Story The Ashes (2009/2010) - Let the game, Begin

[Roofrom50]

The biggest matches on the cricketing calender are nearly apon us. The 2009/2010 Ashes Series is right around the corner, and what a cracker of a contest it's going to be.
After the 5-0 whitewash last time these 2 teams met each other, this time, Australia travels to England to face off for the grandest prize in the Cricket community.

England come into this series after defeating the West Indies, in their 5 match Test series back in March/June when the West Indies travelled England facing Leicestershire, Essex and the England Lions where the Indies drew the first two warm up matches against Essex and Leicestershire, but they got beaten by 10 wickets against the England Lions side where Ambrose 117.

Australia on the other hand had a little more easier approach coming into this Ashes series, facing Pakistan in their 5 One Day matches which featured in Dubai. Australia won the series 4-1 with their Captain at the time, Michael Clarke sealing the victory with a well deserved 100, and one of their new up and coming bowlers, Doug Bollinger, took 5 wickets to help seal the victory and the series for the Australian's.
But that all wouldn't matter, as this series, The Ashes is a completely new ball game, and something all players have been looking forward to for the whole year, and something they've been practicing for.


This is going to be one of the most talked up Series in the history of cricket, and here are some little things that is going to make you understand what is going to happen over the duration of the series.

Telecasting Rights:

Channel 9 have been proud sponsors of this Ashes series in the past, and they have done a sensational job broadcasting the series. So the Cricket board, has once again, given the TV rights to Channel 9, to again host this years Ashes series which will be held in England. The channel 9 crew are proud to announce that Richie Benau, the legendary commentator, and the voice of cricket, will make this call, his last, as he'll be retiering from Commentating after the series is finished. What a wonderful career this man has had, and he'll be sorley missed.

Fixtures:

All new technology: Some all new technology (which will mostly based around Gamerkid's graphics, since he was awsome at it) which will include. Hawkeye, Layouts that represent the Ashes, including Scoreboards, pitch maps, sniko meter and hot spot which will all feature due to wickets or wicket chances.


Games, games and more games!!: You, as a spectator have the chance to win some Vcash and some rep's if your involved with the games that come up reguarly in the story. Games from picking your fantasy XI, or just some predicta contests. Get involved and have some fun!!!

(IT'S ABOUT TO BEGIN!!!!!)​

 

[harrisb]

sounds good

 

[Jaztheman]

Great start to the story and all those things sounds promising. Looking forward to seeing the graphics promised and of course, an England victory.

 

[Roofrom50]

Australia arrive in England​

Ricky Ponting, and his men have just arrived in England ahead of their 2009 Ashes Series which is due to begin in the next coming weeks. 19 players have come across with the Australia captain to fight against the Pom's to win back to back Ashes series. The Australian's have been named favourites to take out this series once again, but being the Ashes, nothing is ever possible for the Pom's.

The England team, led by Kevin Pietersen have always been a tough opponent to beat in England, but with it being the Ashes, the Barmy Army will be in full voice to try and get their men over the line.
England have had full preperation for this Ashes series, and we caught up with their Captain, Pietersen yesterday to get his views on what this up-coming Ashes means to him and his team.....

This 2009 Ashes series is going to be one of the best that i've ever played in. Of course, Australia are a great side, and last season they flogged us in the whitewash in Australia. But we've had some good matches against other countries to try and prepare ourselves. We've had a lot of time in the nets as well, so i'd be hoping our boys bring their A game to the park when the first test starts on the 21st of July. We've got a very good group of players, and we've got some great up and comers. The young blokes is what this team is made off. They are our future, and players like Ambrose are going to be crucial in this series.

Australia will be pretty hard to beat, they have such a balanced side, we're just lucky we don't have to put up with, Hayden, Gilly and Warney this year, as they smashed us last time we faced them
It should be a entertaining contest for all the viewers, and we urge all the England fans ecspecially the Barmy Army to come out and support us as much as possible, as their support is crucial to us and the way we perform. Myself and Freddy Flintoff will lead the side into the Series.

Australia hit the nets

This is where everything starts for Australia. They just had their first net session here in England. Vice Captain Michael Clarke (in picture) was one of the better performened batsmen to hit the nets this morning, and with Brett Lee coming back from injury, the Australian's are looking in good shape at the moment with only Stuart Clark being the player from last year that is missing due to form issues. The squads will be announced a little later on, but it will be interesting to see who makes the 19 man squad that has traveled over here from Australia

We caught up with the Australian Captain after they finished up at the training nets this afternoon and asked him what his team is feeling and how they have been taking the trip and everything before the big First Test

We had a very good and a pretty quiet trip. All the boys had their little time to think about what this means to them. There was hardly a word spoken on the trip here (which is very surprising )
But it was good to see that all the players we're taking their own time to think about whats going to happen in the next month or two, and see if they can make their country proud. Everyone in Australia will be following this series, so to play as a team is what we're going to try and achieve.

 

[shantanu_rooney]

Brilliant start Roo :happy looking forward for the ashes

 

[surendar]

Looking good till now. I hope you will be continuing this for a longer period!

 

[Jaztheman]

Good stuff, Roo. Ponting seemed quite relaxed and not too nervous about the future confrontation. Looking forward to seeing the sides.

 

[saladguy]

I've got a feeling it's England's year. Ponting's can be arrogant and I feel that he may be underestimating England.

Good start Roo

 

[Roofrom50]

Both team announce their squads for the Ashes​

Both Australia and the home team England have come out to the media this afternoon, and both captains have named their 19 man squad which will work their way into just 11 players who can play in the Test matches starting next week.
It's going to be a belter of a contest between these two sides, as it always is, and with some new up and coming players from both sides, it should be a mystery to see what these player's can achieve on field. Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke have been named Captain and Vice-Captain respectivly, while Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff will lead the Pom's into a Ashes series their desperate to win.

So let's just have a look at the official squads that have been named by the Countries.....

2009 Ashes Squads

So let's just take a moment and have a look at these two sides, starting with the home team England. They've got a pretty young looking squad. Alot of new talent amongst the playing group, but the likes of Strauss, Pietersen, Flintoff, Harmison have all been here in this situation before, and they will give good guidance to their younger players coming into such a big game.
They've got a solid team, with a good batting line=up with Strauss, Cook, Collingwood, Flintoff and Pietersen, then they've got the up and comer Ambrose who was more then impressive against the West Indies about a month ago.
There bowling team has had it's trouble in the past, but Harmison always tends to find that little bit extra when it's a Ashes contest, he tends to rev himself up a bit to try and get his momentum up. Jimmy Anderson is a good bowler, but has been troubled with injury lately, Sidebottom is also handy. Monty Panesar has always been their for support for his time with his spin, as he has a good record against the Australians in Test cricket. They have a very good mix of players, and they'll go out their at the start of the first Test, no matter what 11 they pick, and they will certainly give it a red hot crack, their's no doubt about it


Now let's have a look at the visiting side and the Ashes winners from last season the Aussies. Led by their Captain Ricky Ponting, they have been bolstered with the return of one of their favourite sons, Brett Lee. He was in doubt for this Ashes series, but with some hard work, on and off the field, Brett has been named in the squad, and i wouldn't be surprised if he gets the nodd to the start the first Test match. Andrew Symonds has also been named in the squad, but unlike Lee, i wouldn't expect Symonds to get much of a go this year, with the likes of Hopes and Cameron White the other all rounders which have been in far more better form then Symonds has leading into this series.
Doug Bollinger, Adam Voges and Peter Siddle are 3 young guys that would love to get a run in these Test matches. 3 very exciting players for the Australian cricket future. Siddle and Bolllinger have both been good for the Victorian Bushrangers back in Melbourne, while Voges is a handy 5th-6th batsmen when it comes down to the nitty gritty stuff.
Australia are really well balanced throughout the whole squad, so who'd be picked in the 11 will be a difficult choice for the Captain and the selectors

This is the chance for the PC members to get involved. Post your fantasy 11 for both the Australians and the England sides to face off in the first Test Match.​

 

[harrisb]

The England Team for the first test,

A Strauss
A Cook
O Shah
K Pietersen
P Collingwood
T Ambrose
A Flintoff
S Broad
J Anderson
S Harmison
M Panesar

 

[Inbox24]

Australian team as it should be:

Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Johnson
Lee
Siddle
Clark

 

[Roofrom50]

Hughsey and Clark didn't make the squad mate

 

[Kiko_97]

My England Team
Strauss
Cook
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bopara
Flintoff
Prior
Broad
Sidebottom
Swann
Anderson

 

[Roofrom50]

Thanks to all the guys that have posted their teams. But i must say, it's very dissapointing with the amount of people who haven't

 

[surendar]

Roo, I think its not clear enough in,

This is the chance for the PC members to get involved. Post your fantasy 11 for both the Australians and the England sides to face off in the first Test Match.

fantasy 11 for both Aus and Eng?

You mean a team with either full of English players or full of Aussie players for you to play the game or similar to the fantasy cricket like 4 bowlers 4 batsmen 2 AR and 1 WK? Atleast, I am not clear! Can you elaborate it?

The presentation is nice as always.