Category: 
If the prospect of two teams of middling talent spending a total of 25 days (minus lunch and tea intervals) throwing and hitting a ball around in order to determine the winner of a miniscule trophy, which never actually leaves the trophy cabinet anyway, then the Ashes is for you!
Luckily I am one of those people. Unlike Chris Gayle, I believe test cricket is the single greatest sporting spectacle in the world (if you disagree let’s settle the matter in the comments below) and it doesn’t get any bigger than England v Australia - even when the latter are no longer the dominant force they once were.
In fact that’s exactly what makes this series interesting. For once this doesn’t feel like a bunch of pasty-faced home counties fops taking on eleven sporting supermen and getting a damn good thrashing in the process (that some of them would secretly enjoy). No - this time Australia have lost a lot of that swagger and England are as bouyant as you can be on the back of beating an abysmal Test team that appeared to be giving away wickets in order to get home early.
In Ravi Bopara England have uncovered a talented batsman who might just be exactly what they need in an Ashes environment. Sure of himself, flamboyant, but with the talent to back it up. If Pietersen and Flintoff can recover some of their best form (which is a big ‘if’ in Freddie’s case) then England really must believe they have every chance. The bowling attack is also coming together with genuine pace from Broad complemented by - we hope - some reverse swing from Anderson and Flintoff plus an English spinner who can actually spin the ball - Graeme Swann.
Meanwhile the Aussies line up with a load of bowlers I’ve never heard of who I’d like dismiss as not fit to slide cricket balls under Glenn McGrath’s boots, but who probably all bowl unplayable doosras and googlies at 95mph. If you don’t know anything about cricket - look them up on Wikipedia.
Personally, I think it’s going to be close - in a good way. As in 2005 I think we’ll see plenty of results going either way. Which is handy, because we’ll refund all bets on the result of the series if no game is drawn! England at 9/4 look like seriously good value through these rose tinted glasses!
And as usual, we’ve got loads of other markets too. We just can’t stop being nice to you.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
it all kicks off tomorrow lads - get the wife, kids, house, car, savings, holiday home and krystle membership on england to regain the ashes!
australia are nowhere near the side they were, england have a good mix of youth and experience and 15/8 is a great price.
jimmy anderson top england bowler, cook top england bat.
oh and if the weather holds out - england win the first test in cardiff.
July 12th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
sleeping bag you wicked person to call our game crap,i have just flown back from cardiff and had the most wonderful 5 days over there.i have been going to cricket matches for 30 yrs and today was pure excitement and joy.i met some old boys who fought in India for the and we had a jolly old lash.as a matter of fact Ireland are fast improving their position in world rankings,maybe you should toddle along to the Merrion club and see what it is all about.Have a jolly old day old chap.Montgomery
July 13th, 2009 at 10:35 am
unlucky england - who just ran out of time yesterday - another day and they’d have had the aussies licked.
back on track in the 2nd test!
July 13th, 2009 at 10:55 am
sleeping bag was right it is a crap sport
July 13th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
imagine a sport which can go on for days,have tea breaks, lunch breaks and still end up having the result decided by rain. its boring, for snobs and fitness has nothing to do with it. For once in my life i agree with the bag ITS CRAP,I would rather watch the antiques road show.
July 13th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
have a vote good or crap ? i vote crap one nil to crap
July 13th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
sleeping bag and lfc you must be good friends to agree with each other.and thats a good thing to have.pity you dont spot an intelligent sport when you see one,during our regime in India we used to play against the indians,that is why they are so good today RULE BRITTANIA
July 14th, 2009 at 10:40 am
everyone knows there’s something “special” about you sleeping bag
July 14th, 2009 at 11:24 am
monty, whats intellligent about cricket? throw a ball ,try to hit it with a bat or try to catch it. chess is intelligent not cricket you asshole.. i vote crap. as for the english its yet another sport they invented like football and are now rubish at,but still think they have a devine right to be the best. the ashes is so boring they just play each other every time,can you imagine england playing australia all the time at football and claiming its some big achievment if once in a blue moon they actually did win it? Also why play it in wales? another embarresment like the millenium stadium fa cup/carling cup finals played out of england,pathetic i think. just pray it rains for the next few weeks and yous might not get beaten, that would be a great sport to get excited about,NOT!
July 14th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
lfc good day to you to u obviously are a stupid little man who does not understand the beautiful game and by the look of your title you follow football.well where can i start a lot of jumped up people collecting money for jam and idiots like you paying for it.come along to merrion someday and watch and learn old chap,you can have a pint and a chat no violence and go home safely can you do any of them at a football game,i should think not old boy . excuse my language TALLY HO.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
asshole i would go to a game to enjoy the sport ,i dont need drink to enjoy it, if i wanted a chat i wouldn’t be heading to a match.does cricket not have an entrance fee to pay players? please explain how its an intelligent sport knob
July 15th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
lfc lad - some amazing ignorance from you, even by your standards.
1. the governing body of “english” cricket (the ECB) is the england AND WALES cricket board. hence why not play a test match in wales? there have been plenty of welsh cricketers to have played for england over the years.
2. the ashes happens every two years (every 4 years played in england). between this ashes series and the last in australia at the start of 2007, england played 28 test matches - (10 against the west indies, 6 against new zealand, 5 against india, 4 against south africa and 3 against sri lanka) - in the same period there was a cricket world cup and twenty20 world cup.
3. while a wide range of people (from the bufties in their suits to the beer-swilling barmy army) go to watch test cricket - i’m pretty sure there’s never been an incident of “cricket hooliganisam”!!
July 15th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
“cricket hooliganisam”!! - just goes to prove it is not an intelligent sport! The shorter form of the game is however an enjoyable sport to both watch and play in, doubt that lfc lad would know too much about either in football unless you count relaxing on the sofa.
July 15th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
thank you very much for that very well explained submit,unfortunatly when god made the world he had to split it up to make it interesting,it looks like he put lfc in the fool/idiot section.and also why are you so angry.You should join the regiment and get some manners beat into you.You abrupt little fart