5-0 again Glenn?

The great and good of the cricketing world have been put on the spot in the last couple of weeks and asked to give their predictions for the series. And saying there'll be 5 tests doesn't count.

Of course the legendary quickie (we'll gloss over the fact that he seems unable to walk across a cricket pitch without stepping on a ball) Glenn McGrath, he of the much spoken nagging length, has gone for another clean sweep: 5-0 to the Aussies. Same as 2009, 2006, 2005 and probably right back to when the Ashes were born in 1882. Well I guess he did get it right in 2006.

But what about the rest? Here's a sample...


Captains:

Punter - Australia (5-0 "absolutely possible")

Lord Brockett - "Predictions ultimately mean nothing"

The rest:

Beefy - England ("We will stuff them")

Freddie - England ("quite convincingly")

Warney - Australia 2-1 ("England's best chance". Graeme Swann "the key")

Gilchrist - "England are probably favourites"

Michael Slater - Australia 3-1

Steve Waugh - Australia ("I think (a 5-0 prediction) is a bit ambitious this time around")

Mark Waugh - Australia 3-2

Merv Hughes - Australia 3-0 or 4-0

Swann - England ("going into these Ashes I believe in my heart we will win them. The batters will get 500 every game, I’ll get 45 wickets and we’ll p--- all over them.")

Vaughany - England ("They have a great chance of winning and we all expect them to retain the Ashes and make history")

Nasser - England 2-1

Richie Benaud - 2-2 before Sydney decider

Tony Greig - England 2-1

Bumble - England by 2 tests

Aggers - England ("England are a team on a roll right now")

Tuffers - England ("The law of averages says we're due to win a series out there. But sod the law of averages, I'm following the law of fancy - and I fancy us to win")

Mike Brearley - 2-2

Ian Chappell - Australia

Tendulkar - "England have a great chance"

Brendon Julian - Australia 3-2

Damien Fleming - Australia

Stuart MacGill - Australia

Mark Cosgrove - Australia 2-1

Geraint Jones - England 2-1

Hoggy - England 2-1

Rob Key - England 3-2

Waqar Younis - Australia

John Stern, editor of the Wisden Cricketer - 2-2

Mike Selvey, Guardian - England 2-1

Robert Craddock, Sunday Mail (Australia) - Australia 2-1

Paul Burnham, co-founder of the Barmy Army - England ("Australia may win one test but England will win two and three and by the time we get to Sydney I think we’ll be watching an Ashes that has already been won and retained")