Oh, this is certainly the best Ashes series since 1981,” “I’ve not seen England show guts like this since Headingley in 1981,” on and on it went during this summer’s Ashes. Barely a day passed without some comparison with the last Ashes series triumph to have truly inspired the nation, and in particular England’s victory in the match they’d looked so certain to lose that odds of 500 to 1 were available against them. Last week, after a well earned cricket break, I read Rob Steen and Alistair McLellan’s account of the match to find out why it is still viewed as England’s most dramatic victory. The build up to the 1981 was nothing like so perfect as England’s five successive series wins preceeding to the 2005 series. Its last tour, to the West Indies, was a disaster. The selection of Robin Jackman, a professional player in Apartheid South Africa, caused such an outcry in Guiana that he was expelled from the country, precipitating the abandonment of the second Test and, many felt, the heart attack which caused the death of England’s beloved coach, Ken Barrington, days later. England lost the series 2-0. Ian Botham, England’s talisman and captain, had failed to win a match in ten attempts and was in an unprecedented form slump.Events continued in this vein as the Ashes began. A supreme bowling effort gave Australia the first Test by four wickets. By the second, Botham had had enough. He resigned the Captaincy after scoring a pair of ducks. England had to bring Mike Brearly, a batsman with an average of 23, out of retirement. England endured three torrid days at the start of the Third Test, played at Headingley in Yorkshire. Australia won the toss and hit 401 as England failed to use a difficult pitch, poor bowling exacerbated by five dropped catces. In England’s innings, Terry Alderman’s late swing and Geoff Lawson’s pace removed the top order and Lillee skittled out the tail; England were all out 227 runs behind. Australia enforced the follow on and Mike Gatting was immediately out for a duck. As the third day ended Labdrokes’ match odds flashed on the scoreboard: Australia, 1-4; draw, 5-2; England 500-1. The only upside for England was Botham’s return to form. His spell of 5-35 had kept England in it, while with the bat he had top scored with 50, his first half century for two years. The next day, England were soon facing an innings defeat. A harsh LBW decision removed the tenacious Boycott and Australia were into the tail with a lead of 78. England’s remaining batsmen went on the attack through desperation, lacking the technique to bat defensively. Graham Dilley swung at everything; amazingly, after missing a couple, he started hitting and soon Botham followed suit. As Australia’s bowlers tired, Botham attacked with such venom that mishits flew to the boundary. With Dilley (57), Old (29) and Willis (1) in support, he ended the day unbeaten on 145.The fifth day was just as remarkable. Willis was soon out, leaving Botham stranded on 149 and England 130 in front. Hoping to build on their heroics with the bat, Brearly opened with Botham and Dilly; but Botham was hit for two fours in his first over and Dilley was injured after two. Willis was back in the attack for what was suspected to be his last spell for England. After five ineffectual overs, Brearly swapped him out, only to put him on again at the other end. Willis was visibly inspired. He launched a series of vicious, throat high balls, claiming three wickets for no runs before lunch. With Old tying down an end at an economy under 2 an over, Willis kept at the Australians. Dilley took an amazing catch, running backwards to the boundary rope to save a six and remove Rod Marsh. With Australia at 74-7, the match turned as Dennis Lillee and Ray Bright attempted a Botham-esque attack. They smashed 35 in four overs to bring Australia to within 20. Willis was puffing, but he rose to the challenge; a change of length and Lillee was gone. The game was England’s ; Willis sent Bright’s middle stump into the air with his very next ball. England had won, by 19 runs, a match in which they had trailed in every single session. Despite Willis’ innings figures of 8-43, Botham claimed man of the match. England were not to lose again in the series. They won two of the remaining three Tests to reclaim the Ashes 3-1. “The 1981 Ashes,” says McLellan’s introduction, “changed my life. I suspect I’m not alone in that.” Steen agrees – he credits the series for inspiring him to quit a job he hated and begin his dream career. To modern eyes this seems a ludicrous over-reaction to a game of cricket, but to an England suffering the bitterest years of Thatcher’s reforms, this match, and series, produced a genuine shot in the arm to the nation.ARCHIVE: 0th week MT 2005

One-DayCambridge (191-5) beat Oxford (190 all out) by 5 wicketsFour-DayOxford (610-5 dec) beat Cambridge (129 & 268) by an innings & 213 runsOxford extended their run of dominance of the four-day first class Varsity Cricket match in the most emphatic fashion possible, defeating Cambridge by the astounding margin of an innings and 213 runs at Fenner’s. Oxford were in record breaking form both individually and as a team as they posted a record team total of 610-5 declared led by a record individual score of 247 from Salil Oberoi. The Merton first year, who has played first class cricket in India, broke Nawab of Pataudi’s record score after it had stood for 72 years.Oxford’s batsmen utterly destroyed the Cambridge bowling. Playing with extreme aggression, they scored at a strike rate not far short of a run a ball. Oberoi’s record innings was supported by an excellent 184 from Dan Fox during a third wicket partnership of 408, which saw the Cambridge bowlers cut and pulled to despair. Captain Paul McMahon (62 not out) and Chris Stearn (33 not out) also posted a century partnership in quick time before Oxford declared just after lunch on the second day. The Tabs’ response with the bat never looked likely to match Oxford’s extraordinary performance. A fine spell of left arm swing bowling from Amit Suman quickly reduced the light blues to 54-3 in reply, with only bouts of heavy rain preserving the Tabs’ hopes through the second and third day. However, just when the downpours looked to have scuppered any chance of a result the heavens finally closed and Oxford were able to use an hour’s play to decisive effect. Nottinghamshire off-spinner McMahon found surprising turn and bounce to rip the heart out of the Cambridge middle-order, taking four wickets in the space of six overs. Mike Munday and Suman also weighed in with one wicket apiece to leave Cambridge nine down. Oxford now had the entire fourth day to finish off the Tabs’ first innings, enforce the follow on and dismiss Cambridge again.The day began well. The Tabs’ first innings lasted just three balls, and the Blues’ new ball partnership of Suman and Ed Morse dismissed both Cambridge openers cheaply. However, time looked to be running out as Anirudh Singh batted obdurately to a career best 75, while Tom Savill rode his luck to post an attractive 59. However, when Singh was deceived by a Suman slower ball and Savill misread McMahon’s arm ball, the arrival of the second new ball looked certain to do for the Cambridge tail. However, Suman was strangely lacking in menace, and it required the intervention of leg-spinner Mike Munday to seal the victory with just 7 overs remaining. He turned one ball enough to get Ben Jacklin caught behind at the second attempt by Doran and then deceived Kemp with a googly off his very first ball to give Oxford their third Varsity triumph in a row.Whilst it was Oberoi’s record breaking innings that caught the headlines, Oxford coach Graham Charlesworth was fulsome in his praise of Blues captain McMahon, stating “Both his bowling and his captaincy have been of the highest order. Whilst it was very much a team effort, both him and Salil [Oberoi] showed the ability and temperament that it takes to succeed at first-class level. I’m confident that, although we have some good players leaving, we will remain successful because of the sound system that we have in place.”The win helped gloss over the surprise defeat suffered by Oxford in the one day showpiece match at Lord’s. Oxford batted disappointingly. Despite an impressive 56 not out from Chirs Stearn, they lost wickets at regular intervals throughout the innings and were ultimately bowled out for 190 off 49.5 overs. The Dark Blues’ bowlers rose to the challenge of defending such a low total, but Timms’ early innings of 58 proved to be a sufficient platform on which Cambridge could build. Keeping wickets in hand, Cambridge overhauled Oxford’s total with just four balls to go.ARCHIVE: 0th week MT 2005

Oxford (203-7) beat Cambridge (200 all out) by 3 wicketsOxford’s women claimed victory in an oustanding Varsity match, edging out a resurgent light blue side by just three wickets.Oxford won the toss and invited Cambridge to bat. Georgia Gale Grant and Lottie Waller took a quick wicket each to remove both Tab openers within overs and Oxford had the early advantage. However this brought together Cambridge’s Jane Allison and Kate Hawton who, after a watchful start built a strong partnership, dispatching wayward bowling towards the very short boundaries. Oxford were very thankful for a trademark miserly spell from Helen Turner who eventually removed Hawton and followed this with a second wicket to leave Cambridge 118-4, with the game well balanced.The spectators were treated to an exceptional innings from Jane Allison, who demonstrated a superb array of shots and frustrated the Oxford bowlers by successfully keeping the strike. Cambridge looked to be running away with the game until Gale Grant brought herself back into the attack with the score on 156-4. She took wickets with her fifth and sixth balls, and with the first ball of the following over became the first woman ever to take a hat-trick at Lord’s.Oxford, taking heart from their captain’s tremendous bowling performance, raised their game and Alexis Blane secured a run-out with a tremendous direct hit as Allison tried to secure the strike. Allison reached her hundred off 141 balls and put on 35 for the ninth wicket with Kim Roach before she was last out to Blane for an exceptional 109. The Cambridge side seemed sure they had already wrapped up the game, forgetting that on a field as small as the Nursery Ground, 201 was definitely an achievable target.Oxford lost Sarah Berman early, leaving Gale Grant to anchor the innings. She built partnerships with Emma Collins, who made 18, and Natalie Wells, 23, but after 25 overs Oxford only had 86 on the board. Helen Turner began to up the tempo, playing beautifully until she was dismissed for 29. Gale Grant reached fifty off 126 balls, having held the innings together and allowed her partners to score freely. Most people on the ground were wondering whether she had left it too late to accelerate, but 14 runs were scored off the 44th over and for the first time, Oxford looked to be favourites. In a final twist in a see-saw match, Gale Grant fell for 53 in the 45th over, leaving Oxford 16 to win with two new batsmen at the crease and most of the team with no fingernails left.ARCHIVE: 0th week MT 2005

Big changes are planned for St Aldate's over the next few years. Development plans will see the previously unused part of the city transformed from derelict buildings and waste land to an exclusive new shopping area.
The site, which streches from Marks and Spencer to St Aldate's, will play host to a new shopping centre, offices and further student accommodation. A new restaurant is planned for the basement of the site, which is currently home to the Post Office's storage area.
Oxford-based planning consultants  John Phillips Planning are acting on behalf of Merton College in the proceedings, and believe that real progress will be made by the end of the year. Development consultancy company the Carlyle Group have already signed long lease agreements with the college.
Nik Lyzba, from Oxford planning consultants John Phillips Planning, reported "It will not be a large shopping arcade and will not be in competition with the new Westgate centre. But it will add a new dimension to shopping in Oxford, which many people believe has become pretty poor."

This album comes complete with an accompanying essay booklet which explains the story behind every song. The essays themselves are fascinating, but leave the lyrics looking facile and pedestrian. It’s tough to weave a strong narrative through a song, and much harder still if everyone already knows how the story goes.

The other real issue with Elegies is that when you listen to 11 iLiKETRAiNS songs in a row, they tend to form a miserable, homogenous blur. So I was interested to hear whether, in a live setting, they would be able to shake off the strangely flat feeling that pervades the album.

They start well, opening with 25 Sins, which details the Great Fire of London in 1666 and is one of the more memorable moments on the new album. Next up is Terra Nova, from Progress Reform, which remains their best song by a long way. It’s a towering piece, glacial and magnificent, and is a clear marker for what this band is really capable of.

Sadly, it turns out that listening to 11 iLiKETRAiNS songs live is also a bit of a homogenous experience. Songs from the new album blur inoffensively but unrecognisably into one another, while being painfully shown up by early single A Rook House For Bobby. More than anything, you just wish vocalist David Martin would, just once, break out of his cut-glass baritone and let his voice show some emotion (unless, of course, arch historical doom-mongering counts as an emotion, in which case he’s possibly the most emotional man in Oxford).

Not that their set is without its highlights. The background visuals are hypnotic and genuinely add to the songs’ content (when they’re not hidden behind the drummer, that is), and when the band climax into storms of violent noise it’s hard to deny their raw instrumental power.

At one point, someone in the audience shouts “This is an awful place,” echoing a line from Terra Nova and referring, of course, to the shiny new Carling Academy Oxford. “It’s not that bad,” frontman Martin replied, and he’s right. It really isn’t that bad, just lacking somewhat in character. And for all their unusual subject matter, iLiKETRAiNS’ music could also do with a little more character. A little heart. And a lot more variety.

Vice-Chancellor John Hood stood up to recent pressure from government over policing campus extremists yesterday.Recent government policy suggested heavier 'policing' at campuses, as a way of tackling political extremism. In his annual speech, marking the start to the new academic year, he stated that he was aware of the need to stay vigilant, particularly after concerns were raised that campuses were potential breeding and recruitment grounds for terrorists.He said that it was a 'major priority' to increase awareness of Islam in the West, but that the university should not be made into a 'quasi-secret service'. Hood warned that the university must be aware of any threats to free speech and their academic freedom and that 'public policy, designed to address the undeniably real security worries about terrorism, does not undermine that very scholarly endeavour which can help to build and propagate knowledge and understanding in society.'

Health and safety inspectors have closed St Peter’s college bar after "significant failings" were unearthed during the summer, leading to the bar manager’s departure.

The bar, which was managed by the College rather than the JCR, failed a random health and safety inspection during the summer vacation and has subsequently been declared a health hazard, unfit to serve food and drink to students.

Its closure prompted the departure of the manager, Nick Tilley, who declined to comment and is now working at St John’s College.

The College’s Domestic Bursar, Jean Wright, also refused to comment.

Members of the JCR have taken matters into their own hands to ensure that its closure will not have a negative impact on Freshers’ Week by setting up a temporary bar until it reopens in January next year.

One third-year St Peter’s student criticised the College’s neglect of the bar, accusing them of "seriously neglecting their responsibilities by allowing the bar to become, and continue to be, unfit to serve students."

Another student at St Peter’s added, "This raises questions about why the College allowed the bar to get into such a state."

St Peter’s JCR President, Joel Mullan, agreed that the situation had resulted from negligence on the part of the College, but was positive that a temporary student-run bar would provide a satisfactory solution.

"The bar should not have been allowed to reach this stage of disrepair, and it’s unfortunate that these problems were not discovered earlier so that the work could have been completed during the vacation. Whilst a temporary bar is not ideal, we are making the best of a bad situation."

Despite the temporary solution, third-year student Matthew Sherman said he felt that the bar’s closure would still have a negative impact on Freshers’ Week. "The bar was a big part of the social life of the College, so this is a shame for all of us, but especially the freshers. The bar was certainly important for me in my early days at Oxford for meeting people and settling in," he said.

During Freshers’ Week, the temporary bar will be located in a marquee on the College’s Hannington Quad, before being moved to a small room between the St Peter’s JCR and gym.

Second-year St Peter’s student Kris Doyle, who is helping to run the temporary bar, is confident that the disruption to new students’ social lives will be minimal. "While the closure of the bar was unexpected it will not prove to be a problem. A dedicated group of students have rallied to ensure that there will be a college bar of some description and that the freshers will still have the same opportunity to get drunk as generations of previous St Peter’s students," he said.

"Far from being an outright negative, this turn of events has brought many of the current students together in order to preserve an essential part of college life and ensure that the new students feel the same sense of community spirit that the rest of us felt in our first few days."When the bar re-opens in January after renovation, it will be managed by students at St Peter’s.

An asylum seeker who believed she would be unable to afford her place at Oxford has had her fees waived by St John’s College.

Sholeem Griffin, whose family left Pakistan for the UK in 2003, initially thought that she would have to reject her offer from St John’s College to study biochemistry, because as an international student she would have had to pay £10,000 a year in tuition fees.

However, she was told by St John’s that she would be able to take up her place with financial help from the College and the JCR on the condition that she gained three ‘A’s at A-level. She went on to gain four ‘A’s and a ‘B’.

Describing how she felt when she learned that she would be able to come to Oxford, she said, "That was awesome really; I didn’t expect that. I was a bit disappointed at the time. I thought I wasn’t going to university until this whole thing got sorted out.

"I knew the fees were high for an international student and that it would be difficult. The alternative was sitting at home because I really couldn’t do much more with education as at every university it was the same problem."

Sholeem’s family came to the UK because they feared that they would not be able to practise Christianity in Pakistan, and were granted asylum in Wales. However, immigration law states that only those granted refugee status, which Sholeem did not have, can apply as home students to a British university.

She chose to apply to Oxford in 2006, after encouragement from her school, hoping that the long interval between sending off her UCAS form and starting her degree might have led to a change in her status as an asylum seeker.

St John’s JCR President Rhys Jones said, "I think it’s really good that she’s coming to study her chosen degree here. It’s encouraging to see the College using its funds to help those who would otherwise be unable to realise their ambitions." St John’s Equal Opportunities Officer Sophie Brockmann added, "The advantage of studying at a rich college like St John’s is that students do have help available to them." Sholeem hopes to study for a master’s degree after Oxford, and eventually go on to do research.

OUSU has clashed with the Oxford Union following a financial review that revealed generous subsidies for Union advertising were being paid without OUSU’s knowledge.

Demands for more money were sent to the prestigious debating society, including for a stall at Freshers’ Fair, advertising in The Oxford Student and distributing Union promotional material in freshers’ packs.

The University’s Senior Proctor, Dr James Forder, attempted to pressure OUSU into reducing their demands following a request from Union President Luke Tryl.

OUSU President Martin McCluskey said, "We discovered that the deal the Union were given was not viable, and came up with a new price which was at cost and presented them with a fairly reasonable package.

"We made sure that we’re not subsidising Union services. Our financial advisers from the University were advising us that the cost we were charging was right.

"OUSU hasn’t really had a working relationship with the Union in the past two years," he added.

Union President Luke Tryl denied that OUSU’s offer was fair. "The deal was overpriced given that we’re a student organisation and given that we don’t exist to make a profit," he said.

The Union responded to OUSU’s requests by enlisting the help of the Senior Proctor to moderate the financial demands. "They were called in to get our status within the University clarified," said Tryl. "The University encouraged them [OUSU] to treat us more favourably. From what I gather they [the Senior Proctors] put pressure on OUSU to treat us more favourably."

OUSU Vice-President (Finance) Rich Hardiman said that the toughening of OUSU’s financial demands came after University authorities criticised its management and called for a reordering of its finances. "In the past it was a very generous deal that didn’t treat them [the Union] as a commercial client. We were told by the University to stop making ‘mates rates’ for people.

"As a result, we re-evaluated our relationship with the Union," he said.

He also claims they were advised by the Senior Proctor that "although the Union is not officially part of the University, it is morally". OUSU responded by informing the University authorities that they had no jurisdiction in the matter.

"For the Proctors to lean in and say you can’t charge this much would be like a University department going to a limited company and telling them how to run their business," Hardiman said. "We took on board their concern, but at the same time I had to prioritise running the company."

A compromise was eventually reached, although the Union decided against buying advertising space in The Oxford Student. The Union will continue to pay for a stall at freshers’ fair and for sending out packs to freshers at a rate of £800 a year, well below the initial £1500 demanded by OUSU.

Tryl claimed to be pleased with the outcome, saying, "It was the best deal given the circumstances. In the end we get a deal that, far from being satisfactory, was still pretty good for the Union and its membership."

He also suggested, however, that the dispute had damaged the relationship between the two organisations. "If they treat us in a commercial light then we will be forced to do the same with them," he warned. "This is a step back in our relationship with OUSU. I hadhoped for our two organisations to work much more closely together, and I think this makes us working with them difficult in the future."The Senior Proctor was unavailable for comment.

A review of Oxford’s Permanent Private Halls published last week has voiced concerns about their practices, academic standards and the experiences of those who attend them.

The ‘Review of the Permanent Private Halls associated with the University of Oxford’, published in the University Gazette last Thursday, criticised PPHs for not always conforming to the "liberal ethos" which characterises the rest of the University.

The seven halls under scrutiny, four of which are Roman Catholic, two Anglican and one Baptist, have also been questioned as to their suitability for school leavers.

The document recommends that the University assume greater control or let the PPHs risk losing their University licence, and it warns that "substantial and challenging changes in some, if not all the halls" will be required.

The report states, "The admission of such young students into an overwhelmingly mature community of students does not provide the best learning environment for them or remotely replicate what is understood in the University at large as the collegiate experience of education." It concludes, "The right of those Permanent Private Halls which are principally communities of mature students to matriculate school-leaver-aged students should be withdrawn."

In response to this criticism, Wycliffe Hall Principal Revd Dr Richard Turnbull pointed out the panel’s failure to consult students at the private halls. He said it would have been useful to "find out what students think about their environment and setting".

Turnbull added, however, that he welcomed the report and that he "looked forward to working with the University in implementing these findings". He added, "All that is needed is a positive dialogue between the Permanent Private Halls and the University."

The report deals specifically with Wycliffe Hall in an appendix. It says, "There is a persistent concern outside Wycliffe about whether the strong emphasis on the evangelical tradition in some way inflects the teaching of theology and ministry into a narrow compass of interpretation.

"The panel feels that Wycliffe Hall does need to make a determined effort to clarify these matters to the rest of the University if it is to achieve manifest harmony with the University’s principles of education."

James Goldspink, a theology student at Wycliffe, raised concern that recent reports were unfair. "Those people who expressed views have only expressed upset. Everybody thinks it is a terrible shame about what is being reported about Wycliffe," he said. "Wycliffe are top of the private halls’ academic list. Therefore you cannot accuse us of not conforming to Oxford’s liberal standards."The panel has recommended to the University that a supervisory committee appointed by the Vice-Chancellor inspect the halls and make an annual report to Council.