How nerve wracking has it been for the English fans?

We cant imagine but surely you can give us some picture?

well i cant tell you its been very nerve wrecking supporting Australia, i cut my hair the day of the 2nd test & it is struggling to grow back with school opening in a weeks time...

Absolutely hellish, but with a good dose of unbelievably joyous to go with it.

Stomach-churningly brilliant.

Pant-wettingly glorious.

The most painful couple of months of my life but also the best.

In short - it's been absolutely bloody Flintastic. Or Simontacular, or Vaughanificent, or any other bizarre adjective you'd care to invent.

I can't wait until I go to the Oval on the last day.

Okay Aussie fans, other people also state how nerve wracking it has been for you and mods please change the title of the thread to 'how nerve wracking has the Ashes been to you'



As a neutral I can say it has been very exciting and the best test series I have watched, whatever I have watched of it.

too nerve wracking for words, after jones got out i dispared and turned off the tv, only to turn it back on to see hoggard cover drive brett lee and giles scramble home for the win

Barney Rubble said:

Absolutely hellish, but with a good dose of unbelievably joyous to go with it.

Stomach-churningly brilliant.

Pant-wettingly glorious.

The most painful couple of months of my life but also the best.

In short - it's been absolutely bloody Flintastic. Or Simontacular, or Vaughanificent, or any other bizarre adjective you'd care to invent.

I can't wait until I go to the Oval on the last day.

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I can't agree. I mean, it's been so painful for me, that I can't say I've actually enjoyed those business-end hours, I've gotten up and buggered off to the garden and smoked three fags, watered the toms et al, not being able to view it because of the tension involved.

It really is awful. We seem to get a bit chokey when we get close to the victory, although one must give credit to the Aussies for sticking in when all logic says the jig is up.

Watching it does become almost physically painful. I can honestly say that from the fall of the first wicket I didn't enjoy our chase at all until Hoggy stroked his 4 in what became Lee's last over. It was only then I allowed myself the luxary of believing we'd win.

I've been watching cricket for 40 years, and I am used to a lot of things, mainly disappointment (unusual because I'm not a pessimist, but I can take it when it happens).

I thought that it was a fantastic game, wonderful entertainment, and that to me was of paramount importance. This is certainly the best English side since Brearley's days, and they have it in them to become a great side (for England at least).

Today I felt realy confident, even when they were 50-odd for 4, but when they lost the next 3 after getting past 100, I really thought that they needed to dig deep.

I thought that for all the ridiculous criticism that had been aimed at Giles and Hoggard from upside-downland over recent weeks, it would be fitting for those two to lead England home because they're a gutsy couple of characters, so I was quietly (noisily) confident and on the fourth pint.

Pant wettingly tense.

But to be honest... I have trusted the England boys all the way through... especially Giles today... he seems to handle pressure with the bat in his hand very well.

All credit to the Aussie attitude... this has been the best series ever. Ever.

Best series I've ever seen (smashing the 98 series against SA which got me into cricket properly)

Just trying to imagine what a deflated atmosphere there would have been at the Oval if England had lost today...

Pedro Delgado said:

I can't agree. I mean, it's been so painful for me, that I can't say I've actually enjoyed those business-end hours, I've gotten up and buggered off to the garden and smoked three fags, watered the toms et al, not being able to view it because of the tension involved.

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I guess the reason I've been able to enjoy it all is because I have somehow managed to maintain an unshakeable faith in this team. Even when we were 250 behind with 5 wickets left at Lord's on the fourth morning I still thought we could win.

I guess it's this weird kind of inherent optimism I seem to have when it comes to sport - strange seeing as I'm only 18 and have watched most of my cricket growing up in an era when batting collapses and innings defeats were the norm for English cricket.

Langeveldt said:

Just trying to imagine what a deflated atmosphere there would have been at the Oval if England had lost today...

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Seeing some scared faces of English fans, and at one point it looking as if Australia will win some how, I thought what an Aussie victory would do to the future of cricket in England.

I was praying for a tie for a fitting finale.

From a cricketing point of view, thank God England won. Else the momentum cricket has gained in the country through the Ashes would move in the negative, killing cricket in the country.

It hasn't been quite as nerve wracking as it could have been. The two wins which England have had both seemed to be going their way comfortably for a lot of the time. Then Australia have managed to dig in and make it closer than it appeared as though it was going to be. At Edgbaston it wasn't really until the last pair took it under 25 runs that it became nervy, and similarly today when Flintoff and Pietersen took the score past 100 with only four wickets down things were fairly calm, it was only when Jones was seventh out that the nerves really kicked in. I can't imagine what it would be like if a match was ebbing and flowing all the time.

Barney Rubble said:

I guess the reason I've been able to enjoy it all is because I have somehow managed to maintain an unshakeable faith in this team. Even when we were 250 behind with 5 wickets left at Lord's on the fourth morning I still thought we could win.

I guess it's this weird kind of inherent optimism I seem to have when it comes to sport - strange seeing as I'm only 18 and have watched most of my cricket growing up in an era when batting collapses and innings defeats were the norm for English cricket.

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I actually always thought we'd get there too today, almost as if it's destiny.
Still didn't stop me feeling terrified but.

I'll scan you a copy of my underpants if you want to find out that badly.

I remember being very deflated before Laxman and Dravid had that partnership.

Then the final test where Dighe steered India through has been the most nerve wracking for me in cricket. For a moment thoughts came in that India would after all lose the series despite the heroics.