Mike's musings

We.Have.Won.The.Ashes

Last time, I was 17. And I remember the 1981 series, which was known as the best ever series up to this year, which has superseded it. I was 10/11, and really to into cricket for the first time, with James, my brother. We bought score books, and followed the games, filling them in as we went. Kevin Pietersen - what a guy!

We had some of the guys from Aarhus, our Danish HQ over today, and we spent a good hour explaining the ins and outs (or the innings and outs) of test match cricket to one of them. How much of it took, I couldn't say, but it was a gripping day, and it was a huge relief when our Internet connection at work finally got sorted, which meant that I could get ball-by-ball updates from the BBC webpages, and even listen to TMS (Test Match Special) streaming from Radio 4 longwave.

To our Australian cousins: a-haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! (At last, obviously) Sorry, Catherine, but if you _do_ come to the UK in the next week or so, you're not going to have a good time. We'll be very pleased to see you, of course, and we'll be lovely to you, but you're going to get lots and lots of stick. Sorry, m'dear.

To our American (US) cousins: no, it's not like baseball. It's much more complicated, much more tactical, much more strategic, and you can still have a draw after 5 days of play, and it can be gripping despite that.

And here's a thought. Rugby World Champions. We beat the Australians to get this, and it's their (second) favourite sport. And we have the Ashes. We beat the Australians to get this, and it's their (first) favourite sport.

On a more serious point, people have been lovely about Suzy, both online and at home, and we really appreciate the love people have shown.

Music today

• Radio 4's commentary on the Oval Test. Music to my ears.