The English ability to appropriate for themselves what should not be theirs looks to be standing them in good stead ahead of this summer's Ashes.

The side is coached by a Zimbabwean and assisted by a growing number of Australians while star bowler Graeme Swann mocks the South African accents in the English dressing room. The most English thing about this current unit seems to be their appropriately named sponsor, Brit Insurance, but wait - their holding company is incorporated in the Netherlands...

England's latest ruse is to spend more time playing first-class cricket in Australia in preparation for the Ashes than their local opponents. While England plays Western Australia and South Australia over three days and Australia A over four, Australia will be competing in three ODIs against Sri Lanka. England's thorough acclimatisation follows-on from a John Buchanan inspired team-bonding escape in Germany and the decision to effectively tour with two parallel sides - with a ‘Performance Squad' being based in Brisbane and Perth during November and December.

Make no mistake; this is an England side that is leaving nothing to chance in their quest to win an Ashes series on Australian soil for the first time in 24 years.

All of which appears in stark contrast to their hosts.

Australia doesn't complete its hastily arranged tour of India until the final ODI on October 24, just one month out from the Ashes opener at The Gabba. Before then, there are three more ODIs, this time at home to Sri Lanka, leaving Australia just under three weeks preparation before the first test. Coming off the back of a long winter playing Pakistan and England on English pitches and the farcical Indian tour, it is hard to believe the Australian line-up will be fit, in form and rested for what should be the pinnacle of test cricket.

It's hardly any wonder that last week Cricket Australia announced a squad for the ODIs at the back end of the Indian tour without Ricky Ponting, Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson. National Selection Panel Chairman, Andrew Hilditch, said what you would have expected. "Player workload management is particularly important over the course of the next seven months as we prepare a squad to defend the ICC Cricket World Cup in India and the subcontinent and to win the Ashes back from England." In other words - everyone's either knackered now or we expect them to be knackered soon!

Australia is paying the price for scheduling too much cricket in the winter and spring and not enough at the start of what promises to be a defining summer. Australia is likely to begin the Ashes series ranked 5^th in the world and below that of England, who, lest we forget, are custodians of the urn following their victory last time out.

The short-term solution is to return the Australian test specialists to their state sides for an extended pre-Ashes tune-up. The likelihood is that a similarly inexperienced squad will compete against Sri Lanka in the ODIs at the start of the summer and afford the established test stars the opportunity to play Shield cricket and take as much time as possible to readjust to Australian conditions.

While such a move justifies faith in the domestic competition it feels like an afterthought. Much has been conceded this year to satisfy commitments against Pakistan and India and the price is being paid in form and fitness.

The irony in all of this is that despite the volume of cricket being played, changes over the last year or more do not appear to have been made to suit medium or long-term objectives. The doubts over Hussey, North and Hauritz in particular will fester in the build up to November's Ashes opener.

If those three in particular begin the series poorly who do the selectors call upon? Phil Hughes, a man clearly not yet trusted by the selection panel? Steve Smith, a prodigious talent, but overlooked in a side containing barely a spinner when competing against a side with two specialists? Or Usman Khawaja, the New South Welshman who has begun the 2010 domestic season in startling form but with no international experience to his credit?

Surely there has been opportunity in the packed calendar to expose such young talents to the highest level of the game - especially during a period in which the incumbents have hardly covered themselves in glory.

This summer's Ashes promises to be the most keenly contested since the mid-1980s. England look well prepared, well managed and have given themselves enough time and squad-depth to select a capable outfit. Australia? Who knows? If they pull it off, it could be the defining moment of Ricky Ponting's captaincy. If they fail, stand by for a changing of the guard.