The historic tussle for a cricket trophy the size of an egg cup is about to begin. As usual, this Ashes series will definitely be one to watch, writes our friend John Fuller from Cricket Yorkshire.

Anyone expected bold predictions and flying verbals before a ball has been bowled in this summer’s showpiece Ashes series has not been disappointed.

Comments in the build up to the battle for the famous urn have been like watching pieces being carefully manoeuvred around a chessboard.

David Warner has chosen now to question Joe Root’s behaviour from their infamous rumble in a Birmingham bar two summers ago. Meanwhile, Australian captain, Steve Smith, is apparently vulnerable to the Duke’s cricket ball.

We might all roll our eyes at such subtle needling but cricket fans also expect nothing less and it keeps the pot brewing nicely ahead of the first Investec Test from 8 July in Cardiff.

England have a new head coach, Trevor Bayliss, the experienced Australian who guided Sri Lanka to second in the Test rankings as well as tasting success with Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.

Form-wise, England drew the recent Test series with New Zealand 1-1 but seem to have unshackled themselves in the shorter formats by then winning 3-2 in the one-day international series that followed against the ICC World Cup finalists.

If you place much stock in statistics, Australia arrived on these shores ranked second behind South Africa with England further down the pecking order, fourth equal with Pakistan and India.

The Aussies are an irrepressible force in all forms of cricket but particularly in Tests where you have to go way back to October 2014 where Pakistan won the second Test in Abu Dhabi by 356 runs to find an Australian Test match defeat.

Since being in England, the visitors have wasted little time in beating Kent by 255 runs at Canterbury and Essex by 169 runs.

It hasn’t gone all their way though with the sad retirement of fast bowler Ryan Harris whose battered right knee has seen its last action representing his country.

As for England, this Ashes series will test their credentials and ambitions in Test cricket as never before.

They were embarrassed 5-0 last time in Australia but are a handful for any opposition in English conditions and haven’t lost a ‘home’ Ashes series since 2001.

The England squad has a freshness to it with the likes of opening batsman Adam Lyth and fast bowler Mark Wood bedding in to life as Test cricketers.

The thirteen names revealed as the England squad for the first Test has a tantalising surprise with Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid included, despite not being on a recent training camp in Spain.

Whatever the teams, this Test series will be something special. Pour yourself a brew and settle down for one of sport’s most iconic rivalries to start.

John Fuller writes as @cricketyorks on Twitter and on the professional and amateur game with his Cricket Yorkshire website, cricketyorkshire.com.