Yet another pendulum Ashes series

Once again England and Australia provide us with an unpredictable Ashes series, full of enthralling drama and fantastic entertainment.

After England dominated the last half of the first test in Brisbane and all of the second test in Adelaide, it seemed as if they would simply stroll to their first Ashes series success on Australian soil since 1987. However, we should all know better than that, it was never going to be a walk in the park, this is Australia, in Australia. Okay, it may be their weakest team for decades, but that doesn't mean anything when it comes to an Ashes series.

The 2009 series gave us a good idea as to what to expect this time around, with the first test being dominated by Australia with England scraping a draw, only to reply emphatically at Lords and having most of the game in the third test at Edgbaston. In the fourth test at Hedingley, Australia crushed England and looked on course to retain the Ashes after their 5-0 domination in 2006/7. However, yet again, England replied and won the final game at the Oval, convincingly, to take the series and the Ashes 2-1.

This current series is starting the take a similar pattern to that of last year's. Although the first test was drawn it was split in half with Australia dominating the first 3 and a half days, before England fought back to decimate the Aussie bowlers in their second innings and have a slim chance of a win on the final day. England, like they did after Cardiff in 2009, had the momentum going into the second test in Adelaide and, like they did at Lords last year, romped to victory to take a 1-0 lead after two tests. England's disastrous fourth test in 2009 was still fresh in the memories of England players and supporters and the possibility of that happening again seemed unlikely but not impossible. Although not the fourth test this time, a similar disaster occurred again for England in Perth as the Aussie's ripped through England's batsmen, just like Hedingley in 2009 to level the series with two to play. Once again, England's critics rose from the praise they gave before Perth and although one test earlier than 2009, the same situation has arised, England could clinch the Ashes at the Oval in 2009 and do the same in Melbourne this time around with a win, however, with a game to spare on this occasion.

The Oval test in 2009 saw England yet again rise from a heavy defeat to roll over Australia to clinch the Ashes from the Aussie grasp and the exactly the same is occurring in Melbourne this year. England of course can retain the Ashes with a drawn series, so the game left to play in Sydney, if England win in Melbourne, effectively becomes a dead-rubber. I'm sure, if that was the case, the Aussie's will not want to lose the series overall, not that England will be too bothered about that, but a series win in Australia for any team is quite an achievement and three series wins in four versus the old enemy in recent times for England represents how much the game in our country is developing once again.