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Loading ...I’d say it is extremely likely that this ‘flu’ isn’t for real. His history suggests that he always gets homesick. This is a tour to Pakistan, not exactly enjoyable for an Englishman. Pakistan have clobbered England at vital moments in this series. Harmison [and the rest of the lads] really do want to get home. So a flu is a convenient excuse. Flintoff would like to get the flu too, but he recognizes that there’ll be a huge outcry if he does so.
Harmison adds to England’s woes
By Scott 3 years ago, mid-December Leave a comment on this post
I get the strong impression that England are ready to come home. This often happens to touring sides that have had a tough Test series, and then have to play a ODI series afterwards; ideally, all tours should have the ODI’s first, because otherwise touring sides lose interest rather quickly.
It’s the 4th ODI today between Pakistan and England, and Steve Harmison is in doubt with the flu. Despite this latest blow, Duncan Fletcher is still selling a positive spin to the media.
But Fletcher remained optimistic that his team, who are 2-1 down in the series with two matches to play, would be able to bounce back regardless.
“We’ve just got to play the same way we did in that first game,” he added, harking back to a powerful performance at Lahore, in which England batted first and put the game beyond reach with a total of 327 for 4. “We need to show the same approach. If we win tomorrow, we’ll have a slight advantage going into the last game.
“It’s all about doing the basics right,” added Fletcher. “We need to look to bowl in the right areas consistently, and when we bat we mustn’t worry about looking for too big a score up front, and forgetting how to get there. Instead our top three batters need to lay a good platform.”
Despite a record-equalling 165-run defeat at Karachi, Fletcher denied that weariness was beginning to take its toll on the team, and pointed out that their fielding drill under the Rawalpindi lights had been as eager as ever on tour.
“We said all along before we came out here, it’s going to be a difficult tour,” said Fletcher. “They are a very talented side, and they’ve played well and done their homework. We’ve got to make sure we put up performances like we’ve managed in the past.”
I guess he had to say something like that. It wouldn’t go down very well if he said “The boys are tired, sore, and pining for home. It’s hard to keep the lads motivated just before Christmas, when they are thinking of their families, especially for a ODI series which, in the bigger picture, does not mean that much.”
Tags: duncan-fletcher, england, england-in-pakistan, karachi, pakistan, Rawalpindi, steve-harmison |
6 Responses to “Harmison adds to England’s woes”
December 19th, 2005 at 5.40 am
December 19th, 2005 at 10.34 am
ah man, 13 for 2 in reply to 210 says it all really, doesn’t it?
December 19th, 2005 at 11.13 am
I agree about teams being ready to come home after the Tests - this happens all the time, and it seems that it’s a problem for England especially.
December 19th, 2005 at 2.39 pm
It’s always best to have the test series first in Pakistan because if the tour begins with the ODI’s then nobody will come to see the tests. The fans enjoy the one day format of the game, more. So if you look at things from a Pakistani perspective, it’s hard enough to get people to come watch the games because of extreme security, transportation and the ever shrinking middle class. We need to apply all the marketing ploys available.
December 20th, 2005 at 2.47 am
i agree with anon. If it needs to be done, it needs to be done; and its not like it is a great compromise. I am afraid there is no real excuse for a top calss team to feel hunduly homesick, tired or generally out of it…
December 20th, 2005 at 11.57 am
Well, since England are flying to the sub-continent twice this winter in any case, with hindsight it might’ve been better to have a “Test” tour of both countries and a “one day” tour.
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