HAHA TAKE THAT U OZZIES (page 30)

PopeOfEruke

I have exposed meaty bloody stubs on the ends of my fingers, where nails used to be.

MerryMagdalene

wow...you guys are keeping me on the edge of my seat...

~Merry

ozziepost

So, Pope, you've moved to Leichtenstein, eh?

tijkmo

16 August 2005 OWZAT? AGONY! Nation holds its breath on the day England came so close By Paul Byrne

IT was a Monday of Ashes agony - more than eight hours of unbearable tension lived through by a sell-out 21,000 at Old Trafford and millions more tuned in to TVs and radios across the country.

For the second time in eight days, England and Australia served up gut-wrenching cricketing drama that proved our summer sport is back as a major box-office attraction.

This time, after a two-run defeat at Edgbaston in the Second Test, it was the Aussies who claimed the prize of a gallant draw when victory for England had seemed within touching distance.

As the packed crowd at Old Trafford - where another 20,000 had been locked out before play began - tried to roar England home, Australia's last pair of batsmen played out 24 balls to secure a precious stalemate.

Skipper Ricky Ponting had earlier defied Freddie Flintoff and Co for six hours, making 156 as his team chased an "impossible" fourth innings target of 423. They ended on 371-9, leaving the series tied 1-1, with two Tests to play.

Last night cricket-loving comic writer Stephen Fry said: "I'm supposed to be finishing a book, but ended up spending the day pacing up and down in my front room." The Manchester spectators, who had paid just £10 for last-day admission, were on the edge of their seats all day as England sent back Aussie batsmen one by one.

The "Barmy Army" diehards who follow England all over the world were in full voice.

At times, the flag-waving scenes would have done justice to the other Old Trafford a few hundred yards away.

At other tenser moments, you could have heard a pin drop.

Fans had queued all night and the gates were closed at 10am, half an hour before the start.

Tickets were sold on a first-come, first-served basis and thousands flocked to the North West from all over the UK.

Jim Cumbes, chief executive of Lancashire County Cricket Club, said: "I've never seen anything like it. I got to the ground at 6.30am and it was like Wimbledon, with queues of fans all over the place, with some of them getting here at two o'clock in the morning."

Steve Bradley, 39, from Blackpool, set off from home at 6am. He had been at the ground on Saturday when much of the third day's action was washed out.

The PR executive said: "We just had to come here again because it's not often that you get the chance to see England beat Australia at cricket."

Cricket chiefs tried to set up a big screen in the city centre, but safety fears ruled this out.

Geoff Durbin, Lancashire's marketing manager, said: "The scenes have been phenomenal.

"The only disappointment is that we have had to lock the gates and turn away so many people.

"It's unbelievable the heights cricket can reach. At the moment it's even putting soccer in the shade."

More than 115,000 passed through the turnstiles over the five days of the match, making it the biggest Old Trafford Test attendance since 1961.

Colin Gibson, head of communications for the England and Wales Cricket Board, said: "It shows that when you've got a successful England team, the nation wants to get behind it.

"The Premiership's a great competition, but I can't ever remember in its 13-year history the opening day being overshadowed by cricket. It's fantastic for the game and for the country."

Local hero Flintoff led the England charge as he took four wickets in a day's play that began at 10.30am.

But Ponting - and that man Shane Warne again - remained immoveable. Ponting's dismissal, with four overs left, brought him a standing ovation and left England with just one wicket to take.

But the Aussies hung on to claim their draw at 6.46pm.

England skipper Michael Vaughan said: "It's fantastic so many people came to watch, both teams are playing good cricket."

Now the thriller series goes to Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on August 25, with the Ashes still in the balance. The fifth and final Test starts at the Oval on September 8.

Both games are already a sell-out. William Hill make Australia 13-10 favourites to win at Trent Bridge and 6-5 favourites to take the Ashes series. England are 15-8 for Trent Bridge and 11-5 to reclaim the Ashes.

HOLT: TEST JOY IS PROOF BOMBERS WILL NOT BEAT US

By Oliver Holt

ENGLAND and Australia turned a nation's eyes away from the spectre of terrorism again yesterday with another compelling Test match struggle.

The Aussies held out by one wicket to leave the Ashes series tied at 1-1 with two Tests left to play. But the drama of another classic encounter and the rebirth of our summer game gave us something to celebrate.

Nearly 20,000 unlucky spectators were locked out of a packed Old Trafford in Manchester as Ashes fever took hold.

Fans had begun queuing for tickets at 2am and two hours before the start of play, the streets around the ground were thronged with crowds.

It seemed wonderfully English to be transfixed by a game of cricket after the atrocities of the London bombings last month.

England are not the whipping boys of the game any more and this Ashes series is starting to attract the fervour attached to the England football team competing in the World Cup.

This summer, the performances of men like Freddie Flintoff and captain Michael Vaughan have allowed us to focus on the distraction of a new bunch of sporting heroes - despite the start of the Premiership.

England could not quite repeat the incredible feats of the previous Test at Edgbaston when they squeaked to a two-run win in one of the greatest Tests ever.

But they came agonisingly close to going into a 2-1 lead when they took the ninth Australian wicket with four overs of play still remaining.

But the Aussies' last pair held out for the draw and England were left ruing a missed opportunity to take the advantage.

Still, sport had fulfilled its obligation by providing us with a magnificent distraction - just when we needed it most.

ozziepost

But the Aussies' last pair held out for the draw and England were left ruing a missed opportunity to take the advantage.
Still, sport had fulfilled its obligation by providing us with a magnificent distraction - just when we needed it most.

Gee, thanks Poms! No probs.