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the-rose-bowl
Video of Shoaib Akhtar “fiddling” the ball
By Will 4 years ago, at the start of September, 41 Comments »
He’s been cleared today. I’m not making any comment. Here’s the video for you to make your minds up. (click here if you can’t see it below)
The issue is more to do with Sky, than Shoaib…
41 Comments »England finally compete
By Will 4 years ago, at the start of September, 6 Comments »
At last. After seven one-day thrashings this summer, England finally evaded another whipping with a far improved performance against Pakistan.
They still lost, though.
But nevermind. Crack open the champagne and celebrate for England managed to take Pakistan close. Andrew Strauss batted with great intent – it was a relief to see him leading from the front, in particular skipping down the pitch to disrupt Mohammad Asif’s length. And ol’ Asif really does hate batsmen doing that! Strauss won that particular battle. A pretty good innings, then, helped by some Pakistani fielding at its most hilarious.
I don’t know if they took their eye off the ball, figuratively speaking (considering their series lead, and England’s general uselessness), or if The Rose Bowl is a particularly difficult ground on which to field…but they were hapless. The stand-out performer, and I use that word sparingly and, in this case cautiously, was Inzamam! His elephantine tumbles sent shockwaves…sorry, couldn’t resist. He was really good, Inzy, and batted quite brilliantly to close the game out at the end.
Good things:
- Younis Khan’s batting. He is a terrific cricketer, and character
- Younis smashing a four and immediately marching towards the point fielder, shouting and waving
- Shahid Afridi’s misfield which made him look like a real wally
- Andrew Strauss’s batting and intent in the field. His relaxed demeanour and wry smile have gone. Mind you, losing that many one-day games is enough to break even the most fierce Cherie Blair grin
- Watching Ian Bell get hit in the family jewels, via Strauss’s flat-batted pull shot. Corrrrr.
- Watching Billy Doctrove nearly get hit in the family jewels, star-jumping out of the way like a ballet dancer on acid
Bad things:
- Rikki Clarke. A first-ball duck, and a very poor and at times clueless spell of bowling. Young and inexperienced, but this was a very special effort
- Sajid Mahmood. Clearly a gifted bowler, he desperately needs Flintoff or Harmison at mid-off to advise him. He’s going from wayward to waywarder in each match
- Pakistan’s fielding. It will cost them the World Cup.
The bandwagon continues at Nottingham. Rock on.
6 Comments »