Ashes Cricket 2009™

Ignite the fiercest rivalry in cricket in Ashes Cricket 2009

Step up to the crease as the first cricket game on PlayStation 3 arrives just in time for the 2009 Ashes.

Ashes Cricket 2009 is the first rendition of the sport on PS3. Arriving at a time when Australia and England are gripped by their teams' battle for the real-life Ashes, it boasts deeply balanced gameplay and glossy presentation, letting players determine what happens on the crease.

Just like TV

A licence from the England and Wales Cricket Board, Cricket Australia and the Marylebone Cricket Club, means that everything is up-to-date and accurate, and you can play as one of 12 different teams - not just England and Australia.

Commentary comes from Tony Greig, Jonathan Agnew and Shane Warne, while Sir Ian Botham guides you through the tutorial mode. The level of detail pored into the match presentation is impressive and TV-style touches such as Hawk-Eye replays will delight fans.

The main attraction is the ability to play through the 2009 Ashes Series with meticulous accuracy. Test matches, One Day Internationals and 20/20 matches are also available, and there are three levels of difficulty.

Just like real-life

The two components of a cricket game, batting and bowling, are both easy to pick up and have underlying complexity. At the crease, the batsman controls his position with the right stick and the direction of his shot with the left stick. Pressing the appropriate action button plays defensive, attacking and lofted shots. Advanced players can use the L1 and L2 buttons to play the shot from the front or back foot respectively.

Bowlers can select between swing, seam and slow delivery types - different variations of spin for spinners - and select the length with the right stick. They must then stop a meter before it hits the red segment to bowl with accuracy.

At a catch opportunity, the action slows and the fielding player must press the X button at the correct time to take the catch.

Building a partnership

Up to four players can get together for any of the match types in local multiplayer; online, you can play limited over matches.

Overall, Ashes Cricket 2009 is a detailed and absorbing recreation of the biennial test series between Australia and England, and the ability to play as other nations, in other match types, adds longevity.

The TV-style presentation, official licenses and Hawk-Eye add polish and provide a wealth of statistics between overs - just like in real life.