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New Zealand robbed
By Will 1 month ago, 1 Comment »
You have to feel some degree of sympathy towards New Zealand. Their tour reminds me of most that England went on in the 1990s. Not only was there discontent with management and selection, but injuries would occur at the worst possible moment, and any luck they had was all bad.
Yesterday’s match was as close to a farce as one-day cricket can produce. The kiwis only needed seven runs from the 20th over (which constitutes a match) to beat England, but the match was called off after 19 overs owing to the lashing rain. And the fact it was nearly pitch black. It was a fair decision by the umpires to take them off when they did, but New Zealand should never have been in that situation - and they wouldn’t have, had the regulations not stipulated on a 30-minute interval between innings.
How impossibly pathetic it was. We had all waited until 3pm for the start as the rain poured down, and worse was forecast for 7pm. The emphasis was to get the game done and dusted as quickly as possible, yet this ridiculous, anal regulation held up play for 30 precious minutes, and all the while the clouds lifted and light remained good.
More at Cricinfo if you’re interested, but it’s probably best we ignore this game and never think about it again.
1 Comment »Twenty20: England v New Zealand, Old Trafford
By Will 1 month ago, 2 Comments »
The new dawn is upon us, whether we like it or not. England take on New Zealand at Old Trafford tonight and, to all intents and purposes, will have one eye firmly fixed on the lure of Allen Stanford’s millions.
I’ll be on a train while it’s all going on, but in the meantime, be sure to check out our commentary and leave your thoughts in the comments below. Welcome to the new, bonkers world.
2 Comments »A teacher writes
By Will 1 month ago, 1 Comment »
Tim needs your help:
As a teacher of A-level sports psychology in my school I was trying to find the
clip you showed on the test highlights programme of Andrew Strauss using
visualization before his innings in the second test. Do you know where i can
find it to play to the students.It was on the Channel 5 highlights programme when Simon
Hughes was analysing Strauss’ batting and it showed him out
in the middle going through some of the shots he would be
playing in his innings. It was about a 10-15s clip and it
was sped up from real time. I think it was the highlights
show when Strauss made his hundred in the second innings
If you’ve seen it, do leave a comment.
1 Comment »England’s win over New Zealand
By Will 1 month ago, 5 Comments »
I’ve been up in Nottingham, hence the total lack of postage here. I’m now in Devon, so while I enjoy the beach, why not offer your thoughts on England’s series win over New Zealand? Were you impressed in the manner with which they wrapped up the win? Or do you, like me, have concerns ahead of the South Africa series?
Go on. Be prolific commenters.
5 Comments »Trent Bridge’s new stand
By Will 1 month ago, 5 Comments »
Trent Bridge’s new stand, on the Bridgford Road side, is unmissable. It leans backwards with the roof arcing upwards, in a white/cream colour - it’s quite a sight. All in all, Trent Bridge looks an absolute picture.
Much discussion over the stand’s effects on swing, too. There’s a piece in the papers today - I forget where - which looks into it further, but the theory is that new stands (or buildings or trees) can create its owm mini micro-climate which helps the balls to swing even more. Trent Bridge has always assisted the swingers, but watch out for Anderson, Sidebottom, Mills and co tomorrow. Rain forecast Friday, but all the statistics suggest it’ll be a match for the bowlers.
5 Comments »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 »New Zealand out-collapse England
By Will 2 months ago, 2 Comments »
It takes something for a team to match, or better, one of England’s infamous collapses, but New Zealand managed just that today. England’s brave attempt at capitulation was admirable: 5 for 28. New Zealand, however, out-collapsed them with a very flacid 7 for 29. Superb collapsing all round.
What a day. Who cares for Twenty20 when Test cricket can provide sixteen wickets in a single day, the momentum and energy flipping to and fro every hour? It was breathless cricket, with some wonderful bowling from the two spinners - Daniel Vettori and Monty Panesar - and some questionable batting mixed in among it.
How cruel momentum can be. New Zealand were utterly odds-on favourites after England’s 1990-esque capitulation in the morning. They batted like muppets in a swamp to Vettori - who bowled masterfully, it should be noted - and New Zealand stole a huge first-innings lead of 179. Cockahoop they were. But for them to be bowled out for 114 (Panesar six-fer) shows firstly what a beasting pitch this is, but moreover how fragile confidence is. You think you’re riding high, on the crest of a wave which will crash down and swallow your opponents…before you all fall off the surf board and drown in your own wave. Awful analogy I know, but you get my meaning.
And look what happened - New Zealand bowled like a drain in the final session. Too short, too wide - Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss looked relatively at ease. Cook fell, but England really could upset the odds and do the unthinkable. They don’t deserve to win at all, but then nor do New Zealand for their awful collapse. Fascinating fourth day in prospect.
2 Comments »McCullum comes of age
By Will 2 months ago, 4 Comments »
I don’t really like the phrase “coming of age”, and I’m even less certain when a player actually comes of age. It’s open to debate and scrutiny, but Brendon McCullum’s run-a-ball 97 today was a microcosm of a player whose stock is rising remarkably fast. Yes yes, he thumped that unbelievable 158 in the Indian Premier League - but this was Test cricket, and New Zealand were blindly fumbling around a cavernous hole at 41 for 3. And then 76 for 4. Their top-order folded so meekly, and England’s bowling was so disciplined, that even 150 seemed a total beyond their reach. McCullum worked his backside off for his first 30 runs (and yet went to fifty from a relatively slick 65 balls) before exploding; the extra-cover smash off Stuart Broad into the Warner Stand was breathtakingly audacious and classy.
We all love explosive batsmanship, but an innings that combines grafting and sheer madness is doubly satisfying and doubly impressive. Perhaps I’m being too generous in saying he’s come of age, but then again the expectations of him are increasingly high.
4 Comments »Hoggard returns; no cover for Collingwood
By Will 2 months ago, 8 Comments »
So, Matthew Hoggard has been included in England’s 12-man squad for the first Test, alongside Paul Collingwood. Interestingly, Collingwood - who has an injured shoulder - wasn’t given any cover. No Ravi Bopara or Luke Wright to be seen. Andrew Strauss retains his place.
Batting looks strong, and the bowling ought to be too…but I’m never comfortable with Jimmy Anderson in the side. Who knows what he’ll do?
England squad
Michael Vaughan (capt), Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Tim Ambrose (wk), Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar, James Anderson, Matthew Hoggard.
Flintoff out of first two Tests
By Will 2 months ago, 8 Comments »
Well, so much for England’s selectorial headache. It’s been resolved for them, partially, with Andrew Flintoff picking up a side strain which rules him out of the first two Tests against New Zealand. Who to pick? Ravi Bopara? Luke Wright? And how long before Michael Vaughan’s knee collapses?
It’s all jolly exciting, so have your say below.
8 Comments »A ton for a ticket
By Will 6 months ago, 12 Comments »
We ran a story today about ticket prices for this summer exceeding £100 at The Oval. The piece was originally in this month’s issue of The Wisden Cricketer magazine - our ex-sister publication - and it’s quite a shock. But it should be noted that most tickets on sale this summer are sold “at around £50 to £62 for the ODIs and a bit cheaper for the Tests”.
Nevertheless, a hundred quid for one day’s cricket - which could be rained off or excruciatingly dull viewing - is an extraordinary amount of dosh. Considering the opposition England face this year - New Zealand, specifically, at The Oval - it begs the ominous question of just how inflated prices might become for the Big One: the 2009 Ashes.
How much are you willing to pay?
12 Comments »