It’s over a year away I know but I can’t help feeling the 2009 Ashes, with so many big-name retirements, will be a refreshing clash of two old enemies with new-look teams.

The 2005 series was as we all know one of the greatest series ever and probably unrivalled for ‘watch-ability’ or drama. Clearly this is an objective topic that will always hear other possibilities thrown forward for such a title in history. The 2006-07 return was as unwatchable for the English as 2005 was watch-able. A 5-0 thrashing provided one of the greatest anti-climaxes in sporting history.

The 2009 edition is going to be interesting. Although the lack of free-to-air action on TV will have a negative impact in England against the last great clash of 05, when cricket-loathing wives and mothers were so gripped by the drama and tension they had to break from the ironing or similar chores that would usually be convenient to take them away from the ‘boredom’ of cricket, there are enough reasons to be excited.

For pretty much a decade and more there have always been many headline names on show such as Shane Warne, who debuted for Australia in 1993, Glenn McGrath, the Waugh brothers, Adam Gilchrist and Ian Healy before him, Justin Langer, Mark Taylor, Michael Slater – is that enough big-name Australians for you?

Then England, before the current crop, had the likes of Michael Atherton, Alec Stewart, Darren Gough, Graham Thorpe and Graeme Hick. Now they just have Kevin Pietersen, the team’s best batsman and another hero of 05, and Michael Vaughan.

Although there will be those who will debate next year’s contest could be akin to a B-movie or a second-tier fight before the main event in Las Vegas, I am more of the opinion that it will be refreshing because the loss of so many regular, big-name performers throws open the contest like never before.

Even some of the most obvious, one-eyed Australians who can’t see further than the dominance of those in the Baggy Green cap would have to agree that Warne and McGrath have basically been the difference between the teams for 15 years.

Now with those two retired and with Damien Martyn, Gilchrist, Langer also gone, added to the likelihood of having no senior spinner with Brad Hogg retired and Stuart MacGill’s struggle against injury and ageing, the Aussies will be relying on a new breed led by one remaining ‘old-timer’ and skipper Ricky Ponting and maybe opener Matthew Hayden if he decides to stick around for one last tour - his first was 1993.

Ok, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Brett Lee (with two Ashes tours behind him), Andrew Symonds, Mitchell Johnson, Phil Jaques and Stuart Clark will still provide a sterner challenge to England than probably any other team in the world, but they are not even close to Warne and McGrath as threats. Gilchrist would probably be on the same plateau in terms of taking games away from England.

Equally, England should also have a radically different team to the one that won the Ashes in 2005 and probably even to the one that lost the urn so disastrously 18 months later.

Ashley Giles is retired, Marcus Trescothick is struggling to come back from illness, Simon Jones has a long way to go to prove his fitness for top-level cricket, wicketkeeper Geraint Jones will do well to play for England again with the emergence of Tim Ambrose and several others waiting behind, Vaughan is back after playing no part in the series Down Under because of injury, and who knows, maybe two of England’s most potent weapons from the 2005 series may not be there either.

All-rounder Andrew Flintoff’s absence would leave a huge hole but the team is slowly learning to cope without him such has been his struggle to return from a chronic ankle injury, with four operations on it in less than three years. Nonetheless, skipper Vaughan, cricket lovers world-wide and host broadcaster Sky Sports, who will look to pitch their coverage to advertisers on the back of Flintoff’s image, will be hoping he is there. 

The other potent force of 05, Steve Harmison, is probably the greatest worry. His body is strong after battles against ongoing niggling injuries, but his mental state is less stable. We know the fast bowler, who continues to battle homesickness, performs much better at home, but having been dropped in New Zealand last week after another lethargic display, how many more chances will he be given before the selectors grow tired of saying ‘a fit and firing Steve Harmison would make any team in the world’?

Instead they may just say ‘he’s had enough chances, it is time for Graham Onions or for Sajid Mahmood or Charlie Shreck to be given a chance’ as Ryan Sidebottom was and has since prospered to the point of all but confirming his name for the Ashes this far in advance.   
   
Whatever happens with those two England stars, there will be a slew of fresh faces that will bring a new dimension to Ashes play. Australia are showing that they are coping better with their transition but England can comfort themselves with the knowledge that Ashes matches have a way of bringing the best out in newcomers. Ask Pietersen and Warne.

Richard Sydenham is Managing Editor of Bigstarcricket.com

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