Apart from the militarily planned, successful assault on Australia in the 2010-11 Ashes series, the story of English tours in the last thirty years has been one of futility. Joe Root will need to be an extremely strong leader and his team exceedingly resilient if the current Ashes tour isn't to unravel like so many in the recent past. Commencing with the considerable setback of Ben Stokes' arrest in late September, this tour is shaping up as a replica of the disastrous 2002-03 campaign. In an act of supreme optimism, the 2002-03 tourists arrived in Australia with injury ravaged fast bowlers. The two main protagonists - Darren Gough and Andrew Flintoff - failed to overcome their injuries and then, to rub salt into English wounds, the speedy Simon Jones damaged his knee in the opening contest and flew home.

England skipper Joe Root