Things that matter

[MajGenl.Meade]

(sigh... patiently explaining to the young LJ lad)

A full regular series in Test Cricket is five games between two national teams. All five are played (unless weather or politics interrupt) regardless of who wins - it is not a cup or trophy or world series competition. In the present series, Australia would love to win the last two games so that they come away from the UK with a 2W 1D 2L series - a draw in fact with both teams sharing the success.

"The Ashes" is a bit of fun that was created yonks ago and added a little spice to Test series between England and Australia.

Wikie says

The series is named after a satirical obituary published in a British newspaper, The Sporting Times, in 1882 after a match at the Oval in which Australia beat England on an English ground for the first time. The obituary stated that English cricket had died, and the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. The English media dubbed the next English tour to Australia (1882–83) as the quest to regain the Ashes.

During that tour a small terracotta urn was presented to England captain Ivo Bligh by a group of Melbourne women. The contents of the urn are reputed to be the ashes of an item of cricket equipment, a bail

As current holders, England will retain The Ashes (a little crystal trophy these days replicating the original urn) until Australia beats them in a five game series. If the five games result in a draw, the current holder keeps 'em. So even if Australia wins the last two matches, they cannot take away The Ashes.

LJ you have a similar kind of thing in America - the Stanford Axe for example. UC Golden Bears and Stanford don't stop playing their game once one team is up 65-0 with two minutes to go - they finish the game. Nor, having won the trophy, do they stop playing the rest of their season (I know it's not quite the same). Think of it this way - the Cleveland Browns have to play 16 games; why bother with the last 15?

"Play the other three (sic) games just for fits and shiggles"? (And it's the other two games; not three). No soul LJ - just no soul
Meade

[Lord Jim]

(And it's the other two games; not three)

That referred to my World Series analogy...

Though as a follower of the Cleveland Indians, I can understand how you might not know that the World Series is a best of seven affair...

It's not like that knowledge would have any particular use....

[Lord Jim]

I think I have a little better handle on this...

A "test" would be analogous to something like a five game regular season home stand between the Dodgers and the Giants...

If the Dodgers win the first 3 they still play the last two...

And this Ashes thing is like an exhibition series...

They're going to play all the games no matter who wins, because afterall it's not about who wins or loses...

It's about selling more beer....

[Gob]

and what could be more important than that? Save the beer snake!!

England 238 v Australia 222-5



Chris Rogers scored a gutsy 101 not out to give Australia the advantage in an absorbing fourth Ashes Test at Chester-le-Street.

The left-handed opener's maiden Test century guided the tourists to 222-5 at the close of the second day in reply to England's 238 all out.

Rogers led Australia's recovery after an incisive spell from Stuart Broad reduced them to 49-3 in overcast conditions, forging a partnership of 129 with Shane Watson, who made 68.

Both enjoyed slices of good fortune, with Rogers reprieved on review on 20 and dropped at slip on 49, while Tim Bresnan spilled a chance off his own bowling to remove Watson for five.

But as the ball softened and the England attack tired, Rogers and Watson began to prosper to give Australia the ascendancy as they look to recover from 2-0 down in the series.

Stuck on 96 for 20 balls, Rogers was kept in check by Graeme Swann before finally sending a sweep to the boundary to go to three figures shortly before bad light ended play.

The 35-year-old paused to allow the moment to sink in before removing his helmet to acknowledge the applause from the crowd and his team-mates.

[Lord Jim]

It's about selling more beer....

and what could be more important than that?

Ahh, now at long last the scales have fallen from my eyes and I see the appeal...

A cricket match is nothing more than an excuse to get potted...

Now that's something I can relate to...

[Daisy]

I'm sure we've mentioned on several occasions that the best way to enjoy cricket is with beer

[Gob]

I'm rather fond of cider at the match, sunny days and cider.

England 238 & 234-5 v Australia 270



Ian Bell's third century of the Ashes series gave England the edge over Australia after three days of an engrossing fourth Test.

The Warwickshire batsman scored an invaluable 105 not out as the hosts fought back from 49-3 in their second innings to 234-5 at the close, a lead of 202.

Bell, whose hundreds in wins at Trent Bridge and Lord's helped England retain the Ashes in 14 days, shared partnerships of 106 with Kevin Pietersen (44) and 66 with Jonny Bairstow (28) as England gradually wrested control from the tourists.

He brought up his 20th Test century five minutes before the close to become only the third Englishman after Maurice Leyland in 1934 and David Gower in 1985 to score three in a home Ashes campaign.

Bell's achievement capped an impressive day for England, who claimed Australia's last five wickets for 48 runs to bowl them out for 270 and restrict their first-innings lead to 32.

But when Ryan Harris accounted for Joe Root, Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott in quick succession with the new ball, Australia were back on top.

With England's advantage a slender 17, Bell and Pietersen set about repairing the damage in a crucial fourth-wicket stand that spanned 33 overs.

Finding gaps in the field that had eluded England in their often turgid first-innings 238, they worked the ball around and punished anything off line.

Pietersen struck Peter Siddle's last two balls before tea for four, while Bell caressed Harris for successive cover drives to bring up his fifty soon after the interval.

Starved of the strike and subdued by spinner Nathan Lyon, Pietersen allowed frustration to affect his shot selection and was caught at cover via a leading edge to once again open the door to Australia.

But with Bairstow finding his touch to crash Lyon over the top for successive fours and Bell moving masterfully towards his fourth Ashes century in five Tests, England maintained their ascendancy.

[Lord Jim]

How did England score "-5"?

[Gob]

Five men out Jim, for 234 runs, play resumes tomorrow.

[oldr_n_wsr]

Five men out Jim, for 234 runs, play resumes tomorrow.

Thanks for the warning.

[Daisy]

Boom! Aussies bummed!

[Gob]

Fourth Investec Test, Emirates Durham ICG (day four):

England (238 & 330) beat Australia (270 & 224) by 74 runs



An inspired spell of fast bowling from Stuart Broad catapulted England to a 74-run win over Australia in the fourth Test and sealed victory in the Ashes series.

Chasing 299 for victory, Australia were well placed on 168-2 but lost their next eight wickets for 56 runs as they collapsed to 224 all out.

Tim Bresnan turned the tide when he had opener David Warner caught behind for 71 and Broad followed up with a devastating burst of 6-20 in 45 balls to finish with 11 wickets in the match.

A breathless and barely believable evening session, in which nine wickets fell, ended in fading light at 19:40 BST when Broad had Peter Siddle caught at mid-off to put England 3-0 up in the series with one match to play.

Amazingly, less than two hours before the final wicket fell, it appeared far more likely that Australia would be heading to The Oval on 21 August with a chance of levelling the series.

The tourists made the ideal start to their run chase as Warner and Chris Rogers put on 109 for the first wicket - Australia's first century opening partnership in the Ashes since The Oval in 2005.

[dales]

I'm sure we've mentioned on several occasions that the best way to enjoy cricket is with beer

If one gets inebiated to the point of being comatose.

[Lord Jim]

If one gets inebiated to the point of being comatose.

Well that's a little harsh...

You probably only need to drunk enough to think you're somewhere else....

Besides, if it's comatose you want, the game alone can provide that....

[Gob]

Timing is everything gents, but your being watchers of sports which last for three hours and contain 11 minutes of play, you wouldn't realise that.


Beers only start after the first over. Then you pace yourself so that by the lunch interval, you have a nice buzz on. Getting a good unhealthy lunch down you, fish and chips or a couple of meat pies, forms a base for the afternoon shift. Beers should be consumed steadily, not rushed, but with a celebratory "down in one" for each 6 or wicket that occurs. (getting to the bars may start becoming troublesome, a GPS is handy, and obliging wife even more so.)

This is how it should be done.

By the tea interval you are ready for another couple of pies, if you can find some one who can not only find the pie stall, but stand up, walk even, there and back, carrying a tray of them. Oh, and they should go to the bar on the way back too.

More beers up until the close of play, then into the nearest pub for a nightcap of a few scotches.

[Joe Guy]

Finally, the secret to enjoying cricket explained in layman's terms.

The secret is for a spectator to get shit faced drinking beer and then eat junk food for a long period of time while men run around wearing caps & helmets on a field of grass with wickets, bats and umpires holding ball gauges ...

[Gob]

Nailed it.

[oldr_n_wsr]

By the tpeea interval ......

fixed that for you.

[Gob]

Final test starts tomorrow!

[Long Run]

Final test starts tomorrow!

That's when its over?