The Ashes

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Today (1st August) we see the return of what is the oldest rivalry in cricket... England take on Australia in the first of 5 test matches in a series to decide the fate of the Ashes.

Australia currently hold the Ashes (which is a little earn about 6" tall which contains the burnt remains of some bails dating back to the 1880s) but they haven't won on English soil since 2001.

England have concentrated on the shorter form of the game in recent years so the advantage may be with Australia. We shall see!

[Jack the Stripper]

One of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in world sport full stop. Love the Ashes, love test cricket but the Ashes is the only test series that truly matters and nothing's better than beating the poms on their home turf 

Really looking forward to this series.

[Jack the Stripper]

England started well with 3 early wickets(Warner wasnt out but stupidly didn't refer ) but then the Aussies looked to have steadied the ship somewhat before just losing their 4th wicket and are currently 99-4

Big blow for England with one of their strike bowlers Jimmy Anderson out of the match and possibly the series with a calf injury.

[Jack the Stripper]

Ok I've seen enough for one night. The Aussies are in all sorts.

My bed is calling me 

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Great start for England, but I'm not counting my chickens before we have had a bat. 129-8 is poor for the Aussies, but it might be a poor batting wicket so I'll reserve judgment for now.

And yes the loss of Anderson is a blow to the bowling line-up but the rest have done well.

[Zzzptm]

Any way to watch the Ashes either on delay or after the fact?

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

A quick google came up with this, but it's not free

How to live stream England vs Australia in America

The first Test of the Ashes will kick off in the U.S. at 6 a.m. on the Willow TV channel. Willow is available both as an ala carte streaming service (for $9.99 per month), and as a part of cable TV packages, from providers including Dish, Fios Verizon and Charter. It's also available for $9.99 per month as an add-on for Sling TV.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Australia recovered well finishing on 284. In no small part because of Smith (144) and Siddle (44).

A nervy few overs for England before the close.

[Zzzptm]

Was able to watch highlights on YouTube... but that's not really the same... Still, England's got a real mountain to climb for the next day!

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

^^^
Oh I don't know. we would have been quite happy with that score at the beginning of the day.

[Jack the Stripper]

Great fight back by Australia. Smiths innings was all guts. To do what he's done after being out for so long is quite incredible!

Have to say I am quite disappointed with the English crowds booing him so loudly when he reached his century. By all means boo Smith, Warner & Bancroft when they walk out to bat but the booing should be put away when they reach such a milestone.

They weren't the first and won't be the last to be caught out ball tampering.
The ICC saw fit to give them a 3 game ban, more than anyone else had previously recieved but the Austrailan cricket board were not satisfied with that punishment and dished out their own punishment on top of that handing them a 12 month suspension from all forms of cricket and stripping Smith of the captaincy. No other cricket board around the world has ever done such a thing. In fact, in England, you get done for ball tampering you end up getting an OBE 

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

^^^ They remember the sledging our players get when we are in Australia, but they'll get over it soon enough, it's not like they were drug cheats.

A solid - if a little slow - reply from England today, 267-4 with Burns making his debut test century. I was a little concerned when we lost a couple of quick wickets, but they've steadied the ship again.

[Jack the Stripper]

The Aussies haven't bowled nearly as good as the English. Just not not getting the ball in the right areas consistently enough. Have to say the umpiring as been inept at best in this test. So many wrong decisions and others not given out when out. Burns was out on about 26 but Australia stupidly didn't challenge. Could end up costing them the test match.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

A good start for the Aussies on day 3, taking four quick wickets before lunch reducing England to 300-8 with just a 16 lead. The England middle order -- except for Stokes -- all failed, but the tail wagged to extend the lead over Australia to 90 by the time they were all out for 374.

Two early wickets in Australia's second innings suggests England are on top but the Aussies have batting in depth so I'm not going to make any assumptions about how the innings will pan out.

[Jack the Stripper]

I think England just have their noses in front at this stage but if Smith & Head can build a partnership and we can set England a total of 280 + we will be right in the game. Head looked in good touch in the first innings before going out.