The fight for the 'Ashes' begins Thursday

The eagerly awaited Test series for the "Ashes urn" between arch rivals in the game England and Australia will be called "play" by umpires Steve Bucknor and Billy Bowden at the famous Gabba ground in Brisbane on Thursday.

The Gabba is famous, because that was the ground where the first ever tied Test in the history of Test cricket between Australia led by Richie Benaud and Sir Frank Worrel was played way back in 1961.

Whenever Australia and England clash, be it in the instant game or a Test match, the action is always exciting and the atmosphere electric. This was also the series where England led by Douglas Jardine introduced bodyline bowling in an attempt to stop that run machine, the greatest batsman of all, Australia's Sir Donald Bradman.

That ploy by Jardine nearly brought to an end the confrontations between the two great cricketing nations. Now that chapter has been written for posterity and thankfully closed.

The First of Five Test beginning on Thursday, will hold more than ordinary interest because England will be defending the series they won last year at home by 2 matches to 1 after a near 20-year wait.

The awesome Aussies as they have been tagged by all their opponents because of their dominance in both versions of the game, will be breathing fire from the first ball in a determined effort to wrest back the Ashes Urn. Since surrendering the Ashes last year, The Australians have raised their game allround and according to experts, start favourites. But then cricket is not called a funny game for nothing, and if England raise their game undeterred by the second best tag, then they can turn tables on the kangaroos.

England are not fielding their best team. Last year's series winning captain Michael Vaughan is injured, so is hostile paceman Simon Jones and England suffered another setback with opening batsman Marcus Trescothick taking wing home with a stress related problem.

It has fallen on the broad shoulders of dashing allrounder Andrew Flintoff to lead the challenge. He too has recovered from injury and it will be interesting to watch whether he has fully recovered and whether the burden of captaincy would stall his flair for attacking cricket. It will tell as the series unfolds.

Trescothick's absence will leave a big dent in the batting. The English selectors have rushed in Ed Joyce, another attacking batsman and would be hoping that he would settle in. There is also the possibility of them trying Ian Bell as opening partner to Andrew Straus.

Strauss is expected to anchor the batting with his experience, fine temperament and attacking strokeplay.

Batsmen of the calibre of Alstair Cook, Pail Collingwood, Kevin Pietersen and Flintoff must make it their business to be among the runs if England are to fight the Aussies. All are capable batsmen and can deliver.

But the batsmen who can take the Aussie attack apart are Flintoff and Pietersen.

Both have been in the runs in the run up games. Both are eye catching and England fans will be hoping for a lot of runs from them.

The pace bowling will be in the capable hands of Stephen Harmisson, Sajid Mahmood and James Anderson. For spin there will be left armers Ashely Giles and the bearded Monty Panesar.

England's catching has not been what it should be, and coach Duncan Fletcher would be working overtime, trying to get this all important aspect right.

As for the homesters, they would be brimming with confidence after their recent success in the ICC Champions Trophy. All batsmen skipper Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn.

Michael Clarke, Shane Watson and Adam Gilchrist are all middling the ball well and if they continue to score, then they will post enough runs on the board for their bowlers "demon" Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Glen McGrath and the sheikh of tweak leg spinning destroyer Shane Warne to bundle out the Englishmen.

Every Test has been a sellout. England would be galvanised to raise their game with the vociferous cheering of the famed "Barmy Army". They make so much noise that it has at times made it difficult for the umpires to hear the snicks.

The Aussies too would not be lacking in spectator support.

With everything pointing out to a memorable series, the first ugly note has been struck with the racial abuse directed at the likeable Monty Panesar. Panesar has been fine tuned to ride the abuse that would be directed at him.

That apart the Aussie spectators should be told to behave themselves.

The series will hot up and if the spectators continue their act which has no place in high society, then I am afraid it could lead to a lot of problems, and who knows even for the series to be called off or for some venues to suffer a ban of not conducting Test matches, as threatened by the governing body the ICC.