The Ashes

[martinozcmax]

:D Don't mind me, I'm just going a Hogg in the hope I'm totally & utterly wrong :D

Been a great series either way. Good to see the Ashes generates such passion and is alive and well as a contest. We have been pretty unlucky. They fluked the draw in Cardiff and Ponting has lost 5 out of the last 6 tosses. Bloody bloke has no luck. ;)

[Panda]

Yea, I know. We're usually pretty lucky with the toss. Not this series though. :( As you say, a great series either way. :D


Been a great series either way. Good to see the Ashes generates such passion and is alive and well as a contest. We have been pretty unlucky. They fluked the draw in Cardiff and Ponting has lost 5 out of the last 6 tosses. Bloody bloke has no luck. ;)

[Panda]

:BigCry::BigCry:Poor, poor, Ponting. I feel soooooooooo bad for him :(

[martinozcmax]

:BigCry::BigCry:Poor, poor, Ponting. I feel soooooooooo bad for him :(

Don't (yet) he could end up a hero if he bats for two days !!! Think positive. :D :D

[Panda]

Okay ... positive thinking coming up :D:D:D:D


Don't (yet) he could end up a hero if he bats for two days !!! Think positive. :D :D

[martinozcmax]

Okay ... positive thinking coming up :D:D:D:D

Good girl, keep it up !! :D

[hiline]

ponting and clarke gone in 4 balls :eek:

i think the end is near :BigCry:

[camel_landy]

i think the end is near :BigCry:

Yep... :D

[Reads90]

mmm you lot are a bit quiet this morning :D:D

[juddy]

Was a good game, and nice to see Engalnd win something for a change......

[richard4u2]

the flaming fat lady stuffed it up by warming up her vocal cords to early :D

[Sleepy]

Well it was an interesting test series. Beaten fair and square by a motivated team - Broad was my player of the series.

Terrific to see Freddy hand over the reigns to a younger squad.
The Aussie Team is still rebuilding.
Would a fit Lee helped? Maybe.

I can recall when we mocked the Poms for their geriatric line up (Embury, Gatting, Gooch etc..) When we had a young side. I think it's about time we put a few youngies in and stop debuting players at 30.

Anyway, no reason looking for excuses. The POMS won this round. The next Ashes (2011/12?) will be great! (Hope my MCC membership is through by then!) I imagine our team will look vary different by then (Cpt Clarke???)

[martinozcmax]

Australia announce schedule for England's defence of Ashes in 2010-11

England's defence of the Ashes will begin in Brisbane next November after the schedule for the 2010-11 series in Australia was released on Wednesday night

By Telegraph staff and agencies
Published: 11:32PM BST 07 Oct 2009

Glory boys: England captain Andrew Strauss (with the urn) leads his team's celebrations after they won this summer's home series against Australia

Just over a month after Andrew Strauss's side reclaimed the famous urn at The Oval, the first steps towards their defence have been mapped out.

The five-Test series will begin at Brisbane's Gabba ground on Nov 25 and will follow the same circuit around the country that England embarked upon three years ago when they suffered the humiliation of a 5-0 series whitewash under then captain Andrew Flintoff.

The second and third Tests will follow in Adelaide and Perth with Melbourne and Sydney to host their tradition Boxing Day and New Year's Tests respectively to complete the series.

"The recent npower Ashes Test series between the two sides was the sporting highlight of the summer and has really whetted the appetite of all cricket supporters as England seek to retain the Ashes next winter," ECB chief executive David Collier said.

"It promises to be a great contest and I am sure many thousands of England cricket fans will be eager to purchase tickets when they go on sale and get behind the team in Australia."

The ECB and Cricket Australia have also agreed for England to play three first-class warm-up matches before the opening Test, with a further match between the Adelaide and Perth Tests.

CA chief executive officer James Sutherland said he expected the matches to be a hot ticket Down Under as England look to secure their first Test series win on Australian soil since 1987 - the last time they retained the Ashes.

"Australian cricket fans always love an Ashes series and demand for tickets is going to be strong, so it is important to put the dates in diaries now," he said. "We also expect to have a lot of UK fans here again.

"I know we have only just finished an Ashes series in England but I also know that the Aussie players - and Australian cricket in general - are already thinking about the Ashes series Down Under which starts in just over 12 months.

"Australia has a very good Ashes record at home and I'm hopeful that will continue next summer and we can bring the Waterford Crystal Urn back to Australia."

Details for the one-day series are due to be announced at a later date.
Ashes series 2010-11 schedule:

First Test, Brisbane (Nov 25-29); Second Test, Adelaide (Dec 3-7); Third Test, Perth (Dec 16-20); Fourth Test, Melbourne (Dec 26-30); Fifth Test, Sydney (Jan 3-7)