Glenn McGrath will no doubt predict 5-0
September 28, 2017 9:46 AM Subscribe
It's nearly time. As summer ends, with Essex and Worcestershire division champions, Nottinghamshire also promoted, and Warwickshire and Middlesex relegated, along with last minute drama, so the great battle nears. The 65th Ashes is five matches of up to five days each, in The Gabba, Adelaide Oval (under lights), WACA Ground, Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Sydney Cricket Ground. Problems? England's star player and vice-captain arrested (track record), injuries and a lack of top batting. And for Australia, some poor recent results are ominous. KP has opinions! England are better poised to regain the Women's Ashes, which begins soon. Bookies lean towards Australia; as cricket becomes more violent (off-pitch Ashes fighting), new rules. Post title, and let the mind games begin...
::runs in with the bad rehash of the maiden's left googly joke::
posted by infini at 10:25 AM on September 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by infini at 10:25 AM on September 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
The first test is at the Gabba? I can see that from my house. The guy that looks after the pitch just retired after 27 years.
FTA: “We are now on the search for someone who is passionate about what they do, someone who can produce, maintain and present a world class, multi-use field of play and keep the wicket at the highest standard for which it’s become renowned and emulate the success Kevin has achieved so far.”
Uh-oh, seems like they don't have a pitch-guy ready. It's going to be a hot summer. It was 36c yesterday and it's still september. And we get afternoon storms. But then, the English invented a game that relies on five days of unbroken fair weather. In England.
posted by adept256 at 10:27 AM on September 28, 2017 [3 favorites]
FTA: “We are now on the search for someone who is passionate about what they do, someone who can produce, maintain and present a world class, multi-use field of play and keep the wicket at the highest standard for which it’s become renowned and emulate the success Kevin has achieved so far.”
Uh-oh, seems like they don't have a pitch-guy ready. It's going to be a hot summer. It was 36c yesterday and it's still september. And we get afternoon storms. But then, the English invented a game that relies on five days of unbroken fair weather. In England.
posted by adept256 at 10:27 AM on September 28, 2017 [3 favorites]
It appears one or two of the England squad fully intend to come out swinging.
posted by fullerine at 10:28 AM on September 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by fullerine at 10:28 AM on September 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
The picture linked from "summer ends" was taken (by a much better photographer than me) at pretty much where I sit on returning to my home county.
posted by Wordshore at 11:22 AM on September 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Wordshore at 11:22 AM on September 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
"The Parable of Glenn McGrath's Haircut"
Only because I'll probably never have another chance to link to this on MeFi. As you were.
posted by SansPoint at 11:42 AM on September 28, 2017 [4 favorites]
Only because I'll probably never have another chance to link to this on MeFi. As you were.
posted by SansPoint at 11:42 AM on September 28, 2017 [4 favorites]
I was at the Oval for the final match of the 2005 Ashes, and McGrath was fielding on the boundary near where we were sitting. So the fans got a chant going of ‘What’s the score, Glenn McGrath?’. And after a while he responded by sticking up a V-sign with one hand and the middle finger of the other behind his back, which everyone cheered.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 12:10 PM on September 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 12:10 PM on September 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
From a final day match report (worth a read to the end):
And thus the joy of the triumphal moment was mixed with the bittersweet sadness that lies on all cricket grounds in September. "Der Sommer war sehr groß / Leg deinen Schatten auf die Sonnenuhren" wrote Rilke, who was actually something of a Kolpak poet. "The huge summer has gone by / Now overlap the sundials with your shadows."
posted by Wordshore at 1:53 PM on September 28, 2017
And thus the joy of the triumphal moment was mixed with the bittersweet sadness that lies on all cricket grounds in September. "Der Sommer war sehr groß / Leg deinen Schatten auf die Sonnenuhren" wrote Rilke, who was actually something of a Kolpak poet. "The huge summer has gone by / Now overlap the sundials with your shadows."
posted by Wordshore at 1:53 PM on September 28, 2017
It looks like Stokes may be off the team after this punch up in Bristol.
posted by adept256 at 2:13 PM on September 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by adept256 at 2:13 PM on September 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
My first day back in Perth will be the last day of the third test. Maybe I'll try and pick up tickets because this is the last year the WACA is going to be hosting any international level cricket. Yet another part of my childhood in that city will die along with Subi, one way streets in the CBD and a useful Riverside Drive.
posted by Talez at 4:55 PM on September 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Talez at 4:55 PM on September 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'm Irish and completely clueless about cricket and can't tell you when I read the score of a match who actually won, but I do feel strongly about this: the attempt at marginalising the County Championship, featuring entities like Yorkshire and Middlesex that go back to the Norman conquest, in favour of something called NatWest T20 Blast that has bullshit made up 'franchise' names like Birmingham Bears, Lancashire Lightning, and Northamptonshire Steelbacks, is a disgrace.
posted by kersplunk at 6:05 AM on September 29, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by kersplunk at 6:05 AM on September 29, 2017 [3 favorites]
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posted by NoMich at 10:03 AM on September 28, 2017 [1 favorite]