To cheer up fans of Connecticut/Whalen or to focus on something while there are no basketball games and the Solheim Cup has been won and the U.S. (tennis) Open has been completed, etc...

...England has retaken the Ashes for the first time in ages. For you fans of Cricket (or of Douglas Adams), you'll know that winning the Ashes is a truly momentous event in the world of sport.

The decisive moments took place in the afternoon when Kevin Peiterson lead England out of it's pre-lunch doldrums:

At one stage, England were wobbling at 127 for five and the Australians were circling, expecting the kill. Instead Pietersen took the fight to them - thrashing 38 runs off five overs after lunch in a display of belligerent, counter-attacking batting that will live long in the memory. He rode his luck - he was dropped three times - but fully deserved his maiden Test century, which included 15 fours and an Ashes-record seven sixes. Rightly, he was named man of the match.

So congratulations to the English side. It's been quite a while gents! Bravo! Well done.