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Loading ...Overshadowing The Ego
By Will last year, at the end of May Leave a comment on this post
© Getty ImagesKevin Pietersen whacked his fastest Test hundred today and yet was overshadowed by someone who was once described by Ian Chappell [1] as the most unlikely of Test batsman. More of an accountant - a bookish, slightly nerdy character. It was Michael Vaughan, then storming Australia during his epic series.
And at last today, he returned. The old cover-drive was there, complete with swashbuckling follow-through. It was a slick innings against some of the most inept, friendly bowling imaginable, on a friendly Headingley pitch under clear skies. The conditions and situation were tailor-made for him and he took full advantage. Even his favoured pull stroke was there…though he timed one of them rather too well, falling straight down Morton’s throat.
It just reminded me of what an audacious, brilliantly talented batsman he once was, but also what he could still be capable of. He said before this Test that he felt as though he was making his debut today and, that being the case, let’s hope he’ll be just as successful as England’s other recent debutants - Alastair Cook and Matt Prior to name two. If the knees survive - and let’s be honest, if they don’t, it’ll probably end his career in a hurry - there’s no reason why he can’t dominate bowling like he did four years ago.
Meanwhile Andrew Strauss, the Middlesex legend, is under a wee bit of pressure. Needs big runs, quickly.
[1] I think it was Chappell.
Tags: andrew-strauss, england, kevin-pietersen, kevin-pieterson, michael-vaughan, West-Indies-in-England |
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