The Ashes - First Test Review

Cricket has had a bit of renaissance, well with us at least. The recent Twenty/20 World Cup had to be considered a success overall, with Ireland in particular once again punching above their weight. So much so that when the ICC draw up plans for the next few years, Ireland are going to be involved along with all the top nations. Fully deserved as we have been ever improving in recent times.

It also benefits that the World Cup was held in England so that most of the buzz is retained for the latest Ashes series which began last week pitting the hosts against Australia. And seeing as how this is a summer that is absent from from a major football tournament or the Olympics, The Ashes takes top billing in the summer sporting calendar, providing 5 five-day Tests spread out during the summer months. Since there's nothing else on, why not...

Two or so years ago Australia whitewashed England 5-0 to regain the Ashes, but shush, the British media don't make mention to that, they prefer to focus on England's narrow 2-1 win from 4 years ago.

Both sides were going into the contest in not the best form and the teams are much changed from 4, or even 2 years ago. So you had the impression that it was either going to be a case of 2 poor teams cancelling each other out, or either the scenario of each side trying to outdo the other and prove that they are genuinely the best. Thankfully from the basis of the first Test, it looks like it will probably be the former.

England won the toss and sensibly batted first and posted a remarkable score of over 400 all out, however Australia saw their target and raised it significantly posting a score of about 650 for only the loss of a handful of wickets to put them firmly in the driving seat. It was particularly impressive that 4 of their batsmen got centuries or more, something unheard of. Marcus North scored his very first 100 on his very first Ashes match, much to the chagrin of Englishmen everything.

Australia eventually declared and took a couple of England's wickets before a close of a day, a very smart move by their captain, the sublime Ricky Ponting. This left the Aussies with a full day to take 8 England wickets to win the Test. But they just couldn't do it, which resulted in a drawn game. Not even when it came down to England's worst two batsmen, 2 bowling specialists, who managed to stay at the crease for 40 minutes. Praise must go to middle-order batter Paul Collingwood who stayed in for 5-and-a-half hours. He was effectively the glue that held everyone else together.

Now, I am not a fan of England in any shape or form, not even in the slightest, but is was simply compelling viewing to watch them hang in there by hook or crook to do enough to secure a draw.

This Test was actually played in Cardiff, Wales due to the English board actually encompassing 'The England and Wales Cricket Board'. There were a few eyebrows raised - some in favour of taking the sport around the country and giving new places & fans an opportunity; some against as it will cost the club Glamorgan ages to repay all the loans they took out to bid and do up the stadium, and also that the venue took away the opportunity of traditional grounds like Old Trafford staging a venue. The pitch wasn't the best either as the bowlers did not get much out of it, but I guess it gave the batsmen to show off their skills. Ah well, six of one, half a dozen of the other. In the end, was it entertaining? The general consensus is "yes", and so it will ultimately go down as a success for staging it here. It was humorous though to see 15,000 Welshmen cheer on England.

It is rare that a team who post over 400 in their first innings don't go on and win, but Australia were in no mood to mess around. So this draw will feel like a victory for England and conversely it will feel like a defeat for Australia. It's set-up very nicely for the Second Test tomorrow which takes place at Lords, "The Home of Cricket". Before this all started, I had said to myself that I think Australia will take the series 3-1, that's still on the cards.