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Simon Jones on the comeback trail
By Will 2 months ago, 4 Comments »
Some people are getting really very excited about Simon Jones. He’s been injured since the 2005 Ashes, since moving to Worcestershire from Glamorgan, and last week took a five-fer against Hampshire. Big deal, right? Well, yes and no. It’s encouraging to hear he’s fit and able to play, and even more so that he “hurried” the Hampshire batsmen so regularly. But let’s be realistic - how can England accomodate him in a four-man attack? And if Flintoff comes back to make it a five-man, allowing Jones to play - we’ll have two injury-prone fast bowlers in our lineup. It’s not good, is it?
Better judges than I reckon he’s a shoo-in for some of the one-dayers this summer against either New Zealand (squad to be announced on Friday, incidentally) or South Africa later in the season. Steve James made some interesting comments in his Sunday Telegraph column:
It is no exaggeration to say that Jones’s initial six-over spell for Worcestershire on Tuesday might prove to be one of the important passages of domestic cricket this season. It screeched the message that Jones is back. It stated emphatically that light has at last flooded Jones’s injury-crammed tunnel. And it raised the intoxicating possibility that Flintoff and Jones, reverse-swing destroyers of Australia in 2005, might yet join forces in England shirts again. It was truly uplifting.
It was the pace that caught the eye. In his first spell Jones averaged nearly 88mph. On a hat-trick, he delivered a ball at 91mph. Remarkably, Jones admitted afterwards that he reckoned this spell was consistently quicker than any he bowled in the 2005 Ashes. We doubted that his body would again permit such exertions. We thought that if he did ever return, his skills but not the zip would survive the litany of injuries (just two county championship and seven one-day appearances in the past two seasons). We were wrong.
Have you seen him bowl this season? Any comments to make? If you have a video of his five-fer, do leave a comment or mail me.
4 Comments »World Cup squads announced
By Scott last year, mid-February, 10 Comments »
My tooth is out, and I’m all doped up. Who said drugs are bad?
The World Cup squads have been announced. For Australia, the main surprise was the inclusion of Shaun Tait who was preferred over Stuart Clark. As Tait is from my home town, I’m personally delighted, although I doubt he will play much, at least after the first group games. Scotland might be facing a new ball attack of Tait and Lee, which would be a rough initiation for them. Clark is not happy about being omitted but has vowed to come back next season as a better bowler.
Meanwhile, Australia’s cheif medical officer has come out to warn injured Andrew Symonds about rushing his come-back. The Australian dressing room is full of half-fit players, and given the lack of fitness and form of so many players, I do not think Australia can really be favourites for this tournament anymore. Even a player of Symonds ability can’t just be rushed back into the side and perform at top level.
England on the other hand have a fairly predictable World Cup squad, the only major changes are the return of Pieterson and the omission of Mal Loye. It’s tough on Loye given the job he has done in Australia, but the other alternative of dropping Bopara would not have made much sense, and would have left England’s squad top-heavy with openers.
I still can’t understand why Alastair Cook hasn’t appeared in the frame at all in coloured clothes though.
Meanwhile, as I write, Pakistan are in awful trouble against South Africa in the 5th ODI in Johannesburg. Pollock, South Africa’s ‘old man river’ has defied the years and ripped the Pakistani top order apart by taking 5 for 23.
10 Comments »As if six injuries weren’t enough
By Emma 2 years ago, mid-September, No Comments; be the first!
Matthew Hoggard gave the media a scare today by pulling up with a possible side strain. I’m trying not to get too carried away with this, as we’re bound to be twitching over twinges for the next ten weeks. It’s just that almost every injury problem England have started off with something small. Simon Jones gets cramp in the outfield, falls over in the nets some months later, and is on crutches for months. Flintoff plays a first class game as a final warm up, and then has to hobble off for the rest of the summer. Trescothick leaves a ground in tears, then leaves the country, and now can’t go back for medical reasons… and it goes on. So I’ll postpone my sigh of relief until the second MRI tomorrow.
Regardless of the test results, the scare has already left a mark on Yorkshire’s search for the vital points they need to pull themselves from the bottom spot in the Championship’s first division. Whilst they have yet to field, the Northern county will surely miss the Hogster’s guile and experience, as they look to set nothing more than a par first innings score against Notts.
No Comments »Vaughan and Jones could return - Ponting
By Will 2 years ago, at the end of July, 7 Comments »
“You’ve got to remember those guys have been ruled out a long time ago and there is still a few months to go before the series,” Ponting said yesterday.
“It’s a long time to get over any sort of injury. I’m pretty sure they will want Vaughan and Jones here if they can get them here. We are preparing to play a full-strength side.”
Come off it! Vaughan’s finished, everyone knows that. But I don’t know what to make of this. Either he’s stirring, or he genuinely thinks both players could return. He’s desperate, isn’t he, to have the exact same England side which beat them last year. He wants a copybook series but a 4-0 result. He’s hurting, still. Am I reading too much into all this?
And look. Legends, one and all. Tony Greig and Bill Lawry on the right, who we at Cricinfo religiously imitate almost every day without fail
Update: for those preferring proper sentences I’ve written it up on Cricinfo
7 Comments »Plunkett joins the list
By Will 2 years ago, at the end of July, 1 Comment »
So Liam Plunkett’s dead and buried. And Shahid Afridi isn’t looking too good for Pakistan either. What the hell’s going on? Is this a result of too much cricket? Is it that the games are too tightly-packed? Are the medics and physios undertrained and useless? Are today’s players too reliant on the medics unlike Fred Trueman who would just bowl and bowl and bowl? Something is going very wrong, at some level, for so many players to be falling over the whole time. And while England are leading the way, other countries are not far behind.
I don’t understand it.
1 Comment »Is Vaughan’s career finished?
By Will 2 years ago, at the end of June, 3 Comments »
The news that he could be sidelined for nine months puts yet another brake on England’s Ashes preparations. Ashley Giles, too, could face further surgery. What do you think? I have a stinking cold so will leave the rather open-ended discussion to you lot. Vote, leave comments, and generally make a nuisance of yourselves. (if you’re reading via the feed / RSS, click here to vote).
3 Comments »Owais Shah added to squad
By Will 2 years ago, at the end of February, No Comments; be the first!
So then, Owais Shah has joined an ever-increasing list of “cover” players to join England’s squad in India. He acts as cover for Marcus Trescothick, who’s flown home citing personal reasons. Alastair Cook has also been called upon; in fact, he was called up for England’s tour of Pakistan, too, when Michael Vaughan’s knee played up. Cook smashed a double hundred against Australia in the summer (for Essex) and is a fabulous talent. More thoughts at The Googly.
No Comments »Simon Jones on course for The Oval
By Will 3 years ago, at the start of September, 11 Comments »
Simon Jones is on course to play at The Oval, which is brilliant news. I’d take it with a pinch of salt, however; we’ve seen throughout this series the media-war both teams have waged. But if it’s true, it will make the final Test all the more thrilling and exciting. Meanwhile, MacGill might play (instead of McGrath?)
11 Comments »Replacing the Welsh swinger
By Will 3 years ago, at the start of September, 9 Comments »
My article on Cricinfo about Simon Jones’s replacement is up:
Replacing the Welsh swinger
The things the modern cricketer has to endure. Twenty years ago, prominent England players would have winced at the thought of sitting in an Oxygen chamber, no doubt scoffing at its supposed benefits. Simon Jones has little choice: after he injured his ankle in the last Test, England have been doing everything they can to patch him up for the final fling. He has been a key, reverse-swinging cog in England’s success this summer, and if he fails a fitness test, his replacement could hold the key to wrestling the urn from Australia’s 18-year-long grasp. Or not…
Who could replace him? His long-term understudy, James Anderson, is finally playing cricket regularly. For Lancashire this season, he has taken 48 wickets but averages over 30: this is not what England, or Anderson, wants. He’d played just three games for Lancashire in 2002, before England called him into the one-day squad against Australia the following winter, and his success was instant. But his confidence was fragile, and attempts by England’s coaches to modify his bowling action sapped it further still. He remains promising and, importantly, is still only 23, but England can’t afford to risk his selection in what is the biggest match of England’s recent history.
Chris Tremlett, 24 tomorrow, has usurped Anderson as the young, English fast-bowling hope but is yet to play a Test. He played three one-day matches earlier in the season, and performed reasonably well, picking up 4 for 32 on debut against Bangladesh, and the useful wicket of Adam Gilchrist in the following match against Australia. Importantly, he has remained in the England “bubble”, Duncan Fletcher’s protective cushion, throughout this series which signifies he is very well regarded. Indeed, his extreme height has excited many observers: he is 6′ 7″ and generates bounce from a natural short-of-a-length, something Michael Vaughan can testify to as Tremlett smashed a ball into his elbow at Edgbaston. For Hampshire this season, he has taken 45 wickets at 26 - a good performance, if not a spectacular one - but he doesn’t move the ball a la Jones. Worryingly, in Hampshire’s latest match against Warwickshire, his two wickets cost 98 runs and included six-no balls.
Paul Collingwood is desperate to play Test cricket again, to add to his two matches played against Sri Lanka in 2003. While he is primarily a batsman, his bowling has improved steadily this season with 19 wickets for Durham. He remains very much a wobbling medium-pacer, though and it is a front-line bowler England needs to win at The Oval. His inclusion would strengthen the home side’s batting considerably, and this could yet win the selectors over. England, after all, only need to draw the fifth Test to regain the Ashes. But the remaining England bowlers’ workloads would be become even heavier. He is in excellent batting form, though, and his catching and fielding abilities are almost without peer. His bowling won’t win England the Test, but his batting and fielding could.
England’s former pace bowlers Andrew Caddick and Darren Gough are both a year either side of 35, but each would give their eye-teeth to be a part of a successful England side, and especially one which has, at long last, dominated an Ashes series. Caddick, 36, last played for England in Sydney in 2002-03, a Test England won, but injuries have since forced him out of the side. Despite his age, he is still the leading English-qualified wicket-taker this season with 54 at 27.79. Meanwhile it has been rumoured, rather cheekily, that Gough was asked to attend a training session by England. Mind you, Gough is the closest like-for-like replacement for Jones: he was England’s best exponent of reverse-swing throughout the 1990s, but with age comes medium-pace. England’s consistency in selection has arguably been a key factor in their successes spanning two years, and it remains unlikely Gough or Caddick will buck that trend.
Whoever is chosen - and other names in the mix include Kabir Ali and Jon Lewis - it is unlikely they will match the skill Simon Jones has shown this summer. His rare and surprising ability to move the new and the old ball is almost irreplaceable. Britain will be praying the German doctors can work their oxygen-chamber magic on him; and for Jones himself, it would be devastating to miss the finale of a series he has played such an integral part in swinging England’s way.
9 Comments »Lee and McGrath recovering well
By Will 3 years ago, mid-August, 9 Comments »
According to Sportinglife, and Adam Gilchrist, both Lee and McGrath have recovered amazingly. Lee will play, and McGrath is apparently not a 100% doubt.
“He [McGrath] made an amazing recovery over the following 48 hours,” said Gilchrist.
“He’s improving at a good rate and he’s definitely not 100% out of the game. He’s certainly working hard to be part of the game.”
Seems extraordinary to me. I really doubt McGrath will play in Manchester, despite Gilly’s optimism
9 Comments »Stuart Clark called up for Australia
By Will 3 years ago, mid-August, 18 Comments »
Stuart Clark (who?) has been called up to Australia’s squad as cover for Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath. He’s been playing for my county, Middlesex, but I still have no idea about him. Anyone seen him play?
18 Comments »Chris Tremlett replacing Simon Jones
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, 2 Comments »
Simon Jones isn’t yet fully fit, and is being replaced by Chris Tremlett of Hampshire. Jones’ injury isn’t considered “serious,” but…not the best of news, although good for Tremlett.
2 Comments »Simon Jones’ knee
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, No Comments; be the first!
Jones has had a scan on his knee today which, thankfully, has not shown any nasties. But you do have to wonder about his fitness. No one’s denying how brilliant his comeback has been, since he practically snapped his knee in Australia in 2002/3, but he still struggles to turn out for either Glamorgan or England in consecutive matches.
Which is a big shame, as he’s in the form of his life - one who many consider a dark-horse to combat Australia’s useless over-rated awesome batting lineup.
Harmison’s ankle hurting…out of 20/20
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, No Comments; be the first!
Is this the start of the traditional Ashes-meltdown by England? We tend to fall apart, physically, before a ball has been bowled. Steve Harmison’s left ankle is giving him trouble, and he’s out of tomorrow’s England v Hampshire game. Gulp. Giles’ hip is dodgy, and he’s been replaced by Batty. And Batty’s now injured too…
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