ASHES END

Decided to stay up late and listen to the final act of the Ashes series. It could be a long and late night, or it could all be over in five minutes. I still can’t get over my utter faith in the England and Wales team’s ability to make a total hash of it, even at this late stage, but we shall see…

Surely even they can’t contrive to lose it from here?

Mind you…

Meanwhile, it’s been a tetchy old evening here in Lesser Blogfordshire with my general fatigue and my stretched nerves finally getting the better of me. I was not the happiest of bunnies tonight, and I think it showed. Utter exhaustion is really not the best thing to be feeling when you decide to stay up late, but what can you do?

So what’s the game situation? It’s the final day of the final test in a five match series that England (and Wales) currently lead 2-1. Australia need another 151 runs to make England (and Wales) bat again but only have three wickets remaining. Overnight they are 213-7 in their second innings after being bowled out for 280 in their first before England (and Wales) scored 644 in their own first innings, a record score for them in Ashes Tests on Australian soil.

Play is due to start at 10:03 in Sydney (23:03 GMT) at the SCG.

Radio 5LiveSX switched on, TMS text commentary page open… Booker T and the MGs… and off we go… Talk of overnight rain, but the covers are off and the crowd are warming up.

Pre-match chatter is all very positive (perhaps TOO positive?) but I still find Michael Vaughan deathly dull to listen to… Where’s that plain speaking Yorkshire Terrier Geoffrey Boycott when you need him?

Talk of the start being delayed. Bah! But it isn’t and a chorus of “Jerusalem” rings out…

Paul Collingwood, having announced his retirement from test cricket and that this game is to be his last test match leads the England (and Wales) side onto the field. The Australian batsmen, Steven Smith (24 n.o.) and Peter Siddle (17 n.o.) make their way to the centre.

James Anderson starts off the bowling to Steve Smith, and the first over is a maiden. The second is bowled by Chris Tremlett and Australia get a few runs, and all-in-all it’s a fairly quiet start and after 20 minutes, there’s a rain shower and the whole thing grinds to a halt, with Australia 227-7.

Time for bed, I think… They play better when I’m not listening anyway.

I doze off with the headphones in and the radio tuned into Radio 4 Long Wave and wake up just as Graeme Swann gets Peter Siddle out for 43 (Aus 257-8). Fifteen minutes later, James Anderson gets the wicket of Ben Hilfenhaus, out for 7 (Aus 267-9). One more to get and, just like in the last match, Long Wave is threatening to go to the automated Shipping Forecast as the end of the game looms. I get up and scrabble about to find my Digital Radio, wide awake now.

Michael Beer joins Steve Smith for the last wicket stand, but in moments, just before 01:00AM it’s all over, as he’s bowled by Chris Tremlett for 2, and Australia are all out for 281, losing by an innings and 83 runs and the series 3-1.

Records broken all over the place as it’s the first time Australia have ever been beaten three times in a series on their home soil by a margin of over an innings.

Do I stay up to listen to the post match chatter? Geoff Boycott is elated, but I really, really can’t stay awake much longer. Too happy to sleep, too tired to stay awake.

For those of us who are followers of International Cricket in this country, this is a very special night and one to be treasured after such a long, long wait.