Geoffrey Dean: Ashes blog from Brisbane

On the eve of the most eagerly awaited Ashes series in recent times, I found it quite ironic that statistics should be published revealing that Australian beer sales have hit their lowest level for 60 years.

For a nation of confirmed lager swillers, that must have been as much a shock as the potential prospect of a home series defeat to England's cricketers.

Given the crisis facing the wine industry Down Under, I wondered if lower beer sales meant have lead to higher wine sales at precisely the time the domestic wine industry needs a boost. But less Aussie wine - both for reds and whites - continues to be sold here according to the Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation figures just out. The brutishly strong Aussie dollar is partly to blame for that, as foreign wine imports, much cheaper consequently of course, are up significantly.

No spirits stats were to hand, although my wino friends that I am staying with in the Graceville suburb of Brisbane are adamant that a lot of Aussie youth has turned away from beer to spirits - in the form of cocktails or rum and coke. Woe betide anyone buying premium imported spirits, though, for I was shocked by their prices when I visited a leading Brisbane drinks store this afternoon. Beefeater 24 gin came in at a whacking £50 or so, while Grey Goose vodka was another tenner on top of that.

Meanwhile, as tension rose with the approach of the first ball at the Gabba on Thursday, Australia's 12th man, aka their one-eyed press, were doing their best to whip up anti-English fervour. The jingoistic Courier Mail lambasted the England players for not turning up at a gala lunch on Tuesday, attended by 650 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Under a headline of "Running Scared", the tabloid told of England's "single-minded arrogance in snubbing an official function," one long supported by touring teams, and which six Aussie players and their coach visited. Ian Healy, the former Aussie wicketkeeper who was master of ceremonies, whinged: "This England side didn't seem to think this was important enough to attend....to me, that's bulls**t."

Healy, like the paper, might like to know that England's scheduled practice time that day began at 2pm, precluding any chance of making the lunch. More probably, they full well that England were unavailable. Ashes tours never were easy.

(And have not got any easier with an overnight score of England all out for 260 and Australia 25 for no wicket after the first day's play - Ed)

Geoffrey Dean, is covering the Ashes as a cricket reporter for The Times and is also writing exclusively for Harpers Wine & Spirit cricket. He is also using any spare time to help in the research for his WSET Diploma.

• Harpers Says...