Is the One-Day Series Taking the Gloss off England's Ashes Victory?

Less than one month ago England produced a scintillating display to beat Australia by an innings and 83 runs and in the process won an Ashes series Down Under for the first time in 27 years.

Having outplayed Ricky Ponting's men over the five match series, England's players celebrated long into the night. There will certainly have been plenty of sore heads in Sydney with the likes of Graeme Swann and Kevin Pietersen hitting the town.

However, unlike the triumphant England World Cup winning rugby team of 2003 who returned to Britain to be greeted by thousands of fans all showing their support, the England cricket team has had to stay in Australia for a seven match one-day series.

After the jubilation of winning such a massive series you can be sure that all the players simply wanted to return home after more than two-and-a-half months away from their family and friends.

We are now four matches into the one-day series which runs until February 6  when finally England will return home. But will Andrew Strauss's men get the reception they deserve?

England currently find themselves 3-1 down in the one-day series with a number of players struggling to find the same form they showed in the Test matches.

The team has been split up with different players suiting 50-over cricket while some have been forced to return through injury. The opportunity for the entire Ashes squad to return as one has sadly passed.

The current one-day series is vital as a warm-up for the fast approaching World Cup, but with Australia looking the favourites to win the series, have England lost some of their momentum?

Is too much emphasis being put on one-day cricket? Would winning the World Cup be a bigger achievement than winning an Ashes series in Australia?

Let us know your thoughts.