At last - the Ashes series is about to get under way. Always keen for a good lunch, Betfair went to Jonesy's Kitchen at Canterbury to meet England's wicket-keeping hero from four years ago and to talk about what we can expect this time...

Hi Geraint, we remember so well that catch at Edgbaston that won the second Test by two runs and turned the series. Will the margins be that fine again?

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].

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