A rivalry that is as old as Test cricket itself, the Ashes is one of the most important events of the annual cricket itinerary, even in a year when the World Cup is held. For those who are not particularly fond of cricket, the Ashes is the series that takes place between two pioneering cricketing nations of the world, England and Australia.
For 123 years, these countries have been locked in a battle for supremacy. It all started in Melbourne on March 15, 1877. For those who are into stats, Australia won the game by 45 runs. However, it wasn’t until 1882, five years later, that the Ashes were born as we know them today. And it is that rivalry that has just kicked of in England, with a rejuvenated home team looking to win back the title — even though the trophy rests permanently at Lords — after a gap of more than three decades. But for people like us, who will be stuck in office till late, it will be difficult to keep in touch with the proceedings. Unless, of course, if you have found a viable solution to the whole thing by logging onto the Internet through your office computer.
Logging on to http://www.cricinfo.com/ has always been my first choice whenever I’ve wanted live scores. News, views and all that the online world has to offer related to all genres of cricket, is here at cricinfo.com. This most comprehensive cricket site also offers news alerts through the SMS. So you’re not away from cricket even if you’re away from your computer.
But if you’re looking for a dedicated site, one that deals with the Ashes only, then a safe place to start your Ashes online tour would be the site, The Ashes Cricket Series 1877-2005 http://www.334notout.com/. Not only is this home of the Ashes, but the site also propagates itself as home of the infamous Bodyline Series. For the moment, though, let’s focus on the Ashes.
History, no doubt, is in great supply at this site. The origin of the Ashes and how it came about is one very necessary and interesting read. Ashes records, from the Test that inspired the eventual tag in 1877 to the present series, is here. Profiles of famous players and their feats inundate this site. However, one very strange link at the address is that of Sri Lankan bowling great, Muralitharan. The last time I checked, he had nothing to do with the whole series. What do you think?
Stories of some of the people who made history and book reviews are here for the interest of many. Ashes’ fan forum, Ashes tickets and Ashes history, plus news are at hand at Abc of Cricket http://www.abcofcricket.com/.
But if it’s not the stats that you want, if you’re bored with all the numbers that are on offer through the sites mentioned above, then you need a break with a less fact-filled site, like Last Man Standing http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/static/in_depth/cricket/2001/ashes/last_man_standing/default.stm.
Forget the long address, this is a really fun site to visit, even if you’re not an English team supporter. A game can be played on this Flash-enabled site (and you’d better have it if you want to enjoy this one). The visitor to the site is basically the last man of the English cricket team. A few runs are required to help England beat Australia and retake the Ashes. There are four scenarios on offer here and as the last batsman in the team, you take on the ferocity of the Australian attack with the help of the number keypad.
Instructions are there, which number represents which stroke. There is even a tip guide that appears just before the ball is bowled. Hit a four and win the Ashes for England and take home the glory. Or, simply be a loser!
The movie is 463k heavy and therefore should not take more than three minutes to download over a 56k modem. But considering Pakistan’s slow connections and static-filled phone lines, it might take a little longer than that. Still, the wait is definitely worth it when you start playing the game.
Apart from playing the game and watching the scores, betting is something that is as English as cricket is (or was, if you believe some of the commentators). And if you’re into betting, then a wise thing to do will be to go through the article at http://www.icc-cricket.com/betting/content/story/211926.html on what the best deal will be during the current Ashes series. Thereafter, click to Bet365 http://www.bet365.com/home/default.asp?lindex=1. Of course this little activity will cost a lot of money and is a risky pursuit — definitely not for me.
The Ashes are also the main stay of Test cricket, a form of the game that is in fact the real identity of the gentlemen’s game. But there are still those who, though they enjoy the game, at times find it difficult to understand the need for a game to last for five full days, like each of the Ashes Tests do. So, for such ‘less-literate’ souls, there is the official site of the International Cricket Council http://www.icc-cricket.com. Here you will find everything you want to know about cricket, the rules, the events and future plans of the game.
So there you are, with the Ashes having started, you’re all geared up to follow the game online for the coming two months of pure cricketing excitement. Happy cricketing hours.
A rivalry that is as old as Test cricket itself, the Ashes is one of the most important events of the annual cricket itinerary, even in a year when the World Cup is held. For those who are not particularly fond of cricket, the Ashes is the series that takes place between two pioneering cricketing nations of the world, England and Australia.
Stories of some of the people who made history and book reviews are here for the interest of many. Ashes’ fan forum, Ashes tickets and Ashes history, plus news are at hand at Abc of Cricket 
