The Ashes Diary - The story so far

The Ashes Diary: The story so far
Highlights: England 373 all out Strauss-129 Warne- 6-118
Australia: 363 all out Langer-126 Hayden-110 Flintoff- 5-78
England: 34-1 Bad Light stopping play.
It is sad the way the series is wrapping up. It is because of unavoidable reason, the rain happens to be the key element which will decide the fate of Ashes this time around. It was a very unlike test. As expected the pitch was as flat as it could be. There were just two out of four innings completed in four days of cricket.
The Aussie opener hit out of bad form with uncharacteristic centuries to ensure that they are not on chopping board. The sun is fast setting out on many Aussie cricketers. Its time for new players to come to fore and carry the flag forward. As expected with the end of a great series the old men will hang up their boots. There are Warnes and McGraths who are still among wickets are almost into twilight. But everyone wants to go out of this game on a high not, just to make the last point that they were not just pulled out but they themselves bowed out of the scene followed by a great ovation. Australia has had a great bowling duo. My only regret would be that weather saved England of many blues.
The series would be remembered for the heroics of Andrew Flintoff. He came forward and made himself counted. He took catches, struck batsmen, bought wickets and build innings which help set up matches for England. Sir Geoffery Boycott had once said that Flintoff had batting average of bowlers and bowling average of batsmen. I can explain, he had batting average of thirties and bowling averages of late forties.
The average of “decent” is around forties. A bowler would desire bowling average inearly thirties. These Ashes series ensured this changed. Flintoff now has a good bowling average like the one of a good bowler and batsmen average. He has ensured that this goes down the history that Flintoff won the Ashes for England.
There may be a few jitters in the day. There will be no more surprises in the end as announcement of the winner of Ashes is only a formality now. It is difficult to imagine nine English wickets to fall in a day, Aussies chasing those runs when only thing which seems to be falling is rain. If the English hold out to Aussies mission is accomplished.
One more result is for gone conclusion, the man of the series. It was an animated Flintoff who paved the way for Mr.Vaughan to lay his hands on the Ashes. A first English captain in two decades who will know what does feel like to hold the Ashes. There will be lots of animated emotions in the English press in the days to come when the cricket teams will win the Ashes.
The Cinderella story for Australia is finished the clock has struck twelve. This series is tribute to the mettle of Aussies and how the Aussies were over awed stroke for stroke, how the pitch was set on fire by the English seamers and the Ashes were won back.