I do! Ashes hopes given a royal seal of approval
IF THERE’S anything to inspire England in the Ashes it’s a Royal Wedding it seems. History shows that whenever a major royal engagement is announced, England romp to victory in the ensuing series – so how timely it was to see Prince Harry and Meghan Markle step into the breach this week.
William and Kate’s announcement in November 2010 was met with a 3-1 success for Andrew Strauss’ men two months later, while the Princes’ father, Charles, can claim two Ashes series wins having shrewdly scheduled his engagements to Diana and Camilla for early 1981 and early 2005.
Even Uncle Prince Andrew got in on the act, scheduling his proposal to Sarah Ferguson just a few months before Mike Gatting’s men triumphed in 1986! Howzat for Holy matrimony! WITH Aussie boots on English throats on day four at Brisbane, there was only one thing missing… a crowd to witness it!
After three capacityfilled days brought a game firmly in the balance, the Aussies either couldn’t be bothered or were too hungover to turn up for Sunday’s ‘moving day’ with 13,000 tickets unsold and another 1,000 no-shows.
As ever, the 5,000-strong Barmy Army were in full voice throughout, but they couldn’t prevent Joe Root’s side from conceding victory with a secondinnings collapse. It was the moment the Aussies could start to cheer – or would have been if anyone had been there to see it! IAN HEALY has not only raised the bar for this current Australian team with his performances on the cricket field – but his skills with a golf ball are also proving tough to overcome.
The legendary wicketkeeper holds a unique, if not bizarre, Baggy Green record of keeping up a golf ball 67 times on a cricket stump.
This week, Aussie trio Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja all tried – and dismally failed – to better that record, leaving the 53-year-old as the undisputed top trump with a stump! ❚ MASON Crane has already been handed one honour on his debut Ashes trip – the title of the squad’s worst footballer!
While James Anderson is the current holder of the Ballon Ashes in the squad’s pre-match football warm-up, Hampshire spinner Crane is so bad he even substituted himself from the game on the last day at the Gabba!