Story England Vs Australia - Ashes Tour - Australia

[S_Harmison]

The England boys face the ultimate test, the Aussies, cricketing giants of the world, we will travel there under no false pretenses, this is going to be a long hard battle but confidence is always a factor and hanging around the camp these last few days i can see the squad are full of it. We face a range of obstacales once there including a ODI tournament and two Twenty20 matches, but i feel we are ready to prove ourselves, We go to Australia in high spirits and go down in history whether the reason be good or bad......

The team that will take on the Aussies was announced earlier today in a press conference allong with the Australian Team and the New Zealand team that will be taking part in the Triangular ODI tournament, the fixtures were also released in the same statement.

England Squad:

M Vaughan (c)
J Anderson
G Jones (wk)
M Butcher
R Clarke
P Collingwood
A Flintoff
A Giles
S Harmison
N Hussain
M Hoggard
A Caddick
M Saggers
A Strauss
M Trescothick
G Thorpe
D Gough
V Solanki
J Kirtley
A McGrath

Australia Squad:

R Ponting
A Gilchrist (wk)
M Bevan
A Bishel
J Gilespie
M Hayden
B Hogg
B Lee
D Lehmann
J Maher
D Martyn
G McGrath
A Symonds
I Harvey
N Howritz
S Waugh (c)
M Love
S Macgill
J Langer
W Bracken

New Zealand Squad:

S Fleming (c)
M Sinclair
N Astle
S Bond
C Cairns
L Harris
B McCullum
C McMillain
I Butler
J Oram
K Mills
S Styris
D Tuffey
D Vettori
L Vincent
C Navin (wk)
R Hart (wk)
P Wiseman
M Richardson


Fixtures:

Tour Matches:

Oct 29 - Charmand XI - Lilac Hill
Oct 31 - Western Australia - Perth
Nov 7 - Southern Austalia - Adelaide
Nov 13 - Queensland - Cairns
Dec 5 - Victoria - Melbourne
Dec 17 - Ministers XI - Conbera
Dec 19 - Australia A - Hobart
Jan 8 - Queensland - Brisbane


Test Series:

5 Matches:

Nov 20 - Australia - Brisbane
Nov 28 - Australia - Perth
Dec 11 - Australia - Adelaide
Dec 26 - Australia - Melbourne
Jan 2 - Australia - Sydney


ODI Triangular Tournament:

Jan 10 - Aus Vs Eng - Brisbane
Jan 11 - Nzl Vs Eng - Hobart
Jan 13 - Aus Vs Nzl - Adelaide
Jan 15 - Aus Vs Eng - Brisbane
Jan 16 - Aus Vs Nzl - Sydney
Jan 17 - Nzl Vs Eng - Adelaide

Finals:

To Be Decided and Announced.

Twenty20 Matches:

Feb 5 - Australia - Brisbane
Feb 10 - New Zealand - Sydney


Well the plane flys out today, wish our boys luck.....

 

[The_gas]

good luck old chap

 

[S_Harmison]

The Cricket Show opens the day on Channel 4 before a day of live cricket from The Ashes Tour as England take on the Chairmans XI

The England camp has been buzzing these last couple of training sessions as they get ready to face their first test, The Chairmans XI in a 50 over match at Lilac Hill, the lads are in the nets and look ready and rearing to go as Andrew Flintoff drives straight back down to Ashley Giles at the other end. Talking to a few of the lads they seem optimistic, this is what happened when we chatted to Micheal Vaughan.


TCS: Micheal, your form as of late has not been to a great standard, do you feel that you should move yourself down the order and let other batsmen have a shot or is it just a patch your going through?

Vaughan: I certainly still believe that i am opening batsman quality, as you said my recent form has dipped but if i continiue playing high in the batting order i feel my confidence will return.

TCS: Going back to that question, you seem to be going for under 10 most of the time, why do you think that is?

Vaughan: I think that its the pressure of trying to get a good score, smashing away from the start is a bit rash but when people critise your performance constantly you feel the need to prove yourself.

TCS: Youre captaincy of the England squad has never been under question, do you feel you have proved yourself as a captain?

Vaughan: I think this is my ultimate test, if i can win The Ashes trophey then i will be bale to call myself a good captain, i think im making the right descisions most of the time and i am always looking for new ways to take wickets.

TCS: What has the motivation been in the dressing room in past games and what will be on the board for your first 50 over match against the Chairmans XI?

Vaughan: In the past the motivation has come from the main characters in the dressing room, people like Darren Gough for example but being here in the buld up to one of the greatest matches some of these popel will ever play is motivation enough and there will be three things on the board before todays match. Stay Focused. 3 Cathches and Take your Time.

TCS: Micheal, thanks for taking this time to talk to us and good luck.

Vaughan: Thanks.


Well thats all we have time for on The Cricket Show today but im sure you wont be changing channel anytime soon as Channel 4's live coverage of Englands first match will start very soon!!

 

[S_Harmison]

The adverts finish and the camera focuses on the stumps, it pans out to reveal a normal looking pitch with a bit of green, a voiceover cuts in:

Hello and welcome to what looks to be a lovely days cricket, we have already seen that the england boys camp and they look ready to go, well not long now till the cointoss, the pitch looks Normal with the wheather being Sunny and Humid, no chance of rain today you will all be glad to hear, well here come the captains for the toss, id be looking to bat on this pitch.

The Chairmans XI Win the toss and elect to Bat.

Well here come the teams out onto the pitch, both looked in top form in the nets but we will be expecting an England win by at least 8 wickets here.

England:

1) M Vaughan (c)
2) M Trescothick
3) G Thorpe
4) A Flintoff
5) A Strauss
6) V Solanki
7) G Jones (wk)
8) A Giles
9) M Hoggard (1)
10) A Caddick (2)
11) S Harmison

Charmains XI:

1) M Morris
2) S Morton
3) A Wilson
4) P Hewton
5) A Abraham
6) K Turner
7) R Walker
8) S Grant
9) W Grove
10) J Mann
11) C Howre



Hoggard warms up as he prepares to bowl the first ball, two seamers have been given the new ball as the green on the pitch should get some movement.

Hoggard bowls an over entusiastic ball which he oversteps, a no ball, its edged around the slips for 4, not a good start for England.

He makes up for it a few balls later as Hoggard pitches a full ball to Morton and is caught by solanki, out first ball for a duck.

Chairmans XI: 6/1

The New Batsman plays a slow on drive and is picked up by solanki, the batsmen make a suicide run and Hoggard runs out the new batsman for a first ball duck.

Chairmans X1: 6/2

The man facing the Hatrick Ball edges to the slips but its called as a no ball although Hoggards foot is behind the line.

Another no ball call as Flintoffs first ball uproots Middle Stump.

Flintoff is made to pay by Hewton (8*) who smashes him for 4 the next ball.

Hoggard pitches a fantastic ball and is edged to where a slip was one ball earlier, the England bowlers look good.

Chairmans XI: 33/2

7 Overs:

36/2
Wickets at 6,6
Wide Balls = 4
No Balls = 8
Extras = 12

Morris 10*
Hewton 14*

5.14 run rate.

Flintoff bowls another No Ball which is driven away for 4 on the on side.

Hewson is run out on 14, another slow on drive but this time its Flintoff doing the suicide stumping.

Chaimans XI: 42/3

Flintoff gets his first wicket as Abraham goes for 1, its pitched full at his legs and is flicked away to Solanki who makes a comfortable catch.

Chaimans XI: 43/4

Caddick gets a wicket, bowled a full delivery on the stumps from around the wicket, it goes through the defense on the bounce and uproots middle and leg stump. Morris goes for 16.

Chaimans XI: 45/5

Flintoff with another wonderfull delivery which is edged through the slips for 4.

Charmains XI Make 50 in 17 overs.

Flintoff is smashes away at square leg for 4 but at 56/5 the Chairmans XI need to post a better total.

Harmison is brought into the attack and the pace beats Turner who is clean bowled for 6.

Chaimans XI: 58/6

The new batsman takes a chance and steps away from his wickets, the risk pays of as he gets a square leg boundary.

Another Flintoff no ball is edged past the slips and away for 4.

Solanki is hit for a four on his first ball but manages to get Grant run out for 6.

Chaimans XI: 77/7

Giles is swatted away for a square leg boundary.

Hoggard gets another breakthrough as he clean bowls Grove for 5, the ball pitched straight and turned in to hit leg stump.

Chaimans XI: 86/8

Two balls later he gets his third wicket, a late inswinger beats the bat and hits middle wicket. Mann goes for a duck.

Chaimans XI: 87/9

Flintoff rounds off the innings with a fantastic outswinger which is caught in the slips after an outside edge from the batsman defense.

Chaimans XI: 91 All Out. Howre (4) Not Out.


So after being bowled out for 91 in 41 Overs the Chairmans XI didnt look to comfortable but batting is not this England sides strong point....

We return for Englands Innings after the break.

 

[m_vaughan]

I like the way you are presenting this. by the way does the ps2 have the same bugs as the pc version (for example lineup bug, run out bug, third umpire bug etc)?

Also nothing better than the ashes. I will be playing it myself but on home soil as soon as my natwest series comes to an end.

best of luck with your tour and good start.

 

[tjh1989]

i have the ps2 version and it has the runout bug but it doesn't happen to me when i remove mid off and mid on, it also has the bug when it will not let you continue but i save the game after very 3 overs and if it does happd i load it up and autoplay. It also has the bug when the 2rd umpire is calle in and if the batsmen is given not out the you don't get the runse but apart from those 3 thats them all i think

 

[S_Harmison]

If the runout bug youre talking about is the one where they dont start to run untill the fielder gets the ball then yes i do get that but thats not what happened, they started to run before the fielder got the ball, it was just a really poor shot and how do you save mid game on the PS2?

 

[tjh1989]

When you are at the menu at the end of the over got to save and then save it in one of the 3 save spaces.

 

[S_Harmison]

thanks, never realised you could do that before!!

 

[S_Harmison]

So going into their innings England need a reletively subdued 91 from 50 overs but Englands batting performances as of late havent been anything to shout about.

Vaughan and Trescothick take their places at the crease as the first ball come in, Vaughan knocks it down for a quick single but disaster strikes as Trescothick goes for a first ball duck, The Ball goes under his bat a takes his wicket.

England: 1/1

Thorpe smashes his first ball for a massive six, caught on the middle of the bat on a half volley.

Thorpe gets a four on the next ball on the on side, it gets misfielded and is punished as it rolls to the boundary.

Vaughan goes for 1, another dissapointing innings, he is clean bolwed by Mann.

England: 12/1

Flintoff hits a four onto the off side with ease on his first ball and Thorpe hits another six.

Thorpe (17*)
Flintoff (4*)

4 Byes add to the England total after the wicket kepper misses a fast ball.

England: 27/2

Thorpe is really increasing the run rate as he gets two more sixes to his name.

Thorpe goes for 30 as he plays all around a straight delivery which takes his middle stump. He goes for 30.

England: 40/3

Flintoff hits a siz as Engaldn race ahead.

Strauss steals a single as england make 50.

England: 50/3

Flintoff gets in front of a ball and is called LBW on 13 by Hann.

England: 57/4

Solanki is caught first ball on 0 by Mann

England: 57/5

Jones smashes to the leg side for a 4 before Strauss lifts it over the stands for a 6, England are returning to form.

Jones is then clean bowled by Mann and goes for 6

England: 65/6

Giles smashes a few fours through extra cover

Strauss is piling on the runs with another 6 before being caught LBW by Mann for 23.

England: 80/7

Hoggard gets a few fours before being bowled by Mann trying the get the winning runs.

England: 90/8

Caddick hits a four for the win as England go on to a 2 wicket Victory against a poor Chairmans XI Side. They go on to a 2.5% Success rate.

 

[m_vaughan]

very low scoring match....were they playing Twenty20?

 

[S_Harmison]

50 overs each but i was batting a bit rashly

 

[S_Harmison]

The cricket show opens up channel 4's viewing once again before Englands next hurdle in the Ashes 4000m race .

England arrive at Perth to face the Western Australians in a four day match. The Australian captian Adam Gilchrist will line up with the side so England may be able to gauge what sort of opposition they will face in the Test Series and the ODI's. After a two wicket win over the Chairmans XI earlier in the week Englands spirits were lifted however Micheal Vaughan kept a cool head and he was less that pleased when we went to talk to him earlier:

TCS: Micheal, you won by two wickets but didnt bat particulary well.

Vaughan: I cant exscuse my abismal performance with the bat or others but what i can say is that its early days and we still won, we didnt rack up very high scores and we were too sloppy, giving away soft wickets and not getting in first.

TCS: On the other hand your bowling setup ripped through there batters with four different bowlers taking wickets and the rest really making it hard work for them to score runs.

Vaughan: Yea, one of the aspects of the game was that we bowled superbly, i was surprised to see Steve Harmison only taking one wicket from his superb spell of bowling but im sure they will come. Bringing Mathew Hoggard was a brilliant decision which many doubted but he bowled a great line and length and it paid off. Another aspect of the game i thought was good was the fielding, we managed to get 3 runouts and a few catches which is where we want to be, backing up the bowlers efforts.

TCS: Well Micheal, different gameplan today and different squad i suppose?

Vaughan: There is only one change to the squad, Rob Clarke will be batting at number 6 in place of Vikram Solanki, other than that we stay unchanged.

TCS: Well thats all we have time for Micheal, good luck.


Channel 4's coverage of England Vs Western Australia starts after the break.

 

[S_Harmison]

Channel 4's ashes promo starts off the show as the two captains come out onto the pitch to do the toss.

Hello and welcome to a four day match between England and Western Australia, here at perth the wicket is hard and true, the weather is very sunny and very very hot, spin bowlers will have a great day today and should be the main focus of the attack, no chance of rain in the next four days so it looks like clear sailing for this match. The bounce will be comming in at a nice height for the keeper, about his waist.

Western Autralia win the toss and decide to bat first, the pitch has something in it for both sides but it marginaly favours the bowling team.

England:

1) M Vaughan (c)
2) M Trescothick
3) G Thorpe
4) A Flintoff
5) A Strauss
6) R Clarke
7) G Jones (wk)
8) A Giles
9) M Hoggard (1)
10) A Caddick (2)
11) S Harmison

Western Australia:

1) M Hussey
2) S Meuleman
3) A Gilchrist
4) A North
5) C Rodgers
6) R Campbell
7) B Hogg
8) B Cassan
9) B Williams
10) J Angel
11) M Clarke


Western Australia: 1st Innings:

Hoggard gets the new ball and bowls two No Balls in a row to start with, then on the last ball of his over he gives away 4 byes, not a good start from the boys.

Muleman goes for a duck as Giles picks up his first wicket. Clarke makes his introduction into the team a memorable one as he takes a great catch, he is congratulated heavily by Micheal Vaughan, a huge weight has now lifted form his shoulders.

Western Australia: 7/1

Giles gets another wicket two balls later after a quick single, he finds the edge and the safe hands of Andrew Flintoff are there to cushion it home, Hussey goes for 6.

Western Australia: 8/2

North is next to be dismissed, he goes for a first ball duck, Giles once again finding the edge and Strauss holds onto a hard catch, a great spell of bowling, England are playing to there strenghts.

Western Australia: 8/3

Giles gets his fourth of the over two balls later and is really looking in top form, Rodgers, his latest victim goes for another duck.

Western Australia: 8/4

Ashley Giles:

1 Over
0 Maidens
4 Wickets for 1 Run

Flintoff terrorises the batsmen for an over but to no avail, Giles gets his fifth in his next over though and Gilchrist makes 7 before being clean bowled by an excellent delivery.

Western Australia: 15/5

Strauss takes the catch for yet anothr Giles wicket, the man is unstoppable, this time Hogg is on the recieving end and he goes for 0 after 1 Ball.

Western Australia: 17/6

First Ball duck for the next batsman too as Casson is caught by Flintoff, another lovely ball by giles, spinning into the batsman and of the top edge into the hands of Flintoff.

Western Australia: 17/7

Williams faces the Hatrick ball from Giles who pitches it a bit wider and lures Williams into the sweep, he goes for it and it flicks back in and takes a knick of the bat and into Geraint Jones' hands. The England boys celebrate with Giles and the England fans go wild.

Western Australia: 17/8

Ashley Giles:

5 Overs
3 Maidens
8 Wickets for 3 Runs

Campbell tries his luck against the pace of Steve Harmison and inside edges into the Hands of Jones who throws the ball into the air whilst Harmison celebrates his first wicket of the match.

Western Australia: 18/9

The new batsman gets on the recieving end of a Harmison Bouncer, it hits him square on the visor and he goes down like a sack of spuds, nice one!

Harmison gets the last wicket and rounds up an abismal innings by the Aussie squad. Angel is caught a 5th slip by none other than Ashley Giles.

Western Australia: All out for 27
Clarke not out on 4.


Clearly a very poor team as im playing on hard mode but they just couldnt handle the spin of Giles who worked very well on this type of pitch.

 

[S_Harmison]

England have bowled the Western Aussies out for 27 at 12:14 on the first days play, the England boys will be blasting away from the off.

England: 1st Innings:

Vaughan looks comfortable at the crease, he looks at ease playing his shots which he is doing very well, his confidence will be given a boost as in the first over he gets 3 fours and a single.

Disaster strikes for England as after Vaughans cheeky single the Western Aussies get their own back by bowling Trescothick out first ball for 0. The delivery was pitch literaly on the stumps and Trescothick couldn't get down to it, it slipped under his bat and clipped off stump.

England: 13/1

This looks to have rattled Vaughan a bit as a few strokes later a rash run leads to him losing his wicket for 18, his highest score in a while but still nothing for an opening batsman to brag about.

England: 19/2

England go to pot ofter this, Thorpe smashes a lovely six into the crowd but is caught next ball for 7 by Campbell after a lovely delivery from Angel.

England: 25/3

England lead by 3 as they reach 30/3

England bring up the 50 for 3 wickets after a 4 from Flintoff who is currently on 22, he is accompanied at the crease by Strauss on 3.

Strauss goes for the same number as he is caught by Rodgers in the slips after yet another great ball by Angel.

England: 51/4

Clarkes first ball bounces up at him and hits him in the visor, payback for the Harmison shot earlier no doubt and a welcome into the Ashes batting for him.

Clarke goes for a dissapointing 1 after being clean bowled by Williams.

England: 53/5

Flintoff is run out after a great shot on 22, a fantastic throw hits the stumps directly and the decision goes to the 3rd umpire who calls him out even though Flintoff is clearly past the crease.

England: 62/6

Jones doesent really make an impact either as he hits two fours and is then clean bowled for 8.

England: 70/7


Hoggard goes first ball as England go into their mid order collapse that we have seen oh so many times. He is caught at short square leg after a clever flick of the hips goes wrong.

England: 70/8

Giles stays in a bit longer but is clean bowled by Angel for 12 and England cling onto a last wicket

England: 82/9

Over entusiastic bowling by Angel leads to four byes for England.

Harmison is caught in the slips after he edges on 4, Caddick remains not out on 9 as England finish on 91 All Out after the first days play.

England: All out for 91
Caddick not out for 9

Vaughan batted well for the time that he was in, but a mid order collapse cost England again. Vaughan will be looking to strengthen the middle order for the next Four Day match against the Southern Aussies in a few days time.