A Cricket eulogy too soon
I think all this talk of England winning the Ashes is a bit premature. All that I have read in the papers, followed on the Internet and seen on TV seems to suggest that Australia will not be retaining the Ashes this time around. Hang on there!
There is still one match to go. If Australia win this match, they WILL retain the Ashes. Even though England is 2-1 ahead, they could still lose.
People seem to forget that this Australian team is the same team that has dominated World cricket for so long and for good reason too. They outplayed the English in the first game. The core of the team hasn't changed. They are quite the fighters and professionals and I would be very very surprised if they went down without a fight. Infact, I would go so far as to say that the odds of Australia winning are higher than England drawing or winning the last game.
I think Ponting is a bit of a waste in the captaincy arena. He might be a fine batsman but he has shown a very sad side to himself by throwing a tantrum at being run out. If he can keep his wits on him, he may be able to command his troops better than Vaughan, who is riding the wave.
One other thing that is in favor of the Aussies is the return of Mcgrath for them and the absence of Jones for the English. That has gotta hurt the English. Oh, and the Aussies have Warnie too. He is playing like a man possessed (for non-cricketing reasons) and I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes the surprise hero of the final Test.
For the English, Flintoff is doing great. The openers are a bit suspect, especially with Mcgrath returning. The middle order is aslo not as stable. If only they would not open the bubblies before it really is time they might be able to hold on and go for a draw. Actually, going for a draw might not be the best way to play. I think the strategy must be to go for a win.
All in all, after a really long time, I am looking forward to a great game. Gotta get ready to bunker down for the late nights....