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By Will Saturday, last week, 3 Comments »
I had a good look at Chris Jordan, the West Indian 19-year-old fast bowler, while I was down at Hove. He looks to be the real deal - lovely smooth action of 12 steps, recoiling as he approaches his delivery stride and a classical follow through. It looks all natural. It was a dead pitch, though he did remove Matt Prior with quite a slippery bouncer.
Have a read of my interview with him. He’s still not sure if he’ll play for West Indies or England, so I pressed Clive Lloyd on the matter…who is clearly desperate to lure him back. I read the other day that Dennis Lillee is utterly convinced Jordan will play Test cricket.
The only question, then: for whom?
3 Comments »Sri Lankans rattled
By Will 1 month ago, 4 Comments »
I’ve had my eye off the proverbial the last 24 hours, so am surprised and excited to see West Indies’ bowlers have rattled Sri Lanka’s top-order. As I write, they’re 109 for 6 and lead by a slender 94. Poor old Windies haven’t won at home since 2005 and since 2000 the locals have only celebrated seven victories.
Update: Samaraweera makes 125 and West Indies need 253 to win. Nuff bloody said.
4 Comments »Ambrose demolishes England
By Will 2 months ago, 5 Comments »
14 years ago to this day, any lingering doubts or reservations I had that cricket had taken me under its spell were emphatically removed. England needed 194 to beat West Indies in the third Test at Port-of-Spain, and in came Curtly Ambrose, bounding up to the crease, arms pumping, gold chains swinging - with a menacing, almost demonic look in his eyes. 19.1 overs later, England were bowled out for 46 and my passion for the game was confirmed, signed, sealed and dated. Even now, if I catch a glimpse of that spell in Trinidad, I am fairly awestruck.
Bizarrely, I’ve just remembered it’s my grandmother’s birthday too. She’d have been 108!
5 Comments »Stanford 20/20 final, Antigua
By Will 3 months ago, 5 Comments »
I’m not around much for the next week but, quite by chance, I have a whole evening to myself to watch the final of the Stanford 20/20 between Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago. T&T have won the toss and elected to field - rather boldly, they’ve decided they can chase down whatever Jamaica set them. Under lights. In a final.
Look out for William Perkins. He is a bit special, by all accounts.
Tune your tellyboxes to Sky 401, read the comms on Cricinfo and generally have a spiffing time of it. Incidentally, Chris Gayle is developing a magnificent afro. What with the mullets some of the England squad are sporting, big hair is back.
5 Comments »Bollocks to the side strain: give me the ball
By Will 4 months ago, 1 Comment »
South Africa won the first one-dayer against West Indies by six wickets today in Centurion. You can tell by that sentence how excited I was by the game, but the dullness was enlivened dramatically by the most stunning of caught-and-bowleds from Dwayne Bravo. He has a side strain and was not, by his own admission, expected to bowl for another two weeks. But balls to that, he thought, and on he trundled.
He found one to bounce on Justin Ontong who was squared up, fending it up in the air about a metre from his crease. Somehow, Bravo sprinted down the pitch, dived, clung on with both hands with the ball just a few inches off the turf. A brilliant piece of fielding, of spirit in adversity, of courage - and of captaincy.
Photo by Neil Lane Cricinfo Ltd ©
Bend it like Samuels
By Will 4 months ago, 9 Comments »
So then, Marlon Samuels’ action has been reported. What’s the verdict? Legitimate action?
Where’s the charm?
By Will 4 months ago, 3 Comments »
A fine and balanced piece by John Benaud in today’s Independent on Sunday. So good, in fact, that I’m pasting it below.
3 Comments »Cricket is always having crises. Books are written and entitled, inevitably, ‘Cricket At The Crossroads’. You’ll recall Bodyline, the World Series Cricket breakaway… and in between the occasional tuppenny bunger, like pathetic over-rates, chucking and so on. Generally, there’s a good guy and a bad guy, and in the above real-deal controversies Douglas Jardine and Kerry Packer were nasties.
The India captain Anil Kumble’s self-indulgent hijacking of “good guy” Australia captain Bill Woodfull’s line “only one team is playing cricket”, uttered during the 1932-33 Bodyline series, was immediately spotted by us cynics with “ocker” accents as code for: “My team have just lost a Test nobody thought they could and I’d like you all to bag nasty Australia and their captain instead of me, in case back home they think we’re the bad guys and torch our houses.”
Ponting is tactically dull, abrasive, prone to snap and a sometimes ungracious winner, but of more urgent concern than any character study of him is the bunch of no-hopers who wander/administer aimlessly under the abbreviatedanonymity of “The ICC”.
One can only guess how embarrassing it must be to have anyone know you are officially part of the International Cricket Council and your claim to fame is the absolute shambles that passes for world cricket in 2008. Put the chief executive, Malcolm Speed, and his team in the dock and even Rumpole’s most junior solicitor could win, his case rested on the evidence of the World Cup last year.
Laws have been changed to accommodate bowlers who throw; the Darrell Hair case remains impossible to fathom, at least for those of us who played and understood the spirit of the game before the ICC lawyers measured out their runs; the crooks of Zimbabwe are rewarded with ongoing recognition; and now a talented umpire who has a bad game can be sent home.
There was a time when the greatest insult to an Australian cricketer was to mention the phrase “no sheep in the top paddock”. After the SCG Test the words “monkey” and “bastard” are apparently offensive. Speed and Co have a new challenge: compile a dictionary of words that are offensive to the modern cricketer, or his culture.
Before they make bigger asses of themselves they should recall the Collis King incident, Mount Smart Stadium, New Zealand, 1978. King, a most talented West Indian all-rounder then playing in World Series Cricket, took a terrible blow to the right groin and collapsed. The physio applied the magic “freeze” spray, but to no avail, and the stretcher arrived. This roused King, who looked down at his “magic-sprayed” groin, sat up abruptly and announced: “Jesus, I’m turning white; quick, spray me all over!”
Past players think modern cricket has no sense of humour, subtlety, finesse and characters, and little goodwill; that it lacks a certain class, charm even. Here’s proof: in 1961, Australia’s Richie Benaud and West Indies’ Frank Worrell agreed pre-series to “have some fun”.
In 2008, when Ponting and Kumble met before the start of the series, it was to discuss how best to defuse an evolving problem: fielders claiming catches that bounce. Cheating.
The ICC, with a little pressure from the odd cricket board, will surely find a way to legalise that in no time.
Marlon Samuels loses his head
By Will 4 months ago, 2 Comments »
Is Marlon Samuels finally growing up? I’m not so sure. It was a wonderful innings, his hundred against South Africa today, but all too often he nibbles and pokes at those decent deliveries outside his off stump. I admired his determination, and his coolness under raging pressure from Dale Steyn. The ball he fell to was spectacular, and I can’t remember seeing a better one. It was one for the memories.
Anyway, we have a photographer at the ground, Neil Lane, who’s been providing us with some excellent (and occasioanlly lewd) shots, including this one of Samuels ducking. Where’s his head gone?
The standard of photography from the agencies - Getty Images use Gallo Sports, Touchline and AFP - has been generally weak for the entire series. Neil’s, on the other hand, are crisp and inventive.
‘Please wait here for first available wicket’
By Will 4 months ago, 3 Comments »
This is superb:
Somehow, watching the West Indies collapse in fine style this morning against South Africa, I couldn’t help thinking about this sign I saw while waiting in line to renew my driver’s license.
From Sean, who built/administers CaribbeanCricket.com - a website about bicycle tyre pricing. No, not really; it’s dedicated to West Indian cricket.
He told me that a wicket (in Canada, and probably America, and probably everywhere else) is a ticket boot where you are served, like in a post office. Shamefully, perhaps because I’ve been a cricket fan most of my life, I was completely ignorant as to the other meanings of the word.
3 Comments »West Indian winners
By Will last year, at the end of December, 2 Comments »
Ryan has a couple of cracking shots of the West Indies celebrating their win over South Africa in their dressing room…including Dwayne Bravo doing a spot of karaoke:
And Chris Gayle
Bravo to them all
By Will last year, at the end of December, 2 Comments »
I’d added Sky Sports last night in preparation for a mammoth day in front of the box with a bottle of anything, watching what I hoped would be an historic win for West Indies, only to realise I had family duties in Dorset of all places. Not a chore, but still - no mobile reception and no way of following the cricket.
So I was relieved to see West Indies have beaten South Africa so comprehensively - bloody brilliant news and a fine achievement. Excluding their wins over Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, today’s win was their first victory overseas since beating England in 2000 at Edgbaston (remember that bitch of a pitch?). Looking back to that game, the Almanack says:
West Indies, having failed to win a Test outside the Caribbean since February 1997 - since when they had suffered ten consecutive overseas defeats - won this opening match by an innings inside three days, just as they had on their previous visit here in 1995. It was the 1,500th Test to be played.
All of this puts into perspective just how massive today’s feat is, and also what an impact Chris Gayle has on that motley bunch. South Africa played poorly (from what little I saw and read) - particularly batting in their first innings - but West Indies outplayed them in most sessions. We’ve seen them win occasional sessions, even whole days, but never consistently.
Today is a triumph; roll on the second Test. Oh, and this was Dwayne Bravo’s first win in 24 Tests…
2 Comments »I only sing when we’re winning
By Scott last year, at the end of December, 11 Comments »
Australia have wrapped up their 15th win in a row, and they have a chance of equaling their own world record for the most consecutive victories in the Second Test against India starting next week. It is interesting that the team is talking the record down.
Believe it or not, I’m not particularly fussed if they get the record either- I just don’t want the team to lose. Speaking as a fan, I really, really hate losing Test matches. But there’s quite a trend in the Australian media to talk up our hosts, and to bemoan the continuing domination of the Australian team. It is true that the Aussies continue to do well overseas, but at home, the side is nearly invulnerable- Australia have only lost two Tests at home this decade.
To some in the media, this is almost treated as a ‘bad thing’. I find it curious myself, this urge to see Australia lose, coming from nominally Australian fans. I don’t see fans from other cricket nations hope to see their national teams be challenged. Do you suppose in the late 1980s that the press in the West Indies were hoping for more ‘competitive’ cricket, or do you think that they wanted West Indies to continue to dominate? I don’t think if you asked fans of Manchester United at Old Trafford whether or not they’d like more ‘competitive’ football they’d answer ‘yes’ either. I’m almost certain that they would want to see their sides win and win well.So I’m afraid to say that I don’t buy the media’s story at all- the Australian public turned out in record numbers last season, helped by the Barmy Army to be sure, but they wanted to see the English thrashed; and they got it. Hopefully by the time the Adelaide Test rolls around next month, I’ll be watching Australia’s 18th Test win in a row. But I won’t be that upset if they aren’t- just as long as we don’t lose! I really hate losing!
11 Comments »Collapsing in style
By Will last year, at the end of December, No Comments; be the first!
The collapse is rather like witnessing a pile-up on a motorway. You know you shouldn’t look - but the macabre is always a fascinating sight, if ugly and uncomfortable. The gruesome can be stylish, too, and the West Indies are true champions of collapsing in style. Pottering along at 122 for 2, they buckled to 146 for 8. Now that is true class.
They lead by 359, and Patrick reckons they will still win with two days to go. Hmm…
No Comments »West Indies on top
By Will last year, at the end of December, 2 Comments »
I got a call from a West Indian mate this afternoon, Del, who was definitely full of post-Christmas cheer. It was he, in a roundabout sort of way, who told me about the day West Indies were having, and it’s really a bit special. 408 all out in their first innings (first time they’ve batted first and scored more than 400 since June 2006), followed by five quick South Africa wickets - three by Daren Powell who I met last summer. Impressive character - a very sharp wit and intelligent with it. Neither of those traits makes a good fast bowler - I think it’s Nasser Hussain who says all fast bowlers are stupid - but most successful quicks have had shrewd minds.
Anyway, a cracking day and I still haven’t seen any of it. If anyone’s got a video, shout with the link.
2 Comments »Christmas cricket
By Will last year, at the end of December, 8 Comments »
Now that England’s misery has been put on hold until the New Zealand series in 2008, attention turns to the southern hemisphere. It’s probably the first Christmas for 10 years that I’ve not had Sky to watch Boxing Day Tests, so I was a bit peeved when I woke up this morning to see what a good day India had enjoyed against Australia at Melbourne. Peter English:
Groups of Australians spent the afternoon wondering whether they were being unpatriotic for smiling when India started running through the home team. For the first session those local supporters who demand nothing but dominance by Ricky Ponting’s men were satisfied with the direction of the game. Their disgruntlement when it changed in the second session was offset by the joy felt - and heard - at the ground by cricket supporters who are desperate to see Australia challenged. After the first day there is hope this series might be the fair fight fans have been craving since the 2005 Ashes.
It promises to be a cracking series between the best two sides in the world. Whether it will match or better the 2005 Ashes is impossible to predict (and unlikely, I’d imagine) but any team who can challenge Australia gets my vote of confidence. Even if it is India…
Several thousand miles away in Port Elizabeth, West Indies have raced to 190 for 3 on the first day against South Africa, with Chris Gayle launching a terrific 66 from just 49 balls. Have a read of his innings - he took Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn apart. Brilliant stuff and I can’t wait to see the video.
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