Cricket, bloody cricket

Well, it's been a while since I've posted about the Ashes, so I may as well stick my nose in considering the way things are currently balanced.

I've already commented on the first win at Lord's since 1934, but I'll touch on it again. It was a fantastic moment and I don't think anyone really thought it would come as emphatically as it did. Flintoff was majestic once more - we're going to miss him hugely after this series, something that was all too clear at the Oval, but I'm getting ahead of myself. I did wonder, briefly, if another cricketing related event that hasn't occurred since 1934 would now take place this year... It didn't last long.

So then we moved to Edgbaston, at a time when Birmingham was struggling with the weather. And this time it worked in Australia's favour - England surely would have won that game had it not been for the bloody rain. But, the Aussies can say the same about Cardiff, so I guess we're even on that front.

And then... Headingley. What can you say? An utter, fucking disgrace. A complete debacle from start to finish. When a second innings partnership between Broad and Swann puts on more runs than the entire team did in the first innings... Well, it's beyond belief, isn't it? Bopara and Bell should never wear the shirt again and the rest of England's middle order need a long, hard look at themselves. Bring in Key? Trott, maybe? Neither of them could do any worse. Also, and I never thought I'd say this, but we do miss the South African Twat as well.

At least it looks as if Flintoff's back for the Oval. The problem, of course, being that it's a notorious batting track. It'd be easy for Australia to bat England out of the game in the first innings. Mind you, 200 runs would probably do that! It's not over, obviously, and in two weeks time I could be posting on here celebrating a marvellous victory. But I'm certainly not getting my hopes up.

As for Lancs... Well, we've made maximum batting points for two Championship games in a row! Unprecedented in recent times. It's just a shame that we couldn't get a win in either game, although the tie at Hampshire was rain affected. We seem to be in a good position after the first day against Durham, so who knows? It won't end up being our year - in fact, it'll all go the way of Twenty20 bowl outs, probably - but it's nice to see that we're finding some form again. Fingers crossed it'll carry on into next season.

As for my own career, still not played properly since the Mudhutters Cricket Club's (that's the MCC to you) first ever victory, in the third year of existence. There's only been two games, I couldn't make one due to being in Cardiff. The rest of gone down the pan thanks to the weather, including tonight's scheduled game. Ah well, at least you've got a blog post out of it, right? Had plenty of net sessions though and am collecting the bruises. Who says it's an easy game to play?

A brief mention on other sports: The rugby season is going on far too long, let's get it over with, I've had enough of watching Salford now. And the football season has started again too bloody quickly. I can't be arsed with it yet.

A brief mention on the job situation: It's shit.

A brief mention on life in general: Meh. "I want the one I can't have and it's driving me mad" is the lyric of the moment.