I agree. There are of course those who can’t appreciate cricket unless Australia is winning, but I think most cricket lovers will have enjoyed the series for the cricket itself. The fact we’re 2-1 down with a Test to go is disappointing on one level, but what a ride it’s been to get there - and we simply don’t know what’s going to happen at the final test. Fascinating stuff.

Maybe if we had two teams at the top of their form, playing great cricket, then it could be called the greatest series ever. But Australia have been dominated everywhere you look. It’s only England’s inability to finish us off, and some fighting spirit from the aussies, that the matches have been close. We should have been thumped in the last 3 matches. If the series finishes 2-2 England will be majorly pissed off and Australia will be very happy. Not the greatest series ever and not because we are losing, but I can understand why the Poms are calling it that.

Well, terms like “greatest ever” are hyperbole. I still say it is a great series though.

well said tim. they had the greatest test dvd out after Edgbaston, and look where the series has gone from there. Suffice it to say it os one of the most riveting and passionate series in a looong time.
As for a draw being a good result, darryl, that would be subjectove no?:)
From a sort of objective view, England will feel they must win this series. A Draw will certainly be fortunate for Australia, and leave you with the feeling that you ‘got away’.

akr, sure if Eng play better in the last game, they should win. And if Aus manage to raise their game, they should win, and the series justifiably a draw, since Aus played way better than Eng at Lords.

And as for the ‘greatest series ever’ tag…we Indians will just call it ‘greatest 5 test series’

I think the series in India was better. They came from one match down and were forced to follow on in the second, to come back and win the series from there was amazing. Pity it wasn’t decided over 5 games.

There have been so many Test series in 100+ years of cricket, I really think it’s too hard to give such a lable to any particular series. But certainly, this one has been incredible, and how many series have had three games in a row (so far) that have been nailbiting right until the end?

Thoroughly enjoyed catching up on the goings on the ashes blog - loved the pictures.

I think if the aussies were as dominant as in the past perhaps this would be the greatest ever series. HOwever the emotion of not being thumped 4-1, and the emotion of the closeness of the finishes to the last 3 tests contributes to it being up there.

It was interesting watching Warne weave his spell yesterday - and seeing that Eng haven’t lost that ‘rabbit looking into the headlights’ look.

Interesting also that the Aussies are so ‘jolly’ nice - your strike bowlers are lovely jovial blokes. THere is no edge - the best Ponting could muster was ‘cheats’

Anyway thanks for this blog - onto Oval and the flatest wicket in test history!

Thoroughly enjoyed catching up on the goings on the ashes blog - loved the pictures.

I think if the aussies were as dominant as in the past perhaps this would be the greatest ever series. HOwever the emotion of not being thumped 4-1, and the emotion of the closeness of the finishes to the last 3 tests contributes to it being up there.

It was interesting watching Warne weave his spell yesterday - and seeing that Eng haven’t lost that ‘rabbit looking into the headlights’ look.

Interesting also that the Aussies are so ‘jolly’ nice - your strike bowlers are lovely jovial blokes. THere is no edge - the best Ponting could muster was ‘cheats’

Anyway thanks for this blog - onto Oval and the flatest wicket in test history!

opps sorry I struggle to post - hope you can delete the duplication

Thanks everyone.

akr, you said that a 2-2 series result would make the Australians think we got away with it. I don’t think so. Of the two Tests Australia has lost, we’ve been within 3 runs and 3 wickets of winning. Then we’ve had one draw, and a win. England haven’t run away with it … they’ve won 2 Tests, and only just.

Matt, I still think this series has been better than India 2001. We’ve had 3 cliffhangers in a row that could have gone either way … we didn’t get that back then (but then there were only 3 Tests).

Gordon, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed this little blog. As for the Aussie bowlers, they are pretty decent blokes. As are some of the England boys. Quite why the British press insist (at least initially) on this Australian team being a mean, aggressive, ugly side I do not know.

Well, when England were 40-odd for 4, and Warne had, what, two wickets for one run, the game seemed to be Australia’s to lose - and they showed they knew how to do it.

Given that it’s played so much in the mind - Boycott and Mark Nicholas on C4 were saying that the bowler only gets you out 10% of the time, the rest you get yourself out - I would say Australia’s problem is mental.

When did they last go to the Oval with only one century from the batsmen? Or with any kind of faith in only three bowlers (one of whom may not be fit)?

Right. Australia are struggling … they’ve got plenty of problems to deal with, and they will have to be dealt with at The Oval if they want to win. Can they do it? Well, at the very least they’ll need McGrath back … and they need another centurion or two, preferably from the top order.

The reason I say ‘got away with it’ darryl is that the close finishes have come about despite some bad play from the aussies. there have been reviving performances from the likes of Lee and Warne, and England still haven’t got the hang of hammering the last nails, letting the Aussies get far closer than they should have. After Lord’s Australia has definitely looked the lesser team.
I mean, think about it- if it were a draw, could you really say the two teams finished the series on equal footing?

for a less accurate but interesting pointer, see the session count in my blog’s sidebar- it has turned into a massacre…

As an English fan, I’d be gutted if we draw the Ashes, but I wouldn’t be too bothered.
This has got to be some of the best Aus/Eng cricket I have ever seen.
Warne is my man of the series by a long way, closely following by Brett Lee. There have been some great performances by others on both side, but these two have stood out a long way for me. The passion that Lee showed in that last match was awesome. I couldn’t watch the last day live, I had to switch off and watch the highlights later.
For the first time in years, I don’t really care who wins, because whoever does, will deserver it. And it has been one of the most sporting displays I’ve ever seen (well, apart from this row about fielding, I didn’t know it was a problem).
Forget the 80’s, this series has surpassed that for me, whoever wins.

This may not be THE greatest series ever, but it has captured the imagination of the British public. I was at a 70th Birthday party last weekend and the two living rooms were crammed full of both cricket and non cricket lovers who were glued to the last few overs before we all ‘adjourned’ to the Bar-b-q again.

With the last two matches going down to the wire this has been the closest series for a long time.

The overall quality of the cricket may not be the highest seen, but I’d rather have a close exciting series than a one sided contest (which isn’t good for the game in the long run).

I have three tickets for the Oval next Saturday. Can’t wait

Enjoy your day at the Oval next Saturday, Lazlo. It should be great!! And when you get back home again, be sure to let us know what you thought of it all.

I love reading this blog. Anyway, cricket is a great game, unless of course you are English.