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...
Just to perk up your Friday: part two
England clinch place in ICC Test Championship playoffs … if only
Sydney Morning Herald readers would be choking on their vegemite sarnies if it was 2013. After Australia’s recent 0-2 test series defeat to India, the Aussie headlines would read something like this: ‘Aussies choke as England snatch semi-final berth’, and ‘Ponting in crap captaincy shocker (again)’. Admittedly the latter headline would be appropriate for any period over the last five years, but you catch my drift. I am, of course, referring to the fact that the Canary Yellows now sit fifth in...
The Ashes: your predictions
A month to go till the big one – and high time we indulged in some wild speculation. We’d like to hear your views on the big talking points around the most-hyped England tour to Australia since, er, the last one. And do let us know, too, if you’re planning to head down under to watch some of the action in the flesh. Which matches will you be seeing? So here are the big questions. Please post your thoughts below – and thanks. 1. What will the scoreline be? 2. At which...
Just to perk up your Friday afternoon
What’s happened to New Zealand?
As a child of the 1980s, I grew up in a world in which New Zealand were a very competitive side, and usually stronger than England. In 1980 they beat the mighty West Indies, who wouldn’t lose another test series for the next fifteen years. Mid-decade, they beat us home and away in consecutive series. Martin Crowe was at the peak of his powers, and Richard Hadlee sent a shiver down the spine of test batsmen the world over. Nowadays, it’s a different story. We might be used now to...
