Cricket The Ashes 2013

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Not my cup of cake
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I make no apologies, I love Test Cricket. You can keep your twenty:20 nonsense and One Day stuff, these are no substitute for the real thing. My only complaint is that they limit the games to 5 days, why no play to a finish?

Anywho, this year see's the Old Enemy back in Blightly. The convict boats have been turned around and, assisted by an asylum seeker from Pakistan, who has been fast tracked through the Australia citizenship program Michael Clarke's men (back problem permitting) will begin their humiliation in just under a month. Here's the timetable:

July 10-14 1st Test, Trent Bridge (11:00 BST)
18-22 2nd Test, Lord's (11:00)
August 1-5 3rd Test, Old Trafford (11:00)
9-13 4th Test, Chester-le-Street (11:00)
21-25 5th Test, The Oval (11:00)

(thank you BBC)

Just to help things along, England have imported various South Africans, Welshmen (yes, I know it's the England and Wales Cricket board) and some Irish bloke to give the Aussies a pounding. Just to get you in the mood for the ultimate sporting contest here's Shakespeare's speech from Henry V:

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'


Too much?
 
Why do the England cricket team have South Africans, Irish etc. in their team? (I know very little about cricket)
 
After a residency period foreign nationals qualify to play for England, I think it's 5 years. Hence why Alan Lamb, the Smith brothers Tony Greig, Graeme Hick etc. were able to be England players.
 
Agree completely - I'm not a huge fan of "Pyjama Cricket", or it's brash younger brother "Tip'n Run" T20 (though I am quite enjoying the ICC Champions' Trophy) - but the enthralling chess match that is a Test series, with all the comforting chuntering of TMS going on in the background, delights my English Heart.

How wonderous was 2005? How bitterly disappointing was the following whitewash Down Under? How redeeming to reclaim the urn on the next visit to our shores, and thence to smite the ignoble colonists on their home turf?

It matters not that the forthcoming series may be somewhat one-sided - for all the humiliations since '87, it is our turn of the screw this time, and we should look to humiliate them utterly, if only to impart some sense of the bitterness we had to endure over almost 2 decades.

I'll actually get to watch a bit of the Ashes on Sky this Summer, which will be nice - but I think I'll have the TV muted and TMS on instead. I must admit though, the ability to follow the contest while at work via the internet is one of my greatest pleasures!

Here's to a summer of Cook's flashing blade, Jimmy's swing, Swanny's twirl and Boycott laughing as Aussie hearts break!:tea:
 
Really looking forward to the Ashes this year, not only the series this summer but the series that will be played also this winter. Anything less than a series win for England this summer will be a big surprise considering the turmoil the Aussies are in at the moment.
I wonder also if Glenn Mcgrath is predicting a 5-0 whitewash for the aussies like he normally does.
 
I was reading an article the other day that concluded with many accredited pundits agreeing that the Aussies have a pretty poor side and glitches and weather aside it could well be 5-0 England.
 
I think a lot hinges on the fitness of Michael Clarke. If he is not fully fit then Australia really have got a massive problem as he has been one of the best batsmen in recent years.
 
Oh Lordy - I thought the phrase "England Test Collapse" had been struck from the lexicon...a pretty shameful start, all told. Whoever thought that batting first on an overcast day was a good idea? Particularly when the Aussies could only field a 19-yr old debutant spinner to make use of the wicket on the final day?

...not that it'll get to a final day at this rate...:crazy:
 
So England lead by 310 with a day and a half left for the Aussie's to bat through. This will be a fascinating finale to a fascinating Test Match. COME ON ENGLAND!
 
Ah excellent, there's an Ashes thread :)

Even though I'm Scottish I love the cricket! That Agar looks like some prospect but Bell's knock was top notch as well on that wicket. It's on a knife edge now though with the Aussies almost halfway to the total with only 3 wickets down and another day to play. I'll be surprised if this reaches lunch tomorrow.
 
Incidentally, I foresee Australia getting to 300 with 2 wickets remaining and then being able to get to 310 for the tie before getting bowled out!
 
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