3rd Test : Breaking News : Prodigy Hughes dropped as talk turns supernatural

It takes a long time to become young
- Pablo Picasso

The news that the Aussies have mercilessly dismissed The Prodigy from their ranks this morning is an exciting portent. Our opponents are clearly in some discomfort. The move cannot simply be seen as the ruthless but correct decision and glossed over because they have no obvious direct replacement in their squad. The Baggy Green showed their confidence in their batting line-up before the series by electing to select only perma injured all-rounder Shane Watson as cover. Shane may open the batting with some aplomb in one day cricket but his record as an opener in the longer form of the game is a shoddy one. This leaves Punter with a selection puzzle - take a punt on Watson or move another batsman, most likely Hussey, up the order to open alongside The Kat? By choosing to disrupt their batting order, they have conceded that they need to strengthen and negated the advantage they had over us. KP's injury has forced us to alter our own batting line-up but that was an enforced change. Both teams now begin this test match with new personnel and some anxiety. But with Freddie passing his fitness test, we have the upper hand.

Our Lord has sought to maintain momentum from our victory at Lord's by claiming that Australia have lost their aura pre-match. Brocko has said that the absence of the greats like Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist has made him feel that this series has been like "playing against just any other test team" which is tantamount to cricketing blasphemy. Ponting has retorted that our captain didn't say that after Cardiff. After the Aussie Cricket Board asked their players to refrain from sledging in this series, the shackles are off. The intensity of this series has just been upped a degree or two. Both captains acknowledge that the result at Edgbaston will be decisive and are eager to deliver psychological punches. Punter reminded us that we are fifth in the world in the test rankings and claimed that consequently we have no aura ourselves. The animosity between the skippers has become tangible.

Brocko has emerged victorious from the build up bout. It seems ridiculous that a single word has dominated the pre-match warfare but an aura - the air of infallibility that all sportsman crave - was once synonymous with Australia and its loss is a damning indictment of their latest team. In this post Warne era, the Baggy Green have been slow to acknowledge their decline. Ponting has attempted to mask their visible fall from greatness by refraining from talking about the absences in his side. Strauss has forced him to confront the truth. Ponting's response was a futile one. England have no aura to lose. There is no absence to mourn. Even in 05 we were the underdogs. We are the nation that created cricket and then looked on as our pupils reigned supreme, giving us lesson after lesson in the art of the game. The beauty of this plight is that we are never burdened by expectation and can play with freedom. In every Ashes series, we start as the outsiders. We may be in one nil up in the series now but many people still watch in disbelief each time we succeed.

The teams are now gridlocked in the lightness and weight debate. Is it better to be weighed down by the search for an aura or to float unshackled? Do Australia have the advantage because of the weight of their history or are we the beneficiaries of the absence of hope? This notion extends beyond sport of course. Many of us spend our lives grappling with lightness and weight - is it better to have too much responsibility or too little? Is it better to have too much time on your hands or not enough? Is it better to love too much or protect your heart? This conundrum is one that cannot be answered but it is most certainly going to be a useful distraction in the rain breaks that look imminent.

I hope that the rain stays away. Mind games are wonderful but after a ten day break I just can't wait for this test match to begin. The question marks over both sides will guarantee a fractious start. Come on England!