The West Indies Crunch Match - Preview

So the big decider is upon us. The biggest game of England's World Cup, until the next one (assuming we get another). I'm sure you all know the calculations by now. England must win, but hope that South Africa beat Bangladesh. (Technically England could tie, and go through on NRR if Bangladesh lose. Or beat West Indies heavily, hope India beat West Indies heavily, and sneak past the Islanders on NRR. But that's unlikely). But to even stand a chance, England must win.

I've spoken to death about how Swann should open, and Tredwell should come into England's team. Sadly, I've also spoken about England's cowardly selections, which makes big high risk changes unlikely. So for Swann to open, Tredwell to come in, or the selectors generally doing something out of the comfort zone would be a big surprise, so we're probably going to still see Prior opening and Collingwood at 7/8. Mainly because the selectors do not like admitting they are wrong, and changing it only three days after the Bangladeshi defeat would be an admittance that they got it badly wrong.

Which makes the rumours that Jimmy Anderson will be dropped surprising. Anderson has been in awful form, and had someone less senior than him been performing like he has, they would have been bombed out of the team long ago. However, Anderson is the supposed leader of the attack, and as such, has been an untouchable in the starting eleven. However, there have been calls for Tremlett to come in for Anderson, which as justified as they may be, England's cowardly selections thus far mean a big high risk decision like dropping Anderson would be a big shock - especially given there is no safety net from here on in. Luckily (or unluckily) Ajmal Shahzad has the squits, so a controversial and difficult for the selectors could be avoided, as Tremlett could replace Shahzad if Aj is unable to play.

As with the previous game, there have been calls for England to play three spinners, but for me this would be a wrong call. England have lacked a pace man in the middle overs, and while three spinners could strangle the West Indies, playing only Bresnan and Tremlett/Shahzad/Anderson for the opening overs and at the death would be a mistake, as we've seen how easily milked Yardy and Collingwood have been when pace has been taken off the ball in the middle overs. But I'd still like to see an attacking spinner in Tredwell play - especially if Swann opens (which allows England to bat properly down to seven, and play a proper five man attack).

It will be a crunch game for England, and they will massively up their game to beat a West Indies side who are on a good run of form. Don't forget - the WIndies do need to win themselves, or they suddenly have a very difficult game against India at the weekend. England, however, have been gloriously inconsistent, which makes it very difficult to predict how they'll do in any given game. I do hope they roll the dice and make some brave decisions, but as long as England win, I wouldn't care if Luke Wright opened the bowling and batting, and took over as captain.

Come on England!

Podcast - Squeaky Bum Time

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This World Cup is really hotting up! At least, half of it is. While Group A's all sorted out, there's a lot of issues left to be dealt with in Group B, which is getting rather exciting. Places in the quarter finals beckon for some, and places on the bonfire of broken dreams for the rest. Will it be England, or Ireland, or Bangladesh, or West Indies, or South Africa or India? Or could it even be Holland who sneaks through? (It can't). Will got his calculator out to see who it could be. More updates on everyone's chances, and there's a new leader in the Fantasy League. Get in.

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Scared Selections

England's selectors are notoriously conservative. They just don't like to make brave calls. Obviously I don't want them to make high risk selection decisions every week, but a calculated gamble would be nice every now and again.

I'm not just talking about the current World Cup. England just don't make big, surprise decisions. The lack of any young, exciting batsmen who've played well at county level in this England ODI side (perhaps excluding Morgan) who've played in the last few years is testament to the fact that they don't like to mess around with the status quo. Prime example - Steve Davies; a player who could be a fantastic attacking wicket-keeper but was unproven, was dropped to make way for Matt Prior, a man who wouldn't be such a gamble, but wouldn't pay off spectacularly as much as Davies could.

If we look at this game (v Bangladesh), England had some big decisions to make. England needed a new opener and a new fast bowler, and could mix the spin-bowling options about. I touted Swann to open - a school of thought that was gathering pace. Opening with Swann would be a gamble, but it could pay off spectacularly. South Africa and a few other nations have had success with three spinners, and there were rumours that England could go that way. However, instead of bringing in Tredwell, England bizarrely brought in Collingwood, a man who is horribly out of form with the bat but is part of the establishment, and as such, is worth playing as he can be "relied upon".

England's scared selections annoyed me. This was a genuine chance to do something bold and exciting, yet the team that was put out was a cowardly choice. Prior, who has failed many times as an opener, was promoted, just because it was the least risky thing for the selectors to do. And Collingwood coming in (and batting at number eight) suggests that they knew Yardy needed to go, but were too scared to pick the mercurial James Tredwell. It seems that the selectors would prefer England to fail miserably (as they have done many times) with a stable eleven, than to roll the dice and risk being attacked for making bad decisions.

Well here's my message to the selectors. Don't be scared. Don't be scared to open with Swann, play Tredwell, or finally put Collingwood out of his misery. Don't be scared to call up Adil Rashid, Jimmy Adams, James Hildreth or even Samit Patel. England may win this game v Bangladesh with Collingwood at 8 and Prior opening, but it's a formula that has been proven to not work against the bigger teams. England will not win this World Cup with this team. Albert Einstein said that the "definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". So selectors. Do something different. Roll the dice. We'll thank you for it when we win the World Cup.

World Cup Opening Weekend

I'm contractually obliged in my new role as a Yahoo CommenTweeter not to massively slag off the ICC. So this isn't going to be the whole "The World Cup is stupid, the ICC is stupid" blog that this could have been.

Instead, I'm more questioning the logic of the fixtures. So far we've had three fixtures. India v Bangladesh was the obvious opening fixture, so no complaints with that. It had great atmosphere, great rivalry and was overall a good game (even if one side were always going to dominate it).

Sunday's games have been a bit different. Kenya played New Zealand, and Sri Lanka played Canada. Two obvious minnows against two established members of cricket's upper echelons.

While this World Cup is in it's infancy, surely the organisers would want some good, competitive games in order to ignite interest and excitement in the tournament. Two crushing defeats (which let's be honest, were always going to happen) didn't offer that. The ICC decide upon who plays each other, and when. Surely it would have made more sense to see a New Zealand v Australia, or Sri Lanka v Pakistan or something like that. That would have been more interesting, more engaging, and given this tournament an explosive start. As it is, we've stuttered into the World Cup, and it will need something much more exciting to kick start it and get us going.

So my non-anti-ICC point is that they could have picked better games to get us going, rather than the ones we saw today.

However, the ICC are a fantastic organisation, as are Yahoo, and Reebok, Hero Honda, Reliance, Castrol and Wonga.com

The Shirt Midwicket - Bangladesh

Bangladesh, being free thinkers, are allowing fans to design their next ODI shirt. (They're either free thinkers or unable to get a meaty deal from someone like adidas...). While you have to be a Bangladeshi national to have a go (here's the link if you are), I've offered an alternative effort. And while I was at it, I had a go at a few other countries.

I'll be rolling a few out over the next few days, and before you think this is a stupid idea; today's my birthday so I can do what I like!



The kit I've gone for with Bangladesh is a traditional green with a red trim. As well as having red sleeves, there are two underarm features which protude into the back design. There is also a small yellow streak across the shoulders. A red bar lies across the centre of the shirt, to highlight the Bangladeshi name.

(Not bad fashionspeak!)

Podcast - Well Done To Bangladesh

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The India - Australia series has finished, and I have a look at the fortunes of both teams. I also celebrate the ICC’s new initiative, and congratulate Bangladesh. Darren Sammy features as my tweet of the week, and I have my first email. All in all, it’s all going on.

As always, emails to shortmidwicketpodcast@hotmail.co.uk, tweets to @shortmidwicket, and keep reading the blog theshortmidwicket.blogspot.com. Ta!

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Why Tamim and County Cricket Need Each Other

In amongst other exploits in the BBC London commentary box, we got talking about Shakib Al Hasan. Shakib, playing for Worcestershire, was turning it miles, and had Middlesex's middle order of Shah, Malan and Housego (great to see him get a game by the way) in all kinds of trouble. KH, being a man of great knowledge, said that Shakib was (and indeed is) the first and only Bangladeshi to play county cricket.

A quick iPhone google proved that it was the case, which sort of surprised me. Bangladesh have been playing internationally for ten years now; surely at least one of them was worth a go? My search also led to a great interview with Tamim Iqbal, who put himself forward to play for a county.

When England were constantly playing Bangladesh earlier in the year, I spoke a bit about the development (or lack of it) of the Banga players - but the more first class cricket they play (especially in conditions such as England), the more experience and skills they can take into the test arena.

There are plenty of unpolished diamonds in the Bangladesh side, and there are a few players who can really benefit some counties (especially given the fact they're probably being payed a fraction of some other overseas stars). Shakib himself has proved that - taking wickets at an average of 22 this year - not bad going for a spinner playing at Worcester.

My google led me to an interview with Tamim Iqbal (the undoubted star of Bangladeshi cricket). Tamim's scored a few test hundreds, but plenty of low scores alongside the fast paced tons indicates a lack of first class experience and understanding. Tamim spoke to the Telegraph, and told of how he wanted to play county cricket, but "no one has phoned. Maybe nobody knows my number. Even I don't know my number". With counties already starting to look ahead and plan for next year, they could do much worse than Tamim. They'd just need to find out his mobile number first.

SMW Podcast - England v Bangladesh ODI series review

I know, snappy title. It's basically a review of the ever-so-exciting England v Bangladesh ODI series, as well as more bagging of Luke Wright.



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Where Bangladesh can go from here

Bangladesh as a team aren't a bad side. In certain conditions, they can be a useful side, as seen in the fact that they took England to a fifth day in three consecutive tests. However, in each of those tests, Tamim made runs. In this game, Tamim has made runs, but noone else has. Tamim is super-awesome, and would play for anyone else in the world. However, no other Bangladeshi player would get in any other team in the world. Kayes is barely a county player and the attack of Shahadat and Shafiul would struggle to get me out. There are some 'useful' players; Mahmudullah isn't a bad number eight, Musfiqur Rahim is a good keeper and handy batsman, and cap'n Shakib gets Pietersen out for fun.

But no Bangladeshi player (Tamim aside) is really that good. Yes, there have been signs of improvement, seen in the elongation of games, but at no stage in any of the four tests have Bangladesh even looked like drawing. An exercise in futility underestimates the pointlessness of England playing against Bangladesh. The fact that England couldn't even be bothered to play two middling players in Broad and Collingwood doesn't suggest that the two seriesettes have been the 'ultimate test' (which test cricket should be).

I want to put it out there - I like Bangladesh. I like Tamim's swashbuckling style, where he can smash the hardest ball into row Z, and swish and miss the simplest half-volley; I like Shakib's plucky captaincy, where he randomly places fielders in positions where the ball never hopes to go; I like the fact that they field three spinners who don't even attempt to turn the ball. As patronising as it may sound, I like the underdog. So ultimately, I want what's best for Bangladesh, and what I feel is best for them is to play in a second tier of test cricket. Playing against Holland, Kenya, Ireland et al would give their players valuable experience of first-class cricket, rather than learning on the job (which they are forced to now). Tamim has played as many tests as other first class games, and cap'n Shakib has only played 45 first-class games. No wonder he has no idea how to position a field. By comparison, his adversary in Bangladesh, Alastair Cook, has played over 50 tests, but on top of that, over 120 FC games.

The infrastructure of Bangladeshi cricket is what it is, and while there are over 150,000,000 people (well over double the number eligible for England - not including South Africa), clearly there is not the level of youth development and scouting as there is in England or Australia. So the only way of improving Bangladeshi cricket must be allowing them to compete and develop against a more appropriate opposition. Surely the only thing gained from the tour of England (on a test level) was the realisation that Tamim was a world class player. They haven't really found out more about the respective talents or abilities of the rest of their team, as their team couldn't compete against England.

England clearly don't think it to be worth their while playing against Bangladesh for the foreseeable future, as no tour has been arranged for the next decade. How long before Bangladesh are cast into the international wildnerness by other countries who follow the same path? Bangladesh have improved, and they will improve in the future. But they'll need to raise their levels of performance even higher, even quicker, if there's going to be any point in teams like England playing them anytime soon. Which means it's vital that they play against likeminded countries; as a big fish in a small pond, if they are to gain the much needed experience to compete in the international arena.

How good is Tamim Iqbal?

England saw signs of how good Tamim was out in the Desh, but today the world saw it. To make a better-than-run-a-ball century, at Lord's, irregardless of country, is a spectacular event, as seen by the long standing ovation Tamim received when he finally fell for one big shot too many. While naysayers can say England didn't bowl well or that they should have played a five man attack (or Broad), cricket must stand an applaud a fantastic achievement from the 21 year old.

Tamim is the shining light of the Bangladesh team, which begs the question of how good can he be? He will undoubtably be the best Deshi player over the next 5ish years, but on the basis of that innings, he could fit his way into any test team in the world. It was a Sehwag-esque innings, and that's no exaggeration.

Bangladesh may well lose this test match, and will probably lose the next one as well, but Tamim's reputation and confidence will have been enhanced by what was one of the best test innings Lord's has ever seen. Take a bow, son.

New Ball Blues

Tim Bresnan's been called many things in his time. Portly. Roly-poly. Tubby. Fat. Carrying some timber. But England's new ball bowler shouldn't be one of them.

Steven Finn has been picked for this test ahead of Stuart Broad in order to give the young Watfordian some test match experience, ahead of the Ashes this winter. Fair enough. But surely England see Finn as an opening bowler, with his pace and height being perfect for when the ball's at it's hardest. So why isn't Finn bowling first up against the Desh?

The powers that be are trying to be nice to Jimmy Anderson after not playing him in the World T20; making sure he bowls the most, and gets to choose what end he would like. And as England's leader of the attack, Anderson is well within his right to pick the Pavilion End to have his first hurl from. Much has been made of Finn's reluctance to bowl from the Nursery End, but Andrew Strauss should have given him two words if he complained. Man up.

If the selectors want to give Finn test match experience, the best experience for him will be bowling from an 'unfamiliar' end (or as unfamiliar as an end can be at one's own ground). Evidently, it was decided that Finn shouldn't have the new-ball from the Nursery End, so Bresnan got to have his go.

While Bresnan's stock has risen in the England team on the back of a successful tour of Bangladesh, and winning the World T20, he won't be England's new ball bowler on the first morning at Brisbane. Put simply, he is not an international new ball bowler. Despite experimentation, it's been decided that Broad is not either. Barring an incredibly unlikely return for Steve Harmison, the honour of sharing the cherry with Anderson will be a straight shoot-out between Finn and Graham Onions. A Graham Onions who won't have played much cricket. And a Steven Finn who won't have done much new ball bowling for England.

Surely it would make sense for Finn to take the new ball, regardless of end until the end of the summer, so his discovery of experience is extended further. If England are using this Bangladesh series as a way of formulating plans for this winter, (which the resting of Broad and Collingwood certainly suggests), it would certainly make sense Strauss to throw Finn the ball first. And if Finn bowls as well as he did in the first innings, he's going to earn his place on merit (and not just because others have been rested).

World T20 Preview

As Twenty20 is the shortest form of cricket, I will preview each team in the World T20 in the shortest possible way. It's not because I'm lazy, honest.

Group A:

Pakistan: infighting, chaotic, potentially brilliant
Australia: strong, favourites, complacency?
Bangladesh: could spring an upset, probably won't

Group B:

Sri Lanka: out of form, but three M's could be deadly
New Zealand: dark horses
Zimbabwe: pleased to be back, won't be pleased to be battered

Group C:

South Africa: bottlers
India: probably knackered, have T20 experience, will go far but won't win
Afghanistan: unknowns, could spring a Holland, will have the support of the neutrals

Group D:

West Indies: need team unity, Gayle and Pollard can be destructive, have home support, but stars aside not good enough
England: will need luck and belief, not out of the running
Ireland: want to relive 2007; it's unlikely.


Winners - England.
Most runs - Eoin Morgan
Most wickets - Mitchell Johnson

Steven Finn - 9/37!

While Middlesex are in trouble against Worcestershire at New Road, the performance of Steven Finn will give a lot of heart to fans, selectors, and Finn alike. 9 wickets in 15 overs; added to 5 wickets picked up yesterday both show that he is becoming of age as a bowler; certainly at county level, and perhaps at higher.

Yes, it was on a pitch and in conditions which offered much to the bowlers, but Finn's performance, where his pace and bounce unsettled the batsmen before he knocked over their stumps was special. And any bowler taking 9 wickets in an innings is always a remarkable feat.

As Finn fired his way into the 7th best bowling figures in Middlesex history, he may also have booked his place on the flight to Australia this winter. On a tour where pace and bounce is crucial, a 6 foot 8 fast bowler is vital for England as they look to defend the Ashes. While Finn did play in England's last two tests in Bangladesh, he and other new bowlers Tredwell and Bresnan were fully expected to leave the team to make way for Anderson and Onions. While Finn did not do anything spectacular on tour, picking up 9 wickets in the prescence of Geoff Miller will put him firmly in the minds of the selectors, and could very easily displace Onions (who is certainly not assured of his place in the team after being dropped for the final test in South Africa). Personally I would put Finn into the team, both to get test match experience, and confidence ahead of an Ashes tour where both will be needed. Finn is clearly in fantastic form (after one county game), but if he continues over the next few months, he could very easily be the dark horse who sneaks into England's Ashes Eleven.

What we learned from Bangladesh

Before this series started, I named the team who I thought would play in the 1st Test against Bangladesh at Lord's in the summer. The team of Cook, Strauss, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood, Prior, Wright, Swann, Broad, Anderson and Onions. With Strauss, Anderson and Onions unavailable for the tour, there were opportunities for Carberry, Finn, Tredwell and Bresnan to stamp their authority on the team, and put forward a good case for their inclusion, with Cook given the chance to show why he has been regarded as a Future England Captain since he first broke into the team. And nobody really took that chance.

Yes, Tredwell bowled well in his only test, and yes, Bresnan batted well in the second test. Yes, Carberry looked good in the first test, and yes, Finn did cause some problems when he was allowed to bowl. But none of them proved to be better than any of the men they replaced, and as such, none of them will play in the first test at Lord's. Tredwell toiled away on a pitch which offered little to him, and probably out-bowled Swann in the second test; but Swann's continued high level of performances (including a ten wicket haul in the first test) means he will retain his place, with two spinners in England unfeasible. Bresnan bowled OK, taking some good wickets, and took advantage of a weak attack, but the nature of England's defensive team line-ups mean that they will play 7 batsmen, and Bresnan will not get into the team on his bowling alone. While he will probably travel to Australia in the winter, it will be as a reserve for Broad and Anderson. Finn likewise will go to the Ashes, but did nothing spectacular to show why he was playing test cricket at 20. The fact that Carberry was dropped for the second test shows he has no chance of playing in the summer; now acting as England's fourth choice opener behind Cook, Strauss and Trott.

Alastair Cook did not cover himself in glory as captain, proving to be more reactive than pro-active, but it was not "his" team, and when he is allowed to be full captain, he will have much more influence and a bigger say in the team direction. While his fields were often defensive and bizarre, he is an inexperienced captain, and the tour will help him gain that experience before he gets the job full-time (remember Strauss captaining England against Pakistan in 2006 before being appointed in 2009).


Following the series, my team for Lord's has changed, with Jonathan Trott retaining his place ahead of perennial water-boy Luke Wright. England have won 100% of their matches in the Desh, and while they have now a better idea of their squad at large, they know that those replacements proved that the first choice team (even in the absence of Strauss, Onions, Anderson and Sidebottom) are England's best eleven.

Jonathan Trott v The IPL

Today was a day of real extremes in world cricket. In one part of the subcontinent, England laboured against Bangladesh in the second test of the series. Shakib Al Hasan bowled 15 maidens, and Jonathan Trott ground out a half-century, with his 64 coming from 187 balls. Not too far away, in Chennai, a tense IPL game was tied from the final ball, with the Kings XI Punjab triumphing over the Chennai Super Kings in a super over.

The two poles of world cricket - an attritional test against a glitzy T20 game. I know which one I'd rather watch. And it wouldn't have any cheerleaders.

England winning, but Bangladesh could be winning in the long-run...

While there has been some criticsm that England have "only" taken 8 wickets in a day, were this not Bangladesh, the press would be dreaming up new superlatives to celebrate England's day. While England are not in firm control of the game, they are dominant, and if they bat well, should cement their position tomorrow.

Perhaps it is the preconception that Bangladesh were to be rolled over in two sessions, before conceding 700 runs for 3 wickets. However, after forcing England to 5 days in the first test (and not without an outside chance of saving the draw), and a fantastically attacking innings from Tamim Iqbal, it is evident that Bangladesh are not the poor outfit that everyone expected. While they do still have a long way to go before they can start winning games against the top test nations, they are starting to become competitive. England, or at least the English media, had underestimated the Bangladeshis, and if they reset their expectations, they will realise that they have performed fairly well today.

On debut, James Tredwell posed problems throughout (bowling 29 overs in the day); Graeme Swann bowled as well as ever, and Bresnan, Broad and Finn also chipped in. While England's catching was not great, there were a couple of good ones taken, and overall, wickets were taken at regular intervals. While there were a few 50 partnerships, England were able to keep pressure on, and never really allow Bangladesh to get firmly on top.

However, the 85 from 71 balls by Tamim Iqbal looked like it could. Attempting to score a century in the opening session, Iqbal may have been unfortunate to be given out on the sweep off Tredwell, with his attacking play accelerating the run rate, and causing Alastair Cook some real problems - his first proper test as English skipper, and the jury is still out as to whether he won that battle. The nature of Iqbal's dismissal (and those of Mahmudullah and Siddique) are indicative of the problems which beset Bangladeshi test cricket - they do not know when / how hard / whether to attack, and often go too hard, too early, and end up getting out. While that level of attacking may be acceptable in the one day formats, it often does not translate into test cricket, and will continue to hold Bangladesh back until they are able to rectify it.

I do not know just how much first-class cricket the Bangladeshi team have played, but some of the dismissals would be examples of those who have very little first class experience. This team will need to play more and more four or five day matches with the intention of playing long, big innings, rather than the quick-scoring cameos shown in this game.

While we won't really know just how good a batting pitch this is until England have a go (and hopefully double what Bangladesh get), Bangladesh have exploited it quite well, but the regular wickets mean that England have the upper hand . While this series is slipping away from Bangladesh, it may well be a different story the next time England travel to Dhaka and Chittagong.

Bang out of the Running

(Just resisted completely ripping off the headline "Bang Out of Order")

So here we are at the end of day 3 of the first test. In a way, Bangladesh have exceeded my expectation, as they haven't lost yet. Yet. However, they have all but lost, with England well over 400 runs ahead and looking to add to that. Even with a flurry of late wickets this morning (or evening, depending on where in the world you were), Bangladesh are hopelessly out of the test match, and are certainly one-nil down. As a side, you know you're not going to win when after two innings the normally perfectly impartial, unbiased and predicition-averse BBC Sport website are already talking about the game as though you have lost, saying that England will "ensure a comfortable win when a second declaration follows on Monday". Ultimately, that match report says it all; England will win, Bangladesh will lose. And you will get bored and watch the IPL.

With such a comfortable victory which has never been in doubt since Shakib stuck England in on Friday morning (and probably even before then) comes suggestions that Bangladesh should not be playing test cricket. However, I am against this idea, as every nation needs to start somewhere, and while Bangladesh are not winning many fixtures, they are becoming more and more competitive in them. For example, their first day performance against India recently, and the half-centuries for Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim prove that Bangladesh test cricket does offer some level of competition. Naysayers should also remember that current 'Test Number One' Side India struggled for around a quarter of a century, as did 'not Test Number One' side New Zealand. Test cricket is an unforgiving place, as proved by the knocks of Cook, Collingwood and Pietersen, so I would advocate a 'second-tier' of test cricket, where other emerging sides such as Ireland or Afghanistan could compete in first class cricket against similar standard sides. (This would also help promote local Irish talents as well as keeping them in the Emerald Isle - but that's another blog for another day). While ultimately I would prefer a two division test system with promotion / relegation over a two year period, I know this won't happen, but a "B Division" of test cricket would give teams a much better chance of suceeding and elevating standards.

However, at the moment, Bangladesh are not in a test "B Division" where they can compete. They are fighting a losing battle against an England side who aren't allowing them to.

Tea Time Thoughts (Bangladesh v England 1st Test)

Despite my best intentions to get up early and watch the cricket from the bitter beginning, I didn't. A week's worth of fatigue (plus a bad case of man flu) meant I didn't awake to watch Steven Finn and Michael Carberry being given their test caps, or Cook passing 50. However, having got up for 6.30 (ready to start my day) I did see Jonathan Trott being given out by an absolute shocker. Yesterday, the ICC said that the UDRS was "here to stay". However, with no such technology being used in this series, Trott was given out - and he was looking like maintaining his good form and making a big score - a score which could guarentee his place in the team when Andrew Strauss returns. While the umpire's decision was poor (and ultimately just wrong, as proved by TV replays), this is a prime example as to why the UDRS should be implemented across the board.

While Trott was looking good before getting out, by all accounts captaincy debutant Alastair Cook was even better. Amazingly hitting two sixes (which probably says more about the bowling then anything else), Cook reached his century just before the tea interval. Having never reached 200 in professional cricket (his best being 195 v Northants in 2005), Cook must fancy his chances of making what his batting mentor Graham Gooch would call a "daddy". While the bowlers have hardly been Warne, Laker or Holding, Cook has shown good mental fortitude and technique to keep scoring at a good rate.

In other news, Kevin Pietersen has astounded critics by making double figures - when most pundits were of the impression that his switch hit was actually confusion as to whether he was left or right handed. KP seemed to have a new technique against those left handed spinners which had so plagued him; getting his front foot well out of the way - taking LBW well out of the equation. Hopefully KP can go on and make a 'gritty' century - something he has not always done in England colours.

England are firmly in the box seat at 243-2, and with Cook's century comes the inevitable century from Ian Bell (he can only make them when someone else has done it first). I predicted an English victory within three days, and if they can keep up the scoring rate, it could well be quicker.

Oh, it's the IPL...

It's difficult to write the obligatory IPL blog (or IPL3 as this year's event will be hereforth known) as quite honestly I am not excited about it. I have been weighing up the pros and cons of staying up until 3am to watch the start of the Bangladesh-England test, but have payed no attention to the hype surrounding the start of the IPL. To be quite honest, I don't even know who's playing. Or any of the star players for any of the teams. It's not that I am against the IPL, it is just that I don't really care.

I know that this must be sacreligious for an internet cricket blog to not pick a pro or anti-IPL viewpoint. All of the Indian blogs are no doubt detailing each team, player, and security guard; whilst many English, Australian and South African blogs are ridiculing the cheerleaders, glitter and Lalit Modi. However, I am not going to be doing that either.

I sat down (well, lay down) to write this blog grudgingly, knowing it would have to be saying something about the IPL. Despite the many interesting things currently happening in world cricket; England touring Bangladesh, Zimbabwe touring the West Indies, Australia touring New Zealand, the PCB shooting themselves in the place where their foot used to be, Michael Clarke looking for nude photos of his girlfriend; the IPL starts tomorrow, and should take centre stage. Because Lalit Modi said so. But why should it? Just because loads of Indian businessmen I've never heard of and some woman who used to be in Big Brother have thrown loads of money at something, doesn't make it particularly interesting or enjoyable. Ultimately, the IPL is an Indian domestic competition, just like the KFC Big Bash or the MTN40 (I had to look that one up). And as such, I am treating it with the same apathy as any overseas domestic competition.

It's not that I wouldn't enjoy it if I watched it. Last year, whilst incapacitated with illness (possibly ebola, probably swine flu) I actually watched the events from South Africa. And for the most part, they were fairly interesting. I was watching as Flintoff got injured, and I was watching as Pietersen got injured. I also watched as Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah sat on the bench throughout. And then the English players went home and I stopped watching (I was better by then). I only really showed interest in the games involving players I had interest in, and no disrespect to your Roelof van der Merwes, but there were plenty of players who I didn't care about. My reason for not paying attention to the IPL is simple: there is nothing really drawing me in. Just like watching a game of French league football - it could be a perfectly fine game full of well paid players showing good skills, but if there are no players I know I won't watch it. Which is ultimately why I won't be watching this years IPL.

While I will no doubt succumb and flick through a few highlights on ITV4, the IPL lacks something to succesfully maintain my interest, and I'm guessing, the interest of the world at large (outside India). Over the next five days, the only cricket I'll be watching will be Bangladesh v England.

OK, probably the next three days...

Finn's chance to beat England's bowling curse

With the news today that Ryan Sidebottom is going home from Bangladesh, with Stuart Broad and Graham Onions unlikely to play, England's bowling line up for the tests looks decidedly weak. With Jimmy Anderson also not playing due to a knee injury, England may well be forced into blooding three fast bowlers with only two test appearances between them. In light of the spate of injuries and withdrawals, Middlesex seamer Steven Finn has been added from the Lions squad, with Tim Bresnan joining the squad from the One Day team. Bresnan has only played twice in England whites, with Finn having never played at international level. They are due to be joined by Ajmal Shahzad, veteran of a sole Twenty20 game against Pakistan. With either Luke Wright or James Tredwell (both uncapped) also likely to play in the first Chittagong test, England could quite conceivably play a bowling attack with only one bowler (Graeme Swann) having played more then twice. So surely England will be rolled over against test cricket's weakest team?

In short, no. While England will miss their main three strike bowlers (and Ryan Sidebottom) from their attack, Graeme Swann proved that he is capable to take much of a batting line-up in South Africa, and Bresnan has proved in short form games that he is a perfectly good bowler. If Finn and Shahzad are added to this (or England's forgotten man Liam Plunkett), England should have more then enough to roll over a pretty poor Bangladesh team. The only remaining spot is debatable, between all-rounder Luke Wright, and off-spinner James Tredwell, both of whom will act in a supporting role to the main bowlers. So England should have enough about them (both in terms of wickets, and runs if both Bresnan and Wright play) to easily beat Bangladesh.

While England's bowling problems may appear to be cursed, this tour could turn into a blessing for England ahead of the Ashes. Steven Finn, the 6 foot 8 fast bowler has been lined up to become England's next great fast bowler. England have searched for a 'hit the deck' bowler who will worry batsmen with his bounce, and with the end of Harmison's international career, this search has become more critical. Finn is only 20, but if he gains the international experience in the fast-bowling desert of Bangladesh, he could be an outside shout for the first test in Brisbane. Finn will no doubt become a crucial part of England's team over the next few years, and with some question marks remaining over Graham Onion's ability when the ball isn't swinging, Finn could throw down the gauntlet to the selectors with wickets in Bangladesh. While Finn is certainly not guarenteed to start, it is worth looking at him and Shahzad, as Plunkett has already proved that he is not international quality. Even if Finn doesn't perform particularly well (or at all), being in and around the England squad will set him up for the future, as well as showing that he is very much part of the selectors plans.

I have long supported the rise of Steven Finn, and hopefully he can get the international recognition that he both craves and deserves.