The Ashes

Yeah I think it's great we have gone 2-1 up. England have done their homework well and managed to domiate most of the aussie batsman. It's hard to work on your weaknesses when you're playing a test every week and it seems England are exploiting them. The bowling cupboard seems bare too. Gillespie looks far from his best, Kasprowitcz has always been good but never world class and Shaun Tait looks like he's just learning. The aussies have missed McGrath big time.

Talking of Glenn McGrath. You guys might not believe me, but I saw him today at work. I work part time in McDonalds while I'm looking for a proper job and no joke he came through the Drive Thru and ordered a coffee. I'm 90% sure that it was him because he was wearing Okley's and a cap like the aussies wear when they are practising. His accent was obviously an Australian one, but it wasn't as strong as I'd expect. It only hit me when he drove off. If I'd have been on the ball I woulda asked him if he was gonna be fit for the final test. We're in trouble if he is.

Just one more day to go between England getting ashes back ... at this point its seem like England will left it unless there is something dreamtic happen in last day... weather did helped them a lot in this last test match hehe actually like them to win this series... this does make a lot of positive things for cricket in england, which basically need boost like this... Anyway i love the way England blowed today and took last 7 wicket with in a 30 runs and not let aussie have a lead.... amazing stuff... Still so much can happen in last day... too exciting series for long long time...

THE ASHES ARE OURS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 16 YEARS!!!

What a great series. I've always liked test Cricket, but even I never believed it could be so entertaining. Pietersen led the way today and pulled us out the crap with a superb 158 after being dropped twice. The England cricketers have excelled themselves this season, with Freddy Flintoff leading the way!

What a great series, its too bad that the we got tired of winning the Ashes. I guess it was time for England to have the little urn, which should have been in Australia for the last 16 years.

It will be interesting to see what the fall-out will be when the Aussies get back. Marto, Haydos, Langer, Gilchrist, Warne, McGrath & Kasprowicz are all over 33 or 34, so there may inevitably be a big change when the Aussies return.

The England cricket team is due to hold a victory parade through London on Tuesday after snatching the Ashes back from Australia in an epic series that has revived people's love of the game.

Tens of thousands of fans are expected to pack the streets as England drive past in an open-top bus following their 2-1 win in the five-match series, which was sealed by a draw in the final Test at The Oval. Underlining the significance of the achievement, which inspired praise from Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair, it is the first time England have held the Ashes since 1989.

The triumph sent waves of euphoria across the country with millions of fans, many of whom stopped work to watch the last few overs, jumping and whooping in delight, singing in the streets and piling into pubs to toast the moment. The jubilant faces of the players, such as captain Michael Vaughan, winning batsman Kevin Pietersen and allrounder Andrew Flintoff, blitzed all newspapers as they revelled in one of the finest ever Ashes on record.

"England victorious," said The Daily Telegraph in one of the many special cricket supplements produced by the newspapers especially. In London, flag-waving fans clambered onto rooftops and hung out of windows to join in the celebrations, that went into the night, with a 23,000-strong crowd at The Oval.

Scenes of even greater jubilation are expected when the cricket carnival drives through London at the end of an unprecedented summer for British sport following the capital's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

England's seven-and-a-half-week battle against Australia has seen the game of cricket elevated to new heights of popularity. It has drawn millions of new fans, including men who once only loved football, as well as many women. In scenes once only reserved for England's soccer triumphs, cricket supporters packed pubs to watch the victory live on television. Some said their bosses had allowed them off work early to see the event.

Tuesday's victory parade promises to be yet another distraction from work. The champion cricketers are due to board the bus along with members of the England women's cricket team - who won their own Ashes against Australia last month - at Mansion House, central London, at about 11:00am (1000 GMT). They will travel past St Paul's Cathedral, along Fleet Street before arriving at Trafalgar Square about an hour and a half later. A special party is planned in the square, which was the scene of massive celebrations when London won its Olympic bid in July.

Finally, the players will head to Lords, the home of England cricket, where they will present the tiny Ashes trophy to the Marylebone Cricket Club for safe keeping. Attention will likely be focused on Flintoff, who was named Man of the Series, and Pietersen, who won the Man of the Match after scoring his first Test century.