ICC Ashes Edition 2006 Competition 

International Cricket Captain 2006 Ashes Edition is the latest edition of the world’s bestselling cricket management simulation series, and we have ten copies to give away over the period of the 2006/7 Ashes series.

The game, published by Empire Interactive, features complete and up-to-date rosters, statistics and venues, International Cricket Captain Ashes Edition 2006 is the most accurate predictor of the outcome of the upcoming Ashes Tests and One Day Internationals. Do you think a certain player has been wrongly omitted from the Ashes squad or a current squad member is not worthy of their place? Then drop the existing player and bring your man in. Don’t agree with the selectors lineup for the opening Test? Then change it. Everything is down to you, from team selections and batting order, all the way down to field settings and ball-by-ball instructions to your bowlers during matches to enable you to coach your team to success.

For more information on the new game, including screenshots and a review, click here.

There will be two copies of the game given away per each Ashes Test. To be in with a chance of winning a copy of the game, you will need to answer 5 questions, 4 specific to the ground on which the current Test is taking place, one specific to the game itself.

The third Test is taking place in Perth and here are the questions you need to answer to win:

1) Which domestic season is fully playable in International Cricket Captain Ashes Edition 2006?

A) Indian  B) English C) Australian

2) Which Australian State team normally plays at the W.A.C.A Ground, Perth?

A) Western Australia B) Australian Capital Territory C) Northern Australia

3) When did the W.A.C.A Ground, Perth, first hold an Ashes Test?

A) 1870  B) 1930  C)  1970

4)Which current Australian bowler made his top Test score of 99 at Perth, in 2001?

A) Stuart Clark  B) Brett Lee  C)  Shane Warne

5) Which world record did Matthew Hayden break at Perth, in 2003?

A) Most runs in an over  B) Most runs in an innings  C) Most wickets in an innings.

Simply email your answers, along with your name, to competitions@cricketworld.com. The draw for the two winners will take place on December 21st, and we must have received your entries by midnight on December 20th for you to be in with a chance of winning. The editor’s decision is final.

Remember, we will be asking five questions per Test, so even if you don’t win in Perth, you will still have chances to win. Keep watching this page for updates and new questions.

 

Having played the ICC Series for a number of years now, it was nice to be able to dive straight into this game without having to worry about which buttons did what, or how the game worked. When I did dive in, I was certainly impressed with the game. The tried and tested layout of ICC still works and the game really does give you the chance to take your team or nation to glory your own particular way.

What this Ashes Edition gives you is the ability to replay 5 classic Ashes series of the past (1882, 1958, 1970, 1981, and 2005) as well as the current Ashes series. Player data has also been updated, as well as injuries – so you will have to do without Vaughan and Jones for The Ashes.

Is the game a realistic simulation of international cricket? I would have to say it is, especially if you play the game through on a session by session basis. The ability to pinpoint opposing batsmen’s weaknesses and attack them really makes a difference, as do the weather conditions and how you take advantage of them.

The aggression levels are very good, and to do well, you have to gauge when a batsman is settled enough to be able to attack and not get out. Attack from the off, and you will get out, set defensive fields, and the scoring will slow but you’ll struggle for wickets. Basic tenets of the game they may be, but ICC implements these, and more to give you a very realistic and rewarding gaming experience.

We liked:

• The ability to play old Ashes series
• Realistic gaming experience
• Easy to get into, and easy to play
• Comprehensive database
• All international and English tournaments with up to date structures
• Ashes Fever DVD thrown in

We didn’t like:

• Injuries impacting on the 2005 Ashes series
• The auto-play feature


THE VERDICT:

International Cricket Captain is a fine game, and this special edition lives up to its reputation. The detail, statistics and realism are all there, and this all adds up to a game well worth getting hold of.

Cricket World rating:

Interface: Excellent, easy to navigate, easy to understand: 9/10
Graphics: Slightly let down with the highlights graphics, but otherwise very good: 7/10
Gameplay: Excellent – a wealth of options and tactics to choose from makes this a very playable game: 8/10

TOTAL: 24/30