Story The Ashes 2013: England v Australia

[miggo97]

Ashes 2013, Its Finally Back
July 8, 2013

Its Finally back, the Ashes series 2013 and this time the expectations are at a high and the atmosphere is supposed to reach a record breaking high. England will be aiming to retain the Ashes for a third successive time after beating Australia 3 - 1 down under in 2010/11.

This years Ashes series much is expected from the inexperienced but talnted players with both sides having a number of change from the last Ashes series in 2010. With former Australia captain Ricky Ponting retiring last year along side former England captain Andrew Strauss.

Strauss retired from all forms of international cricket after a bust up with Kevin Pietersen and the ECB during the test series defeat by South Africa who replaced them as number one test team in the world. So this will be the first time Alastair Cook will be captaining England through an Ashes series and Strauss relys on Cook to become the best ever captain in the world of cricket.

Their are still worries for Australia who are still looking for a replacement after the retirement of Ricky Ponting. Who will take the spot? Rob Quiney, Usman Khawaja, Phil Hughes and Alex Doolan are favourites to take the number 4 spot. But Phil Hughes is the favourite out of the four to get the spot.

Phil Hughes and Usman Khawaja wont be a new to to the test match scenarios unlike Rob Quiney and Alex Doolan. Hughes and Khawaja both played in the last Ashes series but have not been the favourite of Cricket Australia as they have missed out on a lot of test series. Hughes has already played 17 matches and has scored 1, 072 runs scoring three hundreds and three fifties. Hughes hasnt been the highlight of Australian cricket but his recent form in the English County season has tipped him to replace Ponting.

This will also be the first time Australian captain Michael Clarke will lead his country in a Ashes series. Michael Clarke is in the best form of his life hitting a triple hundred early in 2012 and been the first batsmen to hit four double hundreds in one calender year.

The English tracks will be suited more for the Australian bowlers because of their ace and bounce. Mitchell Starc coming in at 6 '5 and reaching speeds high as 90 mph, also youngster Pat Cummins can reach phenomenal speeds and there are very high expectations of the Autralian bowlers during this series.

Former Australian leg spinner, Shane Warne expects a really tough tour for Australia but doesnt expect it to be too easy for England. Warne was interviewed ahead of the first test which takes place on the 10th July at Trent Bridge. He thinks Australia will come out on top at the end of the series and regain the Ashes from England.

 

[RPHKR]

Thumbs up for the cricinfo presentation. Good writing. I am a neutral spectator. Will follow as I liked your previous story. I think, it'll be a tough fight with Australia managing to clinch the victory because of their batting form. Can't say anything now though.

 

[Anish.]

Great work,so far.

 

[miggo97]

Ashes 2013: The Squads

The Squads Are In
July 9, 2013

The teams are finally announced, both teams have announced an 18 man squad for the Ashes and there are a few surprises in both sides. England have announced Surrey pace bowler Stuart Meaker will be in the squad to face Australia which means Chris Tremlett has missed out. Also Yorkshire batsmen Joe Root has been announced in the 18 man squad.

Australia have announced Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Rob Quiney only two of the three batsmen were expected to be in the 18 man squad. Phil Hughes is favourite to take the place of legend Ricky Ponting who retired last year. Brad Haddin has also been called up as a replacement wicket keeper as they are worries that Matthew Wade will miss the series through a hamstring injury. Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson and Pat Cummins will be playing in their first Ashes series.

Australias captain Michael Clarke wants his side to be the greatest in the history of world cricket. Clarke said 'We have a fantastic team and the future of Australian cricket will be great with the likes of James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc with the ball and Phil Hughes with the bat'. Much is expected of the Aussies but will they perform on the big stage?

Alex Doolan has missed out on the chance of getting in the squad and will not make his test debut. Doolan who currently plays for Tasmania in domestic cricket over in Australia has scored 2, 269 runs in first class cricket and has scored 5 hundreds along his career. But he has missed out with Rob Quiney taking his spot in the side.

England have announced some experience in the side with spinner Monty Panesar to back up number spin bowler Graeme Swann. Also Durham pace bowler Graham Onions has been called up to the 18 man squad but Stuart Meaker is set to pip Onions to the side if injury occurs to England bowlers. Youth is also the key, Englands Captain said as England have called up Joe Root, Jonathan Bairstow, James Taylor and Stuart Meaker to the side.

England Squad: Alastair Cook (C), Nick Compton, Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, James Taylor, Samit Patel, Matt Prior (wk), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Monty Panesar, Stuart Meaker, Steven Finn and Graham Onions.

Australia Squad: Michael Clarke (C), Ed Cowan, Rob Quiney, Michael Hussey, Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Phil Hughes, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk) Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Johnson, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon, Xavier Doherty, Mitchell Starc, Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle and Pat Cummins

 

[Umair7]

Yeah the squad are announced come on Aussies

 

[hedger_14]

Lol, Doherty in the test side and Hughes expected to bat at 4. What's happened to Australian cricket.

 

[Champagnepapi]

if you are looking for a good sim crick heroes is also great! Click where it says my league and go through some matches i am sure you will love it.

any ways great start to the story best of luck for the future.

 

[miggo97]

Ashes 2013: The First Test, the toss

The First Test, the toss
July 9, 2013

Its finally here, the first test. The most anticipated series of cricket has returned with the first test taking place at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Selectors, coaches and the captains have all decide on their eleven to play the first test.

Australia have included Phil Hughes in their squad at the number three spot with David Warner and Ed Cowan opening the batting for the Australians who are hoping to regain the Ashes. England have announced it will be Nick Compton who will opening the batting along with captain Alastair Cook. Tim Bresnan, Stuart Meaker and Graham Onions have all missed on the final pace bowler slot with Steven Finn taking it.

Also wicket keeper Matthew Wade has been declared fit to play in the first test. There were doubts over the player whether he would play or not having picked up a hamstring injury in training a couple of days ago. Also Jonathan Bairstow fills in the number 6 spot beating Samit Patel, Joe Root and James Taylor. There has been much trouble for Englands number 6 spot after Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara were dropped from the side because of their recent poor performances.

Alastair Cook said to Sky Sports commentators that they have the best and strogest that they could have chose. The inclusion of Finn adds more pace and bounce to the side along with other pace bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad. No surprise that Graeme Swann will be the only spinner in Englands eleven. Australia captain Michael Clarke said with Australias pace attack of Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson and Ben Hilfenhaus they are expected to take the first test.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said exclusively to ESPNCricinfo that they have made the right choice to go with Nick Compton and not Joe Root. Hussain said 'Root is a fantastic player and in the future I can see him being one Englands best batsmen but at this moment of time I cannot see him performing at international level.' Compton retains his place from the series in India where he claimed his first international test fifty.

To the game now, and England will be batting first here in the first test at Trent Bridge. Michael Clarke chose heads and it landed on tails so England win the toss and they have decided to bat first. The pitch looks in great condition for the batsmen out their and both teams should be posting reasonable scores.

England Team: Alastair Cook, Nick Compton, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonathan Bairstow, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson and Steven Finn

Australia Team: David Warner, Ed Cowan, Phil Hughes, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon and Ben Hilfenhaus.

 

[Fenil]

I like your presentation. Ashes is always interesting. I will be supporting Poms here.

 

[Aislabie]

Lol, Doherty in the test side and Hughes expected to bat at 4. What's happened to Australian cricket.

Seems realistically insane to me

 

[miggo97]

Seems realistically insane to me

haha i thought the same! just been reading the news about the australians

 

[Aislabie]

Great story by the way. And I'd have gone with Warner and Hughes, Cowan at three. I always believe that three openers in your top three is useful because you will often lose early wickets, but I believe that Cowan has a better temperament for a slightly tougher role.

And that's true for real life and the story.

 

[miggo97]

First Blood to England
July 14, 2013

England have won the first test of the 2013 Ashes series. England beat Australia by 8 wickets and England showed a dominant performance throughout the five days. Alastair Cook was named man of the match after hitting a magnificent 188 in the first innings.

Cook hit one of the best hundreds of his test match career, he has now 6 hundred in 6 matches as captain and has a record breaking 24 career test match hundreds. He was helped along by Ian Bell who struck a wonderful 86 not with Nick Compton and Jonathan Bairstow both hitting fifties to steer England to 541 for 5 declared

The Australian bowlers were frustrated thoughout England innings, especially the seam bowlers. Only Ben Hilfenhaus took a wicket from the pace bowlers the rest came from spin. James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc and Shane Watson all finished the innings without claiming a wicket. Pattinson finished the innings with embarassing figures of 0 for 128 off 32 overs, also Starc finished the innings with figures of 0 for 90. Nathan Lyon took three wickets but was very expensive conceding 170 runs of his 50 overs he bowled, which only included 7 maidens.

Australia went into bat a posted a reasonable 259 all out which would have been a good score in any other game apart from this one. Phil Hughes top scored for Australia hitting a reasonable 70 and also captain Michael Clarke chipped in with a half century hitting 69. Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson added a 74 run partnership to steady the Australian innings. Before Starc was removed with great bowling by Graeme Swann.

Graeme Swann was the pick of the England bowlers collecting a five wicket haul. Swann finished with figures of 5 for 67 to put Australia back into bat with the follow on. Steven Finn also pitched in with three wickets to get rid of the Australian batsmen who havent performed to the highest standard.

David Warner and Ed Cowan both walked out to the crease for the second time. The innings didnt get off to the best of start with Ed Cowan getting dismisse for 16. Warner punished England with a vital 36. Shane Watson steaded the middle order by hitting 74 much needed runs. Also number 8 Mitchell fell just 23 runs short of first test century hitting a fantastic 77 which would see England bat again. Michael Clarke also posted another half century hitting 54.

The England openers walked out to the crease aiming for a very low target of 106 set by Australia. The run chase didnt get the best of starts with Cook getting dismissed for 2 and Compton for 10. Trott and Pietersen finished the game off with the number three hitting 35 not out and Pietersen hitting a quickfire half century.


England lead 1 - 0 in the five match series with four tests to go. The next test takes place on 19th July at The Oval. Can England take this victory to the next test and maintain the high standards that they have set?

 

[Anish.]

Yes , First Blood to barmyarmy.

 

[Umair7]

Oh no