England richly deserve Ashes

England and their cricketers will hop in joy and say it with champagne at the end of the final day's play because by then they would have regained the mythical Ashes having beaten Australia 2-1 after 19 long and frustrating years.

It is said that the days of miracles are still not over. And if Australia were to beat England and retain the Ashes with only a day's play remaining, then a cricketing miracle would have to take place. However it is good for the game and the high traditions of the two countries that England have finally been able to grab the Ashes and celebrate.

With Australia thrashing England in so many Ashes series, the clash between these two teams became a bore and it was not doing the game in old blighty any good.

England and all other Test playing countries could not find a formula to beat the Aussies. Australia had licked their game to a shape and style, that no other country could learn or follow.

To the kangaroos, losing became anathema and winning became the order. Every country tried to emulate the Aussies style, but sadly flopped and failed. When the Aussies flew into England this time round, it was obvious that they were carrying some ageing performers and it was going to be interesting watching how they could still perform like they used to.

In the one-day series that preceded the Ashes contest, Ricky Ponting's band was not playing to tune and were struggling to get their act together and when Bangladesh and England began beating them, the cracks began to appear.

When Australia and England tied the one-day final, it was obvious and the signs were that the Ashes were going to be no easy meat for the Aussies. Came the First Test and when the Aussie juggernaut rolled over the English by a convincing 239 runs, it looked as though the kangaroos would hop to victory in the rest of the games.

Came the Second Test and when bowling spearhead Glen McGrath stepped on a stray ball and twisted his ankle and went missing from the side it raised the spirits of the home team.

Then when skipper Ponting won the toss and asked England in, he was giving England a life line and a renaissance as later events were to prove as the game unfolded.

If ever a reason could be attributed to England's revival and finally pocketing the Ashes, a big thank you would go to Ponting for his poor thinking and letting England unleash on a batting paradise.

That was the straw that the sinking England players were waiting for and didn't they grab it with both hands to finally stuff the kangaroos and win a richly deserved Ashes series after 19 long years.

With Australia trailing 1-2 and straining for a victory that would have helped them to retain the ashes, the final Test at the Oval was set for a blockbuster and it depended on how well the fickle English weather would behave.

But with no one having control over the weather, it rained and brought with it bad light and with it went any chances the Aussies had of winning.

When this series is being spoken about, two men will always be remembered for bringing the game alive and getting spectators to flock to the venues and prompting listeners and TV viewers to stay glued to their sets - the ever green Shane Warne and the dashing Andrew Flintoff.

Flintoff proved the nemesis of the Aussies, while Warne the best spin bowler the world has ever seen or will see, bemused the England batsmen with mesmerising spin.

While England will celebrate till the next ashes series comes along, the kangaroos will not hop, but limp home with prestige lost to lick their wounds and rethink their game.

It is obvious that many of the Aussies would have their necks on the chopping blocks with the Aussie selectors introducing fresh blood. As for England they have a young and aggressive side and they could well reach for the stars and for the number one spot in both versions of the game soon.