An Australian view of the required English Ashes plan

The advent of another Ashes series brings with it the predictable claims from the English camp that this series will be different to those which have taken place since 1989.

For the English to be successful, they will need to do more than talk. They will need to provide cricket of the highest quality just to compete with the Australians. Not just for a session, or a day, or even a Test, but for all five Tests.

They must never give in or feel that hope is lost. If ever on top, they can not relax their grip on the Australians for even a second.

Basically to succeed, they must play like Australians which means producing positive cricket. Their treatment of Shane Warne is a case in point. Initially, when they played Warne, their main aim wasn't to score runs but not to get out. So when he inevitably dismissed them, they had no runs to show for their innings.

Last year, Stephen Fleming and his men in black showed that cricket is a cerebral game. If you are willing to think about what you are doing, you can maximise meagre resources. Intelligent batting, bowling and field placements can make up for apparent disparity between two teams.

Man for man, England are at an incredible disadvantage. Australia possess two bowlers who between them can lay claim to over 850 Test wickets. Their batting line-up are tested and tried. In the field, they are dynamite, snapping up everything which comes their way.

England have a no-name squad who will be pulling off close to the greatest upset in the history of cricket, if they re-capture the Ashes. Maybe England's only plus is that they don't know how hard their required task is.

Breaking down the facets of the game will show what England's needs to reclaim the Ashes.

Batting

Past Ashes series have seen English batsmen contribute to their own dismissal via poor shot selection or intimidation. The Australian bowlers have not been used to having the gauntlet thrown down at them and the only chance the English batsmen have is if they dictate terms to the bowlers. If this happens, the Australians may lose their line and length. An example of the effect that can be achieved was seen at Perth in 1998 when Graeme Hick played an untypically aggressive innings.

Since 1986, there have been 57 Australian centuries in Ashes Tests to England's 28. The English have to aim to make big innings and have strong partnerships. Too often in the past, collapses have undone all their hard work. Scoring 400 has to be the rule and not the exception.

The English batsmen cannot be satisfied with 40s or 70s. Or even for that matter, a hundred. They need big partnerships and big hundreds. At Melbourne in the last Ashes game, Alec Stewart did all the hard work in making a century only to fall shortly after for 107. They need to go on with it like Nasser Hussain did at Egbaston in 1997 when posting 207.

The lower part of the order have to value their wickets more highly. In the 1998/99 series, Alan Mullally averaged 2.86 with the bat, yet it was his 16 runs at Melbourne which ultimately proved the difference between the two teams.

Too many times, a side has Australia five wickets down and on the ropes, only for the tail to rally. Adam Gilchrist adds another dimension to this as he is more dangerous than most batsmen via his explosive ability to score quickly.

In the first Test of the 2001 Ashes series, England had Australia 5/336. Australia ended with 576. If you take the last five wickets of the innings in the 2001 series, besides the 240, Australia scored 171, 96 and 92. England's provided 135,14, 61, 39, 43, 36,135,177,129.

The few times, Australia's top batsmen have been in trouble, the tail has rescued them. In the third Test last year against New Zealand, Australia needed 335 to avoid the follow-on. At 7/270, Australia were in trouble but Shane Warne and Brett Lee fought back. Thanks to Warne's 99, Australia managed to escape the follow-on mark.

In the past, England has relaxed when Australia has brought on change bowlers like Mark Waugh or Ricky Ponting and more often than not, these players have made the breakthrough. At the Gabba in 1998, Mark Butcher was set for a big score after making a hundred. He gently holed out to Mark Waugh for 118.

In running between the wickets, the English also have to be aggressive. They should take every run on offer. Shane Warne benefits from bowling over after over to the same batsmen. If the batsmen are alternating strike, it means that Warne can't use the whole over to set the victim up.

Bowling

The English bowling has been stronger than the batting in recent Ashes battles. Unfortunately for the English, the Australian bowling looks better as they have been bowling to the weaker English batting line-up. Since 1986, Australia has captured 46 five-wicket bags to England's 23.

England always has to give in and suffocate the Australians with their line and length. Last year, New Zealand showed that Australia was fallible if exploited, but England only has a remote chance of winning if they are backed up in the field.

To win Test matches, you have to be able to bowl out the opposition. In the last three Ashes series (16 Tests), Australia have bowled out England 27 times while only being bowled out 18 times by England.

Fielding

This has been the Achilles heel of the English. Against Australia you have to convert the half chances, let alone the ones presented on a plate. Too often, chances have been dropped and run-outs botched.

No more infamous examples exist than Graham Thorpe's grassing of Matthew Elliott in 1997. Level going into the fourth of six Tests, England were sent in on a tough Headlingley wicket and were rolled for 172.

At 4/50 Australia were in trouble and would have been in more had Graham Thorpe caught Elliott's edge. Elliott went on to make 199 and England's miniscule hold on the Ashes was gone.

There have been other examples; Devon Malcolm dropping Tim May at Sydney in 1994/5 or Mullally screwing up a gilt-edged run-out chance to dismiss Steve Waugh at the Gabba in 1994/5.

England must save every run in the field they can. They need positive field placements and must harass the Australian batsmen.

Positive cricket

In sport as in life, one's strength can be one's weakness and vice versa. So to is it with the Australians. The belief they can win at all times means they can be suckered in, if the price is right. One such time was the second Test at Eden Gardens in 2001 when Australia should have batted out for the draw but went down swinging, thinking they could chase 380 on the final day!

In the past, England has gone onto the field hoping not to lose. In their eyes, five draws would have been a great result. This needs to change. To defeat the Australians you must think like an Australian.

This means positive, aggressive cricket at all times. Always thinking about the game and dictating terms to the opposition. They must be relentless and always striving for ways to gain the ascendancy over the opponent.

Errors must be kept to a minimum and they can't afford to allow gamesmanship to get the better of them. The Australians will play hard cricket - that is their bag. The English must not let it get to them.

From the opening ball at the Gabba to the final one in Sydney, they must go for the jugular. The second they start playing conservative, defensive cricket, the series is as good as over.