Its got to be an Ashes summer!

Sorry, I 'borrowed' that headline off Sky, but it is very relevant.

After Cardiff many of us thought heading to Lords that we just needed to improve our performance, do abit of hanging on and get a draw.

But who would have thought we would have beaten Australia for the first time, at Lords, since 1936? Its got to be an ashes summer! Espically when you think back to last week watching Monty and Jimmy block ball after ball to help us knick a draw. What a difference a test makes.

The performance at lords has filled us all with great confidence and the usual English expectation that we can go on to win the ashes.

Ricky Ponting said that he thought his side lost the game within the first four hours of day one, and i can see his point to an extent. Cook and Strauss opening partnership was the only upside to our 1st innings and it has pulled us through to win. Strauss 161 was a captains and winning innings but come on Ricky, you had to bat twice yourself! you lost it. Your bowling attack, well, you need Brett Lee back.


(Picture from BBC Sport)

Englands batting wasn't that great, Strauss hit a big score, and it was good to see Jimmy Anderson hit some tail end runs to pull us over the 400 mark which had a big influence on the games proceedings. Priors innings in the second innnings was also very important to get the runs onto the board quickly so we could declare over night and have the chance to bowl at the Australians for two days.

With Pietersen expected to be out of the third test, and the continuing injury doubts over Flintoff, who has struggled with the bat but can do it, we may struggle. Players like Ian Bell will be coming into the squad who have been dropped because they aren't in form, and what will they do about Flintoff if he can't make it? Two Spinners? Harmison would be a nice addition as he can generate the same dangerous bounce and pace that Flintoff brings. Shame about the consistency!

Englands bowling in the last test was heavily criticised which was fair, but England's bowling attack can do it, we have seen it and after this test hopefully we can continue in this form! Andersons four wickets won us the game too in essence by leaving the Aussies 181-8 i think it was after day two. It was going to be an uphill struggle from there. Onions came in to the attack instead of Panesar and failed to shine but hopefully he will get another chance and not just be dropped straight away, that won't do anyone any favours.


(Picture from BBC Sport)

Andrew Flintoff though deserves his own paragraph. The man even though failing with the bat again was the inspiration behind the bowling. I, and i hope the rest of you do, get so excited when you see Flintoff steaming in from the his run up. The man has a presence about him that just pulls you in and he will be missed in test cricket. So many times for England he has put in that bowling spell to turn a game around, or with the bat hit quick runs to help England get out of a mess. His career has had its ups and downs, but the man is a legend. Lets hope he will keep his promise of being fit for the last three test matches!

So, three tests to go, alot of cricket to be played, England maybe without Pietersen and Flintoff, Australia will have more options in Lee, Watson to pick from...its not going to be simple. England are going to have to up there game in the batting department and surely, its got to rain!? i will take a 1-0 victory and sacrifice my summer.