It's about to start. The cricketing rivalry that matters more than any other. Do we call the First Test England versus Australia or Australia versus England? How can the Poms claim a match staged in the neighbouring country of Cymru as a home game?
Already the first dud decision of the series from Ricky Ponting, predicting the wrong side of the coin. Strauss chooses to bat. Second dud decision from Ponting, leaving Stuart Clark out of the eleven, especially with Bing Lee's busted side. Hilfenhaus (Test career bowling average 52) is back for his fourth consecutive Test match.
But Randy-Petes tweaker Nathan Hauritz? If it's a two-spinner pitch in Caerdydd, let it be Marcus North and Simon Katich (and, for that matter, Mike Bingle).
It will be exciting to see Phil Hughes strolling to the crease on Thursday afternoon after England have compiled their first innings 550. And where is the one bowler who has rattled him of late? Steve Harmison is somewhere across the border in the Norman kingdom of England. The Poms give us the spin duet of Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann. Pace entrusted with Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Andy "The Crock" Flintoff.
The three national anthems are over (which makes one wish they performed all eleven national anthems at West Indies games) and it's about to be game on. England to win because Australia deserves to lose more.