Maybe everything cricket related has now gone pear shaped for England or maybe it's just the usual affair at the Brisbane Cricket Ground (aka The Gabba). After the first day's play in what has been talked about as the most eagerly anticipated Ashes Series in History everything that could go wrong for England did.

After all, starting the day by sending the first delivery to second slip isn't a good omen. The Gabba has never really been a happy hunting ground for the English though.

Yet again I also find myself in the wrong country for the cricket. Having spent most of last year's Ashes series in Melbourne I'm now in York for this years. That means late nights and leaving the radio on all night whenever possible, waking up in the morning with a slight subconscious knowledge of what has gone on but not really knowing the exact details.

I can but trust the members of TMS to actually commentate on the cricket and not send subliminal messages into my brain.

The downside this year is that everything starts later whereas last year I could at least watch the first few session or two on TV before retiring to bed.

Anyway, I'm still expecting England to lose the first test unless, by some chance Brisbane starts seeing a lot of rain in the next couple of days. Drawing or winning the series is all England need to do and they can, if they hold their own in Adelaide and Perth before moving onto Melbourne.

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