Ashes (is not 10 characters long)

What a first test (so far). Pretty happy I got to go for a couple of days!

Would fully recommend it to anyone.

The last time I went to a Test was in 2001. A cricket-mad friend held her hen weekend in Headingley. Good times.

Wish my brother hadn't been a bilo and we had got tix for today. Would have been amazing.

Last Test I was at was England - South Africa. Last year, day 5, Lords. At the beginning of the day England were the number one team in the world. By the end of the day South Africa had taken it from them.

Last Ashes Test I was at was 2005 at Lords. Day one had seen 17 wickets fall. I was there day two and was treated to a further 8. Clarke just missed out on a century.

I was at Lords and The Oval in 2001, and I also did Lords, Edgbaston and The Oval in 2005...and I was getting paid for the privilege    

I was supposed to do the bus parade as well in 2005, but I had to go back to my day job:( 

I can honestly say, apart from Pakistan, I have had the pleasure of seeing/working all the other test playing nations

Happy Days

How the fuck did you manage that Driz?

Wow Driz, that's pretty impressive.

I was working in Bangalore a few years ago when there was an international going on. The hotel I was staying in was being used by the umpires and TV pundits.

Oh, and I nearly had an embarrassing moment in the lift. I was on my way up to the bar after work, and got chatting to the chap I was sharing the lift with. He asked me what I'd been doing that day so I told him, and I was just about to ask "so what did you do today?" when I realised it was Billy Bowden.

Calamity Jane wrote:Wow Driz, that's pretty impressive.

I was working in Bangalore a few years ago when there was an international going on.  The hotel I was staying in was being used by the umpires and TV pundits.  

Oh, and I nearly had an embarrassing moment in the lift.  I was on my way up to the bar after work, and got chatting to the chap I was sharing the lift with.  He asked me what I'd been doing that day so I told him, and I was just about to ask "so what did you do today?" when I realised it was Billy Bowden.

I hope he didn't show you his croocked finger  

Calamity Jane wrote:
Oh, and I nearly had an embarrassing moment in the lift.  

I will admit, my first thought was something less.... hygenic

Jonzee wrote:

Calamity Jane wrote:
Oh, and I nearly had an embarrassing moment in the lift.  

I will admit, my first thought was something less.... hygenic

Charming! I am a laydee you know.

I did have to kick my colleague at one point, because she was about to ask Mike Atherton what he did for a living.

Cricket pfft, not a huge fan I have to say, but two colleagues of mine are big on it (one of them played for Warwickshire county)

Although playing it with friends is a different story, especially when you're crap like me and keep hitting the stumps with your own bat!!

I was very, very lucky.

Once upon a time I was a Chief Steward at Luton Town.

During my time there we employed an agency to supply extra stewards. They had just won a contract at Wembley Arena, so I went to work with them in the evenings and a weekends.

They grew and supplied stewards all over. I worked at Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea and for a brief spell with the FA before the 2002 World Cup. I have a great picture of me with the World Cup, somewhere. It was taken at Elland Rd during the England v Spain game. We had been guarding the cup, whilst sponsors were allowed to have photo's taken standing around it. Then, when they went to watch the game, we had photo's with us holding it...utterly amazing experience!!!

I also did a couple of spells at Goodwood and Cheltenham for the racing festivals.

Then the contract with the ECB, fell into the companies lap. so off I went to Lords, The Oval, Edgbaston, Cardiff and The Rose Bowl.

Fantastic times, fantastic memories.

Cor Driz, you lucky bugger.

Many years ago my mate was a part time steward at Wembley Arena and got to see loads of concerts. She also did a couple of stints at Wembley Stadium and got me a job there with her for the Challenge Cup Final. We were also given passes to steward for the FA Cup Final the following week, but we sold those. (Ah, the good old days of zero security).

I always feel like I'm cheating on TMS when I watch Cricket on Sky

The aforementioned cricket-mad friend and her equally cricket-obsessed husband walked back up the aisle at their wedding to the TMS theme tune.

Why would you not enforce the follow on? RAGE

BuffonIdol wrote:Why would you not enforce the follow on? RAGE

As we are 'only' just into day 3, and 'only' 230 ahead, you definitely don't enforce the follow on. Day 3 is the best day for batting!!

The last thing England would have wanted is for the Convicts to score 400+ in their 2nd innings, leaving 180-200 to get on a Day 5 Bunsen Burner.

What Driz said.

However I would have declared to give jimmy and broad a few overs before close!

2-0 up, supposedly rain in Manchester next week... looks like the Ashes are ours again!

Hope not. Likely got tickets for 3rd day at Chester Le-Street. Want there to be something to play for!!

Ashes tickets for Chester Le Street third day arrived this morning

Who you steal these from?