The Ashes

So what do we reckon? Can England hold them or will the Aussies get their revenge?

Think the Aussies will win but it might be a bit closer than some have suggested - a lot depends on how McGrath and Warne bowl and how England cope with the absence of Trescothick and Jones.
Should be a good series though - a big challenge for me will be avoiding the score until the highlights come on the BBC!

I'll go for the Aussies.

The deciding factors may be injuries and fast bowling. Last time England were lucky to be able to play a fixed side throughout the series. The Aussies were lacking support for Glen McGrath, and he was out for three games including both England wins.

Thought I'd revive this in the hope that it might revive English cricket enough to regain the ashes. Personally I'd give us a chance of a test win but not a series win, mind you the warm up matches seem to be suggesting another story?

Even the tour matches have good things happening for us Aussies. Hussey with a ton and more importantly, batting five or so hours; and Lee finding his Mojo and some reverse swing (must be a better class of mints in England?)

I am finding it too hard to call. I gave up my chance for tickets to this series because I thought that the quality of the cricket would be low. I may yet rue this. Mind you, I really think that I could not stand a single further day of shoddy cricket at any ground this year.

I'm going to be spending this summer being unashamedly nationalistic (and I may have made that word up just to describe the good-natured Aussie bashing that will ensue). TheoClarke, I second you on the shoddy cricket. I'm hoping for a miraculous Brit revival (hell, I'm English, we always hope for a miraculous revival ... if wishes were wickets and all that!). Losing Brett Lee for a couple of tests can't hurt our chances. I think that the sledging will be below par this season now Warne's off the pitch ...

OK not a particularly good first morning for England. For sure they'd have been happier with 100 for 2 or better but at least they didn't roll over (yet). It would be nice to see Collingwood and Pietersen put a partnership together as there's been a lot of concentration on all the new faces in the run up to the match.

I'd say we take the points for the first session. I'm not normally a big fan of our "MJ", but there was some good overs in there. Bopara never looked comfortable, but he wasn't Robinson Crusoe!

Off to bed now. Recording the rest of the day's play, but I'm not sure when, if ever, I'll get to watch it.

Sleep well. I really hope you wake up to 400 for 3 (in the nicest possible friendly rivalry LT way).

I give you 70-30 for the first session for sure.

I claim the second session for England though 80-20. A few more runs would have been nice and both batsmen looked uncomfortable at times but they're still there. 400 for 3 might be pushing it but how about 320 for 3 at the close!!!

Well your 320 at stumps was pretty close, only 16 runs off!

I've only seen the round-up of the rest of the day's play so I can't score the sessions, but I'd say we took the points for the day.

Yeah, I'll give you 60-40 for the day. I was looking for a first innings of 400+, now we would be happy with 370 I guess which is a bit below par probably. Still as a first day of an ashes series it's better than a few I can remember...

The use of spin on day 2 should be interesting. As some say, "Here we go, here we go, here we go".

I was really disappointed with the outcome, I think we (Aussies) definitely played well enough to have won - though the results disagree!

*keeping very quiet*

Bazza, I wondered where you'd got to after day 1. Seconds out, round 2. Lord's (why isn't it Lords'). 1934 or something since you last beat Australia there.

>17 justjim: The site was developed by Thomas Lord. There was only one of him; hence the placing of the apostrophe. The 75th anniversary of our last victory seems portentous.

Well I never! Actually I probably did know that once but the memory seems to be turning into a forgettory these days. Nothing to do with the House of... then?

Last time we won the ashes we lost the first test so as I see it we're one better already!

Yes, but you've lost the Lord's test since Noah was an Able Seaman, including last time you won the Ashes!

ETA: Putting bold tags around the apostrophe in Lord's to show that I've learned my lesson didn't do a great deal, did it?

It looks more like a little ° symbol.

I'm actually back in the UK during this next test so all I need to do is persuade the couple whose wedding we're going to to not bother and then I might get down there in time ;-)

...for the rain

Wow, Flintoff is about to announce his retirement from Test Cricket (after the Ashes) - how sad is that?

Sad but unsurprising with his injury history recently ...

There's also the small (for you, I'm sure) matter of the hundreds of pounds for tickets from a scalper at this late stage. And if you've already bought tickets you are in so much trouble from happy couple...

So, England take to the field to bat for the first innings of their first Ashes victory at Lord's for 75 years ... gosh! It is hard to type with crossed fingers.

Well I'll give you that session. Pretty comprehensively too. I'm glad I got it in early (post #9) that I wasn't a great fan of Mitch. Arm angle all wrong, seam all over the shop.

Best ever opening partnership for England I believe... mind you it was that at 0/50! Sorry, 50/0 - when in Rome...

Forget I said that about the opening partnership, that was 182/0. Don't know why I believe commentators!

Why, oh why don't we have Ritchie Benaud commentating right now??? 222/2!

I'm a fan of Mitch, but I know he's not playing so well at the moment - I blame his crazy mother!

It seems to me that England won the first two sessions while the Aussies won the third. I guess that the English tail may draw it out to 450 all out and I imagine that the visitors will be able to match that.

ETA: 450? Hollow laughter now that Strauss is out second ball of the day!

Not happy with our Aussie team's performance so far at all this test! We only avoided the follow on because England wanted to bat! Not sure why they made that decision, I think the pressure was right on & avoiding the follow on would have given the Aussies a lil confidence... Still, right now it looks like England's on their way to winning their first Ashes test at Lord's in however many years it is...

75! It is 75 years! 1934! Three quarters of a century! But let us not count chickens ...

No Xmas card for Rudi!

Telecast just started here with a sort of punk version of "The Impossible Dream". Fingers, toes, eyes crossed.

Wait... eyes uncrossed again, can't see the telly.

Jim

I need it to be over in the next two hours... we have to take a birthday girl to see the Harry Potter movie early this afternoon! That first wicket this morning is probably enough to start the required slide.

ARGHHHHH!

Well there you go Theo, enjoy the movie.

Great result followed by a great movie. Now off for dinner and gloating.

ETA Did I mention that it has been 75 years?

So this is the weekend I choose to be AFK - aaarrrggghh.

Good luck against Northants!

Not to over-react, but I think that's the last we'll see of "Mr Cricket".

I suspect that we will see several embarrasing wickets today.

Arghhh running late for the start. There's talk of changes on both teams- I'll pick it up shortly. All the best to both sides.

Wicket!!!

Damn, by all accounts he should of been out first ball but....

Still it looks a good pitch at the moment so we need 450+

Hmmm... this is not making good viewing for Brits just now. I begin to hope for a low scoring match.

ETA the conventional E in viewing.

Wow! Sixfer at lunch!

Yurgh... 108 all out and the Aussies come out blazing.

Yowzer! I was at the balet last night so missed the start of play, but when we got in the car to leave England were 6/72! & Stuart Clarke was on 3/7 - where has he been our whole series!!!

I tried so hard to stay awake when I got home to watch but fell asleep when we were 1/23ish...

Good to see Ponting went on a bit & sad to see Hussy's still in his rut... Looks like Ricky wasn't only making excuses when he said that we like to come from behind in a series. & looks like the Aussies havn't lost The Ashes yet!

Seconds out. Round 3 (cue round-card-carrying bikini girls).

England look flat and it is very likely to go to the fifth test at "Brit Oval" (is that the same as "The Oval"?) one apiece.

All the best to both sides.

ps Sorry* about waking you up early.

Jim

*Damn I wish I'd thought of that.

Brit Assurance took over sponsoring the Kennington Oval (home of Surrey County Cricket Club) from Fosters.

Did you notice how I avoided discussing the test series?

What, no movie to catch Theo?

Today it was a social breakfast, the first game of our football season, and a country garden party. Nobody mentioned the cricket much. :)

ETF tyop

Five days, one match, winner take all. All the best.

Morning session was England's but we hit back after lunch. Bummer I only got to watch the morning session, I wanted to stay up but no can do with an early start at work today. Hopefully I'll be able to stay awake tonight to see more :)

Arghhh! Watto, Punter, Mr Cricket & the Pup - Who is this 12-YO N'Synch lookalike?

And more to the point where has he been for the rest of the series?

Now he's gone and got a 5fer, and the spell continues!

Congratulations to all England supporters.

Let the purge begin!

Congrats to England :)

Well at least it was an interesting series!

Thanks for the generous spirit.

What was I thinking when I planned to go on holiday on the Sunday of the last test - never will I make that mistake again.