Between the Ashes

The following page is a record of a long term replay project I am currently undertaking using Owzat Games’ International Cricket. It will be updated from time to time. Most current account can be found here.

The background: It’s September 13, 2005. The 13th is an ominous date, perhaps, but for the English cricket team this day is the dawn of a new era. It’s the day after they have reclaimed The Ashes with a famous draw at Kennington Oval in London. The famous Ashes victory is itself  a culmination of an incredibly successful two years of cricket for the English camp.

With several hard tours of Asia before they reach Australia in 16 months to defend the Ashes, now is the time for England to make themselves the world’s number one test nation.

Or is it …

History has shown us the results: injury, failure, lack of focus, sackings, thumpings, late nights drinking, and of course, the terrible 5-0 white wash in Australia.

But, it didn’t have to be like that.

Imagine if Vaughan hadn’t got injured in that warm up game prior to the first test against Pakistan in October. What if Simon Jones had recovered from his injuries as was expected? What might have been if the MBE’s, the book deals, the WAGs, and the ECB board hadn’t converged into a Perfect Storm of mediocrity?

This project is designed to find out.

The first test for the English team was a tour to Pakistan in October 2005.

From CricInfo prior to the tour: Michael Vaughan, the England captain, has said he wants England to prove that they are the best team in the world by beating Pakistan in October and following that with a win against India in March 2006.

“Our next challenge is to continue our success,” Vaughan was quoted as saying by AFP. “We have beaten every team over the last two years and we have got to make sure we do that over the next two years. Australia away in 16 months’ time is the real, true test but Pakistan and India away are massive challenges for the team. I’m sure we can go out there and play well.”

Vaughan said that England would not become complacent after their victory against Australia in the Ashes.

The Project: Starting with the tour to Pakistan, I will follow the English team in all forms of the game right through to the Australian summer of ‘06/07. The project will conclude at the end of the series, and my challenge is to see if England can’t retain the Ashes.

Given how long it takes to play even a single test using Owzat’s IC, I expect this project will last for several years!

So, to the rules:

• England will start the Pakistan tour with a full squad, with everyone 100% healthy. So long as the game itself doesn’t force players out through injury, everyone will stay fit with two exceptions.
• Simon Jones: given Jones’ has a long term injury and is very injury prone, I have decided arbitrarily on the following. Before each Tour, Jones has a 25% chance of being fit for the tour. If he is, he then has a 10% chance of staying fit enough to play a Test. If he is chosen, then at the end of each Test he has a 25% chance of getting injured. Otherwise he keeps playing. If he fails to go on the Pakistan and India tours he cannot attempt to go on another tour until the Ashes tour of 06/07.
• Trescothick will play all Tests, however, he will only have a 25% chance of playing at the start of the Australian Tour. If he gets to the play the first Test, he then has a 25% chance of not playing after each test. If he fails the roll, then he goes home due to a “stress” related injury.
• Only Player Cards from the set prior to or directly following any tour are to be used (so for the Pakistan tour these are the 05 and 06 cards).
• The opposition will have the luxury of choosing from ANY player who played for their country in the six months prior to the series, and the six months after. The same Player Card rules apply.
• Touring Parties are 18 players only.
• Prior to games, 13 players are selected before the full pitch report. This is then reduced to 12 prior to the toss.
• I have yet to work out campaign injury rules. I don’t particularly like any of the rule variants I’ve seen online so hope to have this sorted before the end of the first Pakistan Test when an injury check should occur.

THE BETWEEN THE ASHES PROJECT

England in Pakistan, Oct-Dec 2005 (Cricinfo coverage).

The English Touring Party for Pakistan are: Anderson, Collingwood, Cook, Flintoff, Giles, Harmison, Hoggard, Jones (GO), Jones (SP), Pietersen, Plunkett, Prior*, Strauss, Tremlet*, Trescothick, Udal, Vaughan (Captain)

Note: Simon Jones passes fitness test to go on tour.

* These players cards are from the 01/08 set as these are the only available at the time.

Test # 1770 – England in Pakistan, 2005-06, 1st Test (real scorecard)
Pakistan v England, Multan Cricket Stadium
12,13,14,15,16 November 2005 (5-day match)

Note: Simon Jones fails injury test to play.

England Team: Trescothick, Strauss, Vaughan (Captain), Pietersen, Collingwood, Flintoff, Jones GO (WK), Anderson, Giles, Hoggard, Harmison. 12th Man: Ian Bell.

Pakistan Team: Shoaib Malik, Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam Ul-Haq (Captain), Shahid Afridi, Abdur Razzaq, Kamran Akmal (WK), Mohammad Asif, Shoaib Akhtar, Danish Kaneria.

Day 1 – Saturday, November 12, 2005

[Game facts: Weather card 8. Overcast card in play. Pitch 50, ref 191. Pitch count 0-25. Pitch card 8A]

The England team awakes this morning to rumours that the local groundsmen have been overwatering the pitch, making it more suitable for the Pakistani spinners. With the day overcast and the ball likely to seam, things look even for all types of bowlers, so this isdefinitely a toss to win.

Sadly the winners in this case are Pakistan, and Inzaman decides it’s a good morning to test England’s much vaunted batting attack. With Vaughan recovering from an injury scare in an early practice match, England look solid with virtual newbie Collingwood gets the nod ahead of Bell, who is carrying the drinks.

While Pakistan starts with a very attacking field as Razzaq and Asif share the early bowling duties, England, sensibly, decide to bat defensively until the new ball looses some of its shine, and swing.

Despite this cautious approach the ball is swinging and turning, and Strauss goes the first ball he faces – plumb LBW.

After the initial loss, Trescothick and Vaughan settle in for a solid few overs. Just as they are hitting there stride, rain interrupts and an early lunch is called with England on 36-1. Not a bad start considering the pitch.

After lunch it’s still overcast and Pakistan swap bowlers bringing on Afridi who is instantly rewarded with Trescothic’s wicket, getting some great turn to have him caught and bowled. Next over Kaneria picks up Vaughan’s wicket in a slightly dubious bat pad dismissal and a mini-collapse is in progress.

With Pietersen failing to stem the flow after a shaky 20 minutes and five runs, things are looking grim around 2pm with England on 57 – 4.

Enter Messers Collingwood and Flintoff who, after a quick chat in the middle, decide to slow things down and play defensively while the wicket is in such bad shape. Their plan works and they carefully eek out a strong partnership of 100 so that England position at dinner is looking much strong at 167-4.

Tea finds Flintoff on 49, and Collingwood racks up his first half century in Test Cricket, sitting comfortably on 63. So far honours are even, and the final session looks to be an interesting one.

The final session sees England loose two quick wickets as Shoaib Akhtar is brought into the attack for his first sustained session. First up he catches Flintoff off Asif, and then teases a big thick edge to have a very nervous Jones cb by Akmal.

At 5.12pm bad light is offered to Collingwood, who is on a stoic 78, and Anderson (6) who take it eagerly. Tomorrow is expected to have better conditions for the batsman, as sunshine is predicted.

Day 1: England 1st innings 202/6 (Collingwood 78*, Anderson 6*, 65 ov)

Day 2 – Sunday, November 13, 2005
[Game facts: Weather card 6 – Light Cloud. Pitch card 8A. Some help for spinners]
The weather has improved with only a light cloud covering and the day starts well for Pakistan as they pick up Collingwood on the first ball of the day, who is caught at short leg off Afridi.

After this Anderson and Giles knuckle down playing carefully and defensively. Together they amass the second highest partnership of the innings, putting together 78 before Pakistan take the new ball and Anderson falls to a ball that moves sharply off the pitch from Asif.

Despite his best efforts Akhtar is threatening but ineffectual and by the time Giles and Hoggard see out the effects of the new ball the Rawalpindi Express runs out of steam.

And while the tail waves past the lunch break, the tail enders are cleaned up sharply as Giles tries hard to protect them by turning down the odd single to retain strike.

However, once he reaches his half century, his concentration leaves him and he is bowled by Afridi while attempting to up the run rate with a mistimed sweep.
England recover well from a shaky start when they were 57-4, and amass a decent score that is close to 300.

Most the runs came from the non-recognised batsman, and without Collingwood and Flintoff and then Giles and Anderson’s partnerships, England would have been in a sorry state.

England 1st Innings                             R
Trescothick    c & b Afridi                 35
Strauss    lbw Razzaq                             0
Vaughan    c Akmal b Kaneria           8
Pietersen    b Afridi                                5
Collingwood    c Khan b Akhtar      78
Flintoff    c Akhtar b Asif                   54
Jones, GO    c Akmal b Akhtar           5
Anderson    c Akmal b Asif               41
Giles    b Afridi                                       51
Hoggard    lbw Afridi                             3
Harmison    NOT OUT                            6
Extras    (b 4, w 2, nb 6)                      12
Total    (all out, 104.1 overs)            298

After a 10 minute break, Pakistan’s openers, Shoaib Malik and Salman Butt walk out at a little before 2.30.

To read current accounts until I update the score cards here, go here.