ashes 2005 – Rick Eyre on Cricket

September 14, 2005February 1, 2018

Riots in Belfast? What riots in Belfast?

Yes it’s always good to have an historic sporting triumph to keep civil unrest off the front pages…

Congratulations to you and the whole team on your fantastic series win.

It’s been sport at its very best, played in a wonderful spirit between two exceptional sides, and has gripped the whole country.

With so many people following this extraordinary series ball by ball, I’m not sure our economy could stand many more days like today – or our nerves any more excitement.

But by bringing the Ashes back after so long, you have given cricket a huge boost and lit up the whole summer.

Congratulations to everyone on an unforgettable series and a fantastic win.

With best wishes
Tony Blair

September 14, 2005February 1, 2018

Ashes, bombers, weasels, feet, mouths

Ah yes, sport and politics can be such a hilarious mix sometimes. Here’s an extract from the Hansard from the House of Reps session in Canberra earlier this evening. Continue reading “Ashes, bombers, weasels, feet, mouths”

September 14, 2005February 1, 2018

Earth, I’m comin down!

Warmest congratulations to you, the England team and all in the squad for the magnificent achievement of regaining the Ashes. This has been a truly memorable series and both sides can take credit for giving us all such a wonderfully exciting and entertaining summer of cricket at its best.

ELIZABETH R

– The Queen of Australia, among other countries, displays her partisanship in a congratulatory message to Michael Vaughan

Continue reading “Earth, I’m comin down!”

September 13, 2005July 18, 2020

Ashes 2005: Fifth Test The Oval

September 2, 2005July 18, 2020

The tour that isn’t

August 30, 2005July 18, 2020

Ashes 2005: Fourth Test Trent Bridge

August 28, 2005February 1, 2018

It’s back to the 80s day for Australian cricket

December 24, 1984: Australia loses a women’s Test to England.
September 19, 1988: Australia follows on in a men’s Test match against Pakistan.

August 27, 2005: The next occasion that Australia follows on in a men’s Test.
August 27, 2005: The next occasion Australia loses a women’s Test match.

Happy 97th, Sir Don.

August 25, 2005December 13, 2017

The unique drama of Test cricket

The astounding cricket played by England and Australia has not only rejuvenated the 123 year old Ashes competition, it’s also demonstrated that the five Test series is one of the supreme forms of spectator sport available on earth today.

New column by Mike Marqusee in Wednesday’s Guardian, and reproduced on his own blog, praising the current Ashes series.

August 21, 2005December 13, 2017

Beautiful game rises from the Ashes

It happens every time the Prince of Wales gets married. In 1981, within weeks of Charles’ wedding to Diana, a young tearaway called Ian Botham marked the occasion by leading England to a stunning set of victories over Australia at cricket.

– Matthew Engel, Financial Times, 19.8.05

Proof that even Matthew Engel can talk bollocks sometimes. Or does he? Continue reading “Beautiful game rises from the Ashes”

August 18, 2005December 13, 2017

Remember what they said about McGwire and Bonds

The ever-diligent Rajneesh Gupta notes that Australia has now had more sixes struck against them in the current Test series than in any previous series. And that with two matches to play.

England has clobbered 26 sixes over the ropes thus far in the 2005 Ashes, beating the 23 struck by the South Africans of 1966-67 at higher altitudes.

There’s some undocumented stats that could probably help explain this phenomenon better: (i) the dimensions of the playing area for each Test; (ii) the weight of the bats used in hitting those sixes.