After the World Twenty20, the countdown to the Ashes can now begin properly. Australia have had a few days longer to prepare than they would have liked and I hope the bonding process is well and truly under way. With the first warm-up game starting against Sussex tomorrow, I reckon there are two or three places up for grabs.

Although the batsmen are important, to me it is the bowlers who will win the Ashes. Yes, of course you need runs on the board, but if Australia can take some cheap wickets with the new ball, they can definitely roll over England, even with Freddie Flintoff to come back after missing the West Indies series.

Australia will be looking to get them about three for 50 because, looking at their line-up, England could then find themselves all out for 100. I think they rely on Andrew Strauss and especially Kevin Pietersen, so a big task for Australia is to identify the guys most likely to put those two under pressure.

I really hope that Nathan Hauritz is going to play, and Mitchell Johnson is a certainty. That leaves four quicks chasing two spots. All being well, Brett Lee will be bowling fast and swinging it. If so, I'm sure he will be there come the first Test at Cardiff. I'd love Ricky Ponting to be able to give him first crack because he's a great kid and has experience of the Ashes. The Sussex game and the one next week against England Lions will show if he can offer what Ricky wants.

Peter Siddle has a big future. He reminds me of Darren Gough with his big heart. He is one of those whose last ball of the day is as good as his first. Any captain would want to fit him in, if he could. Ben Hilfenhaus swings it and surprises batsmen with his bouncer, while Stuart Clark is a Glenn McGrath type and has been successful in the past.

I can also see a batting slot up for grabs. Mike Hussey has been a really good player, but he didn't have a great winter and may be under pressure. To me, there are places for two of Hussey, Shane Watson and Marcus North. People in England don't realise how good Watson can be. He is like Brad Haddin - if the two of them didn't bowl and keep wicket they would be frontline batsmen. Watson would be good enough for No 3, if it came to it.

What I am saying is that Hussey needs a score over the next fortnight to cement his place. The onus is on the others to push him out, yes, but if Watson and North get runs it will be an interesting decision. As with the bowlers, you have to pick on form rather than reputation. I don't think Hussey's place should be guaranteed.

England may have made a mistake by leaving Michael Vaughan out of what looks to be their big Ashes squad. Admittedly, I haven't seen him for a while, but I do know that he's a big-match player who can bring that touch of class. He deals with the short ball really well and looks to attack. Tactically, he could have helped Strauss.

I've said a few things before in this column about Ravi Bopara's temperament. He looks a bit flaky. But I'm not thinking of it as a case of Vaughan or Bopara. Vaughan is not just a better batsman than Bopara - I'd put him above everybody bar Pietersen.

As long as he is making runs and can run between the wickets, he would be in my team.

I must admit that I expected Sri Lanka to beat Pakistan in the World Twenty20 final. Their bowling attack looked too strong. But with all the problems facing Pakistan, it is a great result for the game. Younus Khan, Kamran Akmal and Sohail Tanvir were with me at Rajasthan Royals. They are fantastic guys as well as talented players.

It is easy to understand why Younus wants teams to tour his country. Unfortunately, the security risk is too great at the moment. We all love playing there with the incredible atmosphere and passion inside the grounds, but it is not worth it because of what might happen. The guidance is from governments, not just cricket authorities.

One of the best things about Twenty20 is the way that women and kids, new spectators, are coming to games. But we have to be careful. To have the next event in April 2010 seems too soon. I think one of these tournaments every two years is about right.

And we don't need the Champions Trophy any more. That really is a joke.

Players now take 20-over cricket seriously. The beauty is that batsmen take confidence from whacking bowlers they might have been a bit nervous about and realise that they can take them on - within reason - in Test cricket as well. With the Ashes coming straight off the Twenty20,

I reckon we'll have quite a few days where we see more than 400 runs scored.