Having dispensed with the sigh of relief, the Australians will then turn their attention to the task of finding out: ``Is England a real contender in this Ashes contest or just the pretenders they were first shown to be back in 1989''.

Despite all the problems England have encountered on this tour the Australian players will be wary of their opponents. Nevertheless, they will know that if the screws are applied at the Gabba and England is beaten, then there is potential for the opposition to unravel. The first two pitches in the series are quick with a bit of bounce, ideal for Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie and the type of surfaces onwhich England have had trouble in the recent past. If the two Australian speedsters get on top early and remain dominant then there may not be much of the carcass left for Shane Warne to feed on later in the series.

The major advantage for Australia is a psychological one. The bulk of Taylor's team has been involved in administering previous beatings and many of the current England players were on the receiving end. Another hammering in Brisbane would be enough to set off any inferiority complexes lurking beneath the surface and any swing in Australia's favour could be sudden and dramatic as they have the wherewithal to overcome a sluggish start in the series, but I seriously doubt this applies to England.

Before a ball is bowled we'll be able to gauge England's mental approach. If they opt for seven batsmen it will announce that they are worried about the batting in general and in particular the inability to get a decent start. If they pick five bowlers it will send a strong message to Australia thatthey believe a win is possible. The toss then becomes the next important indicator. If the flick of the florin favours Stewart, any move to send the opposition in could be construed as shielding the top order from McGrath and Gillespie. Consequently, the England captain will need to be clear in his own mind that any such decision is based on a positive not negative policy.

For his part Taylor is always comfortable batting first and this isn't solely dependent on having Warne at his beck and call. McGrath has been every bit as effective in the fourth innings as Warne and as long as the lanky quick continues in that vein, then Stuart MacGill's ability to turn his leg-break will spell danger. It's this variety in attack and lack of dependence on a nucleus of players that make Australia a stronger and more reliable outfit than England. Australia can recover from early setbacks because of the mental strength of Steve Waugh, the determination of Healy and the brilliance of Ricky Ponting. They also have theability to withstand long periods without a wicket, comfortable in the knowledge that something will soon happen with an imaginative captain, a diverse attack and fieldsmen who rarely allow batsmen a second chance.

While I can't see England bowling Australia out twice cheaply and winning a Test in this series, if they keep it close for long enough then the breaks may just come their way. However, if they wilt early we may well know the answer to, ``Are they contenders or just pretenders'' as early as Brisbane.