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Sleep deprivation and tailender frustration
By Rich Abbott 4 hours ago, No Comments; be the first!
Shafiul Islam, a man with a first-class average of 11 and previous Test best of 13, has just spanked a 47-ball half century, before eventually falling for 53. I can’t sleep, and this news – received via a crackling TMS – has not improved my mood.
This England management set-up are cautious by nature, and I’m not knocking it as a general policy, but, with only two Bangladeshi wickets needed, surely Cook needn’t have started this morning with a spread field? Mark Butcher likened the scene to the fateful fourth morning of the Australia v Pakistan SCG Test earlier this year, and we all know what happened there.
Tamim Iqbal’s classy knock I could just about stomach, but this is a bit much. Here’s hoping it’s just a bad dream…
No Comments »Has the bubble burst for the Rajasthan Royals?
By Rich Abbott 2 days ago, about 9ish, 4 Comments »
The difficult third season. John Cleese avoided it with Fawlty Towers, as did Ricky Gervais with The Office, and so far in IPL 3, Shane Warne’s Rajasthan Royals are finding out why. Three defeats from three is a deviation from the script. Where’s the exuberance of their first season? Or even the solidity of last year? Has the worldwide expansion of the Royals brand made them lose sight of the immediate, namely IPL 2010?
The Royals’ 2008 campaign was a fairy tale, albeit one partly bankrolled by Shilpa Shetty, and their unlikely journey – they were the most frugal franchise at the first IPL player auction – won them fans, fame and the title. Basking in a relative lack of pressure, their endeavours did much to win over some IPL sceptics, this one included. Sure they had their star performers – Shane Watson and Sohail Tanvir in particular – but one of their defining characteristics was their effervescent crop of Indian youngsters.
And then there was their inspiration, Shane Warne. Along with the experience of over 1000 international wickets, he added astute coaching and captaincy to the Royals equation. Some customary pre-tournament bravado this year suggested not much had changed. Indeed, while boasting on Twitter (with the enthusiasm and grasp of grammar of a five year-old) about the form of Shaun Tait in the nets, he wondered aloud whether Sachin Tendulkar might consider pushing himself down the Mumbai Indians batting lineup in order to avoid the Aussie paceman. He didn’t, and Tait ended up going at 11.50 an over.
Yesterday they suffered their second straight thrashing, and only the best innings Warne has ever seen – really?! – masked his side’s inadequacies in their first outing.
Whilst the results may not unduly worry Royals fans – Bangalore Royal Challengers lost four of their first five games last year before going on to make the final – the loss of spark might. The bowling has lacked discipline, the batting bite – how they need Watson, who arrives after game eight – and their fielding has thus far failed to ignite. Warne has bowled well, but seemed a bit flat. Whether that’s a result of his team’s performance or a cause of it is unclear, but while it continues, the IPL is lacking one of its most appealing attractions.
4 Comments »Shoaib Akhtar singing
By Will 4 days ago, in the wee hours, No Comments; be the first!
I really miss old Akhers. Guaranteed entertainment with the ball, but a fascinating character: no one knew whether he’d be fit, or indeed where the ball would go if he was fit. No one knew what he’d do off the pitch either. He was a wonderful shambles.
Question: what’s better than watching Shoaib Akhtar trying to sing on Youtube?
Answer: the comments left by his fans on Youtube.
He Is GoOd? SiNgEr>>>>>>>>>>???????????
wonderful…?
shoaib ACTOR
beautiful? singer singing good and a great speed star in the world u are the best and superb all the way
And my personal favourite:
fuck shoaib… i want to hump that paki? bitch for 3 hrs straight
(hugs)
No Comments »The IPL at the Chinnaswamy
By Will 5 days ago, late at night, No Comments; be the first!
An informative and enlightening piece from my Cricinfo colleague, George Binoy, on the experience of watching the IPL. At Bangalore’s newly revamped Chinnaswamy Stadium, it’s all a bit good it seems. The IPL might make your lip curl, but the benefits to India’s stadiums alone make it worthwhile.
Don’t bring your own, we’ll give you some: The list of items spectators are forbidden to bring with them is long and all encompassing. You wouldn’t get in with a large flag, or something to create a din with. But the organisers were handing it all out. ‘Cheer kits’, Royal Challenger flags, inflatable noisemakers and more. The props were everywhere and the fans used them. The result was a sea of waving flags and an awful din.
F&B: The last time around, even expensive seats at IPL games witnessed an unseemly rush for food, a shortage of water and fights at the wine and beer counters. There’s no liquor on sale this time but plenty of food and beverages – even pizzas delivered to your seat, fairly warm and tempting – and, crucially, lots of free bottled water. That may seem trivial to cricket fans elsewhere but a huge step up from the regular in-stadia food and drink in India.
No Comments »Match report without words
By Rich Abbott 5 days ago, mid-afternoon, No Comments; be the first!
Lazy journalists rejoice! I think Andrew Miller might just be onto something here: today, on his Twitter page, he came up with the following ingenious way of describing the first Test in Chittagong:
6-0, 6-1, 5-7, 6-7, 6-2
Sounds about right. Could catch on I reckon…
No Comments »England’s double century allergy
By Rich Abbott Sunday, last week, 3 Comments »
It was a shame that Alastair Cook fell short of posting a double century in Chittagong, though not particularly surprising. That England tend not to push the limits of triple figure scoring is not news, but rarely can this fact have been more starkly evident than in this list of the 50 highest Test scores of 2000-2009. Members of the England dressing room feature twice, but unfortunately even we can’t claim Andy Flower’s 232* for Zimbabwe v India in 2000 as our own. Hasn’t stopped us in the past I hear you cry…
Unsurprisingly, the subcontinent rules with 60 per-cent of the scores being made there, and Sri Lanka (12 scores on the list) and India (11) proving the fattest run-gorgers. But England’s sole contribution – Kevin Pietersen’s 226 v West Indies, 2007 – looks anorexic when paraded next to that of their Antipodean, South African and West Indian foes, who are collectively responsible for 21 knocks from the list. Stephen Fleming alone betters England’s record by making the top 20 twice – Stephen Fleming! – while Virender Sehwag features a less-surprising-but-even-more-extraordinary four times.
An Englishman scoring a big hundred is rare and to be cherished. It’s like finding a four-leaf clover – whereas a Sehwag double ton is like finding a daisy – and as such I can fondly reel a (relatively short) list off the top of my head (Rob Key v West Indies ‘04, Trescothick v South Africa and Pakistan ‘05, Paul Collingwood v Austr… let’s not go there… etc.) Such knocks stand out and part of me values such rarity. Another, larger part would like to see a couple more English names on any similar list made in ten years time.
3 Comments »Batsman in good press shock
By Rich Abbott Sunday, last week, 2 Comments »
A slightly edited extract from Mike Atherton’s Bangladesh tour diary:
As the formal practice ends, Player x remains in the nets batting against a posse of local bowlers, none aged more than twenty. A lovely ten minutes follows: Player x engages with them fully, asking them what fields they would have and they set him a stiff target to chase. He hits some massive sixes but just fails in his task which brings great joy to the bowlers. At the end, he shakes their hands, signs autographs and poses for photos.
Guess who Player x is? It’s not England’s all-round good guy Paul Collingwood, nor is it old-friend Freddie Flintoff popping in to visit his chums – it’s Kevin Pietersen, revealing a side to him rarely documented. Atherton goes on:
Pietersen has been the subject of many unflattering portraits in England, but I have always found him to be unfailingly polite and respectful and well-mannered.
Having seen him operate at close quarters on the South Africa tour, Atherton’s KP portrait sounds familiar. In my limited experience, Pietersen seemed hard-working, polite and obliging to fans – and that whilst struggling for form in a country in which he’s vilified.
2 Comments »IPL on Youtube
By Will Friday, last week, 3 Comments »
Anyone else able to access the Indian Premier League on Youtube? Seems to be broken for me:
Who to support in the IPL
By Rich Abbott Wednesday, last week, 8 Comments »
One of the problems people have with the IPL is a lack of natural affiliation with any side. I enjoyed the competition’s second incarnation all the more for backing the Delhi Daredevils, for no better reason than I quite like AB de Villiers. I’d advise any IPL-sceptic to do the same, after all, most franchises offer a quirkily enticing reason or two to merit your support. Here’s a quick guide:
Chennai Super Kings
Star: MS Dhoni. Look out for: SK Raina. Good pedigree – reached the final in ‘08 and semis last year. Boosted by the absence of Flintoff this year. Plenty of firepower (Matt Hayden averages 54 from 16 IPL games), but could be light in the bowling department – all eyes on Murali. If they were a boxer they’d be Ricky Hatton – big hitter, questionable balance.
Deccan Chargers
Star: AC Gilchrist. Look out for: MR Marsh. Adam Gilchrist-inspired reigning champions. Embodied the nature of T20 by being hopeless the first year and winning it last time around. Spent $720,000 on Kemar Roach at the 2010 auction – he shouldn’t struggle to be half as good as Kevin Pietersen, but might pull up short of being five-and-a-half Eoin Morgans. If they were a footballer they’d be Peter Crouch – used to be derided, before somehow suddenly becoming good.
Delhi Daredevils
Star: TM Dilshan. Look out for: WD Parnell. The chokers of the IPL? A little harsh maybe, but so far they’ve failed to back up strong group-phase performances in the knock-out stages. Packed with destructive batsmen, the bookies make them favourites – which probably means they’ll finish last. Paul Collingwood can often be found holidaying in Delhi around this time of year. If they were a tennis player they’d be Tim Henman – perennial semi-finalists.
Kings XI Punjab
Star: Yuvraj Singh. Look out for: YA Abdulla. The ones who look like they’ve been sent onto the pitch by Arsene Wenger. Any team that offers an injured Sreesanth a role as a ‘fan mentor’ must be worth keeping an eye on. Ravi Bopara starred in IPL ‘09 and will want to use this year’s tournament to cement his place in England’s World T20 squad. If they were an international side they’d be New Zealand - not good, not bad, easy to overlook.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Star: BAW Mendis. Look out for: AD Mathews. ”Last year we learnt how not to be losers,” says Shahrukh Khan in an introductory video on the KKR website. It’s a sentence which would be more accurate minus the “not”: at IPL 2009, KKR lost ten times and finished last. Their campaign was dogged by a captaincy rift and a phantom blogger (how do England players not feature for this franchise?), and this year they boast, in Rohan Gavaskar, the son of a man who once carried his bat for 36 from 174 balls in a World Cup match. If they were a tennis player they’d be Anna Smashnova – great name, but a bit rubbish.
Mumbai Indians
Star: SL Malinga. Look out for: AM Nayar. Can name a fielding God in their support staff (Jonty Rhodes), God himself in their batting line-up (Tendulkar) and a bowling God in the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket (er, Graham Napier), not to mention a plethora of exciting allrounders. Arguably too many bit-part players, but at least with Harbhajan Singh around, dull moments should be in short supply. If they were a bible story they’d be Noah’s Ark – random bunch of species thrown together but with God on their side.
Rajasthan Royals
Star: GC Smith. Look out for: SW Tait. Warnie’s boys have gone from rags to riches, and now have their sights set on world domination. Despite a relative lack of star names, the Royals possess a well balanced roster as well as that guarantee of success, Jeremy Snape, who lurks in the background administering his Derren Brown mind tricks. Michael Lumb could prove a snip at $50,000 too. If they were a cricket administrator they’d be Lalit Modi.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Star: DW Steyn. Look out for: V Kohli. Named after a liquor brand – how can you not love that? – they’re the ones who waited for KP to leave last year before becoming really quite good. Have been accused in the past of resembling (and playing like) a Test team, and with the likes of Dravid, Kallis and Boucher they’d make a rather good one. New signing Eoin Morgan should add some T20 urgency. If they were a football commentator they’d be John Motson – bit slow, but gets the job done.
8 Comments »“I don’t let spinners bowl to me” – Pietersen, 2006
By Will Monday, last week, 5 Comments »
“I don’t let spinners bowl to me,” Pietersen said bluntly. “I feel a little bit sorry for the little kid who bowled today but that’s just how I play spinners.”
That was Kevin Pietersen, three years ago to the day after bashing young Piyush Chawla to all parts at Mohali. The 2006 vintage of Pietersen was a fizzy bottle of tangy arrogance, the sort of confidence which overflows so quickly and without pause that he won admirers as quickly as he did enemies. It was difficult to warm to him as a person, but you couldn’t deny that he talked a good game and played an even better one. “Is this bloke for real?” was invariably met with “shit. I think he really is. Thank you, South Africa. Thank you so much. Got any more like him?”
Three years on and the foundation of his arrogance – his ability; his runs – has deserted him. Mediocre spinners are licking their lips; his bat isn’t coming down straight and where is the audacity, the skip down the pitch and the arrogant follow-through?
“I don’t let spinners bowl to me,” he said three years ago. What happened, Kev? Perhaps it’s time he opened the batting: the only safe position for him.
5 Comments »The 2010 IPL
By Will Sunday, 1 weeks ago, 4 Comments »
You up for it, then? Excited or unbothered? I’m at 60% at the moment, which is surprisingly high – my interest probably peaked at 6% last year – though I’m mainly interested in seeing how successful the YouTube venture goes.
I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. Anyway, I want to garner your reaction to this year’s Modi Party, so wibble away to your hearts’ content.
4 Comments »Worrying about foreign-born players
By Jonathan Calder Sunday, 1 weeks ago, 9 Comments »
Should we worry about the increasing number of foreign-born players in the England cricket team?
To do so is to enter dangerous waters, particularly in the political circles in which I move. There, Not Being Racist is the greatest virtue. Often, it appears to be the only virtue still recognised.
And I can remember a journalist – can anyone tell me who it was? – getting into trouble a few years ago for suggesting that the variety of accents in the dressing room must mean that England lack cohesiveness and team spirit.
But that is not my worry and I am not sure it is even true. Plenty of football managers – Alex Ferguson of Manchester United, Jose Mourinho at Chelsea – have shown that it is possible to imbue a squad of players from extraordinarily varied backgrounds with a ferocious team ethic.
What I do fear is that the influx of foreign-born players will increasingly mean that the England team no longer represents the game in England.
Take rugby union, where sometimes this question seems even more urgent. You want to feel that one of the boys you see playing mini-rugby on a Sunday morning might one day play for England.
But if players like Lesley Vainikolo and Shontayne Hape are going to be brought into the team, not just from abroad but from a different game – rugby league – then that it is increasingly unlikely to happen.
The question then becomes why, in cricket or rugby, we should care much about the national side when it has so little connection with the wider game.
You might say the rise in the number of foreign-born players in the England team is just a reflection of increasing globalisation and intercontinental travel.
And it is not as if that team has ever been wholly English born. I am thinking not just of the sons of empire-building families like Colin Cowdrey and Ted Dexter: there have also been players who learnt their game abroad, like Prince Ranjitsinhji and Basil D’Oliveira.
But it is possible to ask whether the increasing modern trend towards foreign-born England players is good for the game as a whole. Cricket and rugby union are both popular in a strictly limited number of countries. It would be good for both games to see that number increase.
But will Ireland ever make it to test status if their best players, like Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan, become English as soon as they shown signs of exceptional talent? And we are not the only offenders, as was proved when Dirk Nannes suddenly proved to be Australian rather than Dutch.
It happens in rugby union too, where any player from the South Pacific Islands – which should surely be emerging as a power at test level by now – who shows exceptional talent plays for New Zealand instead.
And it even happens in soccer. The multiracial nature of the French team that won the world cup in 1998 was less a tribute to the wonderful diversity of French society than a reminder that the French government is happy to give citizenship to outstanding players from former colonies.
So that is why we should worry about the growing number of foreign-born players in the England cricket team. It threatens to weaken the connection between the national team and the wider game. And it makes it harder for new powers to arise in the game.
Jonathan Calder blogs at Liberal England
9 Comments »Gayle’s turnaround
By Rich Abbott Friday, 2 weeks ago, 1 Comment »
Oh dear. Last month, Chris Gayle made this bold prediction ahead his side’s ODI series against Australia: “We’re going to beat them 4-1. Not to worry.” They lost 4-0.
After yesterday’s 2 run defeat to Zimbabwe, he said this: “If we continue like this, Zimbabwe could beat us 5-0.” The anti-McGrath.
At least he can console himself with the fact that he’s rubbish at predictions.
1 Comment »KP’s quest for form and Bangladeshi enthusiasm
By Rich Abbott Friday, 2 weeks ago, 2 Comments »
It’s the innings break at Chittagong, and for a dead-rubber against a team England have never lost to, the third and final ODI against Bangladesh has plenty to recommend it. Indeed, enough to persuade me to drag a duvet down to the living room at 3:00 this morning, though sadly that owes as much to a heady mixture of jet-lag and unemployment as it does possible on-pitch excitement.
Still, a potential eruption from mount Kieswetter, an ODI debut for Ajmal Shahzad, another chance for England’s pace-men to work out how to be threatening on the sub-continent and the continuation of Alastair Cook’s captaincy internship, awaited. Not to mention another chance to assess a certain number three batsman.
And so to the much-talked-about, uber-complicated, arguably-misunderstood, out-of-form elephant at the crease. Kevin Pietersen made a scratchy 22, before being pinned lbw by his chief poacher – a slow left-armer. He still hasn’t scored over 50 in an ODI since 2008, and this morning’s effort was not the corner-turn I’d hoped for as I stumbled out of bed to the news that England were batting first.
There will be calls for his head. But the opportunities left on this tour are few as it is, and cutting them further would be counter-productive. Providing he’s picked for the Tests, it’s possible that Pietersen only has three innings left this tour: a warm-up match and a couple of Test innings (batting twice is no guarantee in Tests against Bangladesh). Pietersen needs those innings, and if his recent form has hardly earned them, his first four years in an England shirt did.
A man who deserves a pat on the back, rather than an arm round the shoulder, is Craig Kieswetter. 107 in only his third ODI confirms many a suspicion about him. The contrasting travails of these two adopted Englishmen has added interest to a highly-watchable series, which on paper may have seemed anything but.
So too has the opposition. Allied to England’s unanswered questions was a final reason to disobey my body and heed my early alarm call: I like watching Bangladesh. Like many an Englishman, I’ve had a soft spot for them since 18th June 2005, and can’t help admiring the way that they’ve dealt with numerous setbacks and frequent defeat since then. They rattle through the overs at the rate everyone is supposed to, boast one of the world’s leading players, clearly enjoy what they’re doing and are getting pretty good at it. The home crowd is endearingly enthusiastic, to the point where they sometimes appear to be watching a different game. Local boy Tamim Iqbal raised the roof every time he so much as sneezed this morning.
I haven’t seen Afghanistan play cricket, so am in no position to comment on them, but it seems that they possess unbridled enthusiasm and no little skill. Despite gaping weaknesses, the same can be said of Bangladesh, and they’re getting better. The test for Afghanistan will be to see if, after a few inevitable thumpings at the top table of international cricket, they can maintain the same positive approach shown this series by Bangladesh.
2 Comments »John Howard reaches career zenith
By Will Wednesday, 2 weeks ago, No Comments; be the first!
John Howard probably achieved plenty during his tenure as Australian prime minister. I don’t know a thing about Aussie politics, but the impression Howard gave off – a combination of Bush’s feigned blokeishness and Blair’s transparent fawning – somehow appealed to me. That’s clearly bullshit. I liked him because he liked cricket. And when I say liked, I lie. He is obsessed by the game.
I always knew he’d make it into the game eventually. He’s got the top job as ICC president, starting in 2012. For a man who can barely wipe the child-like grin off his face whenever he’s watching bat on ball, this is a victory sweeter than any he achieved in his political career.
However, this is the man who called Muttiah Muralitharan a chucker. He’s never been involved in sport in his life, to my knowledge, so apart from his obvious and healthy love of the game, and a career in politics, it’s a curious decision by the ICC. He will be surrounded by sport and cricket administrators, and though his experience in handling diplomatic and governmental matters will do him no harm, will he have the balls to stand up to India and the Asian bloc or take a hard line on excruciatingly sensitive matters like Zimbabwe?
In other words, will his being a fan hinder his presidency? It’s going to be fascinating to watch how he copes.
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