ITS AN OPEN AS WELL
The Ashes series starts Tuesday (1900EST US) in Brisbane, Australia. Since the 1880’s, England has been playing Australia every two years in one of the most heated rivalry in Test Cricket. They play for a lovely Waterford Crystal Urn that is a replica of the urn that, according to legend, contains the burned Cricket bails that represent ‘The Death of English Cricket” after their loss to Australia in 1882-3.
This isn’t simply a test match.
Test cricket is the form of the sport of cricket with the longest match duration and is considered the game’s highest standard.[1][2] Rotary Test matches are played between national representative teams that have been granted Test status, as determined and conferred by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It is called Test because the long, gruelling matches are mentally and physically testing.[3] Two teams of 11 players each play a four-innings match, which may last up to five days (or more in the past). It is generally considered the most complete examination of a team’s endurance and ability.[4][5][6]
This is rivalry at it’s highest that transcends sport. This is Mother Country versus one of ‘the Colonies’ with two years of bragging rites and pride on the line. Australia have won 33, England 32, there have been 6 draws. Yes, there can be a draw after 5 days of cricket and even after a whole series. the rules for a draw in test cricket are well beyond the scope of this post, however. And yes, there is a very small chance for a tie.
They will play Test Cricket in several venues around Australia and culminate in Perth in Mid January. .
A standard day of Test cricket consists of three sessions of two hours each, the break between sessions being 40 minutes for lunch and 20 minutes for tea. However, the times of sessions and intervals may be altered in certain circumstances: if bad weather or a change of innings occurs close to a scheduled break, the break may be taken immediately; if there has been a loss of playing time, for example because of bad weather, the session times may be adjusted to make up the lost time; if the batting side is nine wickets down at the scheduled tea break, then the interval may be delayed until either 30 minutes has elapsed or the team is all out;[21] the final session may be extended by up to 30 minutes if 90 or more overs have not been bowled in that day’s play (subject to any reduction for adverse weather);[22] the final session may be extended by 30 minutes (except on the 5th day) if the umpires believe the result can be decided within that time.[23]
More info and some fine articles can be found here.
