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The luck(less) of the Irish
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of October, 1 Comment »
Shoved this story up today and couldn’t stop laughing at it. 31 hours! “I could have driven there quicker.”
1 Comment »The Irish sweets of the Englishmen
By Will 3 years ago, mid-October, 12 Comments »
Cricinfo ran a story on Nathen Bracken making suggestions that England’s control (use of) reverse-swing wasn’t, erm, entirely legal. (When has reverse-swing ever been entirely legal though?) Bracken suggested the England team might have used mints/sweets, and the sugar contained in them might have assisted the Irish swing, which bowlers like Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff used to such great success in the summer. And I thought the whinging Aussies had finished their diatribes by now…
A few hours later, Mr Bracken retracted his comments…
And while on the Irish theme, here’s a joke for you. Try to say these four words without sounding like an “astonished” Irishman: Well, Oil, Beef, Hooked.
12 Comments »Middlesex chase down 406 - Joyce makes 1000
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, 3 Comments »
As if today’s news couldn’t get any better, Middlesex have chased down an amazing 406 to beat Glamorgan - absolutely brilliant, albeit whilst batting on a road. The best news of all, though, is Ed Joyce has made it to 1000 runs for the season - as I hoped he would - and I’m over the moon. His innings today of 70 came from just 61 balls, on top of his first-innings 155 - 225 runs in the match, without being dismissed. Phenomenal.
I’m not really a stats-man, but here are some for those that are. He’s made 1002 runs (1000 runs in a season is the benchmark for batsmen in England - in case some weren’t aware) @ 91 per innings. Curiously, 4 of the top 6 run scorers this season are English - which hasn’t always been the case, and is especially encouraging given the number of overseas players there are this season (and indeed Aussies). They are (Englishman highlighted in Bold):
Name Mat I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St Team EC Joyce 7 13 2 1002 192 91.09 67.06 2 8 5 - MIDDX AN Cook 9 16 0 901 195 56.31 54.70 3 3 5 - MCC/ESSEX M van Jaarsveld 8 14 1 858 262* 66.00 56.18 4 2 12 - KENT SA Newman 8 13 0 842 219 64.76 69.24 4 - 6 - SURREY A Flower 9 14 4 823 188 82.30 49.69 3 3 5 - MCC/ESSEX IR Bell 9 14 3 823 231 74.81 58.57 2 4 4 - WARWICKS/ENG
At this stage in the season, to see an Englishman (ok - an Irishman, but he qualifies in about 2 weeks time) be first to 1000 runs (I think he gets an award for this, too - anyone know?) is really encouraging news, as is the number of young batsmen in the top 20. We’re generally accustomed to seeing the Old Stagers, like Ramprakash and Hick, in the top 5 - but they’re languishing miles behind having made 622 and 620 runs respectively. English Cricket is certainly becoming stronger and stronger with every season, and players - like Joyce, Shah, Key, Bell, Newman - are thriving.
3 Comments »Joyce now ready
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, 2 Comments »
“When you’re ready, England” might be what Joyce says to himself whilst batting this season. He looks so laid back at the crease, he could almost have a chat with Fletcher on his mobile, whilst caressing a Gower-esque four through the covers.
He’s the Irishman I keep banging on about who today hit another hundred, and a big one - 155 from just 188 balls, albeit on a decent track. He’s now just 68 runs short of 1000 runs in the season - an awesome feat, and if he gets a chance to bat again in this match, he could well be the first to do it in the country. With all the Australians and other foreign players over here, it would be quite an achievement - as well, of course, as almost certainly being the first Irish national to do it.
He might have to wait a bit though - Bell and Pietersen are higher up the pecking order, but Joyce is a Thorpe-replacement if ever I saw one.
2 Comments »BBC jumps on Joyce bandwagon
By Will 3 years ago, mid-May, 2 Comments »
The BBC, thanks to Warne, jump on the Joyce bandwagon
2 Comments »Warne on Pietersen, England and Joyce
By Will 3 years ago, mid-May, No Comments; be the first!
Shane Warne, writing for The Times, writes interestingly about Kevin Pietersen (who else) - his new best friend - who he’s nicknamed PK. Yeah, exactly! He reckons… (more…)
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