it will help strengthen our own bonds within the team as we prepare for what should be a very exciting Ashes series."

Apart from making one want to reach for a bucket, it begs the question of what goes on in Flower's head. Does he really believe that standing at the base of a ladder preparing to go over the top to engage in a futile dawn attack whilst facing almost certain death is comparable to playing a game of cricket? The Aussies have a bit of pace in their attack but it is unlikely to be as quick as the muzzle velocity of a German machine gun! It was a misguided exercise and even if the intentions were good it has once again left the ECB looking naive.

So what were the alternatives for the "team bonding" exercise? In fairness, the management's options were somewhat limited. They could hardly divide the squad into two and have a paintballing day - they would be running the risk of KP's back being hit more than his front! Similarly they could not do a sniping exercise - they have been involved in one of those for the last six months!

Watersports were out - Freddie and pedalos are hardly a match made in heaven - and a boot camp is not ideal preparation for a squad that doesn't start work until eleven o'clock in the morning! This is not a radical suggestion, not thinking laterally or outside of the box. It probably isn't an idea that has a "goal driven multi level concept" but why didn't they just stay at Loughborough, practice in the nets until they dropped and then sit in a locked room watching DVDs of the 2005 series whilst getting bladdered?

That's old school thinking and one member of the England cricket team that has probably never been subjected to that kind of bonding is Stuart Broad. He is turning into a superb talent and a big Ashes series will result in him losing his "potential" tag and see him stake a claim as his country's top bowler. Odds of [6.0] should be attainable on him being the top English bowler in the series and that represents very good value, particularly as he's one of the few pace bowlers who doesn't have fitness question marks over his head.

Finally, it is rumoured that at least half a dozen of the English squad were disappointed when they arrived in Belgium. When they were told they were to visit Flanders they thought they were making a guest appearance on the Simpsons!

Ricky Ponting is a man you would oppose with an audible gulp but it is necessary that he is avoided at [4.30] to finish as top Australia runscorer. With his reputation as Mr Reliable slipping, it is bowler Mitchell Johnson, [2.82] for top Australia wicket-taker, who has no peers.

But first the problems with Ponting. A stellar batsman he may be but value he is not. The Australia skipper has top-scored only once in his side's last five series (an identical record to Pietersen's) and that was against West Indies. Granted he outscored his teammates with 576 runs in the last Ashes series but in the last 12 months his average is down to 39, a huge dip from a career mark of 56.

With Ponting marginalised, Phillip Hughes and Simon Katich should join him on our betting sidelines. The openers have enough doubts about their respective techniques anyway but traditionally visiting Nos 1 and 2 struggle in England. Only three have top scored in the last 10 Test series, a damning statistic as to how tourists have struggled to cope with the moving new ball.

It makes both men impossible to support, leaving Michael Clarke [5.80] and Michael Hussey [8.20] solid shouts. Both have plenty experience of English conditions due to stints in county cricket, although one is in much better touch than the other.
It is Clarke who most impresses. He top scored for Australia in the home defeat to South Africa with 383 runs and was the No 1 in a preceding series against New Zealand, conditions as close to England as you can get.

Often criticised for not taking a game away from the opposition, Clarke could be considered to be underrated. It is often forgotten that he scored an impressive 355 runs against England in the 2005 defeat when his nickname of Pup could not have been more apt.
Hussey, despite being certain to feel at home and with 458 runs in the last Ashes, averages only 29 this year and his confidence could have taken a hit.

There is no such concern about Johnson, whose century and a 90-odd against South Africa will make him almost as dangerous with bat as ball. He is a worthy favourite for top wicket-taker, however. The left-armer has finished as Australia's top bowler in each of their last four series and with 20 wickets is the joint-second highest wicket-taker this year in Tests with Peter Siddle.

It is not only statistics that excites about Johnson's price. It is England's record against left-armers. Remember when Zaheer Khan wrecked them two summers ago? Remember when he did the same in India last year? Zaheer finished top bowler each time (shared with Harbhajan in his home series) and England's batsmen have a clear weakness.

Looking at the bowlers who have finished as their team's top wicket-taker in previous series in England provides another trend. Fidel Edwards, Morne Morkel, Zaheer and Umar Gul are all linked by extreme pace. Johnson can send down 90mph thunderbolts.

Brett Lee could come in for support as a result at [4.70]. Fair enough. He took 20 wickets in 2005 and 20 in 2006-07 and in what could be his last hurrah he will leave no muscle unstretched to rediscover that extra bit of pace.

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In the absence of statistical truth, we inevitably fall back on theory. The many philosophies of captaincy appear to fall into two camps. Ian Chappell is a leading proponent of the idea that the skipper is of peripheral importance. The Chappell view is that a captain is nothing more than a figurehead, a man to toss a coin and occasionally administer dressing room discipline. Take the Ashes series of 2006-07. If Australia had been led by anyone other than Ricky Ponting, would the result have been any different? It seems unlikely.

The opposing camp could perhaps be represented by Mike Brearley who was so convinced of the importance of captaincy that he wrote a book on the subject. If a captain can't turn no-hopers into world beaters, he can at least get the best out of what he has. Exhibit A is the 2005 Ashes series. It is hard to imagine England being victorious in that series with anyone other than Michael Vaughan at the helm.

But even these two examples show how tricky these judgements are. Although Vaughan was probably a better captain than Ponting, we aren't really comparing like with like. From his appointment in 2004, the little Tasmanian was in charge of a team of all-time greats, of self-reliant cricketers who needed little leading, guidance or motivation. A superb batsman and a dedicated student of batting technique, he was the reformed troublemaker, the willing corporal who found himself promoted to leadership. He wasn't a great captain, but then, he didn't need to be.

It all changed for Ponting in 2005. Under pressure from relentless English swing bowling and feeling the strain off the field, Australia suddenly needed more from their captain. With the bat, he was exemplary. But tactically, he was a failure; alternating between stubbornness and limpness. He made blunders. He lost his composure publicly. Criticism came from all directions and has continued to flare up ever since, despite the 2006-07 success. He has been criticised for being aloof, for allowing his team to get out of control, for failures of tactical and ethical leadership at key moments.

As we approach another Ashes series, Ponting has had to become a different kind of captain. The influx of so many inexperienced players has forced him to take more of a hands-on role. He, in conjunction with his coaches, now micromanages the team to a degree unthinkable in the good old days. And with no Warne or McGrath around to entertain the media, this naturally shy sportsman has had to be a lot more talkative.

It is likely that Ponting will be a lot more exposed this summer than his England counterpart. Andrew Strauss will be relying heavily on Andy Flower's technical expertise. On the face of it, he is a calm and assured presence. Like his predecessors, Vaughan and Nasser Hussain, he is an intelligent and thoughtful cricketer. As captain of Middlesex, he moulded a young and inexperienced group of players into a successful team. The omens are good.

But though he may appear to have many of the qualities required of a captain, Strauss has a great deal more on his plate. Ponting is a battle-hardened leader who is finally starting to look comfortable in his own skin, leading a tough bunch of cricketers, fresh from a gritty victory in South Africa. Strauss by contrast, has all his mistakes ahead of him and his charges are still unproven against the best. Ed Hawkin's article lays out the evidence that points to a tough summer for England and the market agrees. At the moment, Ponting's men are clear favourites to win the series on [1.81] with Strauss's team on [3.35]

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This year's competition carries even more significance as the top three teams from each group will compete in Division One of next year's new T20 competition.

After last night's defeat to Middlesex, tomorrow's match against Hampshire at Chelmsford is a must-win for us in order to qualify for the latter stages. We'll have to pick ourselves up from a disappointing performance and get the job done without batsmen Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara, who were noticable exclusions from last night's team at Lord's.

Personally I've had very few opportunities to stand up in this competition and although it generally means that the team is doing well it is also highly frustrating. I had a good run with the ball last year but have only bowled a handful of overs so far, mainly because we've played three spinners and Rav has done the third seamer's job.

I managed to get Mark Ramprakash out on Thursday night which is always a highlight, and even more satisfying as I 'did him' with a good slowy. Ramps is a run machine and would feature on most bowler's 'least favourite batsman to bowl at' list. He has all the scoring shots and is equally prolific on the front and back foot which leaves very little margin for error.

Cookie has had a fantastic competition and his emergence as a T20 opener must give England a new option. He worked really hard on adjusting his game and has now discovered a method that really works. All good players can adapt and Cookie's come through after taking a lot of stick from the boys about being a 'blocker.'

Apart from the obvious good it's done for the team it also presents good signs for the Ashes which is only around the corner now.

As I've already mentioned we had a tough night at Lord's yesterday. The history and aesthetics of both the playing surface and surrounding stands make it a favourite for most cricketers and supporters alike but the players' restaurant is also incredible. The choice of mains and desserts are always impressive and the quality of the food could match a Michelin star restaurant. Apart from the a seaming pitch, a canny bowler, or possibly even the famous Lord's slope, the kitchen offers another potential pitfall for batters and bowlers and its important to not get carried away with the food.

Danni (Kaneria) has been the heart of our bowling attack this season at Essex and it's a big loss to see him go join up with Pakistan. I know he can't wait to play Test cricket again and with the way he's been bowling I expect him to match the skills and class of Muralitheran and Mendes.

It's not been officially announced but we've signed a South African batsman as his replacement. This may well work out better for us as we've been light on runs and we also have two good spinners in Tim Phillips and James Middlebrook who can now shine in Danni's absence.

After tomorrow we have a week off, which is heaven-sent for any county cricketer. I'll definitely be working on some skills but for the most part I'll be recharging the batteries for the remainder of the season. But before I can look forward to my time of rest I would like to make sure we qualify for the T20 Quarter-Finals.

KP is currently trading at [3.80] to outscore his teammates over five Tests. It is a price which is short enough on reputation alone. Pietersen bestrides the biggest of stages with hips swinging in a cocky swagger that would knock off friend and foe alike from the apron had his cumbersome ego not got there first. It can be a hypnotic sight and trance-like, one can often place your hard-earned on him to do the business.

The problem with Pietersen too often recently that cash that you felt was in the safest possible of switch-hit hands has gone down the drain. Pietersen has failed to top score in four of England's last five Test series. He didn't even make the top three earlier this summer against West Indies.

It is hardly a great record for such a short-priced favourite and one cannot but feel that instead of Pietersen charging bull-like out to the crease as if he is the second coming, he would be better placed treading more carefully.

The worry we have with Pietersen's price, however, is the very thing that makes it so appealing. It is the ego which has got him in to trouble in the past (remember him throwing his wicket away when a century was there for the taking in Kingston in February) and it is his ego which could steer him clear in the Ashes.

When it counts, Pietersen is the man. In his first series, the 2005 Ashes, he memorably top scored. He repeated the trick Down Under when all around him batsmen were losing their heads. And against South Africa last summer, he didn't disappoint notching nearly 100 runs more than any other Englishman.

The conclusion you should be drawing is that to back Pietersen would be doing so on emotional grounds - never the shrewdest of moves. For that reason Ravi Bopara could be the value at [5.10]. He has that all-important braggadocio but more importantly he might just have the composure that Pietersen can crucially lack.

Bopara top-scored against West Indies last time and if you cast your mind back farther you should recall him scoring a precocious 135 against the Australians at Chelmsford in 2005.

Andrew Strauss, with three first-place finishes in England's last five series deserves respect at [4.80] while those wanting a batsman to trade should seriously consider Matt Prior at a whopping [18.50].

If Pietersen is a dubious jolly for top batsman, there are no such question marks over James Anderson who heads this market at [3.55]. His ability to swing the ball both ways at 90mph is absolutely crucial to the home side's chances in the series because of Australia's weakness against swing. This is not perceived. They struggled with it in 2005 and there are enough survivors from that batting order (Katich, Clarke, Ponting) to give Anderson optimism.

Stuart Broad, third favourite at [4.90], would be next best for the simple reason that over the last 12 months his strike of 66.3 is actually superior to Anderson's (67.6). Broad, a smart bowler, has made the top three England wicket-takers in the last two series.

Bad value comes in the form of Graeme Swann at [4.50]. Yes he could trouble a potential Aussie top order of four left-handers (Hughes, Katich, M Hussey, North) but there is precious little evidence they have a weakness against orthodox spin. Awful value is Andrew Flintoff at [5.60]. It would be a major surprise if he is fit enough to play all five Tests. And on that note, you do know that KP is having trouble with his Achilles don't you?