England’s home season is over. The Aussies have emerged from their boot camp. England’s squad is being finalised. They may even have decided who their captain is to be. It’s Ashes time again.

There are not many five-Test series left in cricket, and this is the oldest and biggest of them. Last time round, in the pulsating English summer of 2005, it was also the best. After 15 years of anticlimax, it was once again a contest between the world’s top two teams – and after an amazing sequence of cliffhangers, the second-best proved a touch too good for the best. It was David v Goliath with a lot more suspense.

So now the expectations are even higher. Every ticket is sold, even for the great modern coliseum at Melbourne. As the hype threatens to boil over, Ashes Buzz will keep a cool eye on what’s happening, covering everything from Flintoff’s fitness to McGrath’s predictions, from England's balance to Australia's ageing. Got the fever? Here’s the medicine. Take two or three paragraphs, several times a week.