Last Ashes winners: John Emburey

Members from England's last victorious Ashes campaign reflect on their win in Australia in 1986/87 and assess the present team's chances in 2005.

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Then
One of the Middlesex spin twins with Phil Edmonds, the then 34-year-old took 18 wickets in the series at 36.83 and had a batting average of 35.80.

We had lost all our warm-up games to state sides, had one of our best players missing in Graham Gooch and had faced a lot of criticism from the British press.

We didn't go into the first Test full of confidence, although I think all the things going against us actually pulled the team closer together.

But after Ian Botham's century and his great stand with Phil DeFreitas we won the first Test and were elated. The team really believed in itself from then on and the rest is history and we retained the Ashes.

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Now
He played the last Test of a 17-year international career in 1995 and soon stepped into coaching with Northamptonshire and now Middlesex.

Before Australia arrived they were firm favourites to win the Ashes but that's certainly not the case now.

England have played well in all the matches they have played against them so far and are prepared to rough it too which is fantastic.

I honestly think this is the best England side for 25 years, they have a great bowling attack and match winners, and it is going to be an extremely close contest.