The past weighs like a nightmare on the brain of the living: the Ashes
If you are interested in cricket and perhaps even if you aren’t you probably won’t have missed that the Ashes cricket series between Australia and England starts at the end of this week on 21st November and continues over five Test matches to January 8th 2026.
TV coverage will be on TNT Discovery and ball by ball radio of course on Test Match Special. At night and in respect of the first Test in the middle of the night.
You possibly won’t also have missed the large amount of print, social media and media discussion on what will happen based of course largely on past performance. The Australian team are all, bar one, over 30. England are a bit younger but their bowling attack relies heavily on five fast bowlers who in the nature of the game are prone to injury. Indeed before the series has started Australia and England both have injured fast bowlers.
Australia statistically are favourites on their own grounds, and we will hear and see a lot more stats as the series gets underway.
Some ‘has beens’ (Ben Stokes) England players such as Ian Botham have suggested that England are under prepared going into the first Test not having played a single competitive match in Australia. The Australians meanwhile are in their Sheffield Shield (County Cricket) season.
Part of all this is about building the Ashes as a commercial brand, and part of it echoes Marx’s dictum the past weighs like a nightmare on the brain of the living.
What actually matters is what happens on the pitch starting shortly
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