Cricket: The Ashes
I can't hold off any longer. It was all over weeks ago, but you like to think there may be a chance, however small that we may snatch even a draw. It wasn't to be. The last 5 wickets collapsed, leaving the Australians a meager score to reach to achieve a well deserved whitewash.
It's so very disappointing to see such little fight and passion from the England team. There were moments - Collingwood's 206 in the 2nd test, Harmison's 4/48 in the 3rd test, Monty's 5 wickets in the same innings - but they were few and far between. We were comprehensively outplayed by a far superior team.
So now we move on to the post-Ashes inquest. I suspect this will be run by those who ran the team and therefore produce no useful outcome. The press will be up in arms for a while before returning column inches to football. Nothing will be done, no real changes at the top, no radical overhaul of the way the game is run. And come 2009 we will be no nearer regaining the Ashes than we would be if we played again next week.
I don't want this to be a totally negative post. Tricky, I know, given results, but if I switch attention to the victors we see many great things. They are a quite awesome team. Sadly, due to the time difference and the fact that the rights were snapped up by Murdoch and his orbiting bin, I didn't see much of the games. What I did see though showed a supreme Australia, playing each test according to their well crafted (and not leaked to the press) plans.
Sadly, this series marks the end of a few careers at this level. Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne are all bowing out on a high. I remember watching Warne all the way through the 1993 Ashes series. I thought he was an incredible talent then, and I have no reason to change my mind now. All three are excellent, top level cricketers and it's a shame we won't see them again. The problem for the rest of the world is, of course, that Australia have more fine talent making it's way up the ranks. Quite a scary thought.
One final note: after many years of excuses, the actual urn was allowed out of Lord's and is currently on tour in Australia. Aussie fans are, quite understandably, suggesting that it now stays in Oz - you know, to save damage on the long journey back to England. I agree with them. I can't hand-on-heart say we deserve the thing, so yes it should stay down there. And if it does have an extended stay in Sydney it might - just might - provide a little spark somewhere in the ECB, a little glimmer of pride, perhaps even a slight dash of anger, that may spur those who run English cricket into some sort of action to work towards getting the Ashes back to England when we have rightfully regained them. I won't hold my breath though.
It's so very disappointing to see such little fight and passion from the England team. There were moments - Collingwood's 206 in the 2nd test, Harmison's 4/48 in the 3rd test, Monty's 5 wickets in the same innings - but they were few and far between. We were comprehensively outplayed by a far superior team.
So now we move on to the post-Ashes inquest. I suspect this will be run by those who ran the team and therefore produce no useful outcome. The press will be up in arms for a while before returning column inches to football. Nothing will be done, no real changes at the top, no radical overhaul of the way the game is run. And come 2009 we will be no nearer regaining the Ashes than we would be if we played again next week.
I don't want this to be a totally negative post. Tricky, I know, given results, but if I switch attention to the victors we see many great things. They are a quite awesome team. Sadly, due to the time difference and the fact that the rights were snapped up by Murdoch and his orbiting bin, I didn't see much of the games. What I did see though showed a supreme Australia, playing each test according to their well crafted (and not leaked to the press) plans.
Sadly, this series marks the end of a few careers at this level. Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne are all bowing out on a high. I remember watching Warne all the way through the 1993 Ashes series. I thought he was an incredible talent then, and I have no reason to change my mind now. All three are excellent, top level cricketers and it's a shame we won't see them again. The problem for the rest of the world is, of course, that Australia have more fine talent making it's way up the ranks. Quite a scary thought.
One final note: after many years of excuses, the actual urn was allowed out of Lord's and is currently on tour in Australia. Aussie fans are, quite understandably, suggesting that it now stays in Oz - you know, to save damage on the long journey back to England. I agree with them. I can't hand-on-heart say we deserve the thing, so yes it should stay down there. And if it does have an extended stay in Sydney it might - just might - provide a little spark somewhere in the ECB, a little glimmer of pride, perhaps even a slight dash of anger, that may spur those who run English cricket into some sort of action to work towards getting the Ashes back to England when we have rightfully regained them. I won't hold my breath though.
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