Everything to play for in Melbourne.

What with the emerging pan-European worker/student alliance and all, it's easy to allow the really important stuff to slip under the radar as they say down the local whine and tapas bar. By important stuff I mean of course the very exciting Ashes series. The all important fourth test starts on Boxing Day and with talk already of bouncers and doctored pitches it seems unlikely that there will be a huge amount of Yuletide Spirit Of Goodwill when the two sides walk out. Could be a thriller.