Cricket: Ashes 2009—My England Team

The eagerly-awaited Ashes Series 2009 is only one year away now, and England are looking forward to some tough selections, and of course regaining the Ashes Urn.

Player by player, this is the England team I think will face Australia in the five-match series next year. 

1. Andrew STRAUSS—Andrew has been in great touch ever since losing his place in the side last winter, scoring regular runs and two centuries. The main reason for the change in form is his technique. I feel the reason he was dropped in the first place was due to playing shots that were quite clearly not in his calibre.

Strauss has gone back to playing square of the wicket, where he plays best, rather than trying to force balls straight back past the bowler and getting caught in the slips. 

2. Alistair COOK—Although not in great form of late, this man has great talent. With an average over 40 already and centuries under his belt, this is one opener that will be sticking around for a while. Also a good slip fielder.

3. Micheal VAUGHAN—Another player who hasn't been in good form recently, but his leading skills and batting potential alone will get him onto the team, and he will be hoping to get back those Ashes he won in 2005.

4. Kevin PIETERSEN—A man who needs no introduction, he's already got his place in the side and it would take a miracle for him not to be in the side. Even if he was to have bad series all the through until the summer of 2009, he would still have his place because England knows exactly what he's capable of on his day—winning matches on his own!

5. Ian BELL—The most difficult of all the selections, but the reason he's in is on what he has produced over the last couple of years. It was always a race between Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell, but Bell got my vote in the end as he is younger and I feel has more room for improvement.

6. Andrew FLINTOFF—Man of the series in the last two series for me, and if he's 100 percent fit, the most important player in the team and the match winner in both departments. Bats at number six although not in great form at the moment, but I feel on the day will come good.

7. Matt PRIOR—He wins the all-important wicket-keeping place due to being a regular runs scorer and a half-decent keeper. I feel by the time the series comes round his keeping and batting will have improved.

8. Stuart BROAD—An emergence of an Ashley Giles-style batsmen at number eight, who is also 6'7" and still growing, and can bowl at speeds of 87 mph-plus. Stuart gets my vote as another important all-rounder, already has a half-century to his name, and his batting will improve even more come 2009.

9. Ryan SIDEBOTTOM—England's best bowler in the last 18 months by far, his performances have seen him take the No. 6 spot in the ICC Bowlers Rankings. A string of classy and match-winning performances have made him England's front line seamer, and should cause the Aussies trouble on home turf.

10. Matthew HOGGARD—Will regain his test spot soon, maybe even during the SA Series next month. James Anderson has been bowling well, but against the mighty Proteas and the Aussies he will not be enough because of lack of consistency.

11. Monty PANESAR—Ahh, Monty Panesar, England's left arm spinner, has taken over 100 wickets for England in no time at all. There are talks of him developing a googly, which could see him taking the world No. 1 spot in time to come. Could be the star of the series come 2009.

There you go with my team for the Ashes 2009, and here's a quick prediction of the Series scores and stats.

England 2 - 1 Australia (England Regain the ashes)

Series leading wicket takers ( Australia: Shane Warne!!!) (England: Ryan Sidebottom)

Leading run scorers: ( Australia: Ricky Ponting) (England: Kevin Pietersen)

Lets hope I'm right!!