It feels like it has been such a long time coming, but we're now one week away from the end of a four-year fixed term marking the general election for the New South Wales parliament. The obvious, the necessary, will happen - the Australian Labor Party will be hurled out of office, and for the most part obliterated. This is good. By virtue of this, the Liberal and National Parties will be elevated to government with many fresh faces and a whacking big majority. This is not necessarily so good.

It's always a mug's game trying to predict winners in an event such as the ICC Cricket World Cup. One prediction I feel reasonably confident about is that Australia will not win its fourth consecutive title.

I'm neither Robinson Crusoe nor Robertson-Glasgow when I rate India as the favourites, with most of their matches played on home soil. Their opponents in the final will be South Africa - that's if, of course, the Proteas can make it that far for the first time.

The tenth World Cup of men's cricket is officially open, and the first game, between Bangladesh and India at Mirpur, happens later today. Though it won't (slightly) be the longest Cricket World Cup of all, it's the first one to span three calendar months. The final will be staged on April 2 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai - subject, as I write this, to the venue's fire safety clearance.

The Ashes for 2010-11 have been won comprehensively by England. The one-sidedness of the contest is reflected in the final leaderboard for the Midwinter-Midwinter.

It's the fourth time that I have made this award, and for the first time, it's a tie. The joint winners of the 2010-11 Midwinter-Midwinter are Alastair Cook and Jimmy Anderson.

(This article is incomplete, but the likelihood that I won't finish off the details, I've decided to post it as is. - Rick, 16.2.11)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

Second Test: We lost. Badly.
Third Test: We won. Well.
Fourth Test: We lost. Badly. And lost the Ashes.

I've said it all on Twitter.

Energy to blog? What's that?

In the immortal words of D.Bumble Lloyd, England flippin murdered Australia at The Gabba this week. And what a crushing demoralising draw it was.

Whatever else happened over the five days, the scoreline "517 for 1" at the end of the England second innings is all you need to know to understand how horrible an experience this has been for Australia.

Defining moments on the opening day of the Ashes of 2010-11? Three Vicious ones all in a row.

There was a false dawn when Andrew Strauss' cameo appearance ended three balls after he won the toss and chose to bat first. Nicked to Hussey off Hilfy midway through the first over for nought.

It's called the ultimate challenge in world cricket. Not the ultimate fighting challenge, but the ultimate challenge nonetheless. Australia playing England in a five-game series of cricket matches that last a maximum of five days each. The trophy, a fragile and minute 125 year-old artifact - The Ashes - securely and permanently stored and displayed in London.