The Ashes Thread

Well, Clarke and Haddin are putting a nice partership together, making the end coming today seem unlikely.

It would be nice to knock one of them off before the close of play, though, so they have a full day to get through the tail.

 

New ball coming in 6 or 7 overs, with about 20 to go after that minimum. Should be able to get at least one.

 

And it's all finished. Flintoff takes Haddin's wicket in the second over, and England bowl Australia out before lunch. 115 runs the final margin, and England make a little history.

 

Flintoff is really an amazing athlete. What a way to end his Lord's career.

 

How do you guys watch this? I use streaming sites, but there is Willow.tv that is the legal option in the states.

 

I listen the Test Match Special on the BBC website. Nothing like Henry Blofeld, Christopher Martin-Jenkins and Jonathan Agnew. Such a shame the voice of my youth Brian Johnston is no longer with us.

 

I knew absolutely nothing about cricket until going to South Africa a few years ago to see my wife's family. Watched six weeks worth of matches with her stepdad and brothers and, by the end of our stay, actually sort of knew about 25 percent of what was going on. But I did start to enjoy it. I was amazed that a sporting event could last seven hours a day, for five days. Saw the action live one day, but the memories are foggy as my brothers-in-law got me quite intoxicated. We went to a few bookstores and there were dozens and dozens of cricket books, like the baseball books in Barnes and Noble.

My wife's family was good friends with Duncan Fletcher, former coach of England, and she went to school with Jacques Kallis, who, according to one of her friends, was a really bad kisser in high school. That meant nothing to me, but he's apparently one of the best players in the world. Her brothers were incredulous and refused to believe that Kallis was anything less than a complete stud with the ladies.

 

Streaming sites. I didn't even know there was an option to buy legally (I did for the Rugby World Cup).

 

I can't believe they got some play in today, I was assuming it was a washout.

Early wicket helps, but this has draw written all over it. Theoretically that helps England, who leads the series, but I can't help but feel that Australia likes needing only a win and a draw to retain.

 

A key moment happened before play started, though, as Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin suffered a broken finger in warm-ups, giving Graham Manou his test debut.

After the trouble he gave them last test, England will likely be happy to see him out of the lineup.

 

Completely irrelevant, but Manou is the name that sounds closest to my real last name, so that's who I have the announcers say when I create myself in EA sports Cricket.

 

Did someone say six wickets in the morning session? Why yes, that sounds lovely.