So 2 years have come around again and, if you follow cricket, it's time for the most anticipated few months on the cricketing calendar. The Ashes - A 5 match battle between the Australians and England, that the Australians typically win! Held every 2 years, Australia won the last Ashes battle in 2007, played Down Under, and England won the last series here in England in 2005. Prior to that I think the Australians had held the Ashes for about 20 years!
Bearing in mind that I might have some Americans reading this, I thought a quick explanation of the rules of cricket may be in order... Pay attention, I may be asking questions!
You have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out. With me so far?
When they are all out, the side that's out, comes in and the side that's been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out. When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in. You wonder why it takes 5 days to play?
There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out. When both sides have been in and all the men have been out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game. Get it, good!
Here's a little animated snapshot that may help you understand the history of this great sporting rivalry... Enjoy
Bastard Aussies won it back in 2006 not 2007, like they'd let us have the little urn for more than about 3 months?!
ReplyDeleteThat being said we never let them actually take it from Lords, and very few of them are actually allowed to be members (it's a class thing right? - or are we not allowed to say that any more?).
Still we seem to have wound up little old Punter by giving him some of his own medicine and got the Aussie media whinging like nothing, so all round a good week last week - despite being hammered... still we made up the rules so "a draw" seems fair to me mate. Off to have a barbie. G'Day and keep it up.