Hmm...

So we lost. Not just a little bit, but big time. A comprehensive, sound, solid drubbing. It didn't seem possible after the first day and well into the second - I went to sleep comfortable in the knowledge that we'd bowled the Aussie's out for a meagre 268 and were on 71-0 and looking pretty peachy. I woke up six and a half hours later to Australia batting which was not a good sign. A woeful England batting display and an inspired Mitchell Johnson meant Australia were still in the lead as they entered their second innings. 81 runs ahead to be specific. The Aussie's then reached a pretty respectable but not unattainable score of 309, leaving England needing 401 runs to win. England's second batting attempt, however, was woefully rubbish as they were dismissed for a pathetic 123.

Australia have levelled the Test at 1-1 with two Tests to go. It's not the end of the world, we still have a better chance than Australia of retaining the Ashes. We have, however, made it a little more difficult for ourselves; a little more tense. The Aussie's will now have the momentum and will be feeling pretty good at the next Test. We need to make a good start on Boxing Day. We need to get our mojo back. We need to remember how to bat again.

I have noticed some Straussisms that amuse me:

- 'sub-par' (an expression often used to describe their batting)

- 'brand of cricket'

More to come if and when I notice them.

I'll keep you blogged...

Welcome to Perth

Perth: the most isolated city in the world. Cricket stadium: the Wacca (these Aussies...). England lead 1-0 after two tests and a win here will seal the Ashes for us. A good first day is a must. We win the toss and opt to field. A few early wickets perhaps, some good low-scoring overs. The possibility of bowling them out on the first day again? Surely not.

Well, actually, surely yes! (Or whatever the opposite to 'surely not' is...) England put on a beautiful display and reduced Australia to 268 all out. The Aussie's were 69-5 at one point so did well to reach that total, thanks mostly to 'Mr Cricket' Hussey, Haddin and Johnson (who was having some beef with Anderson which I always love in cricket. They get so bitchy. It's brilliant.) who all hit half centuries in an otherwise uninspired batting display. Collingwood made a stunning catch to oust Cap'ain Ponting (is his job in jeapordy?) who had played a few pretty tasty balls and looked to be settling in for a thrilling innings. He was pretty peeved to have to leave, I would think. And much more peeved to witness the fast and disturbing demise of his team. By the end of play Strauss and Cook had steered England nicely to 29-0.

Boy, I wish I had Sky Sports. Anyone want to buy me a subscription for Christmas?

Also, my brother just showed me the light and posted a link to Swann's Video Diaries of the Ashes. They are hilarious. Please find it on youtube. Seriously worth it.

I went to a Carol Service last night. One I used to sing in every year. It was great and nostalgic and really quite beautiful. It felt good to sing choral music again. I need to join a choir. I miss it. And I was killing those high notes (in a good way).

I'll keep you blogged...

Snooker

Oh, Higgins, how we've missed you. He just beat Mark Williams to win the UK Title and the last of 2010 10-9 in an epic comeback. He trailed Mark throughout the match, losing 6-2 and 9-5, and looked dead and buried when Williams went within a frame of victory. He admitted afterwards that he thought he'd get 'a frame or two back' after Mark reached 9 but thought he was out of it. Not so much, Higgins my dear, not so much. He went on to win five fine frames in a row and consequently a third UK Championship title.

It was a great match. Free, flowing, and very fast. Anyone who thinks Snooker is a boring sport should watch that game. A tearful Higgins dedicated his win to his ill father. I can't remember seeing Higgins that tearful before. I think that victory meant a lot to him. He's had a tough year - he was banned from playing for six months after failing to report a match-fixing approach. I don't really get how The News of the World got away with that; surely that's entrapment? Why wasn't it illegal? That's probably a dumb thing to say but I honestly think it's completely unfair. I cannot imagine Higgins doing anything like match fixing. I, for one, am pleased as punch that he's back and has so far made three out of three finals and won two of those.

I'll keep you blogged...

.............................................

00:57 - ENGLAND HAVE WON THE SECOND TEST OF THE ASHES BY AN INNINGS AND 71 RUNS!!!!

I'll keep you blogged...

Mourning

I am in mourning.

Stuart Broad has had to go home after suffering an abdominal strain. No more Ashes for him. No more Australia for him. He said playing an Ashes series in Australia has always been a dream of his so he must be seriously disappointed right now, especially as England have such a good chance of winning this one. Man, he must be gutted.

Poor poor Stu. My heart goes out to you you beautiful man. Although you'll be back in good ol' Blighty now so perhaps we'll happen to meet and you'll realise we were made for each other...

Ok, perhaps not.

But hey, who cares about all of that (I do!), England are about to win the second Test of the series!! Australia are on a pathetic 286-8. YES PLEASE!!!

I'll keep you blogged...

Birthday!

Yesterday was my birthday. I turned 25 and went to see Harry Potter. Yes, Harry Potter. It was excellent. I thoroughly recommend it. A bit scary actually. Well, a lot scary - Ralph Fiennes is a convincing bad guy.

So forgive me for not updating yesterday but I was out partying hardy with Ron (I wish). Luckily, I only have good things to report.

Lets do the football first. Nasri put on a scintillating display for Arsenal and helped them to a 2-1 win at home against Fulham in what was a great match (by all accounts - I did not actually see it because of all that partying but I read about it and rejoiced in their glory). To add to the joy, Chelsea continued their poor form and drew with Birmingham. Man U are yet to play (playing tomorrow eve) so have a game-in-hand but as it stands right now in the table, Arsenal are top on 32, Man U second on 31, and Chelsea third with 30. If Man U lose tomorrow I will be a happy ducky...

I've been watching the Aegon Masters Tennis at The Albert Hall which has been great. Ivanisevic won the singes today. Tiger Tim got to the semi-finals. All the matches are so entertaining because everyone's so layed back. The doubles are especially great. The final was between Pat Rafter/Peter McNamara and Henry Leconte/Mansour Bahrami. All good people - my crush on Pat Rafter lives on even though he no longer has the ponytail - and such entertainment. Even my mother was happy to sit down and watch these four going at it. Bahrami is a genius.

Ok, enough messing around, lets get down to the important stuff. Cricket. The Ashes. Second Test, Day 2-3. So England had got off to the perfect start - bowled the Aussie's out for a delightful 245. They needed to back this up with a powerful batting display - a win here would be a huge step to retaining The Ashes and winning Down Under for the first time since the mid-eighties. Strauss and Cook strutted out onto the field, no doubt feeling upbeat and confident thanks to the impressive bowling and fielding the day before. Strauss, however, was not to personally continue this Aussie massacre. He had a brief lapse of judgement and left a ball he thought would miss the stumps... unfortunately, it did not.

So in trots Trott. Cook and Trott put on another great partnership - 173 runs. Then Pietersen joined the festivities and quickly clocked up a meaty 85. Cook, however, once again looked the best as he hit a 136 not out.

Day 3 and Australia need an early wicket in order to stop the rot and have any hope of getting something out of this second Test. Pietersen looks the more likely to go out as he's the more flamboyant player and therefore more at risk but it's steady Cook who goes first. A great ball from Harris forced him into an inside edge and wicketkeeper Haddin takes a fine diving catch to his right. Cook went for 148 after batting for 1,058 minutes since his last dismissal in the first innings of the opening Test in Brisbane. That really is a long time and pretty amazing.

On comes Collingwood (all-together now - 'The Paul Scholes of Cricket' (can I put my own quote in quotation marks? Audacious)) and notches up a handy 42 before an lbw sees him off. Pieterson, meanwhile, has notched up a 150 and pleased as punch he is about it. He let out a squeal of delight as he hits his hundred; his first Test hundred since March 2009. Bell, on fine fettle for some time now, came out firing, notching up a 41 not out by the days close. Pietersen finished the premature end-of-day (due to rain) with 213. That's two innings in a row with a player hitting a double century. None too shabby.

So England finished the day 551 - 4, which is 306 runs ahead. It's more than likely Strauss will declare overnight as there are more rain storms predicted over the next two days. Whatever happens ours is a very commanding position to be in and we should - should - win this Test.

I'll keep you blogged...

Cricket = good times

Oh, England, how I adore thee.

Australia were dismissed for 245, thanks largely to a stunning 4-51 by one Jimmy Anderson who was singing like a Kookaburra from the very first ball. Last night, through a foggy sleepy haze, I read that Katich had gone out for a 'diamond duck' and Ponting for a 'golden duck'. I have just been feverishly looking these terms up and have discovered that a 'diamond duck' either refers to a player being dismissed without facing a ball (usually run out), as was the case for Katich, thanks to a magnificent throw by Jonathon Trott, or going out to the first ball of a match. A 'golden duck' is assigned to a player being dismissed by his first ball. Phew, now we've got that sorted.

Anderson's blistering start, which saw Australia 2-3 after only 15 minutes of play, set the tone for much of the first day. Hussey, once again Australia's best player, hit an impressive 93 but could hardly expect to have done better than that as his support was quickly dwindling. The tail-end of the Aussie batting order is none too good.

So a strong, sensible and intelligent bowling and fielding display by England. This bodes very well indeed. If England can capitalise on their early advantage in Adelaide this could be an all-important Test for them. A win here would set them in very good stead indeed for the rest of the Ashes series.

Cannot wait for Day 2.

I'll keep you blogged...