Strauss Seeks Unity Ahead of Ashes Battle

Having become England's third captain in the five or so months since Michael Vaughan stepped down in August, Andrew Strauss will have clear goals in the forthcoming series against the West Indies in the Caribbean and then back at home early in the English summer.

Firstly he needs to make his impact on the team. Following the Pietersen/Moores spat, Strauss will be keen for his senior players to rally around him and help him bring the team together at a crucial time for English cricket.

Strauss knows that it might cause some tension with Pietersen being back "in the ranks" but equally he will realise just how important Pietersen's runs will be this summer when the old foe Australia return for a five match Ashes series in England.

England will be aiming for no less than victories in both Test series against an improving but still below-par West Indies side. With Michael Vaughan still waiting in the wings for a call-up, there will be added pressure on Ian Bell as well as Owais Shah to stake their claims in England's top six for the coming summer.

Ryan Sidebottom will also be keen to make his place certain in the side having missed a lot of cricket through injury in recent times.

It is perhaps one of the strangest build-ups to an Ashes series for some time. Both England and Australia have had problems of their own. Whilst England have had to deal with the turmoil of a public spat between captain and coach leading to both being relieved of their posts, the Australians have shown to be a side in major transition and defeats in India and then at home to South Africa have not been the ideal preparation.

Both teams will be watching each other closely over the coming months. The Australians will no doubt be watching with interest as England tour the Caribbean to see how the Strauss regime is proceeding. England meanwhile will be glued to the return series that the Aussies have in South Africa and will be keen to see how the retirement of Matthew Hayden will affect a once awesome top six batting order.

It would be anybody's guess as to the outcome of the 2009 Ashes series. The Australian side no longer contains the match winners like Warne, Gilchrist and McGrath. Brett Lee's form is also on the downturn yet every Englishman just knows that the Aussies will not go down without a fight.

Surely England are favourites as having home advantage but the next few months under the captaincy of Andrew Strauss will be crucial for team confidence ahead of what should be a great summer.

As an England fan, perhaps the best omen is to look back at Strauss' excellent captaincy in the 2006 win over Pakistan, after which he was surely very unlucky not to be put in charge of the side in the '06/'07 Ashes series. 2009 could see a man making up for lost time. All England fans will be hoping!