23 Jun 2015 | Cricket
The opening match of the Investec Ashes series represents one of the most well-known sporting contests in the world of cricket - England against Australia.
It really doesn't get any bigger than that and we're lucky enough to be hosting it here in Cardiff at The SSE SWALEC.
On the field, the English side will be feeling like they have a score to settle, but the Aussies have had some of their own pain over the last few years and they won't want to take their foot off the gas now they're back on top.
Fans heading down to watch it all play out will definitely see some hard cricket. Expect fireworks!
Australia will start favourites and although it will be difficult for me to bet against the home side, this Australian team is likely to be a force to be reckoned with.
They've just come back from the Caribbean where they smashed the West Indies and they are going to be feeling very confident indeed but you just never know.
If you think back to 2009 for instance, that was a wonderfully memorable Test match and even though it was a draw, it really felt like an England win.
The English side have a great record here in Cardiff.
Regardless of Australia's strength at the moment, it may turn out that the ground could end up giving the English side a little bit of an edge.
I'm thinking it could be a draw, but just maybe, we can nick a win right at the end.
The Ashes will put Cardiff on the map again in terms of international cricket.
These days, any major sporting event is remembered by the match on the field and the legacy it leaves behind.
I think the Ashes represent an occasion for families across Cardiff, Wales and beyond to come down to The SSE SWALEC and get inspired.
For some, it may be their first experience of live international cricket.
It would be great to think a member of that audience could go on to play on the same field, maybe 10 or 20 years later.
Whatever happens between July 8 and 12, cricket fans can expect a great time away from the field too.
The stadium is a terrific, state-of-the-art ground in a beautiful location, yet it's only half a mile from the city centre.
Cardiff is fast becoming recognised as one of the most exciting cities in Europe, and with the bars, restaurants and buzz of the city centre just a stone's throw away, it's impossible not to enjoy yourself here.