The Ashes Thread (Off Topic - Cricket - for UK/Aussie Posters)

[Anonymous]

Having been hard at work in my little signalbox in Kernow (South West of England) all day - after 16 years of having our collective backsides walloped by the Aussies - England have regained the Ashes. [:D][:D]

Great knock of 158 from Pietersen. - Well done to the Aussies for providing such a well fought and contested series -that man Warne.....he is a legend.

Yes - it aint train related but I thought I would just share the moment with you all....even those whose knowledge of the game extends to my knowledge of baseball. I.e. Nil.

SOWENA!

[Murphy Siding]

Cogload: Thanks for the info, I guess[%-)] I'm afraid most of us will need a little more translating.[:)]

[espeefoamer]

All I know about cricket,is that owning the ashes is pretty important.I read the origin of the ashes years ago,but forget the signifigance,now.They say the mind is the second thing to go,and I don't remember what the first thing was[:(]!

[Anonymous]

Ok - The Ashes. Right - is the collective name for a series of cricket matches (5 tests usually) played between England and Australia.

The name " Ashes" comes from a notice posted in a newspaper in the 1880's after the first game when Australia beat England and a rememberance notice appeared (in that newspaper) - i.e. in Rememberance of English Cricket blah blah blah - and at the bottom was a line.nb. and the body will be cremated with the ashes taken to Australia (or something). to follow this up a cricket bail was burnt and the ashes of the bail interred in an urn; a replica of which is given to the captain of the winning side after the series.

Anyway to cut a long stroy short - the series of games between the two nations are played on a 2/4yrly cycle - with England usually losing. However on this occasion England won the series 2-1 with 2 matches drawn (and very tense those two draws were too). However as I say Kudos to the Aussies - best side in World Cricket and they have some superb players.

[vsmith]

Crickets? Eh, its Ok, but Grasshoppers have more meat on them!

[peterjenkinson1956]

we did not loose ... we chose not to win... peter

[Murphy Siding]

Thanks for the explanation. Glad to we see some Aussies on here-and with a sense of humor too![:)]

[samfp1943]

Arn't crickets for fish bait? I guess those folks have too much time on their hands! Differen't strokes,etc,etc.

[Anonymous]

"The game you know as cricket is just one of those curious freaks of racial memory that can keep images alive in the mind eons after their true significance has been lost in the mists of time. Of all the races in the Galaxy, only the English could possibly revive the memory of the most horrific wars ever to sunder the Universe and transform it into what I'm afraid is generally regarded as an incomprehensibly dull and pointless game. Rather fond of it myself, but in most people's eyes you have been inadvertently guilty of the most grotesquely bad taste. Particularly the bit about the little red ball hitting the wicket, that's very nasty."

-- Slartibartfast

"Um."

-- Arthur Dent

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Three cheers for the UK in winning the Ashes. Let's see what happens in 2007 in the Rugby World Cup beyond the fact that the Eagles (USA) won't get past the first round.

Australia won the first World Cup in 1987

[Murphy Siding]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CSSHEGEWISCH

Three cheers for the UK in winning the Ashes. Let's see what happens in 1987 in the Rugby World Cup beyond the fact that the Eagles (USA) won't get past the first round.

Do I need one of those "Back to the Future" time machines to go back to 1985 and see what happens in 1987?[:o)]

[Anonymous]

For cricket - its England. The rest of the UK doesn't get a look in (apart from Wales). Yes, Hitchikers Guide - one of the worlds finest books.....but...dear chap its a matter of taste........

As for Rugby Union - ahhh. Now the US has produced some excellent rugby players...Dan Lyle being one....and Canada too. All they need is a little bit of cash and they will be on top of the world.........

[espeefoamer]

As someome who is part English,on my mothers side, I am happy to learn that England won the ashes[:D]! CONGRATULATIONS,ENGLAND!!

[Anonymous]

Good to hear Espee.....my aim is to educate the American Public in the finer points of the Great Game.......

[james saunders]

yes congrats to england on winning the ashes but wait for the return series your joy will be short lived mwahhaha we will win 5-0 !!!!! but yes we were substandard and one fact is that we have the worlds crappest bowler in Brett Lee the selectors can't say no to him even though his average was about 60 runs per wicket and went for a thousand runs in all the tests BRETT LEE=MOST OVER RATED BOWLER IN WORLD CRICKET and might i add what the hell did kasprowicz do wrong i thought he did pretty well after being called in with haf hours preparation after you poms rolled a ball out on the pitch for Mc Grath to step on (shakes fist) and although your best bowler freddie flintoff averaged 27 for his bowling in all honesty how can he be the worlds best bowler at the moment when Glenn McgGrath and warnie are still around and average 21 and 25 respectively i don't see the justice in that is just because flintoff played every test and Pidgeon only played 3?? well flintoff is pretty overrated too, so is the whole pommie attack Australia still has the best minus LEE but the others are in a class of their own!!!

[Anonymous]

MMMMM! Gotto love the English.
Win a World Cup in Rugby Union!
Haven't won a game since.
(I think Rugby gets played in Eastern US Colleges-I know Canadians play)
Won "THE WORLD CUP" in 1966!!
Can't even beat North Ireland!!!
(Even Australia beat you 3-1 in a friendly)
Won the Ashes!!!
What's the use...Even when we do win the MCC rule that the Ashes are too fragile to make the trip 'down under'.
Sorry about that peter. This "whingeing Auusie" feels alot better now. BOO! HOO! HOO!

PS from one signaller to another, what did you think about Ed Kings small article (in trains) about working a tower out of Chicago and blocking that Amtrak service. Its good to see that drivers are the same the world over (they all must be driving the most important train in the world from the way that they complain when you have to block them HA! HA! HA!)
PPS It was great for the game to see pack houses in the Ashes series. It was good for English cricket.

[Hugh Jampton]

Cricket?!?!?!?! That's baseball on Valium if you ask me (and even if you don't). What kind of people would invent a game that takes 3 or 4 days to play???

[james saunders]

DOES ANYONE HERE AGREE LEE IS OVER-RATED????

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I learned how to play rugby at Northern Illinois University in 1971 and the last time I looked, NIU was hardly considered an eastern school. Rugby Union is played nationwide in the USA on a club basis in college and by amateur clubs of varying abilities in adult men's and women's conferences. The best senior (post-college) rugby in the USA is played by West Coast clubs.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by drephpe

"The game you know as cricket is just one of those curious freaks of racial memory that can keep images alive in the mind eons after their true significance has been lost in the mists of time. Of all the races in the Galaxy, only the English could possibly revive the memory of the most horrific wars ever to sunder the Universe and transform it into what I'm afraid is generally regarded as an incomprehensibly dull and pointless game. Rather fond of it myself, but in most people's eyes you have been inadvertently guilty of the most grotesquely bad taste. Particularly the bit about the little red ball hitting the wicket, that's very nasty."

-- Slartibartfast

"Um."

-- Arthur Dent

Oh Belgium! I knew that already....Uh oh gotta run! a Kricket robot warrior has just hove into view...[:p]