Much can happen in 3 months
Since England last played international cricket, Jimmy Saville has died ("now then, now then" and all that), Rythmix have won the X-Factor (deservedly) and good old Huelins File 13 favourite, Carlos Tevez, has failed to kick a single ball in anger in a Manchester City shirt (yup that's right, the whole 3 months! Brilliant!)
In the Huelin household, we've brought a new car, lost a fence panel in some pretty aggressive winds, and re-arranged our living room several times, trying to fit in a plethora of children's toys received at Christmas time.
But one thing has remained constant in an otherwise frenzied and chaotically unpredictable 3 month period (apart from Tevez not playing any football actually, that's also been constant and predictable), England are still top of test cricket's rankings.
Phew, I hear all you English fans utter (probably) and well, you're not wrong!
India's domination of the West Indies last October was spectacular, and their showing in Australia has just been, well, bloody awful actually hasn't it?
India have taught us 2 things from their meek capitulation down under: 1) they really are a team in decline, as we suspected in England last summer, in test cricket at least and 2) even Sachin Tendulkar is sick of thinking about his potential 100th test hundred.
Australia are beginning to look like a reasonable cricket team again, and whilst their youth policy has seen the likes of Warner, Marsh and Lyon come into the side and make a mark, one cannot help but look at this India side and think that this amazing team are finally coming to the end of a quite brilliant era. It happens to the best of us.
England's no.1 rating was never in doubt, but with their series starting in Dubai tomorrow morning, they will be looking to build on 2011's rise to the top of the pile.
England defied logic in India in October last year, insisting on playing only one frontline spinner in Graeme Swann*. I fear they may do so again in this series, which would be crazy given the pitch in Dubai will be lifeless, flat and pretty much any other adjective that adequately underlines the fact that fast bowlers will struggle on it.
* England did play Samit Patel in India, but I would struggle to describe him as a frontline spinner.
With Bell at 5, Prior 6, and then a 5 pronged bowling attack of Broad, Swann, Tremlett, Anderson and Panesar, England will at least have sufficient weapons in the bowling department, although it is fair to say that would be England's longest tail since the days Devon Malcolm and Phil Tuffnell used to play in the same team!
I think england will actually keep their usual shape and play 4 bowlers, with Morgan at six, Prior 7, and then the bowlers. Tremlett and Panesar both bowled in prolonged spells in the final practice session today, so one from those two perhaps?
Either way, it's good to see England back in test cricket action. And I really must replace that fence panel.
