Well a much-anticipated return clash has turned into something of an anti-climax as Australia battered England into Ashes oblivion to reclaim the famous Urn and deliver its long-suffering fans a decidedly early, and perhaps unexpected, Christmas present.
After the turmoil of the year that was in Australian cricket, with its disgraceful examples of off-field behaviour and player discipline, the appalling results and standard of cricket leading into the contest, and the sacking of a decent and amiable coach who presided over much of it, the ease of such a victory was certainly a great surprise.
And yet amidst the euphoria of victory we should not forget that it will not solve some of the systemic and underlying problems in Australian cricket. I’ll have more to say on that front in the new year, when I have time for more sober reflection after the celebrations.
Until then this will be my final post for a tumultuous 2013 as I make preparations for a trip to The G and my annual Christmas sojourn, this time to Sri Lanka where I hope the wonders of cable let me stay in touch with the games.
To end the year I have enlisted the help of John Lennon to pen an ode to the return of the urn and the memory of a few of the ghosts of Christmas past – I hope you enjoy it!
And so this is Christmas
The Ashes are won
After all of the turmoil
We’re leading three none
And so this is Christmas
Mitch back with a bang
After all of their hubris
English heads now hang
A very Merry Christmas
Forget the dark past
The homework forgotten
As Mitch just bowls fast
And so this is Christmas (war is over)
They did not get along (if you remember)
In change rooms and bar rooms (war is over)
Now they’re singing our song (if you remember)
And so Happy Christmas (war is over)
Remember Davey and Joe (if you remember)
Boof comes in for Mickey (war is over)
Who got told to go (if you remember)
Now we’re doing all right
A very Merry Christmas
Nathan belts out the song
On a cracked WACA wicket
Time to say we were wrong
And so this is Christmas (war is over)
Recall the Mohali four (if you remember)
The appalling behaviour (war is over)
From the man with top score (if you remember)
And so Happy Christmas (war is over)
The rotation is dead (if you remember)
With a ramp up of sledging (war is over)
To mess with their head (if you remember)
A very Merry Christmas
I hope you have fun
Watching in Melbourne and Sydney
To see us win it five none
War is over, and we’ve won it
War is over now
Happy Christmas
Thanks to everyone for reading and supporting my musings in 2013 and until next year … that is stumps.
thatisstumps 