On my knees - like an Aussie cricketer :)

The Ashes - cricket's Holy Grail

While you were away holiday (or more accurately, while we were flitting over our Christmas & New Year break!), I have been listening to a lot of cricket; and not just any old cricket...The Ashes...

Obviously, living in a heathen, uncricketing, country like Japan (please bid for the World Cup?!) is a bit of a nuisance. Can't watch it on "Sky Perfect" which I guess is fair enough, given ice hockey, high school rugby, Giro Italia &GT300 are all much more popular sports (hint - I am being very sarcastic). Can't listen to the very traditional, & incomparable Test Match Special (TMS) from the BBC hosted these days by 'Aggers' (Jonathon Agnew), nor tune in to (ABC) Radio Australia's commentary with Jim Maxwell - because I do not live in either Australia for The ABC or The UK for The BBC. If I lived in one or the other I'd either be there or watching it on the telly 24/! This is about the most annoying thing about trying to watch or access 'my' sport these days - not living in the only place I wouldn't actually need a TV or PC or iPhone.

Wikipedia image - TMS

• If your PC is detected as being 'not in the UK' then you can't listen to live sports from the BBC.

• Ditto that for any other sport from any other country from their national provider eg ABC in Australia.

Now, there is a way to watch events 'streaming', which is very hit & miss - I recommends myp2p
You will need to download & install certain 'players' - the software to put the jigsaw together (and I recommend more than one, 'just in case') - check out the software tab on the site?

Another way to enjoy your sport is to 'do the ostrich' - hide your head in the sand with your fingers in your ears and avoid the scores! Find a stream to the game you missed at Diwana (register - no tricks at all) but beware any spoiler who tells you the score before you can watch. iPhone users remember, you can save a video to your phone and watch eg on the train. If a friend calls you before you have watched a game, don't answer!

This winter, England's cricket team has been touring Australia. The two countries compete over 5 Test Matches (each match a five-day game) to win 'The Ashes'. It is cricket's Holy Grail - and in my lifetime it has usually been about as achievable - ie impossible. Australia have been a dominant team for so long. Twelve hours ago, England ripped the heart out of the Aussies winning the game at The Sydney Cricket Ground. Not just winning...stomping up & down on them ruthlessly as the Aussies capitulated pathetically. HA! Grin grin I am smiling so much my face hurts!

To be perfectly honest I got to work early this morning. New Luna, new parking places, new classrooms, let Naomi-sensei in, turn on the heaters (-5 when he arrived)....NO! So I could tune in and listen to Test Match Sofa and catch the moment, for the first time in 24 years, England WON the Ashes in Australia. Yes, the last time England did this I was three three!

Over the holidays I have been cleaning, painting, and carpeting our lovely new premises.

Related articles

• England yet to peak, says Strauss (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Collingwood ends his Test career (news.bbc.co.uk)