According to some, England have a decent chance of regaining The Ashes this summer from Australia. And in all honesty, English cricket needs an Ashes win, badly. Australian cricket, is somewhat going through a transitional period at the moment and it’s anything but smooth. Crashing out of the Twenty20 at the group stages was somewhat embarrassing to Australia, although the capitulation of their crown as the World’s most feared cricketing nation to South Africa and even India, is probably more hurtful than any Twenty20 loss.

England will be hoping on 2 big names for this Ashes series, Andrew Flintoff and former captain Kevin Pietersen. If these two giants of the English game are fit and focussed then England have more than a chance of winning. But, we all know Test Cricket is about confidence, and maintaining that confidence over a lengthy time span takes a lot of mental and physical energy. It drains the body and the mind.

From now until the Ashes starts, experienced Ashes betting fans will know that the papers will be full of quotes from either side, probing for weaknesses, as the pre-match mind games kick off. Former Australian leg spinner Shane Warne was a master at these tactics and now he’s back on these shores doing exactly the same thing for Sky TV and being paid for it as well. It is The Ashes after all, and Australia need this victory just as much as England. It’s all in the balance for both of these proud cricketing nations.

To Win The Ashes 2009 Betting Odds

Australia	4/6	4/6	4/6	5/7	4/6	8/11	8/11	4/6	8/13
England	2	9/4	15/8	13/5	9/4	2	7/4	9/4	9/4
Draw	5	11/2	5	29/5	9/2	9/2	5	9/2	5