ONCE IN A LIFETIME

I COULD PERHAPS WRITE THE WHOLE BLOG IN CAPS. But I'll let sanity prevail and just fill up my diary with the the Ashes memoriblia that I've collected over the net.

'Where were you when England won the Ashes?' I'd asked everybody who'd bother getting through the bore. My answer : 'At work - where else!'. But it wasn't as bad as it sounds. I was in the cafeteria watching the whole show. Wrote to EVERYBODY and got back some pretty interesting replies!

Now for my Victory Chronicles. Legend has it that the great Steve Waugh had remarked "You've just dropped the World Cup" when Gibbs dropped his catch in the semi-finals of the 1999 Cup. His then team-mate might be living the same words for the rest of his life. When he put down KP at 15 no one, including the 'hubris' (what say you now Sir Boycott?) himself wouldn't have known that he'd poke a further 143 daggers into the Aussies. I really don't know how much longer he can continue to pull and hook fast bowlers of the front foot - The King Viv Richards has done it his entire life - but while it lasts it would be great to watch. And now he's put his bat where the mouth is by scoring the highest number of runs (473 at 52.55 with a massive strike rate of 71.45). We can now also forgive his dropped catches (6) in the series. With those big mitts he'll hold a few.

And now to the king of Spain, Gilo, Ashley Giles! Somebody in the selection committee has his head screwed on straight, a rarity! With the press and people calling for his head after the Lords debacle it took courage and some common sense to keep him on. And while he might not be your Warne he got some pretty crucial wickets (10) and runs (155 at 19.37) not to forget the 5 catches. Considering England's battery of fast bowlers it was hard to keep your respect but Gilo did. The grit he showed when the younger and more capable Geraint Jones collapsed was highly commendable and pleasent to the discerning cricket eye. He remains the sole proof for me of somebody who sought psychiatric help and got his life turned around as a result.

Contrary to the selectors beliefs (and they won so who's complaining) Paul Collingwood could have made quite an impact on the Ashes. And he was hitting centuries at will on the County circuit. He could very easily be the unsung hero of the Oval Test. Unless you have my microscopic eye you are quite likely to forget that the time he spend at the crease defending was crucial to the outcome of the match and the Ashes. I hope they bring him to Pakistan for the Bell that refuses to chime. But sanity and especially long stints of it are not something the English selectors are known for. Just ask Thorpe. The victory would have been far more comprehensive had he been there.

And now to the man who could safely call the Ashes his! Andrew Freddie Flintoff. You needed somebody to take on the entire Australian side and he did just that. Most wickets (24 at 27.29) punctuated by the continous aggression of the yesteryear West Indians proved to be the biggest dent in the Aussie armour. And how's Adam Gilchrist for a bunny? His runs (402 at 40.2) came when they mattered. He epitomizes the new England team of heroes with their feet on the ground. Ian Botham said this before the Oval Test:

"Win or lose the Ashes, I'm going to find the best bottle of red wine in town and present him with it."

There have been comparisons of the two throughout the Ashes but they are if anything extremely accurate. Although Freddie still has quite some way to go.