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The Ashes – just an average test series?

If you believe the hype surrounding this winter’s Ashes, you’d be forgiven for thinking we’re about to witness the cricketing equivalent of Clash of the Titans. The world rankings, however, say otherwise. The Ashes are, after all, simply a contest between the fourth and fifth best sides in the world. That’s two average teams that cannot claim to be world-beaters by any stretch of the imagination. In 2005 it was different. The Aussies arrived in Blighty as the undisputed heavyweight champions of...

The secret Ashes weapon left behind in Watford

It’s become a cliche to observe that this is the best-prepared England Ashes touring party in history. From video analysis to nutrition, sports psychology to biomechanics, no stone has been left unturned. Or so it seemed – until an extraordinary piece of video evidence today revealed a potentially critical oversight on the part of England coach Andy Flower. As the squad prepared to board their flight this morning, BBC Breakfast interviewed Mike Gatting and screened footage of...

May the best team win … as long as it’s England

Andrew Strauss and the England cricket team fly out to Australia today with the hopes of the nation on their shoulders. The pre-tour interviews have been done, the WAGS have been kissed goodbye, KP has packed his twenty gallons of Red Bull, and Stuart Broad has slipped his anger management self-help guide into his hand luggage. The first ball of the first test is now under a month away – and normally we’d say that England’s first embarrassing tour defeat, usually at the hands of a motley crew...

Should England take their WAGS to the Ashes?

The wives and girlfriends of England’s footballers have become part of the nation’s cultural fabric. A soccer Wag acquires instant celebrity status; their exploits, however trivial, are hungrily devoured by the tabloids – and inspire racy TV drama series. In golf’s Ryder Cup, the players’ partners generate their own biosphere of glamour and sub-plots. Their fashion choices become virtually a competition within a competition. By contrast, cricketers’ wives are...

Lies, damn spies, and statistics – a look at the Ashes batting battle

England fly to Australia on Friday, so it’s time to begin the pre-Ashes analysis and banter. Thus far, most experts seem to believe that the bowling attacks hold the key to success down under. However, they’re forgetting one important, albeit rather obvious, thing: the skill of the batsmen they’re bowling at is just as important. Sachin Tendulkar made Shane Warne look average on a number of occasions. Meanwhile, Worcestershire’s own frog-in-a-blender, Jack Shantry, would look like Geoff...

The Monty ringtone

Exciting news from Australia, where an England-supporting Aussie has pioneered an important breakthough in the crucial Ashes battleground of novelty ringtones. Phil Dye, a lecturer, musician, and cricketing Anglophile, has composed and recorded a special song in tribute to Monty Panesar – which you can now download to your mobile. Phil got in touch with us to say: “ Monty shows an exuberance for cricket that is infectious. Besides being a great bowler, he is a terrific ambassador for the...

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