How big of an advantage is it to be playing the Ashes in Australia?

massive advantage. there is a reason australia havent lost a series since 1992 in australia.

1. its hot. really hot, and the english are used to cool overcast conditions.

2. these conditions in england are helpful for swing bowling, but the ball swings less in australia so Hoggard and Anderson are useless.

3. IN england they use a Duke ball, in aust. they use a Kookaburra ball. Again the duke ball swings, the kooka doesnt. aust lost last year because they couldnt handle the swing that all of englands bowlers got. but the ball doesnt swing in aust so its a lot easier for aust to score big runs.

4. australias pitches are the bounciest in the world, and england struggle to adjust to the extra bounce generated by the pace bowlers. aust are used to these pitches.

venues: Gabba is always first test, aust havent lost there since 1988, its warnes best ground in aust altough its typically a pace bowlers ground. warne gets huge bounce at gabba. as its the first test and the hottest city that tests are played in, touring sides are usually smashed at the gabba, unable to handle the heat or the bounce and this sets the tone for the rest of the series.

WACA is good for pace bowling getting huge bounce as well. SCG is good for spin bowling. aust usually play two spiinners at the scg at this is the last test of the tour usually. only the subcontinent sides (india etc) are good at playing spinners. the english are not.

Playing at home has its advantages.

And for Austrlia and advantage varies from ground to ground. They do well at the Gabba and WACA. MCG - the pitch varies quite a bit and so do their performances. At Adelaide, fabulous batting conditions and they struggle a bit. At Sydney, spinners hold the key and that's one weakness Australia still have - in spite of playing Warne.

Australia doesnt need an advantage.

i wouldent exactly say it was advantage cus its always in aus or englend