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boxing-day-test
Stuck in the nineties
By Rich Abbott last year, at the end of December, No Comments; be the first!
That’s what Shane Watson and Simon Katich seem to be at the moment, and not in a shell suits and britpop-inspired way. Both got out within touching distance of three figures on the first day of the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan – scoring 93 and 98 respectively – and in doing so, continued something of a December trend.
Insult was added to bitter disappointment in the form of Watson’s departure – a calamatous run out.
The Queenslander has notched scores of 96, 89 and 93 this month, as he searches for an elusive first Test century. Katich, his opening partner, has managed three scores in the nineties in his last four Tests, including agonising near misses – 99 against the West Indies and today’s 98 – in his last two matches.
At least Katich has eight Test centuries in his locker.
After falling four runs short of a maiden Test hundred at Adelaide earlier this month, Watson declared himself to be the “most shattered I’ve been“.
He may need convincing, but centuries – as England can attest – are not the be all and end all. At the end of the recent West Indies series, the Australians found themselves on the right end (in a roundabout way) of a repeat of the curious 2009 Ashes ‘century count’ phenomena: the West Indies scored four, to Australia’s none.
Australia, of course, came out on top in the numbers that matter the most, winning the series 2-0.
No Comments »Christmas cricket
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of December, 8 Comments »
Now that England’s misery has been put on hold until the New Zealand series in 2008, attention turns to the southern hemisphere. It’s probably the first Christmas for 10 years that I’ve not had Sky to watch Boxing Day Tests, so I was a bit peeved when I woke up this morning to see what a good day India had enjoyed against Australia at Melbourne. Peter English:
Groups of Australians spent the afternoon wondering whether they were being unpatriotic for smiling when India started running through the home team. For the first session those local supporters who demand nothing but dominance by Ricky Ponting’s men were satisfied with the direction of the game. Their disgruntlement when it changed in the second session was offset by the joy felt – and heard – at the ground by cricket supporters who are desperate to see Australia challenged. After the first day there is hope this series might be the fair fight fans have been craving since the 2005 Ashes.
It promises to be a cracking series between the best two sides in the world. Whether it will match or better the 2005 Ashes is impossible to predict (and unlikely, I’d imagine) but any team who can challenge Australia gets my vote of confidence. Even if it is India…
Several thousand miles away in Port Elizabeth, West Indies have raced to 190 for 3 on the first day against South Africa, with Chris Gayle launching a terrific 66 from just 49 balls. Have a read of his innings – he took Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn apart. Brilliant stuff and I can’t wait to see the video.
8 Comments »Australia v England, 4th Test, Melbourne, 3rd day
By Will 4 years ago, at the end of December, 11 Comments »
The third day from Melbourne, and possibly the last. It’s all gone horribly Percy Sonn for England. But who knows? Two spectacular double hundreds from Flintoff and Pietersen, 600 runs in a day to give England a lead of 300ish. It could happen…but only if England have a peek at John Buchanan’s bowling plans…
Chat away
11 Comments »Australia v England, 4th Test, Melbourne, 2nd day
By Will 4 years ago, at the end of December, 12 Comments »
The second day from Melbourne. Go on, watch it – you know you want to.
12 Comments »Australia v England, 4th Test, Melbourne
By Will 4 years ago, at the end of December, 23 Comments »
Posted massively in advance. By the time you read this, you’ll all be bursting to the seams with turkey, bread sauce and stuffing – and enough wine to sink a battleship. I’ll be heaving my way from the kitchen to the sitting room to cover the Test, so if you too are a sad loser with nothing better to do on Christmas Day than watch England get a roasting (HONK) or a stuffing (HO HO) or a basting (I’ll stop now), do join us at Cricinfo for full, live, uninterrupted, groundbreaking, turkey-laden coverage!
23 Comments »Vaughan injury worries Aussies?
By Will 4 years ago, at the end of June, 1 Comment »
Well perhaps not – but worries one of them!
No Vaughan no Ashes good people, England must find the nearest hyperbaric chamber and hibernate for the next six months. I cancelled a perfectly good family holiday in Queensland to watch two great teams lock horns in Melbourne on boxing day; i can not and will not settle for anything less!
it’s over to you England………..DO SOMETHING.
I IMPLORE YOU…….DO SOMETHING.
Comment of the week by a long shot.
1 Comment »Australia v South Africa, 2nd Test, Melbourne, 1st day
By Will 5 years ago, at the end of December, 8 Comments »
Ah, the Boxing Day Test. Is there a better way to end Christmas for the cricket nut? After an invariably drunken Christmas Eve; a relentlessly gluttonous Christmas Day, Boxing Day is the dry, quiet come-down. The turkey demolished, the presents unwrapped – the complementary walk (I know we’re not the only ones who insist upon it. Perhaps it’s guilt, stemming from our ever bulging stomachs), and the more fastidious members of the family have been tidying up the sitting room as though their lives depend on it. It’s a day of reflection, of sobriety – and of cricket. Apart from the first Test of an English summer, it’s my favourite of the year. And it starts very soon (I’m writing this on the 23rd. See, fans? See the dedication, and honour my commitment!).
8 Comments »