Cricket and swimming

Minor sports news (at least minor sports in the U.S. of A.)

Cricket: England beat Australia in a Test Match at Lord's last week. This is the first time that England has beaten Australia in a Test match at Lords in 75 years. This is the "Ashes" series; the winner gets to keep an urn with ashes in it. Nobody's exactly sure what the Ashes were before they were burned to become Ashes. Great pitching, er, hurling, er, bowling from Freddie Flintoff. Freddie behaved himself after the match with his wife (WAG) Rachael. (But she says she's not a typical WAG.) England is hoping to take the Ashes series; Australia has dominated it.

England leads 1-0; the first match (I think that's the right word) was an exciting draw.

Next match is Thursday, July 30, at Edgbaston (I don't know how that's pronounced). Flintoff has a knee injury and is day-to-day (as they say here in the States) and one of their best batsman is out with an Achilles tendon injury. Aside from the fact that it's cricket, injuries to stars are still critical to a team's success.

More of Rachael (totally safe).

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Swimming: World records dropping everywhere at the World Championships, including Thorpedo's "untouchable" 400-meter freestyle. Thankfully, FINA finally woke up and is going to ban a lot of these suits -- which I think should leave these records in Limbo.

U.S. 4x100 meter freestyle (with Phelps) won; big upset. How'd they do that?

Day 1 summary from Swimming World