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The secret of Australian success
By Scott last year, at the start of September, Comments
Robert “Crash” Craddock writes about Shane Warne’s list, and about Warne’s animosity towards Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist.
But underneath it all there is a fascinating, essentially untold story about how two superstars of the modern game somehow managed to survive and thrive year after year in the same side despite a fallout which left each man cold.
Waugh will never expand on the details because he could not be bothered starting a bushfire from which no one could win.
Warne’s definition of Gilchrist as “still a batsman-keeper rather than the other way around” is not flattering (even given Gilchrist’s freakish batting skills) and one which Gilchrist would not enjoy.
You can call Gilchrist a madhouse slogger and he will laugh along with you but dismissiveness of his keeping skills hurts him because he sees himself as a keeper first.
…..In a perverse sort of way, Warne’s modest rating of Steve Waugh and Gilchrist gives us a hint of why Australian teams have been so successful over the past decade – they simply put the personal stuff to one side and go out and play for the team.
It sounds easy to do but it has been beyond many fragmented England, West Indian, Indian and Pakistan teams of the same era.
Warne and Waugh might not have been each other’s cup of tea but you would never have known it on the field.
The ability of Australia’s players to put their personal stuff to one side and play for the team is undoubtedly a big part of Australia’s success. I don’t know, but I suspect that New Zealand are also good at doing this, which is why they are able to punch above their weight in international cricket.
CommentsBlack guys running all over the pitch…
By Will last year, at the start of August, Comments
God bless Bill Lawry
Click here if you can’t hear the gaffe.
CommentsLive chat: New Zealand v Sri Lanka, 1st Semi-Final, Jamaica
By Emma last year, at the end of April, Comments
So, after weeks of play, we’ve finally made it to the first semi-final back where Pakistan exited the competition in such spectacular fashion. We can only hope, after such a long wait, that both this match and that at the Beausejour Stadium tomorrow, offer good, tight contests.
But whatever happens, you can watch the scorecard and commentary at Cricinfo, and chat about it here.
CommentsThe Matthew Hayden show
By Mike last year, mid-April, Comments
Prior to the penultimate game of the Super Eight’s, Matthew Hayden was just three runs behind the tournament’s highest run scorer in Jacques Kallis. He was favoured to move into pole position but has surged to it with yet another century of muscle and class. Is he playing better than his golden year of 2001? While most teams are struggling in the first ten overs (the average being 36 runs for 1.4 wickets) Hayden hasn’t set a foot wrong. Gilchrist seems to be rather quiet but is himself averaging 37 with the bat in the World Cup.
The pre-match news is Shane Bond is out crook and Jacob Oram having earlier been ruled out. Mark Gillespie and Michael Mason play in their place. Shane Watson makes a welcome return for Australia forcing Brad Hodge out. Shane Bond was the real danger man for Australia, a bowler who seems to have the wood over the Aussies. New Zealand will surely miss him.
Australia have moved into a more than healthy 215-2 after 32 overs and look to post a really big one. In light of recent adventures New Zealand might fancy their chances in getting them.
Check out the scorecard here and leave your comments below.
CommentsIt all comes down to Tuesday
By Will last year, mid-April, Comments
So New Zealand are through to the semi-finals. Rajesh has written a really useful piece on who might take the final semi-final spot, and how England’s win (or loss) impacts on the other contenders.
Scenario 1: England beat South Africa
England will then be level with South Africa on six points, and will have an excellent opportunity to seal their semi-final spot with a win against West Indies. South Africa will finish their Super Eight campaign on six points, and will sweat on the results of the other games to keep them in the hunt: for them to go through, West Indies will have to beat England, which will then leave three teams - South Africa, England, and West Indies or Bangladesh - on six points. Net run rates will then come into play, which is again bad news for South Africa - they are currently languishing at -0.21, and a defeat against England won’t help their cause much. Graeme Smith might just regret the fact that he bowled five overs for 56 against West Indies, allowing them to come within 67 runs of their 356.
England going past South Africa will also suit West Indies and Bangladesh perfectly. Brian Lara and Habibul Bashar have been talking about their World Cups being over already, but they just might have rushed it a bit. If England’s victory margin against South Africa is a narrow one, and if West Indies thrash Bangladesh and England (it might look unlikely at the moment, but nothing’s beyond a team which has Chris Gayle and Lara in their batting line-up), their NRR might just sneak up beyond that of England and South Africa. Ditto for Bangladesh, if they beat Ireland and West Indies.
Scenario 2: South Africa beat England
Realistically, that’s South Africa’s only chance of making it to the last four. A South African win will also shut out England, West Indies and Bangladesh, making two of the last four matches - West Indies versus Bangladesh and West Indies versus England - completely redundant. Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and South Africa will then be the four semi-finalists, with the rest of the matches only deciding the positions within the top four.
Tuesday, as Rajesh puts it, really will be a cracker.
CommentsNew Zealand v South Africa, Super Eights, Grenada
By Will last year, mid-April, Comments
Something’s wrong in the universe when Craig McMillan can take three South African wickets. I’m not watching it, and have only just switched on the radio - ensconced in Devon and magnetised to the beach and the outdoors. But it’s clouded over with a sea fog here and it’s high time for a drink and to keep my eye on this match. South Africa are wobbling, to say the least. Incidentally my hosters were switching things today and apparently the site was buggered earlier. Apologies for that. All seems fine again now - if painfully slow.
Anyhoo, here’s a photo
And here’s the scorecard.
CommentsNew Zealand v Sri Lanka, Super Eights, Grenada
By Scott last year, mid-April, Comments
This could be the match of the tournament so far, at least in terms of form, although Australia vs South Africa was right up there as well. That old war-horse Chaminda Vaas has a couple of wickets already and in the 6th over, New Zealand are 4 for 2.
Oh dear. They’re now four down…
CommentsIreland vs New Zealand
By Scott last year, mid-April, Comments
Late again. Well, you get what you pay for around here. In the 18th over, New Zealand are 87 for 3 and while not in trouble exactly are not finding the Irish minnows so easy to deal with. Comment away- I’m off to bed soon so if there’s an upset I want to hear about it here first!
CommentsCan v NZ; Neth v Scot, World Cup
By Will last year, at the end of March, Comments
Canada take on New Zealand and Netherlands face Scotland in today’s games. I was depressed and alarmed at Zimbabwe’s listless, pathetic performance yesterday. They were shockingly poor. But as my boss noted, it’s not the players’ who are to blame. They’re just too young, too inexperienced. Nevertheless, they should not be in this tournament - morally or otherwise. Anyway, keep your eye on the scorecards below and leave your thoughts, like the winners you all are.
Canada v New Zealand scorecard
Netherlands v Scotland scorecard
Ken v NZ; Scot v SA, World Cup
By Will last year, mid-March, Comments
Kenya take on New Zealand today - can’t wait to hear how that goes. New Zealand looked good against England (not hard) but Kenya…well, I really fancy their chances. How they cope with the tournament’s most outstanding fast bowler, Shane Bond, will be interesting.
Scorecard links are below…then leave your thoughts.
Kenya v New Zealand
Scotland v South Africa
England v New Zealand, World Cup, Gros Islet
By Will last year, mid-March, Comments
England’s opening World Cup match against New Zealand is making me very nervous indeed. I would rather they played anyone but the Black Caps (the “Blick Cips”) who always seem to perform better than you expect them to in a World Cup. Nevertheless, now’s the time for England to really show the tournament what they are capable of. Kevin Pietersen, please stand up, etc.
Scorecard here. History of Gros Islet here. Chat below. Rock on.
CommentsWorld Cup, fourth warm-ups: live discussion
By Will last year, mid-March, Comments
So the final warm-ups are today, and some fascinating matches in store, not least England against Australia. Duncan Fletcher has been wittering - “It’s an important game, but we’ve still got to use it as practice”. Usual nonsense.
Anyway. Post your thoughts on the matches which all begin around 13.30GMT
New Zealand v Sri Lanka
Three Ws Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
Pakistan v South Africa
Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, St Augustine, Trinidad
Australia v England
Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St Vincent
India v West Indies
Trelawny Stadium, Jamaica
World Cup, second warm-ups: live discussion
By Will last year, at the start of March, Comments
More warm-ups today.
Australia v Zimbabwe
Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St Vincent
Bangladesh v New Zealand
Three Ws Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
Canada v Pakistan
Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, St Augustine, Trinidad
India v Netherlands
Trelawny Stadium, Jamaica
For those in Britain, India’s match is being televised on Sky.
CommentsWhat would you give up to play for your country in the World Cup?
By Scott last year, at the end of February, Comments
Jacob Oram would give up his finger to play.
Jacob Oram is willing to cut off his injured ring finger if it is going to prevent him from playing in the World Cup. Oram will try specially designed splints and pain-killers to ease the pain, but if the problem won’t go away he will consider an amputation.
“If it means cutting the finger off, if that’s the worse-case scenario, if that’s the last resort, I’ll do that, there’s no way I’m missing this,” he told NZPA. Oram suffered the break during the first Chappell-Hadlee Trophy match and he will not test it until the New Zealand squad’s first practice session in Barbados on Saturday.
Good on him, I think. And if he plays, he gives New Zealand the extra depth they need to make a serious tilt at the Cup.
CommentsEven Baldrick wasn’t this cunning
By Scott last year, mid-February, Comments
“World Cup plans on track: Buchanan”
Ye gods, if this is a plan…
To be fair though, Buchanan never actually is quoted as saying that. It is another case of sub-editors licence. However, if Australia don’t have a markedly improved performance against New Zealand tomorrow in Auckland, the howls coming out of Australia will grow ever more shrill.
Mind you I am confident that things will turn around in time for the World Cup. There’s a lot of water to flow under the bridge yet.
