50 replies to this topic

[Jim]

Hello to all our Australian cricketing chums. Thank you for a splendid series.

Never mind, eh?

[Am writing this at 17.05 with still about 30 overs to go. Hope very much that I don't regret it]

Now, don't sulk. It's most unbecoming.

[Jim]

Oh nadgers, Pietersen's out.

Still, 315 runs in 29ish overs is a sod of an ask.

Hopefully.

[Jim]

You'd think they'd do the decent thing and concede.

[Kingdom Come]

or you do the decent thing and stop talking about cricket!

[Bondian]

Moving to who gives a stuff thread!.

[Hitch]

Tense, nervous headache? Then don't, whatever you do, watch an Ashes series. I was beautiful before the First Test at Lord's - now I look like an anaemic walnut.

Congratulations to England and Australia for supplying such fantastic entertainment.

Here's to the next series Down Under. England won't bring the little urn with them because it's too delicate to move, but let's face it - there'll be no need to bring it with them anyway...

*lifts bails, calls stumps*

[ACE]

Well,

Well done us! Finally!

Couldn't make it down to the Oval but was pleased to see England win the Ashes 2-1. At last!

Celebrations at Lord's tomorrow. I might saunter along.

Well done, chaps.

For those of you who know nothing about Cricket or the Ashes, an interesting history appears below.

1st Match - Kennington Oval, London 29th August, 1882 (3 day match)

THE TEST THAT STARTED "THE ASHES",

ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA, 1882.

The Oval in 1882, scene of one of the most historic Test matches ever played, and the beginning of a competition that is now known as 'The Ashes'. Lefthanders Peate and Barlow took advantage of a damp tricky wicket, which had seen two full days of rain before the start of play, bowling Australia out for only 63 runs in 2

[Moore Not Less]

Congratulations to the England cricket team on regaining the Ashes. This is great news, not just for English cricket, but cricket in general. Interest is bound to wane if one team continues to dominate over and over again. The manor of the English victory is the most pleasing thing. They beat the Australians at their own game with positive agressive batting, bowling and fielding. Another major plus was the closeness of the matches (Lords excepted). In terms of pure drama and entertainment it was as good as it is ever likely to get.

[Jim]

It's back.

But I'm not too happy. Yet.

[Vauxhall]

No, me neither. Stayed watching until tea-time in Australia (about 5am here) at which point Ponting was coasting to his hundred making the game look ridiculously easy. I fear for the match at this rate. Harmison was looking half-hearted (that first ball may well go down as one of the biggest anti-climaxes in terms of starts to Ashes' series), Hoggard was looking tame, Anderson was looking hit-and-miss, and Giles was looking largely flat. Relying on fragile Flintoff is a far too dangerous game. KP's going to get a lot of bowling at this rate, as he appears to be the only English player who can get the ball to deviate from going straight on. Ho-hum better get a mid-afternoon siesta so I can be nice and fresh to watch Ponting and Hussey flay the English attack to all parts of Brisbane again tonight.

[Scottlee]

I listened to it on the radio for most of the night, up until about 300-3. I was depressed and tired by then and fell asleep. I thought the entire day's play was quite useless from England. Every single partnership made at least 50. We never put the Aussies under any pressure. I felt one brief feeling of hope pass over me when we got them to 198-3, but that soon passed.

Could be a tall order to save this match now. I can't see Australia getting less than 600.

[Rolex]

Agreed, All England can hope for is a draw cause by rain !

[Jim]

602-9.

Ulp.

403 to avoid the follow-on.

Yikes.

[Vauxhall]

Not good. 2 wickets already gone. 403 is looking a very long away at the moment.

[Jim]

Nil desperandum, whatever happens, mon brave.

These are Englishmen and will remain so.

Even at 42-3.

Even then.

[Byron]

Nil desperandum, whatever happens, mon brave.

These are Englishmen and will remain so.

Even at 42-3.

Even then.

Well Flintoff as a name doesn't sound very English. What is he - of Russian background?

[Jim]

Nil desperandum, whatever happens, mon brave.

These are Englishmen and will remain so.

Even at 42-3.

Even then.

Well Flintoff as a name doesn't sound very English. What is he - of Russian background?

Way back when, possibly.

Perhaps we can claim he too has been poisoned by the KGB.

[Scottlee]

From an English point of view this match has been an absolute disgrace so far. There are the Aussies posting 600-9 and we're struggling to reach 55-3, and on about as good a batting wicket you're going to get!

I've got nothing against losing but to lose this badly is disgraceful. We've gone back to the dark ages of mid-90's test cricket once again. It's like watching a test nation play a local pub team in an exhibition match.

[Byron]

Nil desperandum, whatever happens, mon brave.

These are Englishmen and will remain so.

Even at 42-3.

Even then.

Well Flintoff as a name doesn't sound very English. What is he - of Russian background?

Way back when, possibly.

Perhaps we can claim he too has been poisoned by the KGB.

Sadly that russian agent died in hospital today.

With Gemayel in Lebanon also assasinated, it looks like political killings by shadowy agencies are on the rise again.

Who will be next?

[shadytreewejustdoredyouract]

And now Freddie goes to a no ball. Please God, they improve by Adelaide. I'm going and I expect to see Monty out in the middle!

[Vauxhall]

Awful performance... 157 all out The Australians even feel they have the luxury of coming out to bat again instead of enforcing the follow on.

[Jim]

Awful performance... 157 all out The Australians even feel they have the luxury of coming out to bat again instead of enforcing the follow on.

Oh dear, it just gets worse.

Can't see us holding out for two days for a draw.

All a bit pathetic, really.

And now Freddie goes to a no ball. Please God, they improve by Adelaide. I'm going and I expect to see Monty out in the middle!

I envy you, but given what we're seeing at the moment, not that much.

Have a great time!

[Vauxhall]

The mere matter of 607 to win with only 8 wickets left. This does not seem particularly likely. I think I'll start clutching at straws by pointing out that England lost the first test of the series when they won The Ashes in 2005.

[Jim]

Ugh.

The better team (by far the better team) won. We deserved a kicking, and a kicking is what we received. Many congratulations to Australia.

We were terrible. Geraint Jones - what a joke. And he's almost Australian.

Bah. Ugh. And bah some more.

[Byron]

Ugh.

The better team (by far the better team) won. We deserved a kicking, and a kicking is what we received. Many congratulations to Australia.

We were terrible. Geraint Jones - what a joke. And he's almost Australian.

Bah. Ugh. And bah some more.

Nicely summed up. Better luck next time chaps.

[Blofeld's Cat]

We were terrible. Geraint Jones - what a joke. And he's almost Australian.

Our insidious plan worked well. Infiltrate and conquer.

Next time the England team should perhaps contain....errr....English players.

The 2005 Ashes series was just an aberration for us really.

[Bondian]

Maybe we should be blaming Daniel Craig for this?.

[Blofeld's Cat]

He probably would've made a game of it if he were in the team.

Hello to all our Australian cricketing chums. Thank you for a splendid series.

You're very welcome.

[Jim]

Hello to all our Australian cricketing chums. Thank you for a splendid series.

You're very welcome.

Somehow I knew that would be coming around to bite me big and hard on the botty-bot.

Consider my botty-bot bitten.

Congratulations to Australia. And you've done a great thing - you will get rid of all the five-day wonder "cricket fans" who suddenly emerged in England in September last year.

Although, come to think of it, "England" and "five days" aren't words in common usage any more. Sob.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Not often these days that Australia are stretched to the fifth day, so kudos to England for doing at least that in all three tests to date.