Ashes Cricket - Wii

I've meant to mention this for a few days, but my son and daughter got me this game for my birthday and he and I have had some fine matches in the past couple of weeks.

It is great fun and in some respects similar to the real thing in that the timing of your stroke means everything. Too quick and the ball goes straight up in the air, too slow and you'll squirt it out square of the wicket or, worse still, be bowled ignominiously.

You can "shine" the ball to make it swing, and can also spin it. I can die a happy man (but hopefully not for some time) in the knowledge that I took Muralitharan for 34 off an over...

There are only two frustrations. One is the fielding, which is somewhat bizarre. Easy catches, the ones you'd toss to a little kid to teach it how to, get dropped, yet you can play a full blooded sweep shot and the wicket-keeper will stretch out a Barbapapa-style hand and catch it. A ball will go straight to a fielder at point and he'll not move, but third man or extra cover will run to pick it up and throw in. Very strange...especially when almost all throws at the stumps hit!

The other is that there's only three levels. Once you've figured out how to play, "Village" is a breeze. I'd have to say, on the basis of "Village" in this game, my real club side must be county standard. The "County" standard is only slightly higher, while "Test" - the top level, naturally - leaves a player chasing around 100-120 in a 20 over game, fairly easily attainable when you get used to the timing (though not if you're batting as England...)

It would have benefited from more of a cricket input too. If you dispense with third man and fine leg and have everyone in front of square, the computer will hardly ever get a boundary. We all know that there's many a run scored with a nurdle and a deft glide.

Only English and Australian players are licensed, though the resemblances vary. Flintoff looks like an East End hardman, while Strauss looks permanently startled. Other countries players simply have their names changed a little - so "Smyth" "Kollis" and "Bertha" all play for South Africa...

Good fun, worth a pre-owned purchase and will get you through the long winter months. No comparison to the real thing though.

Not even tanking Muralitharan!