An editorial on a mediocre cricket contest

Unlike Usain Bolt's stupendous achievement, which rightly deserved a comment from the editor, the Ashes 2009 had no great exhibition of skill or talent. It was a mediocre contest between an aspiring English team driven by the over-zealous media's search for national heroes, and a rebuilding Australian team which failed to perform at defining phases -- a trait that has long been associated with the Englishmen. Without any outstanding moment etched in our collective memory, Ashes 2009 only adds to statistics. If not for N.Ram's obsession with cricket at the expense of other sports, this non-event would have been rightly ignored for the edit page.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorials : Gritty team effort

In contrast to the series of 2005, which was a battle rich in quality between two formidable sides, this was a modest affair.