It appears that the whole of the country are on edge about England & Austraila battling it out for The Ashes..........is everyone really that excited? I just don't get it!

Well I'm excited!

It's been something like 18 years since England won the Ashes. I know a lot of people think cricket is boring and I don't profess to have any great knowledge of the game but it can be exciting. England only need to avoid defeat in this final test and they win the Ashes.

I don't like cricket at all, but I understand how important it is to those who do. I'm flying the flag and am keeping my fingers firmly crossed (which makes typing tricky).

My hubby is very excited about it! He has never watched cricket before but he has been glued to the recent test matches - he is in Southampton today so he will be flying the flag down there.

I'll keep everything crossed for the English though.....they haven't got off to a good start though!

I would rather watch paint dry. I hope we win though - we have to be good at something, and it certainly isnt football at the moment.

I don't like cricket but my late dad loved it and he was always trying to get me interested. His passion for the game fell on deaf ears though. But before he died he taught both my boys the game and they both share his love of it. So there is a lot of excitment here in the ils household....

Good Luck to the English Lads! :thumbsup:

Does anyone know how they are getting on? All this talk of wickets and overs literally does go right over my head.

Does anyone know how they are getting on? All this talk of wickets and overs literally does go right over my head.


Well it is 235 for 4 at the moment Tiggs, but I am not sure if that is good or bad!

Ok, time for a bimbo question.........are there ACTUAL Ashes in that little pot thing then, and if so - who's are they????

As for watching it - I wouldnt have a CLUE what is going on, but it would be great if we won!

Aren't they the ashes of a bird that got whacked by a ball?

Aren't they the ashes of a bird that got whacked by a ball?


Noooooooooo????? Really??????? :w00t:

Well I had a little google and came up with this Isis...


A brief history of the Ashes


"In affectionate remembrance of English cricket which died at The Oval, 29th August, 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances, RIP. NB The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia."

Australia’s first victory on English soil over the full strength of England, on August 29, 1882, inspired a young London journalist, Reginald Shirley Brooks, to write this mock “obituary’’. It appeared in the Sporting Times.

Before England’s defeat at The Oval, by seven runs, arrangements had already been made for the Hon. Ivo Bligh, afterwards Lord Darnley, to lead a team to Australia. Three weeks later they set out, now with the popular objective of recovering the Ashes. In the event, Australia won the First Test by nine wickets, but with England winning the next two it became generally accepted that they brought back the Ashes.

It was long believed that the real Ashes – a small urn thought to contain the ashes of a ball used in the third match – were presented to Bligh by a group of Melbourne women. In 1998, Lord Darnley’s 82-year-old daughter-in-law said they were the remains of her mother-in-law’s veil, not a bail. Other evidence suggests a ball. The certain origin of the Ashes, therefore, is the subject of some dispute.

After Lord Darnley’s death in 1927, the urn was given to MCC by Lord Darnley’s Australianborn widow, Florence. It can be seen in the cricket museum at Lord’s, together with a red and gold velvet bag, made specially for it, and the scorecard of the 1882 match.

I can see why it is soooooooo covetted (??) then......................NOT :w00t:

It is actually on the tv now - although I can't see it, I have no interest whatsoever in sport fullstop, and cricket yawn - but I do like the atmosphere that surrounds cricket, sort of an old fashioned, nice smelling [wood], and clean living gentlemen sort of sport.

And of course I hope we win, but as I really like Australia I don't mind - I just hope someone wins!!

I just hope someone wins!!


Er...yes, Flip I am sure some-one will! :huh: :w00t:

How are we doing? Are we winning? I have no idea how scores are kept, so forgive my ignorance. :laugh:

I don't think anyone's winning at the moment Tiggs, it's not like footie where if a team scores a goal they are winning. Now I really wished I had listened to my dad when he tried to get me interested!

England 373 (not bad)
Australia currently 66-0

I always thought the ashes were the burnt remains of the stumps of a certain game?

And did you realise that even though England haven't won them in about 20 years, they have kept the ashes cup over here. They wouldn't let Australia take them home even though they kept winning them.
A few years ago, they let them have the cup finally.

Good luck to England, although I can't stand the game. I think it's boring and can't understand all about how many balls in an over (6 I think) and how many overs in a game, and how many bowls a bowler can do and when they declare, what on earth does that mean.
All confusing to me:wacko:

I think we are all confused Andrea, it doesn't seem that anyone on SO knows the rules of Cricket!

Oh well, go have a bit of fun instead then! :laugh:



http://www.channel4.com/sport/microsites/B/bringiton/bringiton.html

Well - for anybody who cares - Australia are now all out leaving England with a six run lead!

You have to laugh at the Aussies - England took the offer of bad light - and when they returned the Australians all had sunglasses on.:laugh:

WELL DONE
TO
ENGLAND
FOR
REGAINING
THE ASHES

Woo! Thats the first time in my life we have won the Ashes!

As like most of you, I didn't have a clue what cricket is all about, but we must have done something good!


Well done to us!

Well done England!

And forget football ladies, did you take note of the tastiness of some of those guys out there today? Phwoooarrrr! Cricket all the time for me now. :laugh:

Well Done to England! Didn't have a clue what was going on and didn't even know who was winning or if they were close to winning but they did it - Congratulations!

Tiggs, there were some tasty lads out there but I don't get the Shane Warren thing, tasty he was NOT! :ohmy:

Hating cricket, as I do, I became quite concerned.

Very pleased for English Cricket. Well done lads.

Tiggs, there were some tasty lads out there but I don't get the Shane Warren thing, tasty he was NOT! :ohmy:


:ohmy: I thought he was one of the gorgeous ones!

And what a different game than football. There was none of the yobberish behaviour that goes with football. It was nice and civilised. Refreshing to see. :)

It was nice and civilised. Refreshing to see. :)


Nice and civilised but boring and oh soooooooooooo slow!

Give me footie anyday!

Nice and civilised but boring and oh soooooooooooo slow!

Give me footie anyday!


You're missing the point ILS, who cares about the cricket, it's who is playing it that matters. :laugh:

Congratulations to England - fom a Scot:ohmy:

I must admit I have been watching some of the cricket - and kept having sneeky peaks at the BBC website today!

You're missing the point ILS, who cares about the cricket, it's who is playing it that matters. :laugh:


I think it is the get up they have to wear, it just doesn't do anything for me!

:ohmy: I thought he was one of the gorgeous ones!

And what a different game than football. There was none of the yobberish behaviour that goes with football. It was nice and civilised. Refreshing to see. :)

Oh Tiggs, I am getting worried about you! :ohmy:

Like you, I liked the banter between the fans, it was all good fun unlike the football where voilence and thuggery is just is part of the norm really.... and that's just the players!! :laugh:

Well done to England for winning the ashes.

Another one here though who is baffled by it all:wacko: