I have found the whole Series surprisingly entertaining: if you'd told me, six weeks ago, that I would be avidly following cricket matches, I'd have thought you were one stop short of East Ham.*I was more than a little worried when, after Mass this morning, one of the servers gleefully chortled that Australia didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of retaining the Ashes (that wasn't his exact phrase, but you get the picture!) I mean, last night Australia had finished 80 without loss... however, the server in question had heard the latest score, and the Aussies were already two wickets down.
Straight into the Parish Club to watch the big screen. It was certainly fun to try and match up the howls of triumph with a complete lack of reaction from the umpire: on Test Match Special, I would hear these screams of triumph and then wonder why no-one seemed to be out, and no runs were awarded. On the big screen, I was able to see that the bowler was assuming he'd gotten the batsman lbw, but the umpire was having none of it... and the computer-generated diagrams invariably supported the umpire.
I left once the lunch break commenced, went shopping (I had to find some correctly-sized staples for my staple gun, and it was harder than I thought possible! Eventually I gave up, and bought a new staple gun!!) and then I continued to listen at home. I tuned back in just as Ponting was run out, and then Clarke... and a while later, another wicket went down.
At this point, I had to leave to go to open the church for evening Mass. I wasn't sure if Australia would be able to hang on for another day, but they were 278 for 5, and I didn't see why, with another five wickets to go, they couldn't clock up another 268...
As I was clearing up after Mass, the deacon mentioned that England had taken another two wickets before he'd left for Mass... and then Trefor told us that it was indeed all over, and England had regained the Ashes.
Yippee. Now, four years before the next Ashes Test Series, by which time I might have learned to tell my silly mid on from my short backward square leg... to say nothing of my cow corner (thanks David!)
I'm still not quite sure why we were playing for the burnt remains of a cricket stump...
*On the District Line (Green) of the London Tube network... the stop before East Ham (starting from Upminster that is!) is Barking...
9 comments:
Erm...
The next Ashes series will be in Australia during (our) winter of 2010/2011!
Oooooooh... I thought it was every 4 years.
Oh well, I better get cracking with those fielding positions...
Are there any more Test matches?
Before the next Ashes Tour 'Down Under' might I humble suggest that if you haven't already done so, you invest in a DAB radio for the bedroom so that you can listen to the cricket commentary in bed as because of the time difference, that is really the best way - at least that's what I do!
I have one, Miss Ellen, but thanks for the advice!
I was in Upton Park, with your East Ham reference. I'm glad you cleared that up at the end of your post.
I'm so pleased you enjoyed the cricket. There is something really special about the game, and it's great when there is another convert.
England's next test match will start on December 16 in Centurion, near Pretoria. South Africa tour itinerary here.
Dear Mulier Fortis. Another interesting blog on your cricketing progress. Cow Corner, eh !!! Roll on the South African Tests. Now, do I detect the necessity for you to begin another serial blog on explaining cockney rhyming slang for your overseas readers ? (Barking, in this connotation, only makes sense if one knows it's slang for Barking Mad, etc). Otherwise, it'll be a right two and eight !!! Just an idea !!!
Why is it that whenever England wins the Ashes, you can never find any Aussies to 'wind up' - I think they must all go to ground for a while to nurse their wounds ;-)
Also your reference to the tube made me think that perhaps you could start a game of 'Mornington Crescent' in the blogsphere - it would nicely fill the void left now the Ashes series has ended.
M.
Matthaeus - I'm still trying to grasp the laws of cricket... Mornington Crescent is way beyond me!!
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