The ASHES 2006/2007
England quick Steve Harmison fired the opening salvo in the most anticipated Ashes battle for generations yesterday to an almighty roar from a sell-out 42,000 crowd at Brisbane's Gabba stadium.
But the first delivery of the series did not go as planned for the hyped-up Harmison, who sprayed the ball well wide to second slip, giving Australian opener Justin Langer no chance of getting bat on ball.
PHOTO: AFP
However, the intricacies of the delivery mattered little to spectators keen for the campaign to begin after months of hype and mind-games from the English and Australian camps.
Fans decked out in the red and white of England's "Barmy Army" and the green and gold of the Australian "Fanatics" streamed into the ground from early morning, ribbing each other about their team's prospects in the series.
Roads around the ground were choked with traffic as spectators rushed to reach their seats for the start of play.
Those without tickets poured into Brisbane's pubs to watch the match on giant screens and bosses across the country turned a blind eye as office television sets were tuned into the Ashes coverage.
At one city hotel, a federal senator was spotted heading towards his room with a beer, apparently ready to settle down to watch events at the Gabba as matters of state were relegated to the backburner.
Patrons at the Pineapple Hotel, just down the road from the Gabba, spilled onto the street as they enjoyed an early morning beer in humid 32oC conditions before making their way to the ground.
"I've been coming to the Gabba Test since I was a boy," Australian fan Justin McMahon said.
"This one's a bit special though, it's not often that Australia have to try to regain the Ashes. It was a bit of a shock to us to lose last year and we're definitely out for revenge," he said.
It was a sentiment echoed by Australian fans across the city, which has been in the grip of Ashes fever for weeks amid a burning desire to claim international cricket's old trophy.
At the nearby Story Bridge Hotel, an open-top double decker carried cheering members of the Barmy Army, some 40,000 of whom have made the trip Down Under to support their team.
England fan Steve Davies from London said it was well worth the ?6,000 (US$11,500) he paid for flights tickets and accommodation to travel to Australia for the series.
"The Barmy Army are the best fans of any sport in the world," he said.
"We'll be out there supporting our team no matter what -- we don't have the win-at-all-costs attitude of the Aussies, it's all about having a laugh for us," he said.
Davies said the Australians had greeted the English warmly, although he was dismissive about the chances of the home team's Fanatics drowning out the soccer-style chants of the Barmy Army.
"They might win on the pitch but we'll always win in the stands," he said.
Fanatics member Scott McDermott said the sledging between the fans was always good-natured and never became aggressive.
"We'll always have a beer with them at the end of the day, even if it's only to tell them how bad they've played," he said.
The closeness between the fans was personified by Sydney man Andy Richies, who walked to the Gabba draped in a giant St George cross flag and England soccer shirt.
"I came over here as a baby but I was born in England and I'll always support them," he said in a broad Australian accent. "My Aussie mates always give me heaps."
Richies said he expected a "crackerjack" series, with his heart hoping for a tight English victory but his head expecting Australia to steamroll the visitors.
"Either way, it's going to be a big night in Brisbane tonight," he said.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
The Minnesota Timberwolves, with so many promising performances spoiled by late mistakes fresh in their memory bank, sure timed this strong finish well. Jaden McDaniels scored a career playoff-high 30 points and spearheaded Minnesota’s stifling defense on an ailing Luka Doncic, and the Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-104 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Friday night. “Jaden never looks tired. He looks like he could play 48 minutes,” said teammate Anthony Edwards, who had 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Julius Randle added 22 points for the Wolves, who outscored
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
RSS