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Live discussion: England v Pakistan, 5th ODI, Edgbaston
By Will 2 years ago, mid-September, 11 Comments »
So then, the series is alive (sort of). It’s 2-1 to Pakistan and England at least have a chance to level it. It’s also Paul Collingwood’s 100th one-dayer today. Anyway, leave your thoughts and comments below. I think Emma is at the game so will no doubt provide some musings later.
11 Comments »One last look
By Emma 2 years ago, mid-September, 3 Comments »
For the first time this one-day series, or any in recent memory, we can expect an unchanged line-up from England. Something to be celebrated!
As well as providing Collingwood with his 100th ODI cap, tomorrow will also be the last England game before their Ashes squad, and Ashes captain, are announced next week. Strauss will certainly want a win to push his credentials. Test and one-day captaincy are certainly very different, but if Strauss responds with another captain’s innings tomorrow, it will help prove his ability to lead in a form where he had not until recently been a certain selection. But, of course, I wouldn’t like to tempt fate.
3 Comments »Ian Bell an irresistible No. 6
By Will 2 years ago, at the start of August, 12 Comments »
My Editor and I were chatting about Ian Bell today and the increasingly irresistible case he states for an Ashes place. Indeed not just a place for the first Test but forever more.
With my devil’s advocate hat askew, I argued (to myself, really) that Paul Collingwood is an absolute shoe-in for the Ashes. He makes hundreds. He’s impossibly gritty – an Australian Steve Waugh minus the greatness but the best fielder and catcher England have ever possessed. Were he placed in a nailbiting situation in Brisbane or Sydney, he’s your man.
Before Old Trafford, Bell would not have been your, or even anyone’s man, for such prickly tight spots which England invariably find themselves in during an Ashes series. Yet after scoring his third hundred in succession today, his fifth overall, he is producing the kind of form which warrants inclusion whatever the situation. Always a batsman of the highest class – aside from Mark Ramprakash he is the most technically correct batsman in England – he is now scoring heavy, big runs. While Kevin Pietersen rather impetuantly gave his wicket away today, Bell calmly motored onwards and brought up his hundred. It was inevitable. He is some batsman, one of a flurry of quite exceptionally talented middle-order players England have these days. Cup runneth over, etc.
Who to chose, then?
An example squad of 12
Trescothick, Strauss, Cook, Pietersen, Collingwood, Bell, Flintoff, Read, Simon Jones, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar
Do you drop Collingwood and shift Bell to five to allow for four seamers and Monty? Do you leave out Monty for seamer-friendly pitches and bolster the lineup with Collingwood and Bell? Do you forget Bell altogether? After all, he bottled it in the last Ashes – won’t he bottle it again?
And that’s the conundrum. It’s a delicious one to ponder over and I’d be fascinated to hear everyone’s thoughts. Incidentally, do read Andrew’s piece to find out his views.
12 Comments »Second day at Lord’s
By Will 2 years ago, mid-July, 6 Comments »
Terrific day for England, and a really superb innings from Paul Collingwood. Ian Bell’s was a mixed affair; clearly he was intent on upping the scoring rate as wickets fell, but he simply isn’t able to. That’s not to say he isn’t a fine batsman, an elegant strokeplayer and the most technically perfect batsman England has had for a while. He’s just old school; a 1990s stodger in a post-modern world of speed and aggression.
Collingwood’s innings was remarkable. I heard one of the commentators compare him, loosely, to Steve Waugh - and actually, he had a point. There is something of the ungainly, dogmatic determination of Waugh in Collingwood; a refusal to be beaten, and to score runs however they come. He is arguably the most important name on the sheet for the plane to Brisbane for the stability he offers, and he also happens to be the best England fielder since, well, ever. His catch at third slip today was breathtaking.
Good stuff from England, then, although they’ve had their fair share of luck.
6 Comments »Collingwood’s sandwich
By Will 2 years ago, at the end of May, 3 Comments »
Martin Johnson has long been one of my favourite writers. He has an eye for the game, an eye for the comical and is not only unfailingly funny in most pieces he writes, but usually deadly accurate.
I enjoyed this:
One thing you can say for certain about this England batting line-up is that it is packed with crowd pleasers. What’s more, in distinctly contrasting ways. There are some, like Kevin Pietersen, who send the spectators into a lather of excitement when they walk in to bat, and others, like Paul Collingwood, who induce the same effect when they’re walking back to the pavilion.
It’s not really Collingwood’s fault, but when you find yourself sandwiched in the batting order between Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff, getting yourself out almost qualifies as an act of selfless patriotrism.
Also: spot the Telegraph typo…
3 Comments »Weekends mean disorganised open threads
By Scott 2 years ago, mid-April, 4 Comments »
Englad race to 288 with Pieterson and Collingwood doing well; India chasing are 45/0 after 8 overs. Yes, it is the 7th England vs India ODI open thread.
4 Comments »India v England, 1st Test, Nagpur, Day Three
By Will 2 years ago, at the start of March, 37 Comments »
Interesting day, yesterday. England fought their way to 400 (falling just short) and, thanks to the lower-order supporting him, Paul Collingwood hit a fine first century. He’s not Bradman, but he does have a lot of guts.
So India trail by 257 runs. At stumps yesterday, Rahul Dravid (40*) and Wasim Jaffer (73*) were batting quite serenely - but they still trail, and won’t be sleeping too easily. Were it not for Collingwood’s century, England would be in a mess right now. And while his knock has helped balance the scales somewhat, the ball is in India’s court. It could be a long day for the fielders.
Chat away, chaps.
37 Comments »Broken Shards
By Scott 3 years ago, mid-December, 8 Comments »
What’s the go with all the bats breaking in the ODI game yesterday? I remember Rod Marsh’s bat breaking at the handle all those years ago but I never saw a bat split in half like it did to one English batsman. (Can’t remember who it was, think it was Collingwood but I can’t be sure)
8 Comments »England Warm up with a narrow loss
By Scott 3 years ago, mid-December, No Comments; be the first!
England have had a narrow loss to Pakistan A in their warm up game for the ODI series. Good features for England were contributions from Matt Prior, Paul Collingwood, and Jimmy Anderson.
No Comments »Pakistan v England, 1st Test, 2nd day thoughts
By Will 3 years ago, mid-November, 7 Comments »
Another good day for England with a performance bordering on excellent - and certainly a disappointing and dismal one for Pakistan. Despite their extra-long tail, which is almost unheard of in these days of multi-dimensional cricketers and bowlers “that can bat a bit,” few expected them to capitulate as feebly as they did.
Mind you, it was due to some brilliant bowling from England. Each wicket-taking delivery would, I think, have accounted for better batsmen than the Pakistani tail. First to go was Sami, tempted into a swish outside off in Matthew Hoggard’s first over. Hoggard (perhaps unusually for him) was right on the money from ball one, in ideal dewy conditions, moving the ball away almost at will.
Andrew Flintoff, opening the bowling with Hoggard, accounted for Inzamam who remained England’s only thorn at the start of the day; but even he could only add a handful of runs to his overnight score. Again, Flintoff’s delivery was inch-perfect, squaring up Inzy and presenting Andrew Strauss with a sharp but undroppable chance at second slip, a position he is making his own. This was quality bowling, and England had suddenly seized the advantage.
It was all over very quickly. Pakistan had succumbed quickly and feebly, losing 5 for 30 in two fewer balls than 20 overs. Agony for the home side and, curiously, a “matter-of-fact” response from the visitors who appear almost to expect this kind of performance. Whether it’s due to years of my own agony in watching England capitulate, much like Pakistan had done today, or whatever - I can’t imagine the day where I expect England to perform like they did today.
The batting, then, was dominant, solid and few would have realised England’s woeful pre-Test form had been such a concern. Marcus Trescothick, who was one of the few afforded a run of form before this game, simply played a blinder; his 13th Test hundred was played with class, confidence and control throughout. Strauss was undone by pace and swing by Sami - who looks a prospect, but shouldn’t he be more than simply a potentially good bowler by now? - and Collingwood relit the doubts I have of his defensive technique, but it was otherwise a great batting display. Not least, indeed, by Ian Bell who was arguably the player under the most amount of pressure. His 71 (?) was solid, reliable and very unflashy - just the sort he needed, and I bet he’s secretly hoping his usual captain buggers off home to rest his knee…
10/10 England. Probably 2 for Pakistan.
7 Comments »Flintoff falls to McGrath!
By Will 3 years ago, mid-September, 1 Comment »
GD does it again. Useful catch by Warne at first slip, pretty straightforward though. Fred just wafted outside off, and is gone for a really well-played 72. Massive wicket…England were starting to look comfortable. Five for 274, as the Aussies say. And it’s Paul Collingwood in now; what a match to make your Test comeback in!!!
Oh, and by the way, still just one slip. Who says Ponting’s captaincy is arthitic? Well - me, for one. Extraordinary…put the guy under pressure, surely?
1 Comment »Simon Jones not fit for The Oval
By Will 3 years ago, at the start of September, 18 Comments »
Great shame - mainly for him. He’ll be devastated, having played such a key part in this series. But this isn’t the “end,” as the BBC’s listeners seem to think, of England’s Ashes chances. Far from it.
So - Collingwood or Anderson?
18 Comments »Anderson and Collingwood in for fifth Test
By Will 3 years ago, at the start of September, 13 Comments »
James Anderson and Paul Collingwood have been drafted in for the fifth Test against Australia at The Oval. Surprised at Anderson’s recall…
13 Comments »Collingwood called up for second Test
By Will 3 years ago, at the start of August, 10 Comments »
UPDATE: August 3, he’s been released to Durham. So Giles will play, and England field an unchanged team for the second Test
Paul Collingwood has been called up by England for the second Test, to increase their options.
David Graveney, the chairman of selectors, said: “It has been well documented that Birmingham has experienced unusually large amounts of rainfall in the last few days and this has put the ground authorities under extreme pressure. Having looked at the pitch it has been decided to add Collingwood to the squad so that England will have the maximum number of options available on match day.”
In other words: it’s been chucking it down, the pitch will do a lot, and they will need as many runs as possible (at the expense of Mr Giles, one presumes). More at Cricinfo.
10 Comments »England announce unchanged squad
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of July, 4 Comments »
UPDATE: August 1, Paul Collingwood has been called up.
Thank God. As Atherton says this morning, England must keep the faith, and by naming an unchanged squad they’re demonstrating that they’re not panicking (Mr Mannering). There really wasn’t much point in naming Collingwood (he would have been the only possible inclusion) over Giles, yet.
I refuse to be downbeat. A company phoned me (6 times) last week, and I eventually rang them back to tell them where to go, after they refused to leave a voicemail. The girl who answered was very chatty, and after establishing what the company wanted from me, our thoughts turned to cricket (as they do). She too was a fan, and her words are still echoing in my ears: “It’s one nil, not 3 nil. We can still win the Ashes”
As Atherton, again, says today:
Like Bull, I’m instinctively inclined to have more faith in this England team. Their achievements and recent record demand that - at least for a little while longer.
Cricinfo has some quotes and words.
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