Not much time to post this morning as I'm off to play cricket in the wilds of mid Devon, but it won't take long to point out that in the end the World Cup got the final it deserved - one-sided, interrupted by rain and too long for its own good. The farcical scenes at the end, when some of the finest cricketers in the world attempted to play in the dark when they needn't have been playing at all, just about summed up a tournament which has been too long and has lacked the type of verve and drama which used to be synonymous with one-day cricket and West Indian cricket.
It's all been said before about Australia and Adam Gilchrist, but it can, and will, be said again. After Gilchrist's century at Perth during the Ashes series I described him as the finest wicket-keeper-batsman of all time and then spent some time mulling over whether I'd gone too far. I now have no doubts at all.
And, in the end, Australia were just too good for anybody. It's now up to the rest to try to catch up.
29.4.07
28.4.07
End of the Road
So, after about seven weeks (I really can't be bothered to count) and goodness knows how many matches (ditto) it's all come down to Australia and Sri Lanka.
One of the few aspects of the tournament about which one can be unreservedly generous is that its best two sides have ended up in the final. And, if anyone stands a genuine chance of turning Australia over, Sri Lanka do.
That said, Australia are playing so well, are so motivated to win their third consecutive World Cup and to send Glenn McGrath, the competition's outstanding bowler, into retirement on the highest of highs, and are so collectively immune to pressure, that I'll be surprised if they fail to do so.
I hope they don't though, and I'll be backing Sanath, Mahela, Kumar, Murali and the rest all the way.
One of the few aspects of the tournament about which one can be unreservedly generous is that its best two sides have ended up in the final. And, if anyone stands a genuine chance of turning Australia over, Sri Lanka do.
That said, Australia are playing so well, are so motivated to win their third consecutive World Cup and to send Glenn McGrath, the competition's outstanding bowler, into retirement on the highest of highs, and are so collectively immune to pressure, that I'll be surprised if they fail to do so.
I hope they don't though, and I'll be backing Sanath, Mahela, Kumar, Murali and the rest all the way.
26.4.07
Prior Engagement
With Australia and Sri Lanka safely in the World Cup final (of which more later) the domestic news was made today by the so-called 'England Performance Squad'.
Of course it's good to see Tres back in there (and Owais Shah), but the identity of the wicket-keepers was its most interesting aspect. Sure enough, Nixon is there, and, after his performances for England over the last two months he deserves nothing less, but he's joined by Sussex's Matt Prior. It's a finely balanced thing but I think Prior will (and probably should) start at Lord's.
With his former county coach Peter Moores in charge and a pretty good England A tour behind him it's hardly a surprise, but it emphasizes again, nearly four years after Alec Stewart retired, how England are still searching for a regular wicket-keeper.
Regular readers will know that I strongly favour Worcestershire's Steven Davies to be the long-term occupant of the role, but I'm happy to see Prior get a chance.
As much as anything else it'll mark the change from Fletcher to Moores, as I'm sure Fletcher would have gone for Nixon.
Maybe Moores will, but I'll be slightly surprised if he does.
Of course it's good to see Tres back in there (and Owais Shah), but the identity of the wicket-keepers was its most interesting aspect. Sure enough, Nixon is there, and, after his performances for England over the last two months he deserves nothing less, but he's joined by Sussex's Matt Prior. It's a finely balanced thing but I think Prior will (and probably should) start at Lord's.
With his former county coach Peter Moores in charge and a pretty good England A tour behind him it's hardly a surprise, but it emphasizes again, nearly four years after Alec Stewart retired, how England are still searching for a regular wicket-keeper.
Regular readers will know that I strongly favour Worcestershire's Steven Davies to be the long-term occupant of the role, but I'm happy to see Prior get a chance.
As much as anything else it'll mark the change from Fletcher to Moores, as I'm sure Fletcher would have gone for Nixon.
Maybe Moores will, but I'll be slightly surprised if he does.
22.4.07
Lara at the Last
Long day, yesterday.
For one thing England and the West Indies fought each other to a standstill in the World Cup's best game. The fact that it was a contest between two of the competition's most uneasy and mediocre teams didn't matter as we at last had a match which encapsulated everything which people hoped for from the West Indies' first World Cup but which it has almost completely failed to deliver - noise, atmosphere, colour, vibrancy, brilliant strokeplay from Gayle, Samuels, Vaughan and Pietersen, passionate athleticism in the field from Collingwod and Bravo, further obvious signs of promise from Ravi Bopara.
And then there was Brian Lara. Run out for a staccato 18 in a mix-up with Samuels, unable in the end to stem the tide of England's run-chase, and finally gone for good from cricket in a welter of flash bulbs, autographs and snatched handshakes.
When I woke up on Friday morning and heard that Lara was going to retire I was surprised but also saddened. At the very first it was selfish personal disappointment as I was looking forward to seeing him bat in person for the last time at Lord's in May, but later it evolved into a wider awareness that cricket currently stands at one of those tipping points in its history when a range of pivotal figures slip from the international stage and we're left to wonder who will take their places. In the past few months Warne, Lara, Langer and Woolmer have gone, McGrath has one or two games left and even Sachin's once unimpeachable seat at the head of the game's top table looks vulnerable.
I've written before about how I was always a Lara man. It started with the 375, which I followed on the radio as I didn't have Sky then, went on through the 501, his destruction of Australia in an ODI at the Queen's Park Oval in March 1995, then to Trent Bridge that August and just about the greatest work of genius I ever saw in person. And on to the peerless 1999 series: 213 at Sabina and his finest hour of many, the undefeated 153 in Bridgetown that saw his side to the narrowest of victories. And on to Antigua again, to the world records, to a walk-on part in his team's 418 in the final innings against Australia in 2003, and the 400 not out against England in 2004. And on into retirement.
The essence of Lara can be hard to capture in words, but the inimitable Alan Ross, in Green Fading Into Blue, did better than most:
'He keeps very still at the wicket and is stillness personified. Alert as a gundog, scenting something, giving nothing away. Leaning on his bat between overs he may be dreaming, perhaps doing mental arithmetic.
The bowler approaches and now everything works together in harmony, the bat an extension of the arms, the legs and feet as in the first steps of a dance, abruptly halted.
In defence he is classically correct, body and head aligned, something of the martial arts in his position, pose held just long enough to be admired.
Runs appear to flow from him rather than he make them. He is anticipatory, a sixth sense making him ready, even before the bowler lets go. He strokes not hurts, times, caresses, even in moments of aggression melodious.'
And Rahul Bhattacharya does pretty well here.
I'm not going to say that things will never be the same again as it's the oldest cliche in the book and they probably will be, one day.
But who will take his place?
For one thing England and the West Indies fought each other to a standstill in the World Cup's best game. The fact that it was a contest between two of the competition's most uneasy and mediocre teams didn't matter as we at last had a match which encapsulated everything which people hoped for from the West Indies' first World Cup but which it has almost completely failed to deliver - noise, atmosphere, colour, vibrancy, brilliant strokeplay from Gayle, Samuels, Vaughan and Pietersen, passionate athleticism in the field from Collingwod and Bravo, further obvious signs of promise from Ravi Bopara.
And then there was Brian Lara. Run out for a staccato 18 in a mix-up with Samuels, unable in the end to stem the tide of England's run-chase, and finally gone for good from cricket in a welter of flash bulbs, autographs and snatched handshakes.
When I woke up on Friday morning and heard that Lara was going to retire I was surprised but also saddened. At the very first it was selfish personal disappointment as I was looking forward to seeing him bat in person for the last time at Lord's in May, but later it evolved into a wider awareness that cricket currently stands at one of those tipping points in its history when a range of pivotal figures slip from the international stage and we're left to wonder who will take their places. In the past few months Warne, Lara, Langer and Woolmer have gone, McGrath has one or two games left and even Sachin's once unimpeachable seat at the head of the game's top table looks vulnerable.
I've written before about how I was always a Lara man. It started with the 375, which I followed on the radio as I didn't have Sky then, went on through the 501, his destruction of Australia in an ODI at the Queen's Park Oval in March 1995, then to Trent Bridge that August and just about the greatest work of genius I ever saw in person. And on to the peerless 1999 series: 213 at Sabina and his finest hour of many, the undefeated 153 in Bridgetown that saw his side to the narrowest of victories. And on to Antigua again, to the world records, to a walk-on part in his team's 418 in the final innings against Australia in 2003, and the 400 not out against England in 2004. And on into retirement.
The essence of Lara can be hard to capture in words, but the inimitable Alan Ross, in Green Fading Into Blue, did better than most:
'He keeps very still at the wicket and is stillness personified. Alert as a gundog, scenting something, giving nothing away. Leaning on his bat between overs he may be dreaming, perhaps doing mental arithmetic.
The bowler approaches and now everything works together in harmony, the bat an extension of the arms, the legs and feet as in the first steps of a dance, abruptly halted.
In defence he is classically correct, body and head aligned, something of the martial arts in his position, pose held just long enough to be admired.
Runs appear to flow from him rather than he make them. He is anticipatory, a sixth sense making him ready, even before the bowler lets go. He strokes not hurts, times, caresses, even in moments of aggression melodious.'
And Rahul Bhattacharya does pretty well here.
I'm not going to say that things will never be the same again as it's the oldest cliche in the book and they probably will be, one day.
But who will take his place?
19.4.07
Fletcher Has Gone
In the end there was no way out. For the best part of seven years he did little but good for England but, from the time he went back to Giles and Jones in preference to Read and Panesar, he was destined to be history if it didn't work out.
The Ashes series didn't and the World Cup was never going to.
A good summary of his life and times by Andrew Miller is here.
The Ashes series didn't and the World Cup was never going to.
A good summary of his life and times by Andrew Miller is here.
18.4.07
Humiliation
The only conceivable surprise about South Africa's slaughter of England yesterday was that it was quite so quick. Let's face it, with a few notable exceptions (Sharjah 1997, Champions Trophy 2004, CB Series 2007), England have been useless at one-day cricket for years and years and years.
I'm going to take a back seat and let the dust settle for a few days before I say anything else, but most of the British papers seem to be calling for Fletcher's head and, having first done so back in December, I can't see myself bucking the trend now. It's encouraging also that there appears to be widespread recognition that Vaughan's ODI career, never very distinguished, has also run its course. I'm instinctively dubious about the concept of having different captains in Test and one-day cricket, but England simply can't go on like this.
Having seemingly played most of the tournament with only one proper batsman, it was always going to be tough for England when he failed. Throw in a complete inability to take advantage of powerplays in the way that the better sides do, add the consistently inconsistent - and often utterly dreadful - bowling of Sajid Mahmood and Flintoff's range of form and discipline issues and you have a recipe for disaster.
Looking to the longer term, it's difficult at the moment to feel other than that the only good to come out of England's 'campaign' is the feeling that the whole flimsy house of cards has been brought crashing down and that change is now inevitable.
And Ravi Bopara.
I'm going to take a back seat and let the dust settle for a few days before I say anything else, but most of the British papers seem to be calling for Fletcher's head and, having first done so back in December, I can't see myself bucking the trend now. It's encouraging also that there appears to be widespread recognition that Vaughan's ODI career, never very distinguished, has also run its course. I'm instinctively dubious about the concept of having different captains in Test and one-day cricket, but England simply can't go on like this.
Having seemingly played most of the tournament with only one proper batsman, it was always going to be tough for England when he failed. Throw in a complete inability to take advantage of powerplays in the way that the better sides do, add the consistently inconsistent - and often utterly dreadful - bowling of Sajid Mahmood and Flintoff's range of form and discipline issues and you have a recipe for disaster.
Looking to the longer term, it's difficult at the moment to feel other than that the only good to come out of England's 'campaign' is the feeling that the whole flimsy house of cards has been brought crashing down and that change is now inevitable.
And Ravi Bopara.
17.4.07
Drifting into Life
With England and South Africa readying themselves for battle in Barbados, there's just time to refer to the fact that the English season has drifted into life.
It was good - and unsurprising - to see Alastair Cook begin his season with a big hundred for MCC v Sussex, and even better to see Owais Shah do the same.
While Shah seems to have drifted back to the fringes of England contention since his excellent debut in Mumbai in early 2006, I firmly believe that he could have a lot to offer England in the future. Like a lot of people, though, he probably needs Fletcher to be shown the exit door to get another chance to show what he can really do.
It was good - and unsurprising - to see Alastair Cook begin his season with a big hundred for MCC v Sussex, and even better to see Owais Shah do the same.
While Shah seems to have drifted back to the fringes of England contention since his excellent debut in Mumbai in early 2006, I firmly believe that he could have a lot to offer England in the future. Like a lot of people, though, he probably needs Fletcher to be shown the exit door to get another chance to show what he can really do.
15.4.07
Pace Like Fire
With New Zealand progressing smoothly to the semis at South Africa's expense and England facing the future with uncertainty (Should Fletcher stay or go? Who will be dropped from the Test team to accommodate Vaughan?), it is Shaun Tait who's made the most vivid impression on me these past few days.
I can always remember where and when I saw the best fast bowlers of the past couple of cricketing generations for the first time:
Waqar Younis at Uxbridge, 1990, Shoaib in the World Cup at Bristol, May 1999, Brett Lee at Perth, December 2000. All typifying the sort of raw speed which makes you suck in your breath and wonder (but not too hard) what it's like to face bowling like that from 22 yards away with a stick of wood in your hand.
So it was when I returned from work on Friday to see Shaun Tait ripping out the heart of the Irish batting in Barbados.
If he can get his fluctuating line and length sorted Australia have an interesting and possibly deadly prospect to help their attack adjust to life after McGrath and Warne.
I can always remember where and when I saw the best fast bowlers of the past couple of cricketing generations for the first time:
Waqar Younis at Uxbridge, 1990, Shoaib in the World Cup at Bristol, May 1999, Brett Lee at Perth, December 2000. All typifying the sort of raw speed which makes you suck in your breath and wonder (but not too hard) what it's like to face bowling like that from 22 yards away with a stick of wood in your hand.
So it was when I returned from work on Friday to see Shaun Tait ripping out the heart of the Irish batting in Barbados.
If he can get his fluctuating line and length sorted Australia have an interesting and possibly deadly prospect to help their attack adjust to life after McGrath and Warne.
12.4.07
Where Now for West Indies?
No commentator or journalist from anywhere in the cricket world can speak or write with as much knowledge, feeling or authority about their region as Tony Cozier.
To those of us who take any and every opportunity they can get to listen to him, the extent of his disenchantment with the modern generation of West Indian cricketers has been evident for years. This, from the Trinidad and Tobago Express via Cricinfo, sums up his feelings following the Windies' exit from their own World Cup.
For a number of years now it's been two steps back for every one step forward for West Indies cricket.
Where will it end?
To those of us who take any and every opportunity they can get to listen to him, the extent of his disenchantment with the modern generation of West Indian cricketers has been evident for years. This, from the Trinidad and Tobago Express via Cricinfo, sums up his feelings following the Windies' exit from their own World Cup.
For a number of years now it's been two steps back for every one step forward for West Indies cricket.
Where will it end?
At Their Best?
When I heard Michael Vaughan on the radio this morning saying that England (once again) 'weren't at their best' when flopping over the line against Bangladesh yesterday, my immediate reaction was 'well, what exactly is their best?'. Maybe, just maybe, this is it, in which case they're liable to find South Africa a bit of a
handful.
Somebody who would obviously improve their chances is Marcus Trescothick, and, with what I wrote the other day in mind, this, from The Times, made interesting and welcome reading.
Hopefully we'll see him back in England colours before too long, but his return cannot, must not, be rushed, because another relapse would surely mean the end.
handful.
Somebody who would obviously improve their chances is Marcus Trescothick, and, with what I wrote the other day in mind, this, from The Times, made interesting and welcome reading.
Hopefully we'll see him back in England colours before too long, but his return cannot, must not, be rushed, because another relapse would surely mean the end.
10.4.07
High Standards
Although they were a bit below par by their own high standards yesterday, the continuing confidence and competence of New Zealand's displays has cast a penetrating shadow on England's more hesitant efforts. On their current form you'd expect them to push Australia and Sri Lanka all the way and it would be great to see them win it.
Back here in England there's been quite a lot of comment in and around the media about Marcus Trescothick's innings of 256 for Somerset against Devon in a pre-season friendly at Taunton on Sunday.
While it's great to see Marcus back on the field (even if it was one with a very small boundary), it seems to me to be far too early to speculate about what his future may hold. I'd like to think - and I'm sure he would too - that he could have a part to play in the England side at home, but there must be serious doubts over whether he can, will or ought to ever tour again. Meaning, of course, that all will depend on the willingness of Team England to accommodate a 'home only' player, even if they're as good as Marcus. My instinct would be to say that they shouldn't, but that doesn't mean that they won't.
However, even though this would mean that I and my fellow Somerset members would see more of him than we've been able to since the end of the last century, it would be very sad to see such an outstanding player serving out his days in relative obscurity.
Still, much as I admire the Devon bowling attack (see this for example), much sterner tests lie ahead.
Back here in England there's been quite a lot of comment in and around the media about Marcus Trescothick's innings of 256 for Somerset against Devon in a pre-season friendly at Taunton on Sunday.
While it's great to see Marcus back on the field (even if it was one with a very small boundary), it seems to me to be far too early to speculate about what his future may hold. I'd like to think - and I'm sure he would too - that he could have a part to play in the England side at home, but there must be serious doubts over whether he can, will or ought to ever tour again. Meaning, of course, that all will depend on the willingness of Team England to accommodate a 'home only' player, even if they're as good as Marcus. My instinct would be to say that they shouldn't, but that doesn't mean that they won't.
However, even though this would mean that I and my fellow Somerset members would see more of him than we've been able to since the end of the last century, it would be very sad to see such an outstanding player serving out his days in relative obscurity.
Still, much as I admire the Devon bowling attack (see this for example), much sterner tests lie ahead.
9.4.07
Questions, Questions
I think we can say with a fair degree of certainty now that when it comes to England and one-day cricket, normal service has been resumed. The consecutive victories which crowned the CB Series in Australia now look like an illusory mirage when set against the fact that they still haven't beaten a major nation at the World Cup and now require wins from each of their last three Super Eight matches to progress any further.
After some signs of life against Sri Lanka in midweek, yesterday's defeat was a familiar litany of problems - a poor start, encompassing Michael Vaughan's usual failure, a promising recovery which was never built upon, an inept but mercifully brief innings from Flintoff and some patchy fielding and bowling - all of which was never going to be good enough to defeat Australia, even on a poor day.
The only saving graces were that somebody finally made a century (and it was worryingly predictable that it was Pietersen) and that Ian Bell, opening, played a vibrant and occasionally brilliant innings of 77. It was a pity that he didn't progress to a hundred, but one day soon he'll start to realise how good he is and the hundreds will come. As for Michael Vaughan, one wonders where the next run is coming from and there must soon be a reassessment of whether or not England can afford to carry a player whose ODI record is, for a player of his unquestioned ability, shockingly mediocre.
As always with England in the one-day arena, yesterday's game threw up far more questions than answers. South Africa, West Indies and, perhaps especially, Bangladesh, will ask a lot more before the month is out.
After some signs of life against Sri Lanka in midweek, yesterday's defeat was a familiar litany of problems - a poor start, encompassing Michael Vaughan's usual failure, a promising recovery which was never built upon, an inept but mercifully brief innings from Flintoff and some patchy fielding and bowling - all of which was never going to be good enough to defeat Australia, even on a poor day.
The only saving graces were that somebody finally made a century (and it was worryingly predictable that it was Pietersen) and that Ian Bell, opening, played a vibrant and occasionally brilliant innings of 77. It was a pity that he didn't progress to a hundred, but one day soon he'll start to realise how good he is and the hundreds will come. As for Michael Vaughan, one wonders where the next run is coming from and there must soon be a reassessment of whether or not England can afford to carry a player whose ODI record is, for a player of his unquestioned ability, shockingly mediocre.
As always with England in the one-day arena, yesterday's game threw up far more questions than answers. South Africa, West Indies and, perhaps especially, Bangladesh, will ask a lot more before the month is out.
8.4.07
Relative Genius
I think I was a bit too cynical and dismissive the other day when I described the World Cup as a 'disaster'. It's been a disappointment, yes, but there's still time for it to redeem itself.
Bangladesh's win over South Africa set the ball rolling very nicely yesterday, confirming the progress which Dav Whatmore's team are finally making and bringing England and West Indies back towards contention for the semi-finals.
Bangladesh have hit upon a nice blend of the solid experience of Habibul Bashar, Javed Omar and Mohammad Rafique and the vigorous seam bowling of Mashrafe Mortaza, the impudence of Mushfiqur Rahim, the hitting of Aftab Ahmed and the relative genius of Mohammad Ashraful. Their fielding's not bad either, and would put that of India and Pakistan to shame.
It's Easter Sunday and the weather in England is beautiful. I'm going out walking today but I'll take a radio to keep in touch with today's game between Australia and England. If England can pick up where they left off against Sri Lanka and draw on the confidence which their frequent wins over Australia at the end of the CB Series gave them they've got a chance. One's suspicion, though, is that Australia are now just playing too well.
Bangladesh's win over South Africa set the ball rolling very nicely yesterday, confirming the progress which Dav Whatmore's team are finally making and bringing England and West Indies back towards contention for the semi-finals.
Bangladesh have hit upon a nice blend of the solid experience of Habibul Bashar, Javed Omar and Mohammad Rafique and the vigorous seam bowling of Mashrafe Mortaza, the impudence of Mushfiqur Rahim, the hitting of Aftab Ahmed and the relative genius of Mohammad Ashraful. Their fielding's not bad either, and would put that of India and Pakistan to shame.
It's Easter Sunday and the weather in England is beautiful. I'm going out walking today but I'll take a radio to keep in touch with today's game between Australia and England. If England can pick up where they left off against Sri Lanka and draw on the confidence which their frequent wins over Australia at the end of the CB Series gave them they've got a chance. One's suspicion, though, is that Australia are now just playing too well.
6.4.07
Staggering On
So, the World Cup staggers on.
Dull, rain-interrupted games; semi-deserted stadia; a schedule which stretches into the distance with little sign of conclusion, but which will probably just end with Australia winning.
While England's narrow defeat to Sri Lanka earlier in the week was an enjoyable exception - a taut and exciting game in front of what looked like a reasonable crowd, in which Ravi Bopara put his hand up as a potentially significant discovery for England - it's the exception which proves the rule.
Throughout the web and the written media, the ICC is taking some fearful stick. I can't find the piece which Cricinfo was carrying yesterday by a World Cup volunteer, but this by Tim de Lisle, will do just as well.
With the inquests continuing in India and Pakistan (and Chappell gone) the biggest and most-needed inquiry of all - into how this tournament became such a disaster thanks to the ICC's stupidity and greed - should start as soon as the competition has ended (if it ever does).
Dull, rain-interrupted games; semi-deserted stadia; a schedule which stretches into the distance with little sign of conclusion, but which will probably just end with Australia winning.
While England's narrow defeat to Sri Lanka earlier in the week was an enjoyable exception - a taut and exciting game in front of what looked like a reasonable crowd, in which Ravi Bopara put his hand up as a potentially significant discovery for England - it's the exception which proves the rule.
Throughout the web and the written media, the ICC is taking some fearful stick. I can't find the piece which Cricinfo was carrying yesterday by a World Cup volunteer, but this by Tim de Lisle, will do just as well.
With the inquests continuing in India and Pakistan (and Chappell gone) the biggest and most-needed inquiry of all - into how this tournament became such a disaster thanks to the ICC's stupidity and greed - should start as soon as the competition has ended (if it ever does).
2.4.07
Optimism, Pessimism
Kumar Sangakkara, one of the finest cricketers on God's earth, sounded sanguine and optimistic when interviewed immediately after Sri Lanka's comfortable victory over West Indies in Guyana. He pointed to the versatility of his team's bowling attack and the quality of their batting, and was right to do so.
West Indies, though, have a lot less to be happy about, as their third consecutive defeat brought them even closer to elimination from their own World Cup than they were before (and that was pretty close).
This, by Simon Wilde, indicates that the side's poor form on the field isn't all that those with the future of West Indies cricket at heart need to be concerned about.
Having never been to Antigua or any of the other countries which make up the 'West Indies' I don't know what it used to be like and I don't know what it's like now. But, if Wilde's piece is an accurate reflection of what's going on on the island which gave us Richards, Richardson, Roberts and Ambrose, it's very sad indeed.
West Indies, though, have a lot less to be happy about, as their third consecutive defeat brought them even closer to elimination from their own World Cup than they were before (and that was pretty close).
This, by Simon Wilde, indicates that the side's poor form on the field isn't all that those with the future of West Indies cricket at heart need to be concerned about.
Having never been to Antigua or any of the other countries which make up the 'West Indies' I don't know what it used to be like and I don't know what it's like now. But, if Wilde's piece is an accurate reflection of what's going on on the island which gave us Richards, Richardson, Roberts and Ambrose, it's very sad indeed.
1.4.07
Shiv
I've always been a big fan of Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Far more so than other more fashionable West Indian batsmen, apart, of course, from Lara.
I'm not totally sure why, but it's got something to do with the contrast between his dissonant, ugly technique and the fact that, when you look past it, he's one of the classiest operators you could ever wish to see.
A particular personal memory is of seeing him leaving the Lord's pavilion after his memorable double of 97 and 128, both undefeated, in West Indies' defeat there in 2004. Close to, he looked like a lost schoolboy, the smallest and slightest professional sportsman I think I've ever seen, yet capable of spending most of the match seeing off Harmison, Hoggard, Flintoff, Jones and Giles.
With West Indies currently struggling to contain Sri Lanka in Chanderpaul's home country, Rahul Bhattacharya's typically erudite account of a visit to Chanderpaul's family at Cricinfo makes interesting reading.
I'm not totally sure why, but it's got something to do with the contrast between his dissonant, ugly technique and the fact that, when you look past it, he's one of the classiest operators you could ever wish to see.
A particular personal memory is of seeing him leaving the Lord's pavilion after his memorable double of 97 and 128, both undefeated, in West Indies' defeat there in 2004. Close to, he looked like a lost schoolboy, the smallest and slightest professional sportsman I think I've ever seen, yet capable of spending most of the match seeing off Harmison, Hoggard, Flintoff, Jones and Giles.
With West Indies currently struggling to contain Sri Lanka in Chanderpaul's home country, Rahul Bhattacharya's typically erudite account of a visit to Chanderpaul's family at Cricinfo makes interesting reading.
Things Can Only Get Better (Can They?)
Three weeks in (or is it longer?) and I'm still not totally sure what I think of the 2007 World Cup. Certain themes are starting to emerge, though, and it's hard to escape the feeling that the organisers should be a bit concerned about how things are going.
To start with, the coach of a major nation has been murdered. Hardly a great way for the tournament to get under way, and, despite the fact that the World Cup has continued (a decision I was completely in favour of, given that it's surely what Woolmer would have wanted), there can be little doubt that, ultimately, that is what the competition will be remembered for.
Also, two of the highest profile sides in the tournament were eliminated at the first hurdle. Okay, it was nobody's fault but their own, but the Super Eight would be looking a bit more interesting now if India and Pakistan were still around.
Then there's the weather. There's been a lot of rain around and this has detracted from the continuity of the tournament and the visual impression created by it. How many games so far have been played under blazing skies in front of packed houses? Not many.
Which brings me to the question of crowds. Hardly any of the matches - even those involving the West Indies - have been watched by large audiences and it's becoming clear from the media that a number of the decisions taken by the organisers, from building new stadiums in unsuitable locations downwards (coupled with the standard ICC over-regulation of spectators' habits) have created the impression that this is a competition which the people of the region aren't completely sold on. And unless the form of the West Indies improves pretty quickly, things aren't going to change.
On the field it's looking more and more as though Australia are the team to beat, with South Africa, Sri Lanka and especially New Zealand looking like the only sides that can stop them. Ireland and Bangladesh have surely come as far as they're going to, West Indies are staring down the barrel and England give the impression of limping along, untested, unproven and unconvincing, with their old nemesis Jayasuriya and friends awaiting them later this week. In some ways it's reassuring that normal service has been resumed in the one-day world - Australia on top, England faltering, and the rest somewhere in between - but it doesn't make the World Cup any more interesting.
One can only hope that things will get better.
They need to.
To start with, the coach of a major nation has been murdered. Hardly a great way for the tournament to get under way, and, despite the fact that the World Cup has continued (a decision I was completely in favour of, given that it's surely what Woolmer would have wanted), there can be little doubt that, ultimately, that is what the competition will be remembered for.
Also, two of the highest profile sides in the tournament were eliminated at the first hurdle. Okay, it was nobody's fault but their own, but the Super Eight would be looking a bit more interesting now if India and Pakistan were still around.
Then there's the weather. There's been a lot of rain around and this has detracted from the continuity of the tournament and the visual impression created by it. How many games so far have been played under blazing skies in front of packed houses? Not many.
Which brings me to the question of crowds. Hardly any of the matches - even those involving the West Indies - have been watched by large audiences and it's becoming clear from the media that a number of the decisions taken by the organisers, from building new stadiums in unsuitable locations downwards (coupled with the standard ICC over-regulation of spectators' habits) have created the impression that this is a competition which the people of the region aren't completely sold on. And unless the form of the West Indies improves pretty quickly, things aren't going to change.
On the field it's looking more and more as though Australia are the team to beat, with South Africa, Sri Lanka and especially New Zealand looking like the only sides that can stop them. Ireland and Bangladesh have surely come as far as they're going to, West Indies are staring down the barrel and England give the impression of limping along, untested, unproven and unconvincing, with their old nemesis Jayasuriya and friends awaiting them later this week. In some ways it's reassuring that normal service has been resumed in the one-day world - Australia on top, England faltering, and the rest somewhere in between - but it doesn't make the World Cup any more interesting.
One can only hope that things will get better.
They need to.
29.3.07
Culture Changes
Elsewhere, the poor crowds are starting to cause comment, and a range of reasons is being advanced, including high prices, the Caribbean last-minute culture and the banning of the type of displays of support which have always been commonplace in the West Indies.
Here's Cricinfo's take on things, with some well-judged and wise words from the great BCL.
Here's Cricinfo's take on things, with some well-judged and wise words from the great BCL.
Four in Four
I first became aware of Lasith Malinga a few years back, when, so the memory tells me, Sri Lanka were playing Australia in the 'Top End' series in Cairns and Darwin. A few glimpses of him on Sky during those Tests were enough to indicate that here was an interesting customer. Pacier than any previous Sri Lankan bowler and with an action so slingy that he made Fidel Edwards look like Shaun Pollock, it was clear that he was one to watch.
That he remains, and last night he became the first bowler in ODI history to take four wickets with consecutive balls, although his efforts weren't quite enough to prevent South Africa winning. With Australia completing a comprehensive dissection of the West Indies in Antigua, it's all too easy to start wondering if anyone else can challenge them over the next month, but at least both Sri Lanka and South Africa look as though they might be able to give them a run for their money (although the Proteas, of course, have already tried and failed once). The next few days will confirm where England and New Zealand, the only other possible contenders beyond those already mentioned, stand.
That he remains, and last night he became the first bowler in ODI history to take four wickets with consecutive balls, although his efforts weren't quite enough to prevent South Africa winning. With Australia completing a comprehensive dissection of the West Indies in Antigua, it's all too easy to start wondering if anyone else can challenge them over the next month, but at least both Sri Lanka and South Africa look as though they might be able to give them a run for their money (although the Proteas, of course, have already tried and failed once). The next few days will confirm where England and New Zealand, the only other possible contenders beyond those already mentioned, stand.
27.3.07
Attrition
An interesting article in The Times by Christopher Martin-Jenkins, arguing that no other country currently has as much young seam bowling talent as England.
I like Plunkett (but he's still got plenty to do); Anderson, when fit, looks to be getting back to where he was a few years ago; Mahmood continues to look unconvincing to me and I've hardly seen Onions. I have, however, seen plenty of Stuart Broad, who could be the best of the lot.
CMJ may be right, but, given the historic attrition rate among young English seamers, it'll be interesting to see where all these bowlers are in five years' time.
I like Plunkett (but he's still got plenty to do); Anderson, when fit, looks to be getting back to where he was a few years ago; Mahmood continues to look unconvincing to me and I've hardly seen Onions. I have, however, seen plenty of Stuart Broad, who could be the best of the lot.
CMJ may be right, but, given the historic attrition rate among young English seamers, it'll be interesting to see where all these bowlers are in five years' time.
26.3.07
Selection Issues
As I said yesterday, I thought that there was some promise about England's display against Kenya, but there are still aspects of the side which concern me.
In Michael Vaughan and Ian Bell they have two top-order batsmen with a combined total of 119 ODIs and not a single century. Okay, we're probably in a situation (with Strauss out of one-day favour and Flintoff sacked) where Vaughan has to play for his captaincy alone, and you won't find a bigger admirer of Ian Bell than me, but this is one reason (unless, of course, they both start scoring hundreds PDQ) why, although England could be contenders, they surely won't be winners of the competition.
I'm also unsure about the balance of the bowling and would prefer to see Jon Lewis in the side somewhere, although I can't see much changing this side of the Ireland game.
But at least they're through.
In Michael Vaughan and Ian Bell they have two top-order batsmen with a combined total of 119 ODIs and not a single century. Okay, we're probably in a situation (with Strauss out of one-day favour and Flintoff sacked) where Vaughan has to play for his captaincy alone, and you won't find a bigger admirer of Ian Bell than me, but this is one reason (unless, of course, they both start scoring hundreds PDQ) why, although England could be contenders, they surely won't be winners of the competition.
I'm also unsure about the balance of the bowling and would prefer to see Jon Lewis in the side somewhere, although I can't see much changing this side of the Ireland game.
But at least they're through.
25.3.07
Heavy Blows
Although I spent most of the afternoon out watching rugby in the glorious Devon sunshine, yesterday seemed to me like the day when the first Caribbean World Cup really hit its stride.
England eased past Kenya with the type of display which has all too often seemed beyond them in the one-day arena, typified by some excellent fielding and a characteristically smooth and stylish innings by Ed Joyce. The signs are that they're starting to regain their focus and may just be able to get back to the form they were showing at the end of the Australian tour, but it'll be difficult to be certain about this until they play another major nation. And, with Ireland awaiting them in Guyana as the Super Eights open, it'll be a while before that happens.
However, the day's other game, between Australia and South Africa in St.Kitts, showed England what they're up against. Here were two of the game's biggest beasts flexing their muscles and landing some heavy blows in glorious weather, amid breathtaking scenery, in front of a large and noisy crowd and on a pitch oozing runs. In the end, as 377 played 294, Australia were the ones left standing, and you have to wonder who, when they're playing like this, will be able to live with them. The type of coruscating strokes which flowed from the bats of Hayden, Gilchrist, Ponting and Clarke are a given, but they'll be especially happy with the way their bowling and fielding stood up to the pressure which South Africa applied. The ageing McGrath (much like the ageing Shaun Pollock) took some stick but Nathan Bracken and Shaun Tait, whose brand of 90 mph plus inswinging yorker has barely been seen on the international stage since Waqar Younis was at his best, held things together and made important breakthroughs when they were most needed.
They'll take some stopping, and, of the teams I've seen so far, Sri Lanka look best placed to do so, although it's hard to judge where the West Indies stand and they certainly can't be ruled out.
Nor can South Africa, and the lasting impression left by their innings was the strokeplay of AB de Villiers, the achingly talented and versatile former prodigy who's had a few troubles over the last year or so, but who, at Warner Park, showed what he can do when the muse is really with him.
This, it seemed to me as I watched the highlights this morning, was how the World Cup in the West Indies was meant to be, and it went some way towards blunting the pall of gloom cast by the Woolmer murder and confirming the correctness of the ICC's decision to continue with the competition.
If this is what it's going to be like, then bring it on.
England eased past Kenya with the type of display which has all too often seemed beyond them in the one-day arena, typified by some excellent fielding and a characteristically smooth and stylish innings by Ed Joyce. The signs are that they're starting to regain their focus and may just be able to get back to the form they were showing at the end of the Australian tour, but it'll be difficult to be certain about this until they play another major nation. And, with Ireland awaiting them in Guyana as the Super Eights open, it'll be a while before that happens.
However, the day's other game, between Australia and South Africa in St.Kitts, showed England what they're up against. Here were two of the game's biggest beasts flexing their muscles and landing some heavy blows in glorious weather, amid breathtaking scenery, in front of a large and noisy crowd and on a pitch oozing runs. In the end, as 377 played 294, Australia were the ones left standing, and you have to wonder who, when they're playing like this, will be able to live with them. The type of coruscating strokes which flowed from the bats of Hayden, Gilchrist, Ponting and Clarke are a given, but they'll be especially happy with the way their bowling and fielding stood up to the pressure which South Africa applied. The ageing McGrath (much like the ageing Shaun Pollock) took some stick but Nathan Bracken and Shaun Tait, whose brand of 90 mph plus inswinging yorker has barely been seen on the international stage since Waqar Younis was at his best, held things together and made important breakthroughs when they were most needed.
They'll take some stopping, and, of the teams I've seen so far, Sri Lanka look best placed to do so, although it's hard to judge where the West Indies stand and they certainly can't be ruled out.
Nor can South Africa, and the lasting impression left by their innings was the strokeplay of AB de Villiers, the achingly talented and versatile former prodigy who's had a few troubles over the last year or so, but who, at Warner Park, showed what he can do when the muse is really with him.
This, it seemed to me as I watched the highlights this morning, was how the World Cup in the West Indies was meant to be, and it went some way towards blunting the pall of gloom cast by the Woolmer murder and confirming the correctness of the ICC's decision to continue with the competition.
If this is what it's going to be like, then bring it on.
24.3.07
Fading Reputations
After yesterday's game at the Queen's Park Oval it now seems almost certain, unless the tournament's ultimate whipping boys, Bermuda, can beat Bangladesh, that India are out of the World Cup.
Homer, at My Two Cents, posted a very comprehensive and thought-provoking critique of the position in which Indian cricket found itself before the Sri Lankan defeat. And the way in which the game unfolded - early promise with both ball and bat falling away in the face of the pressure created by an opposing team full of discipline, focus and, yes, brilliance - won't have done anything to quieten the voices of those who see a painful contrast between the effervescent Sri Lankan side, which looks a genuine title contender at this stage, and an Indian team which has suddenly started to look its age.
Kumble is 36, Ganguly rising 35, Dravid 34, Tendulkar 34 next month. Sehwag is younger, but struggles for form like he never has, Yuvraj consistently flatters to deceive, Harbhajan and Pathan drift in and out, fighting their own demons.
Of those not in the West Indies, Laxman won't see 32 again, Jaffer provides occasional glimpses of class but won't rescue any fading reputations and virtually everyone else remains either unproven or untried.
Only in the seam bowling department do things look at all stable, with Zaheer retaining his discipline, Patel fit again and Sreesanth waiting in the wings for greater Tests.
Trying times lie ahead.
Homer, at My Two Cents, posted a very comprehensive and thought-provoking critique of the position in which Indian cricket found itself before the Sri Lankan defeat. And the way in which the game unfolded - early promise with both ball and bat falling away in the face of the pressure created by an opposing team full of discipline, focus and, yes, brilliance - won't have done anything to quieten the voices of those who see a painful contrast between the effervescent Sri Lankan side, which looks a genuine title contender at this stage, and an Indian team which has suddenly started to look its age.
Kumble is 36, Ganguly rising 35, Dravid 34, Tendulkar 34 next month. Sehwag is younger, but struggles for form like he never has, Yuvraj consistently flatters to deceive, Harbhajan and Pathan drift in and out, fighting their own demons.
Of those not in the West Indies, Laxman won't see 32 again, Jaffer provides occasional glimpses of class but won't rescue any fading reputations and virtually everyone else remains either unproven or untried.
Only in the seam bowling department do things look at all stable, with Zaheer retaining his discipline, Patel fit again and Sreesanth waiting in the wings for greater Tests.
Trying times lie ahead.
23.3.07
Murder
I've just got up on a grey Friday morning in south-west England to hear that Bob Woolmer was murdered.
Shocking, but it had been hinted at for a few days so it didn't come as a complete surprise.
All that can be said at this stage is that one hopes that those responsible are caught quickly and that some of the theories being peddled about match fixing and the involvement of members of the Pakistan team turn out to be groundless.
In the meantime, the World Cup continues.
Shocking, but it had been hinted at for a few days so it didn't come as a complete surprise.
All that can be said at this stage is that one hopes that those responsible are caught quickly and that some of the theories being peddled about match fixing and the involvement of members of the Pakistan team turn out to be groundless.
In the meantime, the World Cup continues.
22.3.07
Some Things Are Best Not Talked About...
With so many theories doing the rounds (many of them 'conspiracy theories') about the death of Bob Woolmer, I've decided that I'm not going to comment any further about it until some solid facts emerge.
It seems to me that this by Sambit Bal is of far greater interest just at the moment.
Whether Woolmer died of natural causes (which still seems the most probable option), was murdered or committed suicide, Bal's criticisms of where world cricket is at right now demand consideration and reaction from those who run the game.
It seems to me that this by Sambit Bal is of far greater interest just at the moment.
Whether Woolmer died of natural causes (which still seems the most probable option), was murdered or committed suicide, Bal's criticisms of where world cricket is at right now demand consideration and reaction from those who run the game.
19.3.07
Attitude
While everyone's having their say about Flintoff - and all I'll say in closing is that I think the management got it just about right and it'll hopefully knock some sense into him - I'd prefer to concentrate on what was another pretty average performance against Canada yesterday. A team of England's (theoretical) strength should really have eased to a total of more than 300 and bowled the opposition out. I doubt if many of the serious title contenders would have failed to do so.
To me, the only real plus was Ravi Bopara's performance; nice strokes, rapid running, waspish bowling and plenty of East London attitude.
He looks like he might be around for a while. At the moment it's a little harder to say that about England.
To me, the only real plus was Ravi Bopara's performance; nice strokes, rapid running, waspish bowling and plenty of East London attitude.
He looks like he might be around for a while. At the moment it's a little harder to say that about England.
Paying Tribute
The tributes and valedictions for Bob Woolmer roll in. As usual, Osman Samiuddin strikes just the right note with a mixture of reminiscence and respect.
18.3.07
Bob Woolmer (1948-2007)
It's been quite a busy day. I've just heard on the radio that Bob Woolmer has died, rendering what I wrote this morning completely meaningless, and Pakistan's exit from the World Cup utterly irrelevant.
He was a very good player, who made the first complete Test century I saw live, for England against Australia at Lord's in 1977, and a great coach, whose influence will be remembered with gratitude in many parts of the cricket world.
At Canterbury, where he played all his county cricket for Kent, at Edgbaston, where he coached Warwickshire to a raft of trophies, in Pakistan, and perhaps most of all in South Africa, where he made his home and went from coaching club cricketers in Cape Town to making the national side what it became in the era of Cronje, Rhodes and Donald.
More later, I'm sure.
He was a very good player, who made the first complete Test century I saw live, for England against Australia at Lord's in 1977, and a great coach, whose influence will be remembered with gratitude in many parts of the cricket world.
At Canterbury, where he played all his county cricket for Kent, at Edgbaston, where he coached Warwickshire to a raft of trophies, in Pakistan, and perhaps most of all in South Africa, where he made his home and went from coaching club cricketers in Cape Town to making the national side what it became in the era of Cronje, Rhodes and Donald.
More later, I'm sure.
Staying Upright
I'm not sure I can get too excited or concerned about the performances of England's cricketers over the last few days, either on or off the field.
Personally I've never felt there was anything too dreadful about players going out after a defeat and having a drink or two to get it out of their system.
However, knowing what the British press is like and how many England fans were around to witness what was going on, it does seem a little weak-brained to do what Flintoff's alleged to have done.
Still, as long as he can stay upright during the game against Canada this afternoon, his team should be okay.
Come to think of it, they should be okay even if he can't.
POSTSCRIPT: Writing during the interval in the game against Canada it looks as though England, having scored 279 for 6, should indeed be okay. Flintoff, though, isn't there, upright or otherwise, having been dropped from the side and fined for his conduct, along with five other players. What has made things a bit more eyebrow-raising is the revelation that there have been a number of other incidents for which Flintoff has been warned in the past, making the hard line taken by the England management on this occasion all the more understandable, and, indeed, essential. It's also been made clear that he won't be taking over as captain if anything happens to prevent Michael Vaughan taking the reins during the rest of the World Cup.
Hopefully this will sort things out, but it's disturbing to learn that there have been other incidents in the past, especially during the Australian tour earlier this winter, when, in case anyone has forgotten, England struggled a bit.
Personally I've never felt there was anything too dreadful about players going out after a defeat and having a drink or two to get it out of their system.
However, knowing what the British press is like and how many England fans were around to witness what was going on, it does seem a little weak-brained to do what Flintoff's alleged to have done.
Still, as long as he can stay upright during the game against Canada this afternoon, his team should be okay.
Come to think of it, they should be okay even if he can't.
POSTSCRIPT: Writing during the interval in the game against Canada it looks as though England, having scored 279 for 6, should indeed be okay. Flintoff, though, isn't there, upright or otherwise, having been dropped from the side and fined for his conduct, along with five other players. What has made things a bit more eyebrow-raising is the revelation that there have been a number of other incidents for which Flintoff has been warned in the past, making the hard line taken by the England management on this occasion all the more understandable, and, indeed, essential. It's also been made clear that he won't be taking over as captain if anything happens to prevent Michael Vaughan taking the reins during the rest of the World Cup.
Hopefully this will sort things out, but it's disturbing to learn that there have been other incidents in the past, especially during the Australian tour earlier this winter, when, in case anyone has forgotten, England struggled a bit.
Moving Forward
Talking of the advance of the lesser nations, it's good to see Bangladesh just starting to get things together on a relatively consistent basis, and the performances of their age-group sides in recent years tend to indicate that they'll keep moving forward.
As for India, well, unlike Pakistan at least they're still in the tournament.
But they have a lot of work to do.
As for India, well, unlike Pakistan at least they're still in the tournament.
But they have a lot of work to do.
No Gambling Allowed
Elsewhere, Pakistan are gone already, undermined by their weakened side, a lost toss on a sporting pitch, and the fighting Irish.
They've done some very good things under Bob Woolmer, but all good things come to an end.
And, for those in charge of Pakistan cricket, it happens with a thundering inevitability.
Bob Woolmer still in charge of Pakistan in a few months' time?
You wouldn't bet on it.
They've done some very good things under Bob Woolmer, but all good things come to an end.
And, for those in charge of Pakistan cricket, it happens with a thundering inevitability.
Bob Woolmer still in charge of Pakistan in a few months' time?
You wouldn't bet on it.
Fear
Those of us who've been watching England for many years are all too familiar with batting collapses, but the one which Ireland induced from Zimbabwe was a classic of its kind, reminiscent, I suppose, of England in Adelaide in January or even of Andrew Flintoff falling out of a Pedalo at four o'clock in the morning.
I watched it live, and there was an inevitability and even a sadness about it. Ireland the confident underdogs, products of a stable, economically burgeoning country, Zimbabwe their supposed superiors but wracked with fear. Fear of defeat, sure, but also the type of fear which comes from trying to function in a society that's been falling apart under the hand of Mugabe since...oh, since well before the likes of the Flower and Strang brothers, Murray Goodwin, Neil Johnson, Heath Streak and Tatendu Taibu graced a side which would once have eased to victory over Ireland like a Sachin Tendulkar on-drive.
There are many worse things in life than defeat (or even tieing a game you should have won easily) on a cricket field.
Living in Zimbabwe is one of them.
I watched it live, and there was an inevitability and even a sadness about it. Ireland the confident underdogs, products of a stable, economically burgeoning country, Zimbabwe their supposed superiors but wracked with fear. Fear of defeat, sure, but also the type of fear which comes from trying to function in a society that's been falling apart under the hand of Mugabe since...oh, since well before the likes of the Flower and Strang brothers, Murray Goodwin, Neil Johnson, Heath Streak and Tatendu Taibu graced a side which would once have eased to victory over Ireland like a Sachin Tendulkar on-drive.
There are many worse things in life than defeat (or even tieing a game you should have won easily) on a cricket field.
Living in Zimbabwe is one of them.
Matches, Mismatches
As they get longer and longer I find that cricket World Cups are becoming more and more like long innings (not that I have much experience of those, but I have watched a few and know, in theory, how to play them). In the first few days (or the first few overs if you're batting) you've just got to get yourself in, not take too many chances, and pick up runs when you can. As time passes you can open out more and it becomes a lot more satisfying. You can then get a beer from the fridge, sit back and enjoy what you're watching, or contemplate what you've achieved.
For this reason, and because I've been far too busy watching the climax of the Six Nations rugby and earning a living, I haven't seen a huge amount of the World Cup so far. Just enough to know that England are doing their best, after a brief reversal of fortune in Australia, to regain the type of form which we all expect from them in one-day tournaments, namely an insipid blend of clumsy mistakes and lazy ill-judgement, sometimes extending to what the players do after the games have ended.
I also noticed that Herschelle Gibbs had managed to hit all six balls of an over from the aptly named Daan van Bunge for six, creating an ODI and World Cup record, although I'm not really sure what that proved as Gibbs probably played more testing innings facing his mates' bowling in the park back in Cape Town while he was growing up. I was thinking of posting something about the pointlessness of matches such as South Africa v The Netherlands, which I wouldn't bother watching in a month of Sundays, Gibbs or no Gibbs, but then, as the last few days have shown, for every Netherlands or Bermuda, there is a Kenya (2003 vintage) or an Ireland, and, however badly they suffer, players from the real lesser lights seem to love the opportunity to be humiliated, so why should that pleasure be denied to them?
After Ireland had completed their victory over Pakistan last night, Charles Colvile, in a rare outburst of perspicacity, said on Sky that Ireland's progress was a tribute to the time and money invested in the development of the game outside the Test countries by the ICC.
For once in his life, he's right.
For this reason, and because I've been far too busy watching the climax of the Six Nations rugby and earning a living, I haven't seen a huge amount of the World Cup so far. Just enough to know that England are doing their best, after a brief reversal of fortune in Australia, to regain the type of form which we all expect from them in one-day tournaments, namely an insipid blend of clumsy mistakes and lazy ill-judgement, sometimes extending to what the players do after the games have ended.
I also noticed that Herschelle Gibbs had managed to hit all six balls of an over from the aptly named Daan van Bunge for six, creating an ODI and World Cup record, although I'm not really sure what that proved as Gibbs probably played more testing innings facing his mates' bowling in the park back in Cape Town while he was growing up. I was thinking of posting something about the pointlessness of matches such as South Africa v The Netherlands, which I wouldn't bother watching in a month of Sundays, Gibbs or no Gibbs, but then, as the last few days have shown, for every Netherlands or Bermuda, there is a Kenya (2003 vintage) or an Ireland, and, however badly they suffer, players from the real lesser lights seem to love the opportunity to be humiliated, so why should that pleasure be denied to them?
After Ireland had completed their victory over Pakistan last night, Charles Colvile, in a rare outburst of perspicacity, said on Sky that Ireland's progress was a tribute to the time and money invested in the development of the game outside the Test countries by the ICC.
For once in his life, he's right.
14.3.07
Home Advantage
I didn't see a lot of it but it seems as though the West Indies played quite well at Sabina Park and managed to turn over both Pakistan and the form book. But then, if you look a little closer and think about it a bit more, you soon realise that with these two sides there's no such thing as a form book and it wasn't any real surprise that home advantage counted.
So, West Indies to blaze a trail through the competition over the next month, leaving everybody in their wake?
Well, that would be a real surprise...
So, West Indies to blaze a trail through the competition over the next month, leaving everybody in their wake?
Well, that would be a real surprise...
13.3.07
Heart of Darkness
With the West Indies' first World Cup about to begin, there's a very interesting article in TWC by Siddhartha Vaidyanathan about the 1983 West Indian rebel tour to South Africa.
It takes you back to the era in which I grew up as a cricket fan. When any contact with South Africa elicited a range of responses. At times just mistrust, at others open hostility. Nowhere was the latter more true than in the West Indies.
Of course, the decision to tour was chiefly influenced by money, which, along with regular employment outside cricket, was in short supply in the Caribbean at the time.
But, as Vaidyanathan illustrates, that decision had profound consequences for most of the players involved. Only one, Ezra Moseley, ever played Test cricket after the tour, others, shunned in their homelands, drifted abroad. Sometimes, as with Lawrence Rowe, who went to the United States, the primary motivation was to develop business interests outside the game. For others, like Franklyn Stephenson, easily the finest West Indian all-rounder of his generation, who chose to play out his days in Nottingham and back in South Africa, cricket held sway.
Some - Richard Austin, David Murray and Herbert Chang - slid into mental problems, financial insecurity and drug addiction.
In retrospect, with the World Cup almost upon us and South Africa a major player, it can be argued that while sporting isolation unquestionably had a profound influence on the fight with apartheid, the rebel tours were also a worthwhile part of the struggle in that they showed white South Africa what it was missing.
The World Cup is going to raise a lot of questions about the modern West Indies. The tour to South Africa, almost a quarter of a century ago, raised many more.
Maybe I'll manage to answer some of them over the next seven weeks.
It takes you back to the era in which I grew up as a cricket fan. When any contact with South Africa elicited a range of responses. At times just mistrust, at others open hostility. Nowhere was the latter more true than in the West Indies.
Of course, the decision to tour was chiefly influenced by money, which, along with regular employment outside cricket, was in short supply in the Caribbean at the time.
But, as Vaidyanathan illustrates, that decision had profound consequences for most of the players involved. Only one, Ezra Moseley, ever played Test cricket after the tour, others, shunned in their homelands, drifted abroad. Sometimes, as with Lawrence Rowe, who went to the United States, the primary motivation was to develop business interests outside the game. For others, like Franklyn Stephenson, easily the finest West Indian all-rounder of his generation, who chose to play out his days in Nottingham and back in South Africa, cricket held sway.
Some - Richard Austin, David Murray and Herbert Chang - slid into mental problems, financial insecurity and drug addiction.
In retrospect, with the World Cup almost upon us and South Africa a major player, it can be argued that while sporting isolation unquestionably had a profound influence on the fight with apartheid, the rebel tours were also a worthwhile part of the struggle in that they showed white South Africa what it was missing.
The World Cup is going to raise a lot of questions about the modern West Indies. The tour to South Africa, almost a quarter of a century ago, raised many more.
Maybe I'll manage to answer some of them over the next seven weeks.
10.3.07
Recognition
As an amateur cricketer - and a pretty poor one at that - it's always nice to come across aspects of the professional game which make you feel as though, in some senses, the players plying their trade in the West Indies over the next month are just like you.
This being the case, I had a particularly wry laugh at a quote from Shane Bond in the latest issue of The Wisden Cricketer.
When asked if New Zealand had a team song, Bond replied that they didn't.
'We just have a couple of drinks, sit around and talk crap'.
This being the case, I had a particularly wry laugh at a quote from Shane Bond in the latest issue of The Wisden Cricketer.
When asked if New Zealand had a team song, Bond replied that they didn't.
'We just have a couple of drinks, sit around and talk crap'.
Phoney War
So, the Phoney War continues. There hasn't been too much of interest to anyone apart from the most pitiful one-day junkie (and the Sky Sports commentary team), although Bangladesh did manage to turn over New Zealand and Ireland had South Africa sweating for a while. However, yesterday's results may be more significant, with Australia reverting to type and comfortably beating England, India, with Munaf Patel hitting his ODI stride, cleaning up the West Indies and South Africa, who suddenly appear vulnerable, losing to Pakistan.
I saw very little of the England game but what I did see involved some fairly shambolic bowling and fielding from England, although Michael Vaughan did at least pass fifty in an ODI for the first time since goodness knows when.
Of course, it wasn't an 'official' international, which is a good thing, really, since Australia weren't the only side reverting to type at Arnos Vale yesterday.
I saw very little of the England game but what I did see involved some fairly shambolic bowling and fielding from England, although Michael Vaughan did at least pass fifty in an ODI for the first time since goodness knows when.
Of course, it wasn't an 'official' international, which is a good thing, really, since Australia weren't the only side reverting to type at Arnos Vale yesterday.
8.3.07
Sounding Off
With the World Cup looming it was interesting and in some ways pleasing to have the clock turned back to the autumn and to hear that Chris Read had spoken of his disappointment at the way he was treated by Duncan Fletcher in the early stages of England's tour of Australia. Perhaps the only surprise was that he hadn't done so already, but then again it was hardly likely that he would start sounding off while the tour was still going on, especially as he did, eventually, make it back into the side at the expense of Fletcher's long-time favourite, Geraint Jones (and whatever happened to him?).
However, the relative moderation of Read's language (he gave a typically quietly-spoken and articulate interview in which he used the word 'bewildering' to describe his treatment) pointed to one of his central problems and perhaps the major reason, together with his batting, why he (and, in all probability, Jones) is history at Test level - the fact that, unlike the blessed Paul Nixon, he isn't (so those in authority doubtless think) quite voluble or aggressive enough. For weeks now the media's been full of the choicest cuts from Nixon's repertoire of sledges, and there's been little wrong with that, other than the fact that one likes to think that there should be a bit more store set on how well you can keep and bat, rather than how well (how crudely, how bluntly) you can wind up the opposition. This said, Nixon has ticked those boxes well enough too and appears to me to be nailed on to start the 2007 English season as England's Test keeper, unless something goes drastically wrong in the West Indies.
Unlike a good many people I was relatively ambivalent about the selection of Jones at the start of the Ashes series, mainly, I think, because I couldn't see Read functioning very well with the bat in Australian conditions and also because I reckoned that Fletcher never really liked Read anyway and seemed to have a bit of an obsession with Jones. To me the recall of Jones for Brisbane seemed inevitable, so perhaps, subconsciously I felt it wasn't worth fussing about it. With hindsight, though, it was a glaringly disrespectful piece of man mismanagement and Fletcher still stands condemned as a result of it.
True, the late victories in the CB Series have bought him some time but I'll still be surprised if he's not gone before the end of the year, whether or not (and it will surely be not) England win the World Cup.
Chris Read seems a very level-headed and sensible man, probably the type to forgive and forget as he resumes the county career which will probably be his main source of income well into the future.
I don't think, though, that he'll be inviting Duncan round for tea anytime soon.
However, the relative moderation of Read's language (he gave a typically quietly-spoken and articulate interview in which he used the word 'bewildering' to describe his treatment) pointed to one of his central problems and perhaps the major reason, together with his batting, why he (and, in all probability, Jones) is history at Test level - the fact that, unlike the blessed Paul Nixon, he isn't (so those in authority doubtless think) quite voluble or aggressive enough. For weeks now the media's been full of the choicest cuts from Nixon's repertoire of sledges, and there's been little wrong with that, other than the fact that one likes to think that there should be a bit more store set on how well you can keep and bat, rather than how well (how crudely, how bluntly) you can wind up the opposition. This said, Nixon has ticked those boxes well enough too and appears to me to be nailed on to start the 2007 English season as England's Test keeper, unless something goes drastically wrong in the West Indies.
Unlike a good many people I was relatively ambivalent about the selection of Jones at the start of the Ashes series, mainly, I think, because I couldn't see Read functioning very well with the bat in Australian conditions and also because I reckoned that Fletcher never really liked Read anyway and seemed to have a bit of an obsession with Jones. To me the recall of Jones for Brisbane seemed inevitable, so perhaps, subconsciously I felt it wasn't worth fussing about it. With hindsight, though, it was a glaringly disrespectful piece of man mismanagement and Fletcher still stands condemned as a result of it.
True, the late victories in the CB Series have bought him some time but I'll still be surprised if he's not gone before the end of the year, whether or not (and it will surely be not) England win the World Cup.
Chris Read seems a very level-headed and sensible man, probably the type to forgive and forget as he resumes the county career which will probably be his main source of income well into the future.
I don't think, though, that he'll be inviting Duncan round for tea anytime soon.
2.3.07
World Cup News
An interesting piece from Cricinfo by Osman Samiuddin, which suggests that the PCB's decision not to take Shoaib and Mohammad Asif to the World Cup may have had more to do with drugs than injuries.
Meanwhile, Jacob Oram states that he'd be prepared to have his injured finger amputated in order to allow him to make it to the Caribbean.
Meanwhile, Jacob Oram states that he'd be prepared to have his injured finger amputated in order to allow him to make it to the Caribbean.
28.2.07
Goughie Lad
I've always been a fan of Darren Gough. People who were at Sydney in January 1995, as I was, tend to be.
Nevertheless, the only reason why his return to Yorkshire as captain, announced today, didn't come as a huge surprise, was the fact that it had been widely trailed in the media.
A few weeks ago someone at Cricinfo was speculating about whether his reluctance to re-sign with Essex meant that he was about to retire.
Well, we now know different, although I'm not sure what his appointment says about Yorkshire's prospects for the forthcoming season. With Michael Lumb gone,the McGrath dispute rumbling away and people (rightly) questioning the Jacques Rudolph Kolpak deal, their re-engagement of a thirty-six year-old with a dodgy body and no captaincy experience seems just a bit desperate to me.
Thoughts, anyone?
Nevertheless, the only reason why his return to Yorkshire as captain, announced today, didn't come as a huge surprise, was the fact that it had been widely trailed in the media.
A few weeks ago someone at Cricinfo was speculating about whether his reluctance to re-sign with Essex meant that he was about to retire.
Well, we now know different, although I'm not sure what his appointment says about Yorkshire's prospects for the forthcoming season. With Michael Lumb gone,the McGrath dispute rumbling away and people (rightly) questioning the Jacques Rudolph Kolpak deal, their re-engagement of a thirty-six year-old with a dodgy body and no captaincy experience seems just a bit desperate to me.
Thoughts, anyone?
22.2.07
Getting Away
Things finally are going a little bit quiet over the next couple of weeks as everybody gears up for the main event.
An ideal time to get away to London and Hertfordshire, which is what I'm doing tomorrow.
I'll be back in March with the World Cup on my mind.
An ideal time to get away to London and Hertfordshire, which is what I'm doing tomorrow.
I'll be back in March with the World Cup on my mind.
Power to Add
Among the most optimistic sides at this stage must be New Zealand, whose performances against Australia over the past couple of weeks may rank as their best in One-Day International history.
Their bowling has been steady and their fielding much improved after some shambolic showings in Australia, but it is their batting that has really stood out.
The half-discarded Craig McMillan has once more shown the type of punchy competitiveness that was once his trademark, Brendon McCullum and Peter Fulton have hit hard and long in their differing styles, and Ross Taylor has looked like New Zealand's most significant batting discovery since Fleming and Astle in the mid-nineties.
For them the Caribbean can't come soon enough.
Their bowling has been steady and their fielding much improved after some shambolic showings in Australia, but it is their batting that has really stood out.
The half-discarded Craig McMillan has once more shown the type of punchy competitiveness that was once his trademark, Brendon McCullum and Peter Fulton have hit hard and long in their differing styles, and Ross Taylor has looked like New Zealand's most significant batting discovery since Fleming and Astle in the mid-nineties.
For them the Caribbean can't come soon enough.
Strange Days Indeed
It was hard to decide which was the stranger and more welcome sight at Hamilton the other night - New Zealand, with Craig McMillan back to his bristlingly confident best in their middle-order, cleaning up Australia for the third time in a row, or Merv Hughes and John Buchanan watching them do it. Both looked studiedly unemotional about it but you wouldn't mind betting that their thoughts weren't a million miles from 'just how many runs do we have to make to win a game against this side?'. 148 at Wellington? Well, you couldn't expect to win with that. But their 336 at Eden Park and 346 at Seddon Park ought really to have been winning totals and would surely have been so in about 98% of the ODIs Australia have played in living memory. Which, as many people have already said, must mean that there's something been going pretty seriously wrong with their bowling.
Okay, for the West Indies they have McGrath and hopefully Lee to return, with Ponting, Gilchrist and Clarke to further bolster the batting. But McGrath's gone round the park on more than one occasion recently and Lee's fitness may well be suspect even if he makes the plane to the Caribbean. Which leaves the likes of the idiosyncratic Brad Hogg, the hot-and-cold Nathan Bracken, the raw and over-estimated Mitchell Johnson, and Shane Watson (really a batsman who can turn his arm over and none too well at that) to carry the attack. Of course, with the peerless Punter and Gilly back you have to feel that runs won't be a problem and the confidence lost in New Zealand will start to return just with their presence. But totals, however big, have to be defended, and, when bowling first, sides have to be restricted. All the signs are that this could continue to be a big issue for Australia, and it's made even more so by the fact that teams all around the world will have witnessed what New Zealand, and, before them, England, have done to Australia over the past few weeks and they'll all fancy a piece of the action themselves.
It's a trite observation to make, but defeats and confidence have a symbiotic relationship; the confidence of sides that suffer defeats goes down, while that of the sides which inflict them goes up.
The World Cup has started to look a whole lot more interesting over the last few weeks - partly because it now appears to be a more open competition and partly because it'll be instructive to see how Australia respond to circumstances which are as alien to them as winning one-day competitions is to England.
My own feeling is that Australia will - as Australian teams always do - take some beating once the business end of the World Cup comes around, but every other major ODI playing country will have their own reasons for optimism.
Okay, for the West Indies they have McGrath and hopefully Lee to return, with Ponting, Gilchrist and Clarke to further bolster the batting. But McGrath's gone round the park on more than one occasion recently and Lee's fitness may well be suspect even if he makes the plane to the Caribbean. Which leaves the likes of the idiosyncratic Brad Hogg, the hot-and-cold Nathan Bracken, the raw and over-estimated Mitchell Johnson, and Shane Watson (really a batsman who can turn his arm over and none too well at that) to carry the attack. Of course, with the peerless Punter and Gilly back you have to feel that runs won't be a problem and the confidence lost in New Zealand will start to return just with their presence. But totals, however big, have to be defended, and, when bowling first, sides have to be restricted. All the signs are that this could continue to be a big issue for Australia, and it's made even more so by the fact that teams all around the world will have witnessed what New Zealand, and, before them, England, have done to Australia over the past few weeks and they'll all fancy a piece of the action themselves.
It's a trite observation to make, but defeats and confidence have a symbiotic relationship; the confidence of sides that suffer defeats goes down, while that of the sides which inflict them goes up.
The World Cup has started to look a whole lot more interesting over the last few weeks - partly because it now appears to be a more open competition and partly because it'll be instructive to see how Australia respond to circumstances which are as alien to them as winning one-day competitions is to England.
My own feeling is that Australia will - as Australian teams always do - take some beating once the business end of the World Cup comes around, but every other major ODI playing country will have their own reasons for optimism.
18.2.07
Compo
Nice, also, to see Nick Compton open the England A tour of Bangladesh with a century. I've yet to see much of him, but, as a Middlesex follower, I was well aware that he'd been around for a while before last season without doing anything outstanding.
In 2006 it all seemed to click into place, but when a player does that you always tend to wonder if it's a flash in the pan or a sign of evolving class.
Compton certainly has the genes, so hopefully it's the latter.
In 2006 it all seemed to click into place, but when a player does that you always tend to wonder if it's a flash in the pan or a sign of evolving class.
Compton certainly has the genes, so hopefully it's the latter.
Another Day, Another Defeat
Meanwhile, in Auckland, Australia made 336. And still lost.
The competition looks a bit hot for Austraia at the moment. Are you still managing to watch, Mr.Buchanan?
The competition looks a bit hot for Austraia at the moment. Are you still managing to watch, Mr.Buchanan?
Not Much Happening? Yeah, Right...
What was I saying?
Since I stated that there wasn't much happening around the world apart from a few ODIs I've been forcibly reminded that there's always something happening on Planet Cricket, even if you're trying to pace yourself ahead of the World Cup and you got bored of continuous one-day internationals years ago anyway.
Firstly, I caught the tail end of India's successful run chase against Sri Lanka in Vishakapatnam on Sky last night, and it reminded me that one of the wonders of the world was back where he belongs, controlling things (with some valuable assistance from another left-hander who's back after a spell away) at the heart of India's middle order.
Yuvraj Singh is - and may always remain - a fragile talent, teetering on the brink of consistency but falling back into mediocrity a little too often for comfort. But should consistency be obligatory when you can bat like that?
I've been a huge fan of Yuvraj ever since he announced himself so grandly in Kenya in the autumn of 2000. Since then he's spent more than his fair share of time on the outer because of loss of form and injury, but, as he showed against England this time last year and reinforced yesterday, when the muse is with him he's an artist of rare quality.
If he can take this form to the West Indies, India's World Cup games will really be worth watching.
Since I stated that there wasn't much happening around the world apart from a few ODIs I've been forcibly reminded that there's always something happening on Planet Cricket, even if you're trying to pace yourself ahead of the World Cup and you got bored of continuous one-day internationals years ago anyway.
Firstly, I caught the tail end of India's successful run chase against Sri Lanka in Vishakapatnam on Sky last night, and it reminded me that one of the wonders of the world was back where he belongs, controlling things (with some valuable assistance from another left-hander who's back after a spell away) at the heart of India's middle order.
Yuvraj Singh is - and may always remain - a fragile talent, teetering on the brink of consistency but falling back into mediocrity a little too often for comfort. But should consistency be obligatory when you can bat like that?
I've been a huge fan of Yuvraj ever since he announced himself so grandly in Kenya in the autumn of 2000. Since then he's spent more than his fair share of time on the outer because of loss of form and injury, but, as he showed against England this time last year and reinforced yesterday, when the muse is with him he's an artist of rare quality.
If he can take this form to the West Indies, India's World Cup games will really be worth watching.
17.2.07
Ennui
I'm afraid that what I said the other day about there being very little happening in the cricket world at the moment apart from a few ODIs reflected my overwhelming sense of ennui about the eternal, unstoppable caravan that is modern one-day international cricket. It's not the form of the game itself (though I'd take Test cricket any day), just the amount of it being played.
That said, I'll take as much interest in the World Cup as the next man, and one of the most interesting and enjoyable results of the ODI week came yesterday in Wellington, with Australia crashing to their latest heavy defeat, this time at the hands of New Zealand.
Much as I admire them, it's great to see Buchanan's Australia experiencing a different side to life at the top, and one can only hope that their confidence is being sapped so much that they won't be able to regain it in time for the main event.
You wouldn't bet on it, though.
That said, I'll take as much interest in the World Cup as the next man, and one of the most interesting and enjoyable results of the ODI week came yesterday in Wellington, with Australia crashing to their latest heavy defeat, this time at the hands of New Zealand.
Much as I admire them, it's great to see Buchanan's Australia experiencing a different side to life at the top, and one can only hope that their confidence is being sapped so much that they won't be able to regain it in time for the main event.
You wouldn't bet on it, though.
15.2.07
At Last...
A week with not much going on. Just ODIs in India and South Africa and the announcement of World Cup squads, most of which were fairly predictable.
England's was, although most of the media comment had fancied Mal Loye to be included, rather than Ravinder Bopara.
I think Bopara was the right choice as he's one for the future with plenty of time on his side. Loye looked very useful at times in Australia but he didn't manage to pass fifty, and his international career may well have finished almost as quickly as it started.
He'll doubtless be left wishing he could have been picked earlier, but he'll at least be able to look back for ever on his part in the winning of a one-day trophy abroad.
And how many England players can say that?
England's was, although most of the media comment had fancied Mal Loye to be included, rather than Ravinder Bopara.
I think Bopara was the right choice as he's one for the future with plenty of time on his side. Loye looked very useful at times in Australia but he didn't manage to pass fifty, and his international career may well have finished almost as quickly as it started.
He'll doubtless be left wishing he could have been picked earlier, but he'll at least be able to look back for ever on his part in the winning of a one-day trophy abroad.
And how many England players can say that?
11.2.07
Were You Watching, John Buchanan?
I had a lot of sympathy with Tim de Lisle's piece on Cricinfo during last week, but the fact is that if the CB Series hadn't been so ridiculously long, England wouldn't have had the chance to come back and win it.
Now, though, they can go to the West Indies with a bit of confidence, and if you'd suggested that in Adelaide on January 26th, medical assistance would have been summoned.
As for Australia, the rare experience of losing three consecutive ODIs will probably stand them in good stead for the World Cup, and, for this reason, one can only hope that the competition provided by England in the last three games was to John Buchanan's satisfaction.
Now, though, they can go to the West Indies with a bit of confidence, and if you'd suggested that in Adelaide on January 26th, medical assistance would have been summoned.
As for Australia, the rare experience of losing three consecutive ODIs will probably stand them in good stead for the World Cup, and, for this reason, one can only hope that the competition provided by England in the last three games was to John Buchanan's satisfaction.
10.2.07
Hair Brained
Unlike many people I had some sympathy with Darrell Hair at the time of The Oval controversy last summer, believing that, however clumsily he did so (and he sure was clumsy), he was only applying the laws of cricket.
However, his decision to to sue the PCB and the ICC for alleged racial discrimination seems to be taking things a bit far, although, as a final comment from me, it does seem a pity that an umpire as good as Hair has effectively been banished from the international game purely because several countries have developed a dislike for him, while an umpire as consistently poor as Daryl Harper somehow remains a member of the ICC Elite Panel.
However, his decision to to sue the PCB and the ICC for alleged racial discrimination seems to be taking things a bit far, although, as a final comment from me, it does seem a pity that an umpire as good as Hair has effectively been banished from the international game purely because several countries have developed a dislike for him, while an umpire as consistently poor as Daryl Harper somehow remains a member of the ICC Elite Panel.
Riding for a Fall
With his spare frame, angular features and portentous manner, John Buchanan has always appeared to be a somewhat mysterious and singular figure alongside the greater spontaneity of most of his players.
But he's always been prone to pronouncements which betray more than a hint of arrogance and it seemed to me, when he apparently stated a few weeks ago that Australia weren't going to be provided with sufficient competition by England and New Zealand and would be better off preparing for the World Cup by playing amongst themselves, that he was again riding for a fall.
Well that's two wins out of two against your boys for England, Mr.Buchanan, and if they make it three tomorrow you can ride off in the direction of the West Indies and then into the sunset with a bit to think about.
Such as, whatever you're thinking, it's sometimes best to keep your mouth shut.
But he's always been prone to pronouncements which betray more than a hint of arrogance and it seemed to me, when he apparently stated a few weeks ago that Australia weren't going to be provided with sufficient competition by England and New Zealand and would be better off preparing for the World Cup by playing amongst themselves, that he was again riding for a fall.
Well that's two wins out of two against your boys for England, Mr.Buchanan, and if they make it three tomorrow you can ride off in the direction of the West Indies and then into the sunset with a bit to think about.
Such as, whatever you're thinking, it's sometimes best to keep your mouth shut.
Crackpot No More
I had more than a few doubts when he was called up (I seem to recall - not for the first time - using the word 'crackpot' to describe the England selectors), but it's been apparent that Paul Nixon, with his energy, vocal volubility and good technique behind the stumps, as well as a few runs here and there, has contributed significantly to England's relative renaissance these past two weeks.
Of course, at 36, his tenure in the side cannot, indeed should not, be long, but it looks increasingly as though the Jones/Read era has ended.
Much will depend on how well he maintains his form during the World Cup (and how Davies fares in Bangladesh), but don't be surprised if, come mid-May, Nixon is lining up at Lord's for his Test debut.
Of course, at 36, his tenure in the side cannot, indeed should not, be long, but it looks increasingly as though the Jones/Read era has ended.
Much will depend on how well he maintains his form during the World Cup (and how Davies fares in Bangladesh), but don't be surprised if, come mid-May, Nixon is lining up at Lord's for his Test debut.
Dauntless
So, with three ODI wins out of three, two against Australia, everything is right with England again. Well, hardly, but their performances in the last few matches of the Commonwealth Bank Series have emphasized the potency of the collective confidence which always stems from the making of individual centuries and the winning of matches. To beat Australia is one thing (and something which England have managed rarely enough in the one-day arena over the past decade), but to do so from 15 for 3 chasing 252 is another matter entirely. This was a team which has accrued enough resilience over a relatively short period of time to be able to take whatever Australia could throw at them and return to finish on top.
Of course, with his magnificent fielding and another dauntless hundred, Paul Collingwood was England's talisman. He's looking more and more like a player whose qualities and achievements (and, more particularly, the circumstances and manner of them) should resonate down the ages. I can only talk of the last thirty years, but I'm quite clear in my own mind that he's by far the best all-round fielder England have possessed in that time, and he must surely be one of the toughest and most self-assured players English cricket has ever produced. After what has been, the Brisbane and Adelaide Tests aside, a poor tour for him, to recapture his lost form with consecutive centuries in high-pressure situations has been a remarkable achievement, but, with hindsight, we shouldn't have expected anything less.
It's all too easy to do, but I, for one, will never doubt Colly again.
Of course, with his magnificent fielding and another dauntless hundred, Paul Collingwood was England's talisman. He's looking more and more like a player whose qualities and achievements (and, more particularly, the circumstances and manner of them) should resonate down the ages. I can only talk of the last thirty years, but I'm quite clear in my own mind that he's by far the best all-round fielder England have possessed in that time, and he must surely be one of the toughest and most self-assured players English cricket has ever produced. After what has been, the Brisbane and Adelaide Tests aside, a poor tour for him, to recapture his lost form with consecutive centuries in high-pressure situations has been a remarkable achievement, but, with hindsight, we shouldn't have expected anything less.
It's all too easy to do, but I, for one, will never doubt Colly again.
7.2.07
Heartening and Impressive
It was difficult to decide what was most heartening and impressive about England's second ODI win in as many games. The partnership between Andrew Strauss and Paul Collingwood, which signalled their own return to form and stabilised the England innings at a vital time, the lower-order runs from Jamie Dalrymple and Liam Plunkett which took them to a winning score, Vaughan's customary coolness under pressure, or the simple fact that from a position of relative weakness with ten overs to go they managed to win the game at all.
Well, it was all pretty good, and a timely reminder that this might not be such a bad combination of players after all, and maybe, just maybe, they're capable of winning a few more one-day matches when it counts, starting with the finals against Australia later this week. Maybe so, maybe not, but at least the Canada and Kenya games in the World Cup don't loom quite so large now.
A key factor in the victory over New Zealand was that for the second game in a row one of England's top order converted a fifty into a century, and Collingwood deserves the highest possible praise for kicking against weeks of failure going all the way back to the Adelaide Test and making some serious runs at the time when they were most needed. Not that anything less should have been expected from a player whose coolness and toughness of mentality ought to be talked about with reverence long after he's moved on.
In the wider context of the series and the future, it's good to see Stuart Broad called up again, if much less so to see Chris Tremlett and Jon Lewis on the way home.
Broad is unquestionably the future, and Tremlett could be as well, although it's getting to the stage where you have to start wondering if his fragile body will ever be up to the rigours of international cricket.
Well, it was all pretty good, and a timely reminder that this might not be such a bad combination of players after all, and maybe, just maybe, they're capable of winning a few more one-day matches when it counts, starting with the finals against Australia later this week. Maybe so, maybe not, but at least the Canada and Kenya games in the World Cup don't loom quite so large now.
A key factor in the victory over New Zealand was that for the second game in a row one of England's top order converted a fifty into a century, and Collingwood deserves the highest possible praise for kicking against weeks of failure going all the way back to the Adelaide Test and making some serious runs at the time when they were most needed. Not that anything less should have been expected from a player whose coolness and toughness of mentality ought to be talked about with reverence long after he's moved on.
In the wider context of the series and the future, it's good to see Stuart Broad called up again, if much less so to see Chris Tremlett and Jon Lewis on the way home.
Broad is unquestionably the future, and Tremlett could be as well, although it's getting to the stage where you have to start wondering if his fragile body will ever be up to the rigours of international cricket.
5.2.07
Sure Footed
So Mumbai - with the unfamiliar assistance of Sachin Tendulkar - won the Ranji Trophy, beating Sourav Ganguly's Bengal in the final by 132 runs. No doubt my friends on the Indian blog scene will be covering the match in detail, but I'll content myself with this link to an interesting piece on Cricinfo about the promising Bengal seam bowler, Ranadeb Bose, a man who apparently claims never to have bowled a no-ball in any form of cricket.
2.2.07
An Unfamiliar Feeling
I saw a fair amount of England's first ODI win over Australia in Australia since January 1999 on either side of a brief trip into the gorgeous Exe Valley for a pre-arranged, work-related, meeting.
It looked as though they were good value for it, and it was especially pleasurable to see Ed Joyce confirm the improvement he'd shown in the last game against New Zealand and go on to get a hundred. I've seen him make good runs for Middlesex on a number of occasions and have a high regard for his abilities, but I was beginning to doubt him earlier in the series when he was repeatedly getting out for low scores in the middle-order and his body language seemed to betray his dwindling confidence.
Mal Loye assisted him well at the top of the order, Belly played his usual quality cameo (when will he really cash in?) and there was plenty of good bowling (chiefly from Liam Plunkett) and sharp fielding.
More of the same, please.
It looked as though they were good value for it, and it was especially pleasurable to see Ed Joyce confirm the improvement he'd shown in the last game against New Zealand and go on to get a hundred. I've seen him make good runs for Middlesex on a number of occasions and have a high regard for his abilities, but I was beginning to doubt him earlier in the series when he was repeatedly getting out for low scores in the middle-order and his body language seemed to betray his dwindling confidence.
Mal Loye assisted him well at the top of the order, Belly played his usual quality cameo (when will he really cash in?) and there was plenty of good bowling (chiefly from Liam Plunkett) and sharp fielding.
More of the same, please.
31.1.07
Purity of Method
At the end of a Test series I always enjoy looking at the marks out of ten and the performance summaries given to individual players by Cricinfo. In my experience they're usually pretty hard to disagree with but they can be thought-provoking.
Earlier in the week Andrew McGlashan's assessment of the players on show in the South Africa-Pakistan series caught my eye. I didn't see much of the series and I hadn't taken in quite how important Jacques Kallis had been to South Africa. But then, I thought, Jacques Kallis is always important to South Africa. How could a player that good be anything else?
Which, in turn, sent my mind spinning on one of those rollercoaster journeys through the years, taking in the time I tried to shield myself from the vicious Cape Town sun as Kallis bowled for the first time in Test cricket, that ODI innings at the Oval just after he'd lost his father, bowling out England at Headingley in 2003, and piling on the runs during England's last tour of South Africa but being criticized for being too slow and one-dimensional.
The stats say it all.
8,400 Test runs at 55 with 24 centuries, 213 wickets and 105 catches. The figures of a truly great player, and, in South African terms, one fit to sit just behind Pollock and Richards as a batsman and Procter as an all-rounder.
In the wider world I don't think Kallis has yet received the praise his skills and achievements deserve; batsmen who place efficiency and purity of method above more ostentatious qualities rarely do, and he's taken the ball so irregularly in recent years that many have forgotten how well he can bowl when the muse is with him and conditions are right. But purely as a batsman I think he's just about the most perfect technician I've ever seen; perhaps even more accomplished than Gavaskar, Dravid or Martin Crowe.
To see some of his straight-drives on the last day at Newlands, his spiritual home since he was a teenager, was to witness a player at the peak of his powers, confident of his capabilities and at one with his environment.
Never flashy and not too stylish.
Just very, very good.
Earlier in the week Andrew McGlashan's assessment of the players on show in the South Africa-Pakistan series caught my eye. I didn't see much of the series and I hadn't taken in quite how important Jacques Kallis had been to South Africa. But then, I thought, Jacques Kallis is always important to South Africa. How could a player that good be anything else?
Which, in turn, sent my mind spinning on one of those rollercoaster journeys through the years, taking in the time I tried to shield myself from the vicious Cape Town sun as Kallis bowled for the first time in Test cricket, that ODI innings at the Oval just after he'd lost his father, bowling out England at Headingley in 2003, and piling on the runs during England's last tour of South Africa but being criticized for being too slow and one-dimensional.
The stats say it all.
8,400 Test runs at 55 with 24 centuries, 213 wickets and 105 catches. The figures of a truly great player, and, in South African terms, one fit to sit just behind Pollock and Richards as a batsman and Procter as an all-rounder.
In the wider world I don't think Kallis has yet received the praise his skills and achievements deserve; batsmen who place efficiency and purity of method above more ostentatious qualities rarely do, and he's taken the ball so irregularly in recent years that many have forgotten how well he can bowl when the muse is with him and conditions are right. But purely as a batsman I think he's just about the most perfect technician I've ever seen; perhaps even more accomplished than Gavaskar, Dravid or Martin Crowe.
To see some of his straight-drives on the last day at Newlands, his spiritual home since he was a teenager, was to witness a player at the peak of his powers, confident of his capabilities and at one with his environment.
Never flashy and not too stylish.
Just very, very good.
28.1.07
Another Day, Another Game, Another Retirement
I haven't posted anything original for a few days and already the ever-evolving cricket world has moved on. England have subsided to their worst defeat of even this dreadful tour, West Indies have knocked off a cool 270 to beat India in Chennai, South Africa have completed their second 2-1 series win in a matter of weeks, and New Zealand, without the retired Nathan Astle, have pushed Australia all the way, losing by just eight runs amid a welter of typically powerful strokes from the bat of Jacob Oram.
I've only managed to see isolated bits of all the games, but while I have no doubt that England are still trying their damnedest, it's obvious, not least to Michael Vaughan, that their collective confidence level has hit rock bottom, and, with New Zealand's surely going in the opposite direction after their gallant showing today in Perth, it's becoming increasingly hard to see England getting anything out of the CB Series, while the World Cup, which follows hard on its heels, is a long-lost cause. They had little or no prospect of winning the thing even before the events of the past few weeks. Now even Kenya and Canada must be rubbing their hands and fancying their chances.
South Africa will be happy with their latest series victory, Pakistan, of course, less so. In the end it was fitting and unsurprising that South Africa's two soundest batsmen, Jacques Kallis, to whom unwavering technical probity is second nature, and the rock-solid Ashwell Prince, perhaps the most improved international batsman in the world over the past year, should have seen them almost to victory. Pakistan were ultimately let down by a lack of effective support for the virile excellence of Mohammad Asif and the effervescent aggression of Danish Kaneria. With Shoaib and Umar Gul gone, only Mohammad Sami could offer anything in the way of experience, but the chances of the under-achiever's under-achiever translating his experience into wickets on the scorecard when they were most needed were always remote.
New Zealand have always relied on a stable coterie of senior players to see them right at the top level, and Astle had occupied a seat at their top table for more than a decade. His sudden retirement apparently came as a surprise, but, with his once infallible eye starting to fade a little, he perhaps saw the writing on the wall a little earlier than some of his compatriots. Although I always enjoyed watching him bat on TV, I can't remember seeing him make many runs in the flesh, so the most vivid image of his career in my mind will remain that of Andy Caddick and his England fielders craning their necks upwards to see the ball hurtling out of Lancaster Park, seemingly destined for orbit after one of the purest and most reverberatingly powerful lofted drives ever played.
There's more at Mike on Cricket.
I've only managed to see isolated bits of all the games, but while I have no doubt that England are still trying their damnedest, it's obvious, not least to Michael Vaughan, that their collective confidence level has hit rock bottom, and, with New Zealand's surely going in the opposite direction after their gallant showing today in Perth, it's becoming increasingly hard to see England getting anything out of the CB Series, while the World Cup, which follows hard on its heels, is a long-lost cause. They had little or no prospect of winning the thing even before the events of the past few weeks. Now even Kenya and Canada must be rubbing their hands and fancying their chances.
South Africa will be happy with their latest series victory, Pakistan, of course, less so. In the end it was fitting and unsurprising that South Africa's two soundest batsmen, Jacques Kallis, to whom unwavering technical probity is second nature, and the rock-solid Ashwell Prince, perhaps the most improved international batsman in the world over the past year, should have seen them almost to victory. Pakistan were ultimately let down by a lack of effective support for the virile excellence of Mohammad Asif and the effervescent aggression of Danish Kaneria. With Shoaib and Umar Gul gone, only Mohammad Sami could offer anything in the way of experience, but the chances of the under-achiever's under-achiever translating his experience into wickets on the scorecard when they were most needed were always remote.
New Zealand have always relied on a stable coterie of senior players to see them right at the top level, and Astle had occupied a seat at their top table for more than a decade. His sudden retirement apparently came as a surprise, but, with his once infallible eye starting to fade a little, he perhaps saw the writing on the wall a little earlier than some of his compatriots. Although I always enjoyed watching him bat on TV, I can't remember seeing him make many runs in the flesh, so the most vivid image of his career in my mind will remain that of Andy Caddick and his England fielders craning their necks upwards to see the ball hurtling out of Lancaster Park, seemingly destined for orbit after one of the purest and most reverberatingly powerful lofted drives ever played.
There's more at Mike on Cricket.
25.1.07
The Appeal
Until it ceased publication a couple of years ago I was a regular contributor to a magazine called Cricket Lore. Sometime in 2001 or 2002, the editor, Richard Hill, wrote to me and a number of the other writers to ask us to produce a piece of writing which summarized how we came to love cricket, to be called 'The Appeal'. In the autumn of 2002 - with Michael Vaughan's 197 at Trent Bridge, and the reception it received, still at the forefront of my mind - I wrote this.
For one reason or another, though, Richard never got round to publishing it, so it's appearing in print here for the first time. To me some of it now appears a bit dated, but it's generally a faithful reflection of what cricket means to me.
In adulthood, you somehow expect to recover from all this.
You assume that, as youthful zeal fades, the grim drudgery
of daily life will supersede all such nonsense. But it doesn’t
happen. Your obsession remains as vivid as ever. For once
cricket has claimed you, it never lets you go.
Marcus Berkmann, Rain Men - The Madness of Cricket
(London, 1995)
Berkmann was right. Cricket claimed me sometime in the early seventies, and I’ve never yet managed to kick the habit. Not that I’ve ever really tried.
I can’t really say how it all began. Like most addicts, I suspect, I simply can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in cricket. If I try a little harder I can recall going out into the back garden and attempting to bowl in the manner of Gary Sobers (using my left hand for added authenticity, which, for an overwhelmingly right-sided person, wasn’t easy) because my father and elder brother had told me that I had been watching (for this was 1973) the greatest player of them all. I can also remember getting up at strange hours of the night for the first (but hardly the last) time to listen to radio commentaries from Australia in the winter of ‘74-75 and Lillee and Thomson scampering runs in the Lord’s twilight as the first World Cup Final drew to a close. By the time the West Indian summer of 1976 began with us in our new home a few streets away, cricket had become an integral aspect of the fabric of my life. It’s difficult to pinpoint what it was that I liked about cricket then, but it seems logical that the things I like about cricket now are the same things that got me hooked on cricket then.
I love the physical beauty and vivid visual dynamics of the game. The balanced tempo of any good first-class match - the sense of rhythm, comprising history and mystery and latent expectation, which keeps you watching, ball after ball, session after session, day after day. Season after season.
As time moved on I started to play seriously, encouraged by my father, who’d seen Compton and Edrich batting together, and my brother, who once bowled a whole side out on his own, hitting the stumps on nine occasions. A bit of fine-tuning was provided by my friend Gary’s father, who’d played for the Club Cricket Conference and had been on the fringes of the Buckinghamshire side in the sixties. He knew what he was doing, even if I didn’t, and some of his guidance certainly rubbed off, though I didn’t appreciate it at the time. I joined Sunbury Cricket Club, on London’s south-western fringes, a club with an exceptional colts section which has since set Richard Johnson and David Nash on their way to the county game. These days, when I’m watching Johnson bowl at Taunton, my mind often drifts back to those days, as it always did with Graham Rose who was nearer me in age and once came to the club with a Middlesex junior side. Could I have done what they did? Well, no, actually. I was - and remain - a player whose enthusiasm and appetite for the game compensates for a moderate ration of ability. I played in the school team, which was quite successful for a while, and also made the district schools’ side. Some of my friends got into the county side as well but I was never that good. A few runs here, a wicket or two (or five) there, the odd catch. That was cricket for me as the seventies ended - minibus trips to away games all over south London and Surrey, roughly equal helpings of celebration and commiseration, a developing awareness of the game’s wider resonances. And, of course, I was still watching the game at the highest level. Between 1976 and 1981 I attended all the major limited-over finals at Lord’s, including the 1979 World Cup Final, and several Tests at both Lord’s and The Oval. These are some of the things which I saw during those years:
Thomson and Lillee in their pomp, 1975. The young Michael Holding turning within a few yards of the pavilion ropes at Lord’s in 1976 and embarking on the most beautiful and artistic bowling action I’d ever seen. Procter, Richards, Collis King and Gooch infusing Lord’s finals with their coruscating skills and dominant personalities. Gavaskar stroking the England bowling all over The Oval as I sat transfixed in front of the television one late summer day in 1979.
Of course, for an infatuated teenage cricket follower, 1981 was the season which topped the lot. I’m sure many new converts to cricket were won that summer and if I hadn’t already been hopelessly devoted to the game, 1981 would have confirmed the extent of my obsession. But I already knew what I liked about the game and, if I’d bothered to think too far into the future, I would have felt that my views weren’t going to change.
They did, though. I continued to play the game, but as adulthood approached I found that I wasn’t quite as successful as I used to be. I was playing with men rather than boys and I wasn’t sure whether I liked it or not. So, as the eighties wore on, I gradually played less and watched more. The Tests came thick and fast and I started to watch county cricket with seriousness and passion. In comparison with the long, barren period which was to follow, these were rich years. England maintained some of the veneer of success which had been established during the Brearley years, culminating in the dismantling of Australia at home in 1985, the year in which I did my A-levels and enjoyed a long summer off before going to university. University came and went, punctuated by days at the cricket, and, in 1990, I found myself in Brighton to see Middlesex claim the championship. I’d become fond of Gatting’s Middlesex side, but, within a few months, I was living in Devon. More than a decade on, I’m still here. These days I can usually be found in the Ian Botham Stand at Taunton, and occasionally at Tests at Lord’s, The Oval or Trent Bridge. Also, after several years of inactivity on the field, I began playing again in 1996. Village cricket in Devon is far from the cricket environment I grew up in and I haven’t achieved much but it’s a decision I’ve never regretted.
When you watch a huge amount of cricket it can all start to blend together and you can find yourself wondering what you’ve been left with. In my case it’s a kaleidoscope of random memories; unconnected but often conjoined by events and the passage of time. The young Steve Rhodes keeping to Richard Illingworth in the New Road shadows, 1988; Bob Woolmer and Keith Piper conferring in the nets at Coventry, 1992; Dave Richardson and Paul Adams driving England to distraction at Newlands, 1996; Shoaib Akhtar bowling to Sherwin Campbell at Bristol in the World Cup, 1999.
I instantly liked the look of Rhodes and thought he’d be the England wicket-keeper for years. I got that one wrong, but years later, when I finally saw England play abroad, he was wearing the gloves. When England crumbled in the shadow of Table Mountain, Woolmer was in charge of the South African side. I never thought I’d see a quicker bowler than Thomson or Holding. More than twenty years passed before Shoaib emerged, but he was quicker than anything else I’d ever seen. In 1987 I was at Lord’s when the entire ground stood to mark the conclusion of Sunil Gavaskar’s career; in the summer of 2002 I was again privileged to be present as the Nottingham crowd rose to acclaim Michael Vaughan’s 197. The applause spanned the years and reminded me of the essential humanity of cricket.
So, in cricket, as in life, what goes around tends to come around. And in cricket you can enjoy it again and again.
For one reason or another, though, Richard never got round to publishing it, so it's appearing in print here for the first time. To me some of it now appears a bit dated, but it's generally a faithful reflection of what cricket means to me.
In adulthood, you somehow expect to recover from all this.
You assume that, as youthful zeal fades, the grim drudgery
of daily life will supersede all such nonsense. But it doesn’t
happen. Your obsession remains as vivid as ever. For once
cricket has claimed you, it never lets you go.
Marcus Berkmann, Rain Men - The Madness of Cricket
(London, 1995)
Berkmann was right. Cricket claimed me sometime in the early seventies, and I’ve never yet managed to kick the habit. Not that I’ve ever really tried.
I can’t really say how it all began. Like most addicts, I suspect, I simply can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in cricket. If I try a little harder I can recall going out into the back garden and attempting to bowl in the manner of Gary Sobers (using my left hand for added authenticity, which, for an overwhelmingly right-sided person, wasn’t easy) because my father and elder brother had told me that I had been watching (for this was 1973) the greatest player of them all. I can also remember getting up at strange hours of the night for the first (but hardly the last) time to listen to radio commentaries from Australia in the winter of ‘74-75 and Lillee and Thomson scampering runs in the Lord’s twilight as the first World Cup Final drew to a close. By the time the West Indian summer of 1976 began with us in our new home a few streets away, cricket had become an integral aspect of the fabric of my life. It’s difficult to pinpoint what it was that I liked about cricket then, but it seems logical that the things I like about cricket now are the same things that got me hooked on cricket then.
I love the physical beauty and vivid visual dynamics of the game. The balanced tempo of any good first-class match - the sense of rhythm, comprising history and mystery and latent expectation, which keeps you watching, ball after ball, session after session, day after day. Season after season.
As time moved on I started to play seriously, encouraged by my father, who’d seen Compton and Edrich batting together, and my brother, who once bowled a whole side out on his own, hitting the stumps on nine occasions. A bit of fine-tuning was provided by my friend Gary’s father, who’d played for the Club Cricket Conference and had been on the fringes of the Buckinghamshire side in the sixties. He knew what he was doing, even if I didn’t, and some of his guidance certainly rubbed off, though I didn’t appreciate it at the time. I joined Sunbury Cricket Club, on London’s south-western fringes, a club with an exceptional colts section which has since set Richard Johnson and David Nash on their way to the county game. These days, when I’m watching Johnson bowl at Taunton, my mind often drifts back to those days, as it always did with Graham Rose who was nearer me in age and once came to the club with a Middlesex junior side. Could I have done what they did? Well, no, actually. I was - and remain - a player whose enthusiasm and appetite for the game compensates for a moderate ration of ability. I played in the school team, which was quite successful for a while, and also made the district schools’ side. Some of my friends got into the county side as well but I was never that good. A few runs here, a wicket or two (or five) there, the odd catch. That was cricket for me as the seventies ended - minibus trips to away games all over south London and Surrey, roughly equal helpings of celebration and commiseration, a developing awareness of the game’s wider resonances. And, of course, I was still watching the game at the highest level. Between 1976 and 1981 I attended all the major limited-over finals at Lord’s, including the 1979 World Cup Final, and several Tests at both Lord’s and The Oval. These are some of the things which I saw during those years:
Thomson and Lillee in their pomp, 1975. The young Michael Holding turning within a few yards of the pavilion ropes at Lord’s in 1976 and embarking on the most beautiful and artistic bowling action I’d ever seen. Procter, Richards, Collis King and Gooch infusing Lord’s finals with their coruscating skills and dominant personalities. Gavaskar stroking the England bowling all over The Oval as I sat transfixed in front of the television one late summer day in 1979.
Of course, for an infatuated teenage cricket follower, 1981 was the season which topped the lot. I’m sure many new converts to cricket were won that summer and if I hadn’t already been hopelessly devoted to the game, 1981 would have confirmed the extent of my obsession. But I already knew what I liked about the game and, if I’d bothered to think too far into the future, I would have felt that my views weren’t going to change.
They did, though. I continued to play the game, but as adulthood approached I found that I wasn’t quite as successful as I used to be. I was playing with men rather than boys and I wasn’t sure whether I liked it or not. So, as the eighties wore on, I gradually played less and watched more. The Tests came thick and fast and I started to watch county cricket with seriousness and passion. In comparison with the long, barren period which was to follow, these were rich years. England maintained some of the veneer of success which had been established during the Brearley years, culminating in the dismantling of Australia at home in 1985, the year in which I did my A-levels and enjoyed a long summer off before going to university. University came and went, punctuated by days at the cricket, and, in 1990, I found myself in Brighton to see Middlesex claim the championship. I’d become fond of Gatting’s Middlesex side, but, within a few months, I was living in Devon. More than a decade on, I’m still here. These days I can usually be found in the Ian Botham Stand at Taunton, and occasionally at Tests at Lord’s, The Oval or Trent Bridge. Also, after several years of inactivity on the field, I began playing again in 1996. Village cricket in Devon is far from the cricket environment I grew up in and I haven’t achieved much but it’s a decision I’ve never regretted.
When you watch a huge amount of cricket it can all start to blend together and you can find yourself wondering what you’ve been left with. In my case it’s a kaleidoscope of random memories; unconnected but often conjoined by events and the passage of time. The young Steve Rhodes keeping to Richard Illingworth in the New Road shadows, 1988; Bob Woolmer and Keith Piper conferring in the nets at Coventry, 1992; Dave Richardson and Paul Adams driving England to distraction at Newlands, 1996; Shoaib Akhtar bowling to Sherwin Campbell at Bristol in the World Cup, 1999.
I instantly liked the look of Rhodes and thought he’d be the England wicket-keeper for years. I got that one wrong, but years later, when I finally saw England play abroad, he was wearing the gloves. When England crumbled in the shadow of Table Mountain, Woolmer was in charge of the South African side. I never thought I’d see a quicker bowler than Thomson or Holding. More than twenty years passed before Shoaib emerged, but he was quicker than anything else I’d ever seen. In 1987 I was at Lord’s when the entire ground stood to mark the conclusion of Sunil Gavaskar’s career; in the summer of 2002 I was again privileged to be present as the Nottingham crowd rose to acclaim Michael Vaughan’s 197. The applause spanned the years and reminded me of the essential humanity of cricket.
So, in cricket, as in life, what goes around tends to come around. And in cricket you can enjoy it again and again.
Class Will Out
I haven't managed to see much of the first two Tests between Pakistan and South Africa, but it's been obvious just from the cards that Mohammad Asif, drugs 'ban' behind him, is right back in the groove.
Very simply, a class bowler.
Osman Samiuddin pays tribute here.
Very simply, a class bowler.
Osman Samiuddin pays tribute here.
24.1.07
Fulminating
My favourite part of Miller's piece (link below) was his description of Chris Read 'sitting in fulminating silence' next to Duncan Fletcher and having to resist the temptation to slap him.
It wouldn't be a great career move, Chris, but then, with Fletcher in charge, what would it matter? I don't think he ever really rated you and he now probably just views you as a nuisance who won't go away.
I heard on the radio this morning that Fletcher had stated that he felt that he still held the confidence of the players.
Well, that's as maybe. But how many of his side are going to stick their heads above the parapet and say that they don't have confidence in him while he's still in charge? Nobody who wants to be picked again in a hurry, that's for sure.
On the other hand, most of England's finest seem so incapable of departing from ECB-approved media-speak that they find it even more difficult to say something incisive or interesting than they do to play well in one-day cricket.
And that is saying something.
It wouldn't be a great career move, Chris, but then, with Fletcher in charge, what would it matter? I don't think he ever really rated you and he now probably just views you as a nuisance who won't go away.
I heard on the radio this morning that Fletcher had stated that he felt that he still held the confidence of the players.
Well, that's as maybe. But how many of his side are going to stick their heads above the parapet and say that they don't have confidence in him while he's still in charge? Nobody who wants to be picked again in a hurry, that's for sure.
On the other hand, most of England's finest seem so incapable of departing from ECB-approved media-speak that they find it even more difficult to say something incisive or interesting than they do to play well in one-day cricket.
And that is saying something.
Reprising Disaster
Just about the only good thing (apart from some reasonable bowling and fielding) about England's heavy defeat to New Zealand in Adelaide yesterday was the fact that Ed Joyce at last made some runs. Although, to me, he still didn't look himself. Having seen Joyce make a few runs for Middlesex, I've got the impression that although in many ways he's reminiscent of Graham Thorpe, he is, in reality, a much more fragile talent. More Gower than Thorpe, in fact, but without Gower's towering ability. I'd like to see him make a success of his nascent international career, but I've got my doubts about whether he'll do so, or even get much of a chance to, which would be a pity.
But then everything about England is currently pitiful, and this magnificently splenetic Andrew Miller piece from Cricinfo sums things up beautifully.
One word of warning, though, Andrew. I know it must currently seem hideous to be doing what you're doing (and I'm not even sure I'd like to be in your shoes just now) but never forget that, when it comes down to it, you're being paid to watch cricket.
Most of us would take that. Even if England are playing.
But then everything about England is currently pitiful, and this magnificently splenetic Andrew Miller piece from Cricinfo sums things up beautifully.
One word of warning, though, Andrew. I know it must currently seem hideous to be doing what you're doing (and I'm not even sure I'd like to be in your shoes just now) but never forget that, when it comes down to it, you're being paid to watch cricket.
Most of us would take that. Even if England are playing.
22.1.07
Come and Get Me
An interesting interview in The Times with Bob Woolmer, who appears to indicate that the ECB only have to ask him to take over as coach after the World Cup and he'll be there. He also, predictably, says all the right things about England's team selection in Australia.
It remains to be seen whether there'll be a vacancy but there seems to be an increasing unanimity of opinion about England's need for a fresh coaching perspective and it seems to me that Woolmer would provide this at least as well as anyone else who might come into consideration.
If I was David Collier I'd dig out his number and give him a call.
It remains to be seen whether there'll be a vacancy but there seems to be an increasing unanimity of opinion about England's need for a fresh coaching perspective and it seems to me that Woolmer would provide this at least as well as anyone else who might come into consideration.
If I was David Collier I'd dig out his number and give him a call.
20.1.07
Same Old, Same Old
Well, yes. But England managed to put together a decent fist of things in the field against Australia in Brisbane yesterday, although, having only made 155, their chances of winning were always slim.
The gloom of the defeat wasn't without a few rays of sunshine, though. Mal Loye simply stepped up and carried on batting as he has for Lancashire for several years now and has surely inked himself into the World Cup squad (if not the team), and Jon Lewis achieved his best international figures with 4-36.
I haven't thought much until now about some people's claims that Lewis might have been a useful addition to England's Ashes squad, but, although he may lack pace at this level, as an acknowledged line and length merchant, he would surely have been more threatening and consistent than Mahmood, even if he'd been below his best.
That's hindsight for you...
The gloom of the defeat wasn't without a few rays of sunshine, though. Mal Loye simply stepped up and carried on batting as he has for Lancashire for several years now and has surely inked himself into the World Cup squad (if not the team), and Jon Lewis achieved his best international figures with 4-36.
I haven't thought much until now about some people's claims that Lewis might have been a useful addition to England's Ashes squad, but, although he may lack pace at this level, as an acknowledged line and length merchant, he would surely have been more threatening and consistent than Mahmood, even if he'd been below his best.
That's hindsight for you...
18.1.07
New Boys
With Flintoff re-installed as captain (wrongly, according to Richard Hobson in The Times), we can now look forward (if that's the right phrase) to another ODI. The only problem is that it's against Australia, which makes the likelihood of England being able to build on the win over New Zealand slim, to put it mildly.
Whether they make the side or not (and at least one probably will), England will have two new players to choose from - Malachy Loye, the hard-hitting 34 year-old Lancashire opener, and Ravi Bopara, a useful young batting all-rounder from Essex who's obviously done okay with the academy in Perth.
I've seen a fair bit of Loye on TV over the years - he's been knocking around the county circuit since the early nineties, after all - and he's a more than handy operator, the sort of player (and there were many) who could well have had a Test career if he'd shown a bit more consistency at the right times, not played for Northants (never a great career move) and lost his way in the appalling mess that was late twentieth century English cricket.
Bopara I've hardly seen, but he gave a bullish interview on the radio this morning and seems to be relishing the prospect of mixing it with the Aussies.
His awakening may be rude, but at least being around the likes of Loye and Nixon will, as someone who's yet to see 22, never mind 30, keep him feeling young.
Whether they make the side or not (and at least one probably will), England will have two new players to choose from - Malachy Loye, the hard-hitting 34 year-old Lancashire opener, and Ravi Bopara, a useful young batting all-rounder from Essex who's obviously done okay with the academy in Perth.
I've seen a fair bit of Loye on TV over the years - he's been knocking around the county circuit since the early nineties, after all - and he's a more than handy operator, the sort of player (and there were many) who could well have had a Test career if he'd shown a bit more consistency at the right times, not played for Northants (never a great career move) and lost his way in the appalling mess that was late twentieth century English cricket.
Bopara I've hardly seen, but he gave a bullish interview on the radio this morning and seems to be relishing the prospect of mixing it with the Aussies.
His awakening may be rude, but at least being around the likes of Loye and Nixon will, as someone who's yet to see 22, never mind 30, keep him feeling young.
17.1.07
Who's the Captain?
It was good to see England finally win a game in the magnificent surroundings of the Bellerive Oval in Hobart yesterday (even if it was, as someone once said, like watching 'two bald men fighting over a comb') and even better to see Andrew Flintoff getting back to something like his best form with both ball and bat.
However, things soon move on, and, with Michael Vaughan picking up a hamstring injury, we're now left with the question of who should (again) take over the England captaincy.
Flintoff or Strauss? I favoured Strauss before Australia and would certainly do so again now, especially as Flintoff's return to the ranks has appeared to benefit him (although he, in time-honoured fashion, would doubtless completely deny it).
With Australia to play again at the end of the week, we'll find out in the next day or two.
However, things soon move on, and, with Michael Vaughan picking up a hamstring injury, we're now left with the question of who should (again) take over the England captaincy.
Flintoff or Strauss? I favoured Strauss before Australia and would certainly do so again now, especially as Flintoff's return to the ranks has appeared to benefit him (although he, in time-honoured fashion, would doubtless completely deny it).
With Australia to play again at the end of the week, we'll find out in the next day or two.
14.1.07
Easily Forgotten
Amid all the tributes that have been paid to Warne and McGrath, the role of Justin Langer in so many of the Australian triumphs of recent years is easily forgotten.
He was an undemonstrative, diligent and courageous batsman who I've got a lot of respect for, partly because he's played for the two counties which I follow most closely, Middlesex and Somerset, and also because he's a fine, underestimated, writer on the game.
I'd particularly recommend his book about his first season with Middlesex, From Outback to Outfield, and his website, which I've only just come across and which I must have a good surf around one of these days, is here.
He was an undemonstrative, diligent and courageous batsman who I've got a lot of respect for, partly because he's played for the two counties which I follow most closely, Middlesex and Somerset, and also because he's a fine, underestimated, writer on the game.
I'd particularly recommend his book about his first season with Middlesex, From Outback to Outfield, and his website, which I've only just come across and which I must have a good surf around one of these days, is here.
Always Just Enough
Glenn McGrath at Lord's, 1997
Photograph: Mark Ray (Copyright)
A routine week, encompassing another couple of England humiliations, but the retirement from Test cricket of two of the greatest bowlers of all time still hangs heavy in the air.
What to say about the two men about whom everything has been said? In the end, I think you've just got to tell it as you saw it. And what I saw was this.
Like virtually everyone else in Britain, my earliest memory of Warne dates to June 4th 1993, the day he bowled Mike Gatting at Old Trafford with that delivery. I turned on the radio to find a range of commentators talking in awed tones about a ball which had turned from outside Gatting's leg stump, gone across his body and hit the top of his off stump. Later that day I saw it on television - an astonishing delivery from a blonde kid with broad shoulders and a simple action who looked as though he could change the game for good.
In fact I'd already seen Warne play before that. Wisden reminds me that I saw him score 11 at the end of the Australian innings of 431 at Taunton a few weeks earlier, but the innings (unlike the typically rapid century which another tour rookie, Michael Slater, made on the same day) hasn't lingered in the memory. I first saw him bowl at Bristol about a week after Manchester and couldn't avoid following his progress through the England batting the rest of that dreary summer. When Graham Gooch was bowled round his legs by another vicious leg-break at Edgbaston I started to wonder if anything in cricket would ever be the same again.
The next time Warne faced England, in late 1994, I arrived in Melbourne with everyone talking about his bowling in Brisbane. When he went on to take a hat-trick at the MCG, it looked as though the game was up for England for the next twelve years. And they didn't even have Glenn McGrath.
McGrath had played at the 'Gabba but went wicketless and sat out the series until the final Test in Perth, leaving the dismantling of England to Warne, Craig McDermott (so good then), a young Victorian swing bowler called Damien Fleming, and Warne's brother in spinning arms, Tim May. A few months later, as Australia hastened the end of the West Indian empire in the Caribbean, McGrath arrived four-square in the world cricket consciousness; an Australian country boy, stick-thin but with a relentless line and length, plenty of verbal aggression and a wicked bouncer.
And so it went until the other week. A few failures and many, many triumphs. More wickets than virtually anybody else. By the time the close came at Sydney their bodies and actions were creaking but the fundamentals of their bowling were largely undiminished. Land the ball on a good line and length often enough (like almost every ball) and you'll get people out. It doesn't matter what you do with it. Warne did more with it than virtually anyone else ever has, McGrath did appreciably less but always just enough.
By the end Warne was getting wickets through sheer force of personality rather than technical skill, but some of McGrath's last wickets in Test cricket (I'm thinking of Cook, past a hundred and late in the day at Perth, and Collingwood in the first innings at Sydney) were straight echoes of his very greatest days. Draw the batsman half-forward around off-stump and force him to play. Hit the seam and get it to move away. Take the edge and wait for the keeper to catch it. Celebrate.
We'll be seeing more of McGrath over the next few weeks in Australia and then as he returns to the Caribbean for the World Cup. For those of us in the UK it should be possible to see Warne plying his trade on Hampshire's behalf for the next couple of English seasons, although one has to wonder if his motivation and his body will last that long.
It's a tricky and often tedious drive from here in Devon to the Rose Bowl in Southampton (and last time I went I got lost on the way back).
I reckon I might take it this season, though, because, once Warne's gone, nothing will ever really be the same again.
13.1.07
Prince
Three days gone in Centurion and South Africa hold a narrow advantage over Pakistan. I've hardly seen any of the game but Ashwell Prince - one of the most improved batsmen in the world these past twelve months - has again been in the runs.
While snatching a glimpse of one of his fine knocks against India over Christmas my brother remarked that Prince reminded him of Graham Thorpe.
I agree. Left-handed, gritty, mentally tough and with a good range of strokes, he currently provides vital stability in the South African middle-order.
I wonder if he'll be around as long as Thorpe?
While snatching a glimpse of one of his fine knocks against India over Christmas my brother remarked that Prince reminded him of Graham Thorpe.
I agree. Left-handed, gritty, mentally tough and with a good range of strokes, he currently provides vital stability in the South African middle-order.
I wonder if he'll be around as long as Thorpe?
Madness, Sadness
I last wrote about Mark Vermeulen back in early November, just after the fire at the Zimbabwe Academy. I know from the amount of Google searches which have led people to that post how much interest - some of it genuinely concerned, some of it doubtless voyeuristic - there is in Vermeulen, his problems and his fate.
Telford Vice has written a more extensive piece about him
here.
Telford Vice has written a more extensive piece about him
here.
10.1.07
Contrition
This caught my eye today.
I'm not totally sure I agree with Gilly on either count. I'm a big fan of Twenty:20 but I don't necessarily feel that it's certain to be the death of fifty over international cricket. And if it is I'm not sure that'll be the end of the world, given how formulaic it's become. If he's just talking about the World Cup, well, I'm sure that'll endure, as will Test cricket, which is really important.
Gilchrist's apparent contrition at the remark he made to the TV commentators shows him in a typically good light - a cricketer of talent bordering on genius and one of the straightest, sincerest characters you'll ever find - but this time I think he's worrying too much.
We've all heard worse, Adam, and let's face it, England were hammered.
I'm not totally sure I agree with Gilly on either count. I'm a big fan of Twenty:20 but I don't necessarily feel that it's certain to be the death of fifty over international cricket. And if it is I'm not sure that'll be the end of the world, given how formulaic it's become. If he's just talking about the World Cup, well, I'm sure that'll endure, as will Test cricket, which is really important.
Gilchrist's apparent contrition at the remark he made to the TV commentators shows him in a typically good light - a cricketer of talent bordering on genius and one of the straightest, sincerest characters you'll ever find - but this time I think he's worrying too much.
We've all heard worse, Adam, and let's face it, England were hammered.
7.1.07
Standing Still
India's second innings capitulation in Cape Town, which led to the loss of the series, showed that, despite the advances made by the likes of Sreesanth and Zaheer Khan, and the continuing excellence of Kumble, they persist in taking about as many steps backwards as they do forwards, and remain one of the most consistent sides in world cricket.
Utterly consistent in failing to make the most of their talent and in falling apart at the first sign of pressure.
Greg Chappell has a lot of work to do, and it remains to be seen how much longer he will be given to do it.
And you were wondering why I think England will beat them this summer?
Utterly consistent in failing to make the most of their talent and in falling apart at the first sign of pressure.
Greg Chappell has a lot of work to do, and it remains to be seen how much longer he will be given to do it.
And you were wondering why I think England will beat them this summer?
Moving On
England's fate, and the reasons for it, has been analysed to death in the media over the past few days. Certain aspects of it are impossible to dispute (unless, of course, you're Duncan Fletcher or Andrew Flintoff), namely that England's preparation for the series was inadequate and the team's selection chronically flawed, especially for the first two Tests. Add to that the fact that they were without a number of their most important players from the 2005 series and were up against the world's best side, playing at home and desperate to beat them, and they were in trouble from the start.
While I've said here before that I think England would benefit from a change of coach, I also feel that it's important to keep their failings in perspective. They haven't suddenly become the world's worst team as a result of events in Australia and I expect them to do well this summer in their home Test series against West Indies and India. Also, with Warne and McGrath finally gone, it's inevitable that Australia will start to come back towards the chasing pack, and, providing England identify their failings and move on, building their side around players such as Bell, Cook and Panesar, there's every prospect of a close series in England in 2009. However, if they go on pretending that they couldn't have done any more, they've got no chance.
What I'm less sure about, in the short term, is the panicky re-appointment of Michael Vaughan as captain for the forthcoming one-day series, something which is covered very well by Andrew Miller on Cricinfo.
Miller quotes David Graveney as saying that, while mistakes had been made, the appointment of Flintoff as captain wasn't one of them. In which case, why remove him in the middle of the tour and replace him with someone who has a mediocre record in one-day international cricket anyway, and whose fitness, because of his complete lack of exposure to top-level cricket over recent months, must remain under intense scrutiny? A few games for the England Academy and MCC (with hardly any runs to speak of) bear about as much relation to an ODI series against Australia and New Zealand as one of my village games does to a County Championship match.
It could all end in tears.
I hope it doesn't.
While I've said here before that I think England would benefit from a change of coach, I also feel that it's important to keep their failings in perspective. They haven't suddenly become the world's worst team as a result of events in Australia and I expect them to do well this summer in their home Test series against West Indies and India. Also, with Warne and McGrath finally gone, it's inevitable that Australia will start to come back towards the chasing pack, and, providing England identify their failings and move on, building their side around players such as Bell, Cook and Panesar, there's every prospect of a close series in England in 2009. However, if they go on pretending that they couldn't have done any more, they've got no chance.
What I'm less sure about, in the short term, is the panicky re-appointment of Michael Vaughan as captain for the forthcoming one-day series, something which is covered very well by Andrew Miller on Cricinfo.
Miller quotes David Graveney as saying that, while mistakes had been made, the appointment of Flintoff as captain wasn't one of them. In which case, why remove him in the middle of the tour and replace him with someone who has a mediocre record in one-day international cricket anyway, and whose fitness, because of his complete lack of exposure to top-level cricket over recent months, must remain under intense scrutiny? A few games for the England Academy and MCC (with hardly any runs to speak of) bear about as much relation to an ODI series against Australia and New Zealand as one of my village games does to a County Championship match.
It could all end in tears.
I hope it doesn't.
5.1.07
Giving It All Away
Shane Warne with Sachin Tendulkar, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, February 2001
Photograph: Mark Ray (Copyright)
Despite my slightly cynical words earlier in the week, the sight of Warne and McGrath coming off the field together at the conclusion of the England second innings was definitely one of those moments in time which will linger in the memory. It was also good to see Justin Langer being applauded to the wicket by the England players as he came out with Hayden to knock the runs off.
After the victory was secured it all got a bit much, but, for the three men leaving the stage in the Sydney sunshine, it was the way they would have wanted to go.
It's one of the many unimpeachable beauties of cricket that it usually handles the passing of its greatest figures with dignity and style.
This was no exception.
4.1.07
Saying Nothing, Saying It All
I found the inane interviews given by Steve Harmison after play yesterday depressing and infuriating and I was pleased to see that Gideon Haigh has written about them in his Cricinfo blog.
Harmy was obviously determined to stick to the England team's party line of refusing to acknowledge that there might be any identifiable reason (least of all lack of preparatory cricket) for anything which has happened in Australia, but when you hear somebody stating that everything has, basically, 'just happened', you tend to feel that your intelligence is starting to be insulted.
To use one of the oldest sporting journalistic cliches in the (very large) book, Harmison is quite an enigma. But he often seems so bereft of spirit, desire and nous that you have to start to wonder whether Rod Marsh's recent prediction in The Observer that he will have retired from all cricket by 2009 (when he will only be 30) might turn out to be very accurate indeed.
Harmy was obviously determined to stick to the England team's party line of refusing to acknowledge that there might be any identifiable reason (least of all lack of preparatory cricket) for anything which has happened in Australia, but when you hear somebody stating that everything has, basically, 'just happened', you tend to feel that your intelligence is starting to be insulted.
To use one of the oldest sporting journalistic cliches in the (very large) book, Harmison is quite an enigma. But he often seems so bereft of spirit, desire and nous that you have to start to wonder whether Rod Marsh's recent prediction in The Observer that he will have retired from all cricket by 2009 (when he will only be 30) might turn out to be very accurate indeed.
The End is Nigh
Despite some reasonable bowling at times on the second day, the contrast between England's long and desperately weak tail (it's a pity to have to personalize it, but Sajid Mahmood as a Test number eight anyone?) and the aggressive vibrancy of Australia's, as personified today by Warne and Clark, has been utterly stark.
Trust Warne. Conditions and the run of the game appear to dictate that he'll be denied the opportunity to go out on a bowling high (although don't rule out a hat-trick tomorrow morning) so he makes 71 instead. England (and not just Paul Colingwood) will be glad when he's gone, although they'll have to wait until 2009 to confront and enjoy the reality.
Sometime early tomorrow (I'll hopefully be asleep) the end will come. For the time being it'll be a merciful release, as, despite the need to keep things in perspective (England aren't the worst side in the world, etc.), this has ultimately been, as a Norwegian football commentator once said, 'a hell of a beating'.
Trust Warne. Conditions and the run of the game appear to dictate that he'll be denied the opportunity to go out on a bowling high (although don't rule out a hat-trick tomorrow morning) so he makes 71 instead. England (and not just Paul Colingwood) will be glad when he's gone, although they'll have to wait until 2009 to confront and enjoy the reality.
Sometime early tomorrow (I'll hopefully be asleep) the end will come. For the time being it'll be a merciful release, as, despite the need to keep things in perspective (England aren't the worst side in the world, etc.), this has ultimately been, as a Norwegian football commentator once said, 'a hell of a beating'.
2.1.07
Team Selection
After a winter of blunders on the team selection front the England selectors (not just Duncan this time) have come up with a useful England 'A' side to tour Bangladesh.
Good to see the great Steven Davies and Stuart Broad there; interesting also to see Nick Compton get in on the back of some heavy scoring for Middlesex last season and also Adil Rashid, the latest great leg-spin hope (who can bat as well).
Good to see the great Steven Davies and Stuart Broad there; interesting also to see Nick Compton get in on the back of some heavy scoring for Middlesex last season and also Adil Rashid, the latest great leg-spin hope (who can bat as well).
Elegance
It was also nice to see Wasim Jaffer make a typically elegant 116 for India against South Africa at Newlands today.
After failures in the first two Tests he'd been under some pressure for his place. Sure, he has the type of technical weaknesses against movement and pace which are common to many Indian batsmen, but, to those of us with memories long enough to recall his century against England at Nagpur last winter and his 212 in the West Indies a few months later, this seemed absurd.
After their capitulation in Durban, Jaffer's given his side the opportunity to crack on tomorrow and put themselves in a position from which they can win the series.
After failures in the first two Tests he'd been under some pressure for his place. Sure, he has the type of technical weaknesses against movement and pace which are common to many Indian batsmen, but, to those of us with memories long enough to recall his century against England at Nagpur last winter and his 212 in the West Indies a few months later, this seemed absurd.
After their capitulation in Durban, Jaffer's given his side the opportunity to crack on tomorrow and put themselves in a position from which they can win the series.
Deja Vu
Well, after winning the toss and batting (again), England made a decent fist of the first day at the SCG. Flintoff began to look like a proper batsman once more, Pietersen got himself out and Bell made another stylish half-century before falling to McGrath (again) when a century was starting to appear likely (again). While it has to be viewed in the context of England's wide range of more serious failings, Bell's inability to reach three figures in Australia has, along with the under-performance of Strauss and Cook at the top of the order, been one of the more disappointing aspects of their batting. If he can't do so in the second innings at Sydney, he'll hopefully cash in later in the year against the West Indies and India.
But I was more concerned, as usual, by the team selection. Despite the fact that Hoggard was ruled out by injury, it was a great pity that England weren't prepared to place a bit of trust in Jamie Dalrymple. On a wicket which usually turns we now have both Mahmood and Anderson in the attack (more than a tad worrying after the way they've bowled so far) and Mahmood to bat at eight. Okay, Dalrymple's not the greatest spinner in the world, but, with a first-class career best of 244 and a rock-solid temperament, he'd surely be a better bet at number eight than Mahmood. In all probability, in fact, he'd go in at seven, ahead of Chris Read.
Early wickets tomorrow will surely spell trouble, but, if Flintoff and Collingwood can settle themselves in again the tail might not be exposed.
Let's hope so.
But I was more concerned, as usual, by the team selection. Despite the fact that Hoggard was ruled out by injury, it was a great pity that England weren't prepared to place a bit of trust in Jamie Dalrymple. On a wicket which usually turns we now have both Mahmood and Anderson in the attack (more than a tad worrying after the way they've bowled so far) and Mahmood to bat at eight. Okay, Dalrymple's not the greatest spinner in the world, but, with a first-class career best of 244 and a rock-solid temperament, he'd surely be a better bet at number eight than Mahmood. In all probability, in fact, he'd go in at seven, ahead of Chris Read.
Early wickets tomorrow will surely spell trouble, but, if Flintoff and Collingwood can settle themselves in again the tail might not be exposed.
Let's hope so.
1.1.07
New Year (Same Old Story?)
I've been away for Christmas and New Year. I couldn't manage to avoid hearing about England's abject performance in Melbourne, but I haven't been in a position to post anything about it until now, and everything that can be said has been said.
Now Sydney is almost upon us, and with Langer joining McGrath and Warne on the retirees' list there'll be more sickly emotion doing the rounds on Saturday than at a Chris de Burgh concert, circa 1986.
I think I can wait...
Now Sydney is almost upon us, and with Langer joining McGrath and Warne on the retirees' list there'll be more sickly emotion doing the rounds on Saturday than at a Chris de Burgh concert, circa 1986.
I think I can wait...
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