Ashes: Should have been 3-1, could have been 0-3, is 2-1 now, whats it finally gonna be?

Its been an unbelievable series of test cricket. The finishes in the second, third and fourth tests have been mind-blowing. The second and fourth tests won by the English could so easily have gone the other way. But there is no doubt that the English have dominated the Aussies. It remains to be seen if the English can sustain their intensity in the final test also. For a side not used to winning consistently, that can be a tall order sometimes. But who knows, the momentum is with them and they might just be good enough for the last hurrah.

There are two signs of a well-managed cricket team. First, that personnel get chosen for form rather than reputation. Second, the team is aggressive and plays to win. England has demonstrated these traits amply and Australia has not. England decided to go with in-form Kevin Pietersen rather than the out-of-match-practice but great Graham Thorpe. Secondly, they have gone into all matches with 5 front-line bowlers in all games. Australia on the other hand have stuck with Matt Hayden and Jason Gillespit and used 4 front-line bowlers throughout. In my opinion, the key to Australia's success in the next test will be its ability to overcome these team management issues.

Hayden is not in form and 4 front-line bowlers are not adequate especially if McGrath is not playing or is not 100% fit. They will need to attack if they have to get the confident English batsmen out cheaply. With the current strategy of playing Warne and three other good but not great bowlers, this does not seem to be happening. In England's case they have to resist the temptation of playing for a draw. If Simon Jones does not recover from injury, James Anderson needs to be played, not Collingwood. Collingwood should only play in Tests as a replacement for a batsman - possibly Ian Bell.

Either way, it promises to be a great encounter. I cant wait for it to begin!