The Ashes begin today!

Well, the moment that every right-minded cricket fan has been waiting for is finally here - the Ashes begin this morning at Lords.
I'm really looking forward to it - am cautiously hopeful too - although being a fan of English cricket means I'm not really allowed (or able) to be optimistic enough to believe we'll win the series or anything. What I am confident about is that we'll give them a good run for their money this time, and maybe even win a couple of the tests, but I'm just not sure we're experienced enough to take the series.
It's a shame, as I grew up when England were still good enough to win the ashes - I was 2 when Botham's "Miracle of Headingley" happened, and was only 8 the last time we won the ashes. But I'm more nervous of what the media is saying than anything else - they seem to be setting England up for a huge fall if they don't do any less than push Australia all the way - I mean, all the jibes about the Aussies being too old or over the hill... What more incentive do you need when you've been told you're too old to do something? Expect some big scores from Gilchrist and Ponting, as well as some great bowling from McGrath then...

But I am happy - it's something else to occupy my mind with!