A little urn, and the pride of two nations.

[Iain]

Right now England and Australia are involved in a fierce climax to a hard-fought campaign over some ashes.

It's been the finest Test series probably in history, an England side on the up against probably the finest bunch of players ever seen who are now generally on the downslide.

Little explanation. The Ashes are the prize for a five game series of five day matches between England and Australia. Australia have held the trophy for the last 16 years, they've produced some amazing players (the Waugh's, Warne, McGrath) and English cricket has struggled.

Australia won the first test, there has been a draw and England have won two tests. If Australia win this test they retain the Ashes as the series will be drawn. If England win this test, or this test is a draw, then England get their hands on the Ashes.

There has been rain and bad light in this final test and it has gone to the 5th day. England are batting, it is now lunch, and are at 127-5 with an overall lead of 133. I'm worried.

This probably makes no sense to any of you, but I'm going to have no fingernails left, but I am sincerely hoping to hear weeks of Australian moaning much like we heard after England won the rugby world cup.

[Iain]

I should add, the Australian bowling this innings has been amazing. McGrath nearly got a hat-trick (3 wickets in 3 balls) Lee is bowling at over 95mph and Warne turned one two feet off it's course (he's a spinner, and gets massive turn off the bounce)

This thread is here to celebrate the joy of cricket, and hopefully celebrate the joy of being an English cricket fan who has just watched the Ashes be won. My two brothers and my father are there today.

[Stand_watie]

Who's ashes are they?

[Iain]

Apparently after England first lost a series to the Australians on English soil back in 1882, someone famously wrote about the death of English cricket and about its ashes.

It also seems that some bails (the little things that sit on the stumps, which are the things that the batsmen defend) used in that series were burned and placed in a little urn. Hence 'The Ashes'.

Perhaps our 1882 journalist was a little premature, but I may be a little premature in saying that.

Presently 188-6, so a lead of 194. Pietersen is on 79 not out, he has been smashing Lee around, but right now it's the two old warhorses, Warne and McGrath, bowling and things have slowed a little. Is far too exciting.

[BillBlank]

Week off for my thirtieth and tv is on. I'm with you on this Iain

[Iain]

Good, because it'd be treason not to be.

Pietersen has got his century and is not out. Tea.

[Iain]

We've done it.

Pietersen hit a big 150 and we put them in with over 340 to make. They took the light to save some face and England have the Ashes back.

I might get drunk.

[grampster]

Cheerio, old chap.  Here, here.  I'm smashingly happy for ya'll.  

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

So that's what Douglas Adams was talking about!

Regards,
Rabbit.

[Schuey2002]

I've heard of soccer hooligans, but is there such a thing as a cricket hooligan?

[Felonious Monk/Fignozzle]

Good on you, Iain!

Enjoy the victory.  That's a great rivalry, and the UK win is about as big as the US Olympic hockey win against USSR back in...'80, was it?

[Iain]

Not so much hooligans, but the 'Barmy Army' get a little personal with their singing sometimes. There tends to be quite a lot of fun though, the Australian bowler Shaun Tait made a lot of mistakes in the field in the last few days and every time the ball went towards him there were a lot of 'ooohs' and ironic cheers when he got it right. My brother said that McGrath (Aus) gave the crowd the finger at one point.

Winning the Ashes is pretty huge, they've had them for several years, and been the best team in the world for most of that time. We've now got them back, and seriously closed the gap in world ranking points.

I've just been watching Australian news bulletins, amusing how they only show England wickets falling as clips. Also amusing how for most of the last decade that's all the English media have shown too.



The man in the middle is the greatest sportsman of his generation, a 90mph bowler and England's best bowler, who would get in almost any international team if he was only a batsmen. Seriously destructive with the bat.

[Dannyboy]

My brother said that McGrath (Aus) gave the crowd the finger at one point.

Uh oh, has he been charged with anything yet?  Or do they save that for footballers?

[BillBlank]

In cricket that kind of thing is done in a mostly different spirit to football.  McGrath famously predicted that the series would go 5-0 to Austrailia and has since had to endure 3-4000 people chanting "five nil" behind him every time he goes into the field. When we had taken a lead of 2-1 the chants changed to "stand up if you're leading 2-1", he shrugged his shoulders and sat down. As I said a different spirit to football. Sportsmanship and a sense of humour still alive somewhere thank god.