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SYDNEY. – Australia will start as favourites to reclaim the Ashes over the next seven weeks if only because of their home advantage but picking the winners in cricket’s oldest Test rivalry has become a fool’s game in recent years. England pitched up bristling with confidence on their last tour Down Under in 2013 and were promptly whitewashed, while Australia’s touring swagger in 2015 was pricked when they lost three of the first four tests and had to hand over the urn.

Given that neither team are currently world beaters, that series two years ago, where the momentum shifted almost by the session, might well prove to be the template for the latest instalment of a rivalry that goes back to 1882.

Certainly, England captain Joe Root and his Australian counterpart Steve Smith are world-class batsmen and both sides can boast another in openers Alastair Cook and Dave Warner. Beyond that, though, there are question marks over the technique of England’s otherwise inexperienced top order and suggestions of a brittleness in Australia‘s.

It is, after all, just over a year since South Africa skittled Australia for 85 on their way to an innings victory in Hobart that set up their series triumph.

Australia’s youthful overhaul that followed appeared to have laid the groundwork for a more stable future until the baffling policy reversal in the squad selection last week.

The series gets underway on Thursday in Brisbane, where Australia have not lost a test since 1988 and England’s hopes of victory in 2013/14 were effectively ended by a confidence-shattering spell of bowling from Mitchell Johnson.

Johnson has since retired and Mitchell Starc inherited the mantle of Australia’s left-arm enforcer, leading an attack that also features Pat Cummins and the redoubtable Josh Hazlewood.

Backed up by the off-spin of Nathan Lyon, whose ability to use the bounce of the Australian tracks makes him a formidable force at home, the hosts believe they have a clear advantage in the bowling department.

Where Australia have pure blinding pace, England will rely on technique and experience with James Anderson embarking on his seventh Ashes series and Stuart Broad a sixth.

Given the sheer slog of bowling on the hard Australian tracks, however, it is unlikely that either pace attack will remain intact for all five tests, particularly given the injury records of Starc and Cummins and the age of Anderson and Broad. – Reuters.