DRAMA At its :: Good -- Better -- Best !!. Review on Ashes 2005

It has been a long time off of MS. Couldn't find an appropriate subject/incident to write a review on and also frankly the time was a constraint too. What has prompted me to write again is my 30 km+ pradakshina to Brahmagiri that I wrote about yesterday. The sublime experience gave me enough freshness to again come up with some material on paper. So allow me to pen something on my most favorite subject: the one played by 13 players at a time in the ground i.e. cricket.

I have not been following ODI since almost 2 years. I find them too boring, predictable, plentiful to have any meaning. abc/xyz triangulars are making complete mockery of the game. Players, boards are conducting them for money other than anything else. Also, absence of Sachin has also contributed some. Meanwhile, I have followed tests almost ball-by-ball time permitting. Whenever I am reading something or have spare time I watched tests(not Zim versus Srilanka!):) but most of the tests that are shown on various sports channels available now a days.

ASHES 2005: I must confess that I am having this kind of entertainment and thrilling experience the first time after Ind-Aus series in 2001. Of course there were some tests WI chasing 400+ against Aus that got me interested. Also Lara's heroics in tests brought interest in the game but no series would come close to as much drama and quality cricket Ashes 2005 is turning to be. Every session of 2 hrs is producing'something' for the spectators -> A richly rewarding experience.

This one test series has made Cricket most popular game not only in England(Soccer followers are HUGE and outnumber cricket fans by say 50 to 1) but there are inquiries for telecast from non cricket playing countries too. The 3rd test was watched by 77 million viewers: a record of all times. In India people preferred ashes 2nd test that England won by 2 runs over the India-WI ODI(where Immature Yuvraj was seen doing highly immature'rich kid' gali galoch after his century).

Before the start everyone thought that England would give some fight to Aus team as it is well in form, doesn't care about the baggage of past defeats, wants to win. The spirit that Nasser Husain brought in has been kept alive by this team. I felt personally that Australia would win the Ashes by say 2-1 myself provided McGrath played the complete series. Warne has always been effective against Brits and together they can get them below 300, I thought. So, when Lords test commenced, I was surprised the way pitch behaved in the 1st session itself. Frequent odd bounce, fast pitch was making matters tough for batsman already. Harmison hit Langer, Ponting quite frequently. The first day saw plentiful wickets when McGrath started his magic on the first ball after tea. The Australians despite fragile start wound up this test quite easily. But, except for McGrath I thought Australia wasn't as impressive. Only if Englishmen could manage Warne better they would be in much better shape.

The 2nd test saw McGrath out of the playing 11. A major issue given his influence on 1st test. What happened on the 4th day was historical. Australians again proved why they are what they are today. Needing 100+ runs with 2 tailenders remaining(Harmison removing dangerous M. Clarke on a slow beauty after 3 consecutive 90+mph balls in the last over changing the equation). Before that'Freddie' Flintoff did a 51 run stand with Simon Jones for the last wicket making sure England had respectable runs on the board. Who would have thought an English win after 9th English wicket in 2nd innings?(Well, I was rooting for it if that makes difference!). I was cheering every shot that'Freedie' played and added to the score. He hit everyone except Warne out of the park with massive hits. The last day was an epic battle with 9th wicket Shane Warne, Lee taking the game to the Brits. Lee was hit plenty of times but he came back and kept scoring runs. Warne got out hitting stumps with legs playing on back foot off'Freedie'. The last wicket stand got England to the knees and a dropped catch by Simon Jones at 3rd man with 10 runs short to victory had English captain gasping with open jaw!:) Finally, one that bounced awkwardly from Harmison with target 3 runs within the reach, got Kasprovich out.leading to full blown celebrations by the Englishmen. I was wishing for English win and had very tough last half hour when English bowlers gave 4s on wide deliveries trying too much to do instead of focusing probing line just out side off stump. The reverse swing of 3 bowlers had Australia by the balls

The 3rd test saw fielding levels going below even Ranji or Galli levels where Australians dropped as many as 7 catches and took multiple wickets on no balls! Vaughan celebrated all the lives given by 160+ score and got out on a mediocre fulltoss by Katich! I think he didn't deserve the century but thank to Australians for helping him go there. Despite 1 day washed out by rains, England had Australia under the hammer and it was larger than life knock by captain Ricky Ponting in 2nd innings that helped Australia enter final session of the 5th day. Drama unfolded once again when 3 quick wickets had Australia 9 down with 5 overs to go!  2 close LBW shots were turned down by Billy Bowden and finally'Braveheart' Lee and McGrath succeeded to draw the test.=> VERY rewarding experience to watch this test.

The Australian analysis came thru. Problem: 3 English bowlers managing reverse swing on old ball making matters difficult for Aus who had habits of hitting mediocre attack with 4+ run rate for a few years now! Hardly anybody is willing to stay there and fight it out. Too many strokes cost them 2nd test against India(Dravid 230+, 75 not out) when Agarkar got 6 on very average bowling in 2nd innings. Here, Englishmen are having very good 4 swing bowlers.

Australian started giving all the statements of strategy to play English men etc etc and lost the 4th test again but not before proving that they fight until the very end with 7 wickets of England chasing only 129 runs! Again, watch carefully Australian last 4 wickets.they were trying to score runs quickly.what the hell was the need of it?

(1) More you stay on the pitch is gets worse for Warne to exploit in 4th innings

(2) More you stay you make opposition work hard, also you tend to add valuable additional runs. A target of 170 would have been fatal for England!

But NO! Check how Taint got out in the 2nd innings! Wonderful!:) Except for 1st test, English bowlers have extracted much more than Australians from the wicket. Toss has helped them too.(When not, Ponting helped them by giving batting in 2nd test!):)

So we are now waiting for the 5th and final test. If Australia wins it, they equal the series and retain Ashes. All England has to do is to draw and they regain the Ashes after 18 years! I am sure England knows that defensive/negative game is not the one that got them here in teh first place so I guess you can expect a positive perf from both the sides.