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An Ashes summer beckons

by Craig Turp
May 2005

There is always a buzz in the Turp household whenever the first ball of a new cricket season is bowled. Having grown up with the game (my father was an excellent amateur player, and most of my earliest summer Sunday’s were spent on or around the cricket green) cricket is in my blood, as it is for most Englishmen. There is always an extra special buzz when that first delivery heralds the beginning of a new Ashes summer, when England usually makes a hash of attempting to defeat Australia for cricket’s most prized possession, the Ashes.

Not since Mike Gatting’s 1986 touring party brought the Ashes home from Australia has England managed to defeat Australia. Almost 20 years on, however, England goes into this summer’s series with renewed, and not altogether overly optimistic hope.

England, under the leadership of its astute young captain Michael Vaughan, has risen from the very depths of despair five years ago to become the second-rated Test cricket team in the world. Whitewashes last summer of the West Indies and New Zealand, as well as a successful tour of South Africa this past winter have given England the look and feel of winners, after so long a team which could often appear beaten before taking the field. A series victory over Australia this summer, followed up by a good tour of Pakistan in the winter, could well crown England as the best Test cricket side in the world, a position it has not occupied for well over 40 years.

First though come Bangladesh, a country new to Test cricket, making it first tour of England. The two-Test series against England in May and June will be a good opportunity for England to sharpen its skills before the real business against Australia kicks off on 21 July. For too long touring sides had an advantage over England: they would arrive two months before the international matches began, play competitive matches against the English counties, and then be in top nick by the time the Test series came around. England meanwhile, with players stuck at their counties, would assemble just a day or two before the first Test. The competitive edge that England will gain from playing against Bangladesh may well carry it in good stead for Australia.

Alas it will not be enough. England will make a good fight of the Ashes series, and I feel it will beat Pakistan during the winter to cement its place as the second best side in the world. Australia though has been the best for fifteen years now, and not without reason is its supremacy looking as steady now as it ever has done. A wealth of talent, a brilliant new captain, Ricky Ponting, and a win-at-all costs mentality that, while not being in the best spirit of cricket, must now be considered part of the game.

Expect a closely fought series then, with at least two drawn matches and one England win, but Australia will prevail, 2-1.

Craig Turp edits Bucharest in your Pocket.