Sellsy's Sunday Supplement

Do you remember what happened twelve months ago? I will give you a clue: it is to do with cricket!

This time last year the greatest cricket, in fact sporting, event was going on, The Ashes! And England had just won the 2nd Test to one up in the five match series.

This was a very poignant series for England, not only was it a massive step for them to become the number one Test team, it was the first time in 25 years that England won a series down under.

Despite the Aussies levelling the series in the third Test, England went on to retain The Ashes winning by three to one.

The first Test at Brisbane was eagerly anticipated by cricket lovers everywhere in Stowey, and perhaps around the world. So much so, myself and a few friends watched the first session of the first day in our local, and it was on a school night, so was hanging a bit the next day at work.

In a nutshell, Andrew Strauss out first over, Peter Siddle takes a hat-trick, England make a mediocre first innings score, Aussies reply with 481, England bat for two days in their second innings only losing one wicket with all three batsman scoring a ton (Strauss 110, Alastair Cook 235no, Jonathan Trott 135no), the Aussies survive to grind out a draw! And I finished with terrible bags under my eyes through lack of sleep.

Down to Adelaide for Test number two. Win the toss and bat, exactly what Ricky Ponting chose to do, and by 11.05 he was back in the pavilion, with the Aussies two wickets down, with zero on the board, which was soon to be three down, with just a paltry three scored.

The Aussies were all out just before the close, then England batted for over two days, scoring 620-5, Kevin Pietresen comes to the party scoring 227, and another ton for Cook, this time a modest 148. Graeme Swann takes a Michelle on the fifth day and the Aussies lose by an innings.

Perth for the third, Aussies win, one all in the series, enough said!

Boxing Day, Melbourne, fourth Test: 80,000 drunken Aussies, plus a few thousand more refined English. Aussies all out for 98 before tea, the English got drunk, the Aussies went home! England bat into day three, Trott scoring another unbeaten ton. Aussies are bowled out on day four, England win by an innings, again and retain The Ashes..... Start the sprinkler!

Sydney, the fifth Test, did the Aussies changed their flag to all white? More centuries for the England batsmen, Cook 189, with Ian Bell and Matt Prior scoring 115 and 118 respectively. England win by an innings, again (boring), making it the third time in the series.

What great memories, a bit like 2005 and 2009. Somehow I think it will be different in 2013, just seeing how the new look Aussie bowling line-up are taking wickets for fun against New Zealand.

On the subject of the future, why oh why have the England selectors given Ravi Bopara another chance in the squad announced on Friday for the series against Pakistan? How many more times are they going to pick him? How many more times is he going to fail? The likes of James Taylor, Jonny Bairstow must be wondering why as well.

Monty is back, so the selectors think the wicket will turn? Will he bowl in tandem with Swann? The jury is still out for me on Monty, even though he has been playing well in Australia I am led to believe.

Here is my line-up prediction for the first Test, so here we go: Strauss, Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Morgan, Prior, Broad, Swann, Bresnan and Anderson.

Well, that’s about it, I know it is not 10.57 and time for a pint, it is 2pm, and I’m going for a lie down, just come back from London, exhausted!!!