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  • "I think their minds were already on the plane home. I am just not sure they were here to play today."
    Jamie Siddons on Bangladesh's performance in the last league match of the Asia Cup

    Jul 4, 2008

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    Are you ready to rumble? Me either

    By Scott last year, mid-May Leave a comment on this post

    Scyld Berry:

    Almost nobody is ready for Thursday’s first Test. Not the England players, apart from Alastair Cook, Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard, who have had a month of red-ball cricket after a decent break. Not the England management who are getting their feet under the table. Not the West Indian players who had their first practice outdoors yesterday, nor their management team who were put together at a moment’s notice. And not the weather either.

    The battle for the Wisden Trophy between England and West Indies used to be a highlight of the cricketing cycle. No longer it seems, and that is a real pity. I actually think that West Indies have some talented young quick bowlers coming through, but one trembles at the state of West Indies batsmanship these days. If not for the weather, a host of three-day Tests could be in the offing.

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    4 Responses to “Are you ready to rumble? Me either”

  • marcus wrote:
    May 14th, 2007 at 12.53 pm

    Now those young talented bowlers won’t even get a go because the only practice game that the organisers thought the West Indians were worth is going to be rained off. Why they didn’t schedule at least two is beyond me- as you say, not even England’s cricketers are properly warmed up.

  • Francis Barton wrote:
    May 14th, 2007 at 2.04 pm

    Totally agree about the scandalous lack of preparation for either side - the way the modern game is. Nevertheless, can’t wait for Thursday. The first morning of the first Test is always the highlight of my year, in anticipation.

    Just a shame that I can’t watch it at home anymore.

  • HughBear wrote:
    May 14th, 2007 at 7.53 pm

    Could not agree more.

    When will the ICC & the boards realise that cramming seven tests, a rash of ODIs & Twenty:20 internationals into a home season may be providing more cricket, but it is not providing better cricket. Certain parts of the media criticise County Cricket for flogging players to death, surely international cricket has now surpassed this?

  • SpryCorpse wrote:
    May 15th, 2007 at 12.43 am

    Certainly sounds like a mess.

    Part of the attraction of any domestic season is actually following the touring team’s form in the lead up matches. The touring party has the opportunity to adapt to the conditions and put on a better show come the real battles. And there is a genuine sense of build up and tension before that first Test morning.

    Perhaps this is merely a sign of how far the West Indies have fallen - that they are not given the respect of a bit of extra time to prepare. Like it wouldn’t make any difference anyway.

    I can’t recall exactly, but surely on each of the last two Ashes battles the touring teams had more time than this?

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