I stayed awake until the lunch break and then went to bed dreaming about Monty Panesar hitting a double hundred to win the Perth Test. I also dreamt about my own surprise inclusion for the Lords Test against the West Indies in May. I bamboozled Brian Lara with a viciously spinning leg break with my first ball in Test cricket.
At least one of those dreams is still alive. You know where to find me, Fletcher. Just leave a comment on here or drop me a line through the Contact page.
Of course it might not be Duncan Fletcher picking the team come May but whether it’s Duncan Fletcher, Keith Fletcher or Norman Stanley Fletcher, I’m ready to answer the call. Sure I’m 37 and some people might say I’m past it but that hasn’t stopped the Aussies from battering us has it?
Tags : Cricket, The Ashes, England, Australia, Third Test
292 runs to win with 5 wickets in hand or bat three sessions to draw with 5 wickets in hand. Whatever way you look at it, it’s a tough ask of any team let alone an England team low on confidence.
I haven’t seen any of the coverage from the 4th day as yet. The highlights aren’t on until 5pm so I’ll sit down and watch them then but it sounds as if England had a good day with the bat and things could have been oh so different if Old Man McGrath hadn’t picked up a couple of quick wickets before stumps.
Despite me writing him off a couple of days ago, Alastair Cook hit his maiden Ashes century as he and Ian Bell put on 170 for the second wicket but it’s the late dismissals of Cook and Hoggard which make me think we’re just not going to make it and the little urn will be in Australian hands before the day is out. I desperately hope that I’m wrong and Freddie Flintoff can step up to the plate and remind us why we all wanted to have his babies 15 months ago by putting the Aussies to the sword and blatting the runs required for an historic victory but I just don’t see it happening. One wicket is realistically all the stands between the ex convicts and the Ashes.
Obviously I haven’t mentioned that innings yet. I really didn’t feel in the mood yesterday. However Gilchrists innings was breath taking to watch on the Sky highlights in the evening even though I knew what was going to happen. The wry smile by Monty after he had been hit for 24 in one over was priceless.
Anyway the upshot of all this is that I’m going to find myself sitting in front of the TV at 2.30am with a large jug of coffee watching history be made. It’ll either be the biggest total in Test match history successfully chased down or it’ll be the shortest ever reign of an Ashes team.
Tags : Cricket, The Ashes, England, Australia, Third Test
Saturday 16 December 2006 has officially been cancelled due to lack of interest.
It was all so predictable, wasn’t it? England get themselves into a good position overnight and then choke.
Try as I might to be optimistic about the destiny of the Ashes, I see that as the last chance England realistically had of retaining the little urn. This game is heading towards an Aussie victory or, as an absolute long shot, a draw. I can’t see any way that England can win this Test.
Well. OK. When I say that I can’t see any way that England can win this Test, what I really mean is that there’s a very slight chance we could bowl Australia out cheaply tomorrow and knock off the runs but it would take a comeback worthy of Lazarus.
Tags : Cricket, The Ashes, England, Australia, Third Test
OK well it’s 2.15am. Like the silly bugger I am, I’ve stayed awake until this ridiculous hour of the morning to watch the cricket. I just hope that it’s worth it.
A big thank you to my housemate. He doesn’t know it yet but he has contributed to my staying awake by having lots of out of date beer in the cupboard. I promise I’ll replace them tomorrow! Maybe with some out of date eggs. Oh…no…wait…you’ve got some of them already.
Is anyone else still around at silly o’clock or am I the only one?
Tags : Cricket, The Ashes, England, Australia, Third Test
