The Cricket Thread: Ashes 2015 Ed. (You bloody rippahs.)

For our non cricketing friends; one of the great rivalries in world cricket starts again in 2 days.

What are the Ashes?

• A roughly biennial cricket Test series between Australia and England played over 5 tests, started in 1882.
  • More on ashes tradition and legend here: The Ashes
• Each test is a game played over no more than 5 days. Each team has two innings to score as many runs as they can, the team who bats first sets the total and the other team attempts to match or beat that total.
  • More specifics on test cricket: Basics of Test Cricket
  • A video on the basic rules of cricket (The video was made in reference to the shorter version called One Day Cricket, but most rules also apply to Test Cricket): Basic Rules

Recent Highlights:

Here are some recent highlights from the last series to give you a taste.

How and when to watch in the US:

When?

• Test Dates: (Play starts each day at 6AM and continues no later than 2PM ) *EST
• 1st Test: July 8th-12th

How?

• It looks like the only television provider inside the United States carrying the ashes is One World Sports which is available on:

There are however many ways to enjoy the ashes online, BBC Sports radio, SkyTV etc all provide coverage.

So if you missed all the world cup action, use this opportunity to check out the worlds second most popular sport and find out what why it's great.

Is there chicken?

@notnert427: This much chicken

I had a friend explain cricket to me once. And then I knew how cricket works. For about a week, until I forgot how cricket works.

so you take baseball, add in some bowling, get hammered and chow down on chicken. Well, not really. Everything I know about cricket I learned from Danny O'Dwyer quicklooks

I'm really surprised that cricket has survived as a wireless provider.

Harris retiring gives us a chance, but England still bug underdogs

@vinster345: To be fair Harris wasn't at his best anyway and doubtful to even start on the first test. But still a gut punch. The man was an absolute work horse.

I find it the last decade of English test cricket to be quite nuts. Back-to-back Ashes wins, No. 1 ranked test side in the world and then back to being mediocre.

Is this the part where I say order has been restored? lol

Kidding aside, England have a lot of talent around their squad at the moment and a decent coach for once in Bayliss. Strauss also knows his stuff and he's making the right moves.

you little rippah

I know nothing about the players, coaches, strategies, but I might actually have a look now and again.

@warpig87: the best thing about Strauss being coach is that he won't be on commentary

Ha! Bumble all day!

First test starts now. Here we go!

Cricket? I know nothing about crickets...?

Great start by Aussies - Haddin unlucky not to hold on the chance to get Root out on 0

Someone forgot to prepare a wicket for this first test.

it's 10pm here and it's only lunch. this series is going to destroy my sleep schedule

Was a greentop before they hacked it down apparently.

And yeah annoyed Haddin didn't take that, but really not a bad session.

I honestly don't think Australia bowled that well to be in this good of a position. I'm glad that they are, but the score doesn't really reflect their performance to me

Also the Channel 9 commentary is so much better without Warnie and Slats constantly trying to yuck it up

Their insight and poignant analysis is sorely missed.

Also - Watson getting selected ahead of Marsh does my head in. I get loyalty and not wanting to change players on a whim due to their form, but Watson has been consistently average for a long time. If they believe he is truly a team player then they'll do what's best for the team and not have him there. I sincerely hope that he proves me wrong and belts England about during this series, but I'm not confident in that happening.

It's why when Marsh made two centuries and picked up a few handy wickets I said Its just going to make people all the more angry when they select Watto instead.

Pitch looks absolutely dead - batters paradise. Hard for Aus to win with England having such a solid first innings score (though anything can happen).

Well. If they continue to select Watson after this I've completely lost faith in Lehmann, Marsh and the rest of the leadership to actually select a best XI instead of play favorites to New South Welshman...

Happy to see cricket love on Giantbomb. I reckon the aussies already hit the target for the series.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC5KrEitKKA

Soccer has a thread, it's only fitting Cricket gets its dues.

Thoughts on a probably XI for the second test?

You bloody rippahs

So, can England lift the Ashes already? The next few days will be just delaying the inevitable after the massacre that was today's first session.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing this morning when I turned on the TV and saw Australia were about 40 for 7. I had to do a double take. Absolutely crazy.

Alright, this is nuts. I need to see this mad innings.