Yes folks, the series I've been waiting to watch over and over again has arrived and I've finally found the time to watch the history making series, the series that marked the end of Shane Warne and Pidge McGrath.
On first glance the dvd set (DD Home Entertainment) is very similar to the 2005 Ashes I reviewed a few weeks ago. The packaging has improved and despite including three dvd's the case design has allowed for a more compact production. The 2005 set had a similar three dvd collection encased in single dvd boxes. This 2006/7 set certainly has the edge in terms of aesthetics.
DD Home Entertainment have followed the same format as the 2005 series and included a very comprehensive highlights package of all five Test match. As you would expect, Channel Nine in Australia has provided the commentary and it seems a lot more animated to me – maybe I'm slightly biased but I do prefer Channel nine's commentary over Channel 4 and Sky!
The run time is nine hours and 36 minutes, packed to the rafters with scintillating cricket, amazing performances and unimaginable comebacks. It really was a magnificent series and as Richie benaud says in his series introduction
“I have never known a more anticipated sporting event, EVER”.
So much was expected of England following the Trafalgar square celebrations in 2005 but from Harmisson's first delivery (2nd slip wide to a waiting Flintoff), you could tell the ball was firmly in Australia's court. It was clear preparations had not gone England's way and the more professional and prepared Australia never lost the edge from that moment on.
The image is sharp and clear, in fact it's a superb transfer and for me it is an improved product from the 2005 series. Now I'm no techie but I do know when a picture is good or bad – this is excellent, plenty of warmth throughout from the menus to the final ball.
If I was to give the set a score out of 10 right now it would have received a high 8.5/10. However, and yes folks this is a huge disappointment. It doesn't end there. There are no extras!
DDHE excelled themselves with the 2005 release with a great number of extras included but for whatever reason they haven't included anything this time around. There are no interviews at the end of the series with McGrath, Warne and Langer, no slo motion replays, no statistics and no best of moments.
Can you tell I'm disappointed ?! For this reason alone the set receives a drop of two points to 6.5/10. Don't get me wrong, this is a wonderful collection and is a must for any cricket enthusiast or masochist (depending on who you support!). It's just such a shame they didn't see the need to include a few goodies.
Recommended.
