Three days on from the ‘miracle at Cardiff’ the two teams arrive at Lord’s for the second Test. So what have we learned since Monty Panesar and Jimmy Anderson blocked out for nearly eleven, gut churning overs, on Sunday evening? First, Ricky ‘Roland’ Ponting is not only a bad loser, he is a pretty bad at taking a draw too. Yes, England may have indulged in a tiny bit of blatant time-wasting, but don’t think for a minute that the Australians would have behaved any better were the roles reversed. They would, however, have been a little more subtle than sending on the world’s largest physio for no reason. And on Wednesday we learnt that Andrew Flintoff will retire from Test match cricket after this current series. Probably for the best, it is no good having a player who cannot be relied upon to play game after game; it is unsettling and upsets the balance of the team.
The second Test promises to be a very different match indeed, and it will be extremely interesting to see how both sets of players respond to the extraordinary events of Sunday. Australia will be smarting, Ponting knows that he blew it, missed a trick, looked a gift horse in the mouth. All the talk of England delaying the game is a smokescreen, erected by the Australian captain to defend himself from the many accusations of poor decision making. Why Marcus North, full time batter, part-time bowler was sending down gentle turners to England’s last pair is anybody’s guess. Siddle and Hilfenhaus must have wondered what they had done to upset Rick, one good length Yorker and Panesar would have been back in the Pavilion, and the Aussies 1-0 up.
Still Ponting’s mistake is Andrew Strauss’s gain and I fully expect a very different England team to take the field today. The personnel will be similar; Harmison for Monty, and Onions for the injured Broad, but the attitude and application should, and hopefully will, be much improved. If England could win at Lord’s, for the first time since 1934, etc, then Australia may find it hard to stomach and recover after that first Test finale. The batters will have to stand up and be counted, do to the Aussies what they did to England last weekend. The bowlers must rediscover their aggression too, don’t let the Aussies settle, don’t give them easy runs, and hit them. Hit them with the nice hard shiny new ball, it excites the crowd, it excites the players and it will ruffle the Australians. I don’t care how good a player you are, getting struck by a cricket ball at 90MPH is both frightening and painful.
Australia will win the toss and bat first, but that will be all they win this week. England are going to come out firing on all cylinders, the crowd will be behind them, and Ponting’s men will be all out for around 200 and bowling by 5 o’clock this evening. I’m off to try and get tickets outside the ground, wish me luck!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
England survival cannot mask the need for improvements all round.
Before this Ashes series began there was a lot of talk, a lot of hype and a huge amount of expectation. On Sunday evening, we found out just why everyone was looking forward to it so much. Rarely does Test match cricket come down to its final hour, but when it does, just like at Edgbaston and Old Trafford in 2005, there is quite simply nothing to match it for sheer drama. Sunday was a test for the players, a test for the umpires, and a test for the supporters in the ground. Australia, by far the more accomplished team throughout, taking 19 wickets compared to England’s 7, came up just short thanks to the belligerence of Collingwood, Anderson and Panesar. The drama was simply epic, with every dot ball receiving an enormous cheer from the near capacity Cardiff crowd.
At lunch with England teetering at 94 for 5 there seemed to be absolutely no chance of survival. The top order had collapsed, given up, and whilst a little resistance from the tail was hoped for, the home side would surely be well beaten. But then, minute after minute, over after over, the close of play loomed nearer. First Broad, and then Swann, showed the top order how to hang around and take time out of a test match, before Monty and Jimmy came together to see England home. The unlikeliest of heroes with bat in hand. If the tension was unbearable, at home then heaven knows how it must have felt watching in the stadium, whether from stand or balcony. Strauss, Cook, Bopara and Pietersen looked on as the match was saved by tail-enders.
Kevin 'It's just the way I play, and I'm not going to change' Pietersen, in particular, needs to look long and hard at his performance and his attitude. I am sure KP would like to be considered one of the world's finest batsmen, if indeed he doesn't already believe this to be the case. However, to be the world's finest batsmen you need to be adaptable, you cannot play the same way in every situation. This is The Ashes, this is Australia. On the first day, given the nature of the pitch, England had the chance to rack up a massive total, to put the Aussies under pressure. Instead the entire top order got in and then got out, and while Pietersen is not the only culprit, his inability to accept fault sets a bad example to the rest of the team. Had Strauss and co put on the 700 runs that pitch deserved then the pressure on the Australians would have been huge and maybe it would have been them fighting to save the Test on Sunday evening. Kevin and the others should take a long hard look at the Australian innings to see how Test match innings are accumulated over time.
The batsmen are certainly not be alone in shouldering the blame for what was, even in the aftermath of Sunday's drama, still an abject all round performance by the English. Lacklustre fielding was at fault too, James Anderson in particular missing a run out opportunity on Saturday as he sulked back to his mark, good work from Cook wasted. More importantly the bowlers need to look at themselves, and ask why only seven wickets were taken in two full days in the field. Yes Australia batted supremely but their job was made easier for them, pressure was not applied for long periods, new batsmen allowed to get away to quick starts. Anderson and Broad have looked fine bowlers for England during Flintoff's recent absences, does having the big man back cause them to lose focus. Is the sense of responsibility reduced in the knowledge that Freddie is there to pick up the mantle, to dig his colleagues out of a hole.
Massive improvement is required when the teams step out on Thursday for the second Test so what changes, if any, will England make? The batsmen will all survive, for now, but changes to the bowling attack will be required if 20 wickets are to be taken. Graeme Swann had a terrible game with the ball in Cardiff, but as England's best spinner for 18 months; one bad game should not see him axed. With Swann taking the sole spinners role at Lord's, Panesar, the hero with the bat will make way for Graham Onions, or maybe Steven Harmison. Anderson and Broad also bowled well below par last week, but like Swann, they should not be cast out for one bad game. Broad, however, will certainly be the more vulnerable of the two if Strauss and Flower decide a double change is needed, to liven things up. Flintoff, untouchable with the ball, and once again looking dangerous with the bat, will have another big roll to play. The one word for England to remember come Thursday is patience, you cannot win the game with the bat in a session, and cannot take a wicket every ball. Show discipline and stomach for the long game and Strauss could still preside over a victorious summer of cricket.
At lunch with England teetering at 94 for 5 there seemed to be absolutely no chance of survival. The top order had collapsed, given up, and whilst a little resistance from the tail was hoped for, the home side would surely be well beaten. But then, minute after minute, over after over, the close of play loomed nearer. First Broad, and then Swann, showed the top order how to hang around and take time out of a test match, before Monty and Jimmy came together to see England home. The unlikeliest of heroes with bat in hand. If the tension was unbearable, at home then heaven knows how it must have felt watching in the stadium, whether from stand or balcony. Strauss, Cook, Bopara and Pietersen looked on as the match was saved by tail-enders.
Kevin 'It's just the way I play, and I'm not going to change' Pietersen, in particular, needs to look long and hard at his performance and his attitude. I am sure KP would like to be considered one of the world's finest batsmen, if indeed he doesn't already believe this to be the case. However, to be the world's finest batsmen you need to be adaptable, you cannot play the same way in every situation. This is The Ashes, this is Australia. On the first day, given the nature of the pitch, England had the chance to rack up a massive total, to put the Aussies under pressure. Instead the entire top order got in and then got out, and while Pietersen is not the only culprit, his inability to accept fault sets a bad example to the rest of the team. Had Strauss and co put on the 700 runs that pitch deserved then the pressure on the Australians would have been huge and maybe it would have been them fighting to save the Test on Sunday evening. Kevin and the others should take a long hard look at the Australian innings to see how Test match innings are accumulated over time.
The batsmen are certainly not be alone in shouldering the blame for what was, even in the aftermath of Sunday's drama, still an abject all round performance by the English. Lacklustre fielding was at fault too, James Anderson in particular missing a run out opportunity on Saturday as he sulked back to his mark, good work from Cook wasted. More importantly the bowlers need to look at themselves, and ask why only seven wickets were taken in two full days in the field. Yes Australia batted supremely but their job was made easier for them, pressure was not applied for long periods, new batsmen allowed to get away to quick starts. Anderson and Broad have looked fine bowlers for England during Flintoff's recent absences, does having the big man back cause them to lose focus. Is the sense of responsibility reduced in the knowledge that Freddie is there to pick up the mantle, to dig his colleagues out of a hole.
Massive improvement is required when the teams step out on Thursday for the second Test so what changes, if any, will England make? The batsmen will all survive, for now, but changes to the bowling attack will be required if 20 wickets are to be taken. Graeme Swann had a terrible game with the ball in Cardiff, but as England's best spinner for 18 months; one bad game should not see him axed. With Swann taking the sole spinners role at Lord's, Panesar, the hero with the bat will make way for Graham Onions, or maybe Steven Harmison. Anderson and Broad also bowled well below par last week, but like Swann, they should not be cast out for one bad game. Broad, however, will certainly be the more vulnerable of the two if Strauss and Flower decide a double change is needed, to liven things up. Flintoff, untouchable with the ball, and once again looking dangerous with the bat, will have another big roll to play. The one word for England to remember come Thursday is patience, you cannot win the game with the bat in a session, and cannot take a wicket every ball. Show discipline and stomach for the long game and Strauss could still preside over a victorious summer of cricket.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Please God, make it stop, or rain at least?
I’m not entirely sure at what time it stopped being fun and started feeling like really long, painful, dental treatment. It is hard to say. Maybe it was Friday afternoon when Clark and North batted through the afternoon session, after Anderson had given us the briefest of hopes. Maybe it was Saturday morning when I was finally able to sit on the sofa, in the living room, and watch it live on the TV. There was, in my mind, at least, still a glimmer at that point. Knock ‘em over cheaply first thing, put another 400 on the on the board and leave them a little chase on Sunday afternoon and who knows. Of course this was always a ridiculous notion; the game was up when our boys failed to get big scores after bright starts.
It was over when we applauded Matty Prior for his ‘cracking little knock’ of 56. It turns out that that wasn’t such a good innings after all. Marcus North has since re-educated us on what a good innings from a Test match number 6 looks like. In comparison to North’s relatively chanceless 100, Prior’s quick-fire contribution now looks impulsive and ill-disciplined. Australia could literally have batted all day and all night, everyday, until their plane leaves in September.
Now we all remember the dark days. The days before first Nasser Hussein, and then Michael Vaughan helped to transform England from a team of bottlers into a side that could triumph under pressure and take on the best in the world, and win. Obviously this one bad display does not mean we have immediately regressed by 10 years. But, on Friday and Saturday that is how it felt, particularly as the Aussies came out and took wickets straight away before tea. The home attack was lifeless, without inspiration or hope. The tourists pumped out their chests and made themselves some chances with determination and passion.
All that said, we may still sneak a draw from this shambles of a performance, if the batsmen can finally reign in their suicidal instincts, the threat from within far greater than anything the Aussies can offer. Even a defeat is not the end of the world, if 2005 is to be taken as an example. However, Lord’s in 2005 was different, fight was shown, gauntlets laid down, Ponting’s men won that test but we made them fight for it and left them a few scars to remember it by. This Cardiff Test match, the experts said, offered England their best chance of a win this summer. The pitch will turn, they have no spinner, confidence was high. Instead the Australians have taken that confidence we had and smashed it to the boundary for two, long, sapping days. England need big improvements, and quickly or else Glenn ‘5-0 to us mate’ McGraaaaaaaaath, may prove to be the wisest man in cricket. And nobody wants that.
It was over when we applauded Matty Prior for his ‘cracking little knock’ of 56. It turns out that that wasn’t such a good innings after all. Marcus North has since re-educated us on what a good innings from a Test match number 6 looks like. In comparison to North’s relatively chanceless 100, Prior’s quick-fire contribution now looks impulsive and ill-disciplined. Australia could literally have batted all day and all night, everyday, until their plane leaves in September.
Now we all remember the dark days. The days before first Nasser Hussein, and then Michael Vaughan helped to transform England from a team of bottlers into a side that could triumph under pressure and take on the best in the world, and win. Obviously this one bad display does not mean we have immediately regressed by 10 years. But, on Friday and Saturday that is how it felt, particularly as the Aussies came out and took wickets straight away before tea. The home attack was lifeless, without inspiration or hope. The tourists pumped out their chests and made themselves some chances with determination and passion.
All that said, we may still sneak a draw from this shambles of a performance, if the batsmen can finally reign in their suicidal instincts, the threat from within far greater than anything the Aussies can offer. Even a defeat is not the end of the world, if 2005 is to be taken as an example. However, Lord’s in 2005 was different, fight was shown, gauntlets laid down, Ponting’s men won that test but we made them fight for it and left them a few scars to remember it by. This Cardiff Test match, the experts said, offered England their best chance of a win this summer. The pitch will turn, they have no spinner, confidence was high. Instead the Australians have taken that confidence we had and smashed it to the boundary for two, long, sapping days. England need big improvements, and quickly or else Glenn ‘5-0 to us mate’ McGraaaaaaaaath, may prove to be the wisest man in cricket. And nobody wants that.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Arshes!
I am often ridiculed by friends and colleagues for my unflinching optimism, even when all the evidence suggests otherwise, I like to look on the bright side. After 40 years of disappointment and failure I still believe that England might win the football World Cup. Kate Moss is still unmarried, I am still unmarried. Stop laughing now, you never know, oh all right, maybe you do. Dapper Max will perhaps, sometime in the future, learn the recipe for proper cheese on toast and make up for his errors on quarter final day 2003. And Steve may one day get a round in, ha ha.
But perhaps the next two paragraphs will stretch the limits of feasibility even more than the examples given above. Here we go. Deep breath. England can still win the first Ashes test in Cardiff. There i've said it. I know that it is a long shot, Ponting and Katich looked as vulnerable as a titanium Rhinocerous yesterday, giving only a single half chance between them in about 4 hours of cricket. England's bowling, one or two brief spells aside, looked lacklustre, devoid of ideas and lacking in self belief. But, and this is a big but, today is another day.
Yesterday is gone, today, Katich and the rodent-like Ponting are new batsmen, fresh in. The bowlers have had a night to sleep on the failures of Thursday, to analyse where they went wrong. Pick up a couple early doors today and who knows what could happen. We were told this pitch would spin, that is why Swann and Monty are in the team, and it might still do. If England can get the Aussies out without them getting a lead then this effectively becomes a two-day game. A two game in which Australia have to bat on a fifth day pitch and England have two spinners that can, just maybe, win the game. Expect England to recover some bowling pride today and skittle the Aussies sometime between lunch and tea with the scores about level. At close the hosts will be 120 for 2.
But perhaps the next two paragraphs will stretch the limits of feasibility even more than the examples given above. Here we go. Deep breath. England can still win the first Ashes test in Cardiff. There i've said it. I know that it is a long shot, Ponting and Katich looked as vulnerable as a titanium Rhinocerous yesterday, giving only a single half chance between them in about 4 hours of cricket. England's bowling, one or two brief spells aside, looked lacklustre, devoid of ideas and lacking in self belief. But, and this is a big but, today is another day.
Yesterday is gone, today, Katich and the rodent-like Ponting are new batsmen, fresh in. The bowlers have had a night to sleep on the failures of Thursday, to analyse where they went wrong. Pick up a couple early doors today and who knows what could happen. We were told this pitch would spin, that is why Swann and Monty are in the team, and it might still do. If England can get the Aussies out without them getting a lead then this effectively becomes a two-day game. A two game in which Australia have to bat on a fifth day pitch and England have two spinners that can, just maybe, win the game. Expect England to recover some bowling pride today and skittle the Aussies sometime between lunch and tea with the scores about level. At close the hosts will be 120 for 2.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Into The Ashes - Day 2
So, a tremendous day yesterday, rounded off with a quite wonderful homemade chick pea and mushroom tikka massala, all cooked in a world record time of 22.456 minutes. The cricket turned out pretty good too, with England just having the edge thanks to 6 of the top 7 all chipping in with decent runs. Just a shame that no-one had the patience to really kick on, and punish the well below par Aussie attack.
The only downside, cricket wise at least, was Channel Five's woeful highlights package at 7.15pm. As if only having a paultry 45 minutes of highlights on terrestrial television was not bad enough, why let Five spoil it for everyone. Mark Nicholas was great in 2005 as he fronted the live coverage, guiding us through the drama and tension like a friendly uncle. On Five though, he attempted to use the same gravitas as if we all hadn't been listening to the radio, or glued to the internet all day following the action. In fact the only thing more wasteful than Five's use of their 45 minutes, was Pietersen's getting out shot. Just under 9 minutes of the show was lost to adverts, or the never ending Wine advert from the firm kindly sponsoring proceedings. And do we really need 3 minutes of Simon Hughes sitting in the back of a lorry showing us slo-mo's of Ricky Ponting's huddle. The analyst was a great innovation when Channel 4 had all day to fill, but in a highlights show? Why? Channel Five need to realise that we are tuning in to see all the fours, wickets and catches we were told about on the radio earlier, not to find out the frigging score.
As for the Aussies, I would like to give a special mention to Peter Siddle for simply looking like such a reprehensible antipodean. Just seeing his snarling, sunblock covered, freckly boat race charging in made me, in an instant, forget that there was no Gilchrist or Glenn '5-0 to us mate' McGraaaaaaaaaaaaaath to aim my buckets of scorn at this summer. In the end my prediction of 302/5 came up short on both fronts and Straussy failed to get the ton that was there for the taking if any of our batsmen had shown some real patience. Still being wrong has never stopped me from spouting my opinion before and I don't intend to let it now. Expect England to just sneak over the 400 hundred mark today with Stuart Broad playing an attractive cameo and getting a quick 30. The Aussies will then find that this years bowling attack has as much about it as in 2005 and be teetering on 200/7 by close of play.
The only downside, cricket wise at least, was Channel Five's woeful highlights package at 7.15pm. As if only having a paultry 45 minutes of highlights on terrestrial television was not bad enough, why let Five spoil it for everyone. Mark Nicholas was great in 2005 as he fronted the live coverage, guiding us through the drama and tension like a friendly uncle. On Five though, he attempted to use the same gravitas as if we all hadn't been listening to the radio, or glued to the internet all day following the action. In fact the only thing more wasteful than Five's use of their 45 minutes, was Pietersen's getting out shot. Just under 9 minutes of the show was lost to adverts, or the never ending Wine advert from the firm kindly sponsoring proceedings. And do we really need 3 minutes of Simon Hughes sitting in the back of a lorry showing us slo-mo's of Ricky Ponting's huddle. The analyst was a great innovation when Channel 4 had all day to fill, but in a highlights show? Why? Channel Five need to realise that we are tuning in to see all the fours, wickets and catches we were told about on the radio earlier, not to find out the frigging score.
As for the Aussies, I would like to give a special mention to Peter Siddle for simply looking like such a reprehensible antipodean. Just seeing his snarling, sunblock covered, freckly boat race charging in made me, in an instant, forget that there was no Gilchrist or Glenn '5-0 to us mate' McGraaaaaaaaaaaaaath to aim my buckets of scorn at this summer. In the end my prediction of 302/5 came up short on both fronts and Straussy failed to get the ton that was there for the taking if any of our batsmen had shown some real patience. Still being wrong has never stopped me from spouting my opinion before and I don't intend to let it now. Expect England to just sneak over the 400 hundred mark today with Stuart Broad playing an attractive cameo and getting a quick 30. The Aussies will then find that this years bowling attack has as much about it as in 2005 and be teetering on 200/7 by close of play.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Into the Ashes - DAY 1
So finally it is here, the first morning of the first test of The Ashes. The phoney war, as they say, is now over. Both Andrew Strauss and Ricky 'the rat' Ponting will have their teams prepared to the maximum. Australia will field the spinner Nathan Hauritz who, observers in the know suggest, will get as much turn as an articulated lorry in a wardrobe. Brett Lee, everyone's favourite Aussie is out, unlucky Brett. England meanwhile have picked two spinners, Monty and Swanny, both of whom have the capability to win a test match. Particularly on a final day pitch that has NEVER seen a five day test in its life.
More importantly though, I hear you cry, how have your preparations been Dave??? Well I will tell you. Having not slept too well due to the heat over the last couple of weeks, last night I finally got some decent kip in. Dinner last night was some lovely lamb chops (Welsh, since you ask) and (English) baby new potatoes. This morning my plan of walking to work was scuppered by rain, rather here than Cardiff, so I endured a face to armpit style tube ride. Breakfast today has consisted of two slices of toast, a bowl of muesli and a rather large, ahem, banana. Enough about food though, the good news is I have managed to rig up an elaborate wiring system allowing me to listen to the morning session at work. A long lunch will follow in the George from 13:40 taking in much (if not all) of the afternoon's play. The even better news, though, is that I work with an Aussie, so fingers crossed I can give him a proper goading later today.
England will bat first on a brand new pitch against a depleted Australian attack. Predictions? England 302/5 at close later with Straussy cementing his authority with a patient ton. Your thoughts appreciated below!
More importantly though, I hear you cry, how have your preparations been Dave??? Well I will tell you. Having not slept too well due to the heat over the last couple of weeks, last night I finally got some decent kip in. Dinner last night was some lovely lamb chops (Welsh, since you ask) and (English) baby new potatoes. This morning my plan of walking to work was scuppered by rain, rather here than Cardiff, so I endured a face to armpit style tube ride. Breakfast today has consisted of two slices of toast, a bowl of muesli and a rather large, ahem, banana. Enough about food though, the good news is I have managed to rig up an elaborate wiring system allowing me to listen to the morning session at work. A long lunch will follow in the George from 13:40 taking in much (if not all) of the afternoon's play. The even better news, though, is that I work with an Aussie, so fingers crossed I can give him a proper goading later today.
England will bat first on a brand new pitch against a depleted Australian attack. Predictions? England 302/5 at close later with Straussy cementing his authority with a patient ton. Your thoughts appreciated below!
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