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Yet another week has passed without Sachin making his #100th100, so Will looks at why, and how this is impacted on India's performances. Also at the SCG, Michael Clarke made hundreds of sticker-less runs, and Will looks at Clarke's potential as both a batsman and a captain. England have flown out to the UAE to take on Pakistan, so the series is previewed, as well as the England v Associates game that will take place. Pretty much everything that's happened this week in cricket, except Jacques Kallis getting 200 in his 150th test. Sorry Jacques.
Showing posts with label Sachin Tendulkar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sachin Tendulkar. Show all posts
Friday, 6 January 2012
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Ricky Ponting's 70th 100
Pretty much all of the build-up to the Sydney test, as with pretty much every Indian game since the World Cup, has been focussed on Sachin Tendulkar's persuit of the elusive 100th international 100. Since making his 99th on the 12th March, the cricketing world has been on edge to see if the Little Master can go where no other batsman has gone before, and into triple figures for triple figure international scores.
Sachin's quest has been dragging on for a while now, and the spotlight hasn't become any less intense. On Twitter, which is always the best barometer to the cricketing world's feelings, each Sachin innings starts with a flurry of "I have a feeling, today will be the day" tweets, followed by the inevitable "Oh well, I'm sure he'll do it in the next knock". It would not be wrong of me to say that there are some more concerned about Sachin's personal scores than the state of the matches he plays in.
But ultimately, if Sachin did get to his 100th 100, it wouldn't really be that important. His place in the side doesn't rely upon it, nor would his legend be diminished if he fell narrowly short. It is solely a statistical quirk, and just an opportunity to celebrate the incredible career that theman demi-god has had. That could not be said of Ricky Ponting.
Ponting, like Sachin, is a bona fide legend, not just of our time, but of any time. Yet his search for a ton has lasted a lot longer than Sachin's, with January 2010 being the last occassion Ricky passed three figures in test cricket. Since then, the Ashes have been lost (again), the captaincy has fallen by the wayside, and an alarming dip in form has led quite a few to call for Ponting to either stand aside, or be stood aside. A few fifties in recent tests signalled some sort of revival, but without the headline grabbing hundred, Ponting would continue to be under pressure, and questions would continue to be asked.
Which is why Ponting making a hundred at the SCG was far more important or newsworthy than if Sachin had got there. Ponting's shows that he's still got the guts, ability, and run-making for test cricket, and is clearly still worth a place in this Australian team, and might be good for a Dravid style renaissance (let us not forget that The Great Wall finished 2011 as test cricket's top run scorer). Sachin's would show the ultimate endurance effort, and be the culmination of a great career, but other than an interesting statistic, it doesn't mean a great deal.
This isn't to say I won't stand and applaud if/when Sachin gets there, but at this moment in time, Ponting getting there is a far greater moment. There have been some who've called Ponting's 134 the biggest of his career, and while I wouldn't go that far, it could well be the signal of a return to the top for Punter, and for a few more years in the Aussie middle order.
Sachin's quest has been dragging on for a while now, and the spotlight hasn't become any less intense. On Twitter, which is always the best barometer to the cricketing world's feelings, each Sachin innings starts with a flurry of "I have a feeling, today will be the day" tweets, followed by the inevitable "Oh well, I'm sure he'll do it in the next knock". It would not be wrong of me to say that there are some more concerned about Sachin's personal scores than the state of the matches he plays in.
But ultimately, if Sachin did get to his 100th 100, it wouldn't really be that important. His place in the side doesn't rely upon it, nor would his legend be diminished if he fell narrowly short. It is solely a statistical quirk, and just an opportunity to celebrate the incredible career that the
Ponting, like Sachin, is a bona fide legend, not just of our time, but of any time. Yet his search for a ton has lasted a lot longer than Sachin's, with January 2010 being the last occassion Ricky passed three figures in test cricket. Since then, the Ashes have been lost (again), the captaincy has fallen by the wayside, and an alarming dip in form has led quite a few to call for Ponting to either stand aside, or be stood aside. A few fifties in recent tests signalled some sort of revival, but without the headline grabbing hundred, Ponting would continue to be under pressure, and questions would continue to be asked.
Which is why Ponting making a hundred at the SCG was far more important or newsworthy than if Sachin had got there. Ponting's shows that he's still got the guts, ability, and run-making for test cricket, and is clearly still worth a place in this Australian team, and might be good for a Dravid style renaissance (let us not forget that The Great Wall finished 2011 as test cricket's top run scorer). Sachin's would show the ultimate endurance effort, and be the culmination of a great career, but other than an interesting statistic, it doesn't mean a great deal.
This isn't to say I won't stand and applaud if/when Sachin gets there, but at this moment in time, Ponting getting there is a far greater moment. There have been some who've called Ponting's 134 the biggest of his career, and while I wouldn't go that far, it could well be the signal of a return to the top for Punter, and for a few more years in the Aussie middle order.
Friday, 25 November 2011
Sachin Tendulkar and the persuit of perfection
Through the vast history of cricket, over the 2000+ test matches that have been played and the countless players to take part in them, there has been one man that has stood head and shoulders ahead of everyone else to have played the game. Sir Don Bradman, cricket's ultimate legend, had a career that nobody else has ever had, or will ever have. Part of the legendary tale of Bradman, however, is the story of his final innings. Needing just four runs to finish with a career average of 100, Don was dismissed for a second ball duck, and with it, an average of 99.94.
For all of the great performances, great victories and great feats that the game offers, at it's heart, cricket is a game of numbers. And it's those statistical quirks that see fifties, centuries and ten-wicket hauls celebrated so resolutely. While there never will be another Bradman, the game of cricket has been lucky enough to be touched by a successor to the throne, Sachin Tendulkar. Of course, Sachin doesn't average 100 either, but the sheer longevity of his high-class career, and the sheer amount of runs that he's scored in international cricket set him aside from his peers also. Sachin is on 99 international centuries, a mark that he's been on since the World Cup this spring. He's fallen twice in the nineties in his search for the elusive hundredth hundred. Today he fell for 94 in his home town of Mumbai, in what would have been the fairytale way to mark an ultimate achievement.
Just as nobody will average 100 in test cricket, nobody will come close to reaching Sachin's mark of 100 international hundreds. But just as Bradman failed to reach the ultimate, wouldn't it be apt if Sachin were to never make it to his goal either? In an odd way, failing to get there would add to Sachin's story, just as it added to Bradman's. If Sachin didn't make it to 100 hundreds, it would prove that the man they call God is actually human after all...
For all of the great performances, great victories and great feats that the game offers, at it's heart, cricket is a game of numbers. And it's those statistical quirks that see fifties, centuries and ten-wicket hauls celebrated so resolutely. While there never will be another Bradman, the game of cricket has been lucky enough to be touched by a successor to the throne, Sachin Tendulkar. Of course, Sachin doesn't average 100 either, but the sheer longevity of his high-class career, and the sheer amount of runs that he's scored in international cricket set him aside from his peers also. Sachin is on 99 international centuries, a mark that he's been on since the World Cup this spring. He's fallen twice in the nineties in his search for the elusive hundredth hundred. Today he fell for 94 in his home town of Mumbai, in what would have been the fairytale way to mark an ultimate achievement.
Just as nobody will average 100 in test cricket, nobody will come close to reaching Sachin's mark of 100 international hundreds. But just as Bradman failed to reach the ultimate, wouldn't it be apt if Sachin were to never make it to his goal either? In an odd way, failing to get there would add to Sachin's story, just as it added to Bradman's. If Sachin didn't make it to 100 hundreds, it would prove that the man they call God is actually human after all...
Monday, 22 August 2011
Where Do India Go From Here?
It's a tough place to be in when you've lost 4-0. The series has ended in humiliation for India, the number one test ranking has been lost, and there are seemingly no silver lignings to speak of. However, if England have proved anything over the past couple of years, it's that a team can go from a seemingly hopeless situation to the summit of test cricket in not a long space of time, with only a few minor tweaks. So how can India regain their number one ranking and become a successful test team again?
1) Don't accept mediocrity
England have got where they've got by carefully stripping away the chaff to find an exceptional group of players. Yes, this may be a once in a lifetime golden generation of English cricketers, but only the best of the best are tolerated. Throughout the English team are players at the absolute pinnacle - Cook is the best opener in the world, Trott the best number three, Pietersen and Bell the best middle order. Matt Prior is the best wicket-keeper batsman, Swann the best spinner, and the pace attack of Anderson, Broad and Bresnan / Tremlett is the best fast bowling attack going. For a team who came into the series as number one, India have an awful lot of players who aren't really good enough to compete with the world's elite. Raina was out of his depth, Sreesanth and Sharma didn't cut it, and neither Harbhajan or Mishra looked consistently threatening. India must be ruthless and cast aside those who just aren't good enough, in order to bring in young talent who can be.
2) The batting needs a shake-up
It's clear to see that India's batting boasts some of the best run-getters in the history of test cricket. However, the likes of Tendulkar, Dravid, Sehwag and Laxman won't last forever, and to avoid a situation seen with the Australian team post 2007 when all of the legends retired at once, India need to gradually ease a few new names in. Some tough decisions need to be made - at 36 (and 10 months) is VVS Laxman as good as he once was? Is Sehwag? Is Dravid? And heaven forbid, is Sachin? Tought as it may seem, Indian will be better served shifting aside some of the legends in order to move on and look towards the future.
3) Sachin
The cult of Sachin, as it has become known, is weighing heavily on the Indian team. The fact that headlines have been focused more on Sachin's failures to make the elusive hundredth hundred rather than the embarrassment of a 4-0 reverse speaks volumes for the over-arching importance Sachin has in the Indian team. As much as a legend as he is (and make no mistake Sachinistas, before I get death threats, I am not in any way detracting from his past), at the end of the day, Sachin is just one player out of eleven. He is not the be all and end all of the story. While Sachin must bring a lot to proceedings - his experience and calm head in the dressing room for one, it does seem from the outside that some players are unable to cope with the pressure that being even in the same side as Sachin brings. For India today there didn't seem much thought about saving the test - instead all focus was on Sachin's attempt at the 100th 100. As unbelievable a player as he was, and still is, Sachin has become a distraction to this India team and their goals. In an ideal world for the Indian team, Sachin will make his seminal ton in the ODI series that now follows, and hang up his bat, allowing India to move on and out of his shadow, and refind their focus.
4) Preperation and priorities
Put simply, the BCCI have made a complete hash of organising this tour. The single warm-up game at Taunton was not enough to get ready for a tour in the notoriously tough conditions of England, and reminiscent of England turning up undercooked ahead of the 2006/7 Ashes mauling at the hands of Australia. And ultimately the way Sehwag's injury (that he picked up during the World Cup) was handled shows the lack of respect that the BCCI have for test cricket (and how low on the list of priorities it is) - had Sehwag had his operation immediately he would have been fit for all of this series, and probably the West Indies tour as well. But he delayed the operation with the BCCI's blessing... to play in the IPL. Only when test cricket is put at the top of the list will India again prosper.
5) End the culture of player power
Duncan Fletcher is a very shrewd, experienced coach who has done an awful lot in the game of cricket. However, his word, which was always law when coach of England, seemed as though it was often overruled and ignored. From the outside, it seems as though the Indian players, and the senior players in particular, did what they fancied and the coach was powerless to stop them. From only warming-up or training when they felt like it to (supposedly) calling for only the one warm-up game (some wanted no warm-ups at all), players were taking the easy way out in order to avoid any hard work. Which led to a failure of a series. After Zaheer's injury, it was disclosed that the Indian players decide personally how to look after themselves, and picking up a series ending injury only a few overs into the first morning at Lord's certainly suggests that Zaheer was doing it wrong. Only when responsibility and power is handed back to the coach can India do well. Ultimately, he is paid to make these things happen, and the Indian players would be fools to ignore his experience and expertise.
All in all, it's been a pretty abject tour for India. And while there is a lot of hard work ahead, it isn't all doom and gloom for them. In MS Dhoni they have an excellent forward-thinking captain, and if he develops a strong partnership with Duncan Fletcher, they can organise a master plan not too dissimiliar from the plans of Andys Flower and Strauss. They also do have some very good players who took them to number one in the first place, as well as a lot of promising young talent to choose from to help them return. It has been a pretty humbling series from an Indian perspective, but with a lot of hard work and subtle changes, there's no doubt that the mase for world's number one team will be back in Indian hands sooner or later.
1) Don't accept mediocrity
England have got where they've got by carefully stripping away the chaff to find an exceptional group of players. Yes, this may be a once in a lifetime golden generation of English cricketers, but only the best of the best are tolerated. Throughout the English team are players at the absolute pinnacle - Cook is the best opener in the world, Trott the best number three, Pietersen and Bell the best middle order. Matt Prior is the best wicket-keeper batsman, Swann the best spinner, and the pace attack of Anderson, Broad and Bresnan / Tremlett is the best fast bowling attack going. For a team who came into the series as number one, India have an awful lot of players who aren't really good enough to compete with the world's elite. Raina was out of his depth, Sreesanth and Sharma didn't cut it, and neither Harbhajan or Mishra looked consistently threatening. India must be ruthless and cast aside those who just aren't good enough, in order to bring in young talent who can be.
2) The batting needs a shake-up
It's clear to see that India's batting boasts some of the best run-getters in the history of test cricket. However, the likes of Tendulkar, Dravid, Sehwag and Laxman won't last forever, and to avoid a situation seen with the Australian team post 2007 when all of the legends retired at once, India need to gradually ease a few new names in. Some tough decisions need to be made - at 36 (and 10 months) is VVS Laxman as good as he once was? Is Sehwag? Is Dravid? And heaven forbid, is Sachin? Tought as it may seem, Indian will be better served shifting aside some of the legends in order to move on and look towards the future.
3) Sachin
The cult of Sachin, as it has become known, is weighing heavily on the Indian team. The fact that headlines have been focused more on Sachin's failures to make the elusive hundredth hundred rather than the embarrassment of a 4-0 reverse speaks volumes for the over-arching importance Sachin has in the Indian team. As much as a legend as he is (and make no mistake Sachinistas, before I get death threats, I am not in any way detracting from his past), at the end of the day, Sachin is just one player out of eleven. He is not the be all and end all of the story. While Sachin must bring a lot to proceedings - his experience and calm head in the dressing room for one, it does seem from the outside that some players are unable to cope with the pressure that being even in the same side as Sachin brings. For India today there didn't seem much thought about saving the test - instead all focus was on Sachin's attempt at the 100th 100. As unbelievable a player as he was, and still is, Sachin has become a distraction to this India team and their goals. In an ideal world for the Indian team, Sachin will make his seminal ton in the ODI series that now follows, and hang up his bat, allowing India to move on and out of his shadow, and refind their focus.
4) Preperation and priorities
Put simply, the BCCI have made a complete hash of organising this tour. The single warm-up game at Taunton was not enough to get ready for a tour in the notoriously tough conditions of England, and reminiscent of England turning up undercooked ahead of the 2006/7 Ashes mauling at the hands of Australia. And ultimately the way Sehwag's injury (that he picked up during the World Cup) was handled shows the lack of respect that the BCCI have for test cricket (and how low on the list of priorities it is) - had Sehwag had his operation immediately he would have been fit for all of this series, and probably the West Indies tour as well. But he delayed the operation with the BCCI's blessing... to play in the IPL. Only when test cricket is put at the top of the list will India again prosper.
5) End the culture of player power
Duncan Fletcher is a very shrewd, experienced coach who has done an awful lot in the game of cricket. However, his word, which was always law when coach of England, seemed as though it was often overruled and ignored. From the outside, it seems as though the Indian players, and the senior players in particular, did what they fancied and the coach was powerless to stop them. From only warming-up or training when they felt like it to (supposedly) calling for only the one warm-up game (some wanted no warm-ups at all), players were taking the easy way out in order to avoid any hard work. Which led to a failure of a series. After Zaheer's injury, it was disclosed that the Indian players decide personally how to look after themselves, and picking up a series ending injury only a few overs into the first morning at Lord's certainly suggests that Zaheer was doing it wrong. Only when responsibility and power is handed back to the coach can India do well. Ultimately, he is paid to make these things happen, and the Indian players would be fools to ignore his experience and expertise.
All in all, it's been a pretty abject tour for India. And while there is a lot of hard work ahead, it isn't all doom and gloom for them. In MS Dhoni they have an excellent forward-thinking captain, and if he develops a strong partnership with Duncan Fletcher, they can organise a master plan not too dissimiliar from the plans of Andys Flower and Strauss. They also do have some very good players who took them to number one in the first place, as well as a lot of promising young talent to choose from to help them return. It has been a pretty humbling series from an Indian perspective, but with a lot of hard work and subtle changes, there's no doubt that the mase for world's number one team will be back in Indian hands sooner or later.
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Dravid Shows Fight
It's been a series that's lacked a little something.
As good as England have been, it's been a bit of a breeze, with Team India not offering a lot of resistance once they've been pushed up against the wall.
If this was boxing rather than cricket, it would have been stopped a long time ago.
England started by coming out swinging, landing some lusty blows early. And while India had the odd couple of hours when they decided to fight back, generally they've just laid back and taken the relentless beating that England have given to them, with no real sign of resistance.
Apart from one man.
Rahul Dravid, who moved to his third century of the series at the Oval, has been the only Indian player to show anywhere near the required level of guts for test cricket.
While his teammates have barely mustered half of his runs, Dravid's tons at Lord's, Trent Bridge and the Oval have been gutsy, determined, and full of application. Three things that his fellow tourists have been quite clearly lacking throughout the series.
In almost every regard, pretty much every other Indian player has gone missing. With the ball, they've been happy to watch England rack up mammoth partnerships while heads have dropped and bowlers do nothing. And with the bat, nobody has wanted to dig in and grind out the tough runs when England's seamers proved that conditions have been far from bowlers graveyards.
Except Dravid. In a series when everyone was expecting the hundredth hundred of a legend, we've seen a different kind of fulfillment of another. Sachin, just like Raina, Laxman, Dhoni, Sehwag, Mukund, Ishant and the rest of them, have gone missing when it's mattered the most, and will ultimately go home empty handed. Dravid, however, has put his hand up, regularly, and while he will too leave with nothing from the series, his legend will be enhanced.
This series was billed as the heavyweight championship of the world, but instead it's been more of a mauling in a pub car park. Only Dravid, the old campaigner, has stopped England from landing yet another knockout blow. If his teammates had shown anywhere near the fight he has this series, it almost certainly wouldn't be the battering that this bout has turned out to be.
As good as England have been, it's been a bit of a breeze, with Team India not offering a lot of resistance once they've been pushed up against the wall.
If this was boxing rather than cricket, it would have been stopped a long time ago.
England started by coming out swinging, landing some lusty blows early. And while India had the odd couple of hours when they decided to fight back, generally they've just laid back and taken the relentless beating that England have given to them, with no real sign of resistance.
Apart from one man.
Rahul Dravid, who moved to his third century of the series at the Oval, has been the only Indian player to show anywhere near the required level of guts for test cricket.
While his teammates have barely mustered half of his runs, Dravid's tons at Lord's, Trent Bridge and the Oval have been gutsy, determined, and full of application. Three things that his fellow tourists have been quite clearly lacking throughout the series.
In almost every regard, pretty much every other Indian player has gone missing. With the ball, they've been happy to watch England rack up mammoth partnerships while heads have dropped and bowlers do nothing. And with the bat, nobody has wanted to dig in and grind out the tough runs when England's seamers proved that conditions have been far from bowlers graveyards.
Except Dravid. In a series when everyone was expecting the hundredth hundred of a legend, we've seen a different kind of fulfillment of another. Sachin, just like Raina, Laxman, Dhoni, Sehwag, Mukund, Ishant and the rest of them, have gone missing when it's mattered the most, and will ultimately go home empty handed. Dravid, however, has put his hand up, regularly, and while he will too leave with nothing from the series, his legend will be enhanced.
This series was billed as the heavyweight championship of the world, but instead it's been more of a mauling in a pub car park. Only Dravid, the old campaigner, has stopped England from landing yet another knockout blow. If his teammates had shown anywhere near the fight he has this series, it almost certainly wouldn't be the battering that this bout has turned out to be.
Monday, 1 August 2011
England's Win a Victory for Tenacity
Test cricket is more than just about having a good technique or a solid defence. It's about mental fortitude and having the concentration for fifteen two-hour sessions of intense cricket where you have to keep your eye on the ball. Games of test cricket can be won and lost in an instant, and the best teams are those who are always switched on and are as such able to win those games at any given moment.
Having a team of good cricketers does go a long way, but the great sides of test cricket are the teams full of "winners" - those who refuse to give up when faced with defeat, or allow opposing teams to rise from difficult situations. England are certainly a team of winners. At 88/6 and 124/8 on the first afternoon, it would have been easy to fold and put up a score that would almost certainly be a losing one. But the grit and determination of the lower-order saw them to 221; not an awful score given the tough scoring conditions. India had overtaken that score with only four wickets down, and looked set to build a sizeable lead. But England fought back, and led by Stuart Broad taking 5 wickets for 0 runs in 18 balls, were reduced to a lead of only 67.
Even when things weren't going their way during that Indian first innings, England kept fighting. They never stopped believing that they could cause an Indian collapse, and it only needed the spark of Stuart Broad to make it happen. Compare that to the lifeless display of bowling from India at the back end of England's second innings, where runs were being gifted away and nobody seemed to bothered. The impressive Praveen Kumar aside, it was a completely gutless and embarrassing display, as Prior, Bresnan and Broad all cashed in with the easiest runs in test cricket they will ever make. India had completely given up - remarkable for a team that boasts some of the greatest talents to ever grace the game, are World Champions, and the current holders of the world number one ranking. That seems as though it's going to be meekly surrendered too. Bell's innings was full of class, and even allowing for his reprieve, India still were in with a chance. Bell departed at 323/4, a lead of only 256. Had they got their tails up and stuck into England, they could have been looking at a chase of not much more than 300. Given that Bell showed batting wasn't a total nightmare on that pitch, and that they possess Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar, India were still in with a big chance of winning that game. You know England, or indeed, any team of winners would have at least given it a crack. Instead, they ceded another 200 runs as England's tail took it well out of their reach. By the end, it was men against boys. They didn't even bother trying to reach the victory target of 478.
India are quite clearly a team of class individual players, all with skills that on their day make them world-class performers. However, when the going got tough, they didn't get going at all, instead retreating so meekly it made England's march to victory almost painful to watch. The hosts, on the other hand are a side that relish the big battles, and they invariably win them. To win the game by 319 runs given the perils of the first two days certainly shows the character of this current England team. India earned the number one test ranking, but have underperformed massively so far, with England taking full advantage. England are now odds-on to take over that coveted number one ranking, and having seen the way they've played in the first two tests of the series, you'd fancy them holding onto the position for a very long time to come.
Having a team of good cricketers does go a long way, but the great sides of test cricket are the teams full of "winners" - those who refuse to give up when faced with defeat, or allow opposing teams to rise from difficult situations. England are certainly a team of winners. At 88/6 and 124/8 on the first afternoon, it would have been easy to fold and put up a score that would almost certainly be a losing one. But the grit and determination of the lower-order saw them to 221; not an awful score given the tough scoring conditions. India had overtaken that score with only four wickets down, and looked set to build a sizeable lead. But England fought back, and led by Stuart Broad taking 5 wickets for 0 runs in 18 balls, were reduced to a lead of only 67.
Even when things weren't going their way during that Indian first innings, England kept fighting. They never stopped believing that they could cause an Indian collapse, and it only needed the spark of Stuart Broad to make it happen. Compare that to the lifeless display of bowling from India at the back end of England's second innings, where runs were being gifted away and nobody seemed to bothered. The impressive Praveen Kumar aside, it was a completely gutless and embarrassing display, as Prior, Bresnan and Broad all cashed in with the easiest runs in test cricket they will ever make. India had completely given up - remarkable for a team that boasts some of the greatest talents to ever grace the game, are World Champions, and the current holders of the world number one ranking. That seems as though it's going to be meekly surrendered too. Bell's innings was full of class, and even allowing for his reprieve, India still were in with a chance. Bell departed at 323/4, a lead of only 256. Had they got their tails up and stuck into England, they could have been looking at a chase of not much more than 300. Given that Bell showed batting wasn't a total nightmare on that pitch, and that they possess Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar, India were still in with a big chance of winning that game. You know England, or indeed, any team of winners would have at least given it a crack. Instead, they ceded another 200 runs as England's tail took it well out of their reach. By the end, it was men against boys. They didn't even bother trying to reach the victory target of 478.
India are quite clearly a team of class individual players, all with skills that on their day make them world-class performers. However, when the going got tough, they didn't get going at all, instead retreating so meekly it made England's march to victory almost painful to watch. The hosts, on the other hand are a side that relish the big battles, and they invariably win them. To win the game by 319 runs given the perils of the first two days certainly shows the character of this current England team. India earned the number one test ranking, but have underperformed massively so far, with England taking full advantage. England are now odds-on to take over that coveted number one ranking, and having seen the way they've played in the first two tests of the series, you'd fancy them holding onto the position for a very long time to come.
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Podcast - Billy Bowden and the Half Hearted DRS
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The 2000th test was played, and it was a fitting test. England won, and had some quality performances, whilst India lost despite some valiant stuff with both bat and ball. Will talks about the resurgence of Stuart Broad as a test bowler (whilst taking credit for this return to form) as well as KP and Prior's runs. Sachin is sung about, but Will hails Dravid, and ponders what would happen if Sachin didn't exist. There's some thoughts on the use of the DRS, and musings on the health of test cricket. All of this, and a preview of the Trent Bridge test. What a great way to spend twenty four minutes and ten seconds!
Or, download this via Podbean
The 2000th test was played, and it was a fitting test. England won, and had some quality performances, whilst India lost despite some valiant stuff with both bat and ball. Will talks about the resurgence of Stuart Broad as a test bowler (whilst taking credit for this return to form) as well as KP and Prior's runs. Sachin is sung about, but Will hails Dravid, and ponders what would happen if Sachin didn't exist. There's some thoughts on the use of the DRS, and musings on the health of test cricket. All of this, and a preview of the Trent Bridge test. What a great way to spend twenty four minutes and ten seconds!
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Jonathan Trott Will Save Your Life
We've all thought about it. What if you're captured by aliens, and your only chance of survival is for someone to bat for a really, really long time? Only after he's scored enough runs, or bored the aliens into a stupor can you break free from their clutches and find safety. Who would be the man who you would let bat for your life?
Tendulkar might get mobbed by over-zealous fans. Kallis' wig might blow into his eyes. Ponting might come over all Ashes 2010 and start edging Anderson to Swann first ball or arguing with umpires. There's only one man who could be chosen with your life at stake. The man who's concentration would not be broken even by aliens pointing ray guns at him. A man who would instead mark his guard and check his gloves. That man is Jonathan Trott.
Jonathan Trott is everything you want in a test number three. He will score a lot of runs, form solid partnerships with other batsmen, not take many risks, and not get out. A test number three doesn't need to switch hit fast bowlers for six. A test number three just needs to accumulate an awful lot of runs and not get out. This is what Trott does.
Nick Knight on Sky this morning said that Trott is a "limited batsman" as he doesn't play a whole range of shots. Nothing could be further from the truth. Trott has studied the art of shotmaking, and worked out what shots he can play that won't get him out. He knows exactly what shot to play to any given ball, and can score runs all around the ground. During the Ashes, the Aussies thought he was an lbw candidate, so bowled straight. So Trott worked them off his legs. Sri Lanka, knowing Trott's on-side strengths, bowled short and wide of off-stump (rarely a successful strategy). So Trott cut and pushed his way to a double ton.
It seems odd that even an a day when Trott has made 200, there are some knocking him for not going quickly enough. What a ridiculous thing to say. Trott scores his runs at a strike rate of 48 - that's faster than Kallis (45), Dravid (42) and Chanderpaul (42). But strike rates aside, Trott isn't there to hit sixes and get out - he's there for a long haul and to anchor the innings.
It's becoming increasingly well documented that Trott's average (of those with over 20 test innings) is the second highest of all time (behind Bradman, obviously). After his double ton today, Trott has 1803 test runs at 66.77. To get ahead of Bradman's average, he needs to score 897 runs before his next wicket. You wouldn't put it past him to get 897 not out.
Don Bradman was a one-of-a-kind - a freak cricketer that gets thrown up once every five generations. Jonathan Trott, like Bradman, is a superhuman run machine. Quite simply, when looking at him, you just can't see any way that he is going to get out. Which is why when the aliens come, I'm sending for Trotty.
Another fun piece of Jonathan Trott average trivia
Jonathan Trott averaged 37 in Tests after his first full season with England. To get it back there now, he'd need to get 22 ducks in a row. (props to @howe_zat for that)
Tendulkar might get mobbed by over-zealous fans. Kallis' wig might blow into his eyes. Ponting might come over all Ashes 2010 and start edging Anderson to Swann first ball or arguing with umpires. There's only one man who could be chosen with your life at stake. The man who's concentration would not be broken even by aliens pointing ray guns at him. A man who would instead mark his guard and check his gloves. That man is Jonathan Trott.
Jonathan Trott is everything you want in a test number three. He will score a lot of runs, form solid partnerships with other batsmen, not take many risks, and not get out. A test number three doesn't need to switch hit fast bowlers for six. A test number three just needs to accumulate an awful lot of runs and not get out. This is what Trott does.
Nick Knight on Sky this morning said that Trott is a "limited batsman" as he doesn't play a whole range of shots. Nothing could be further from the truth. Trott has studied the art of shotmaking, and worked out what shots he can play that won't get him out. He knows exactly what shot to play to any given ball, and can score runs all around the ground. During the Ashes, the Aussies thought he was an lbw candidate, so bowled straight. So Trott worked them off his legs. Sri Lanka, knowing Trott's on-side strengths, bowled short and wide of off-stump (rarely a successful strategy). So Trott cut and pushed his way to a double ton.
It seems odd that even an a day when Trott has made 200, there are some knocking him for not going quickly enough. What a ridiculous thing to say. Trott scores his runs at a strike rate of 48 - that's faster than Kallis (45), Dravid (42) and Chanderpaul (42). But strike rates aside, Trott isn't there to hit sixes and get out - he's there for a long haul and to anchor the innings.
It's becoming increasingly well documented that Trott's average (of those with over 20 test innings) is the second highest of all time (behind Bradman, obviously). After his double ton today, Trott has 1803 test runs at 66.77. To get ahead of Bradman's average, he needs to score 897 runs before his next wicket. You wouldn't put it past him to get 897 not out.
Don Bradman was a one-of-a-kind - a freak cricketer that gets thrown up once every five generations. Jonathan Trott, like Bradman, is a superhuman run machine. Quite simply, when looking at him, you just can't see any way that he is going to get out. Which is why when the aliens come, I'm sending for Trotty.
Another fun piece of Jonathan Trott average trivia
Jonathan Trott averaged 37 in Tests after his first full season with England. To get it back there now, he'd need to get 22 ducks in a row. (props to @howe_zat for that)
Friday, 27 May 2011
My Letter To Worcestershire
After reading the Cricinfo expose about Adrian Shankar (go ahead and read it - it's great) it appears that Worcestershire have based their recruitment policy on who can write the best covering letter. So now there's a hole in their squad, I've sent this to see if they can fulfil my county dream...
Dear Worcestershire CCC
I've heard that you are in need of an all-rounder, and I'm the man you'll want to pick. I have the rainbow of talents, and will be an excellent addition to your squad.
I played in the same high school team as Sachin Tendulkar, where I captained the first eleven at the age of 14. Sachin, who is a close personal friend of mine, says that I am his "inspiration", and "taught him everything he knows". After outscoring him regularly, we went out separate ways, although I still do help him prepare for test matches by batting alongside him in the nets.
My own playing career has seen me play 53 First Class matches, with a batting average of 86 and a bowling average of 8. I've spent the past few years playing in the notoriously difficult Bangladeshi Premier League, but after a few years turning out for Chittagong, I want a return to my spiritual homeland of Worcestershire.
Despite going to school with 38 year old Sachin Tendulkar, I can confirm that I am currently only 21 years old. However, my passport and birth certificate were destroyed in a tragic fire where I had to save some orphans from a pet rescue centre by bowling really, really fast, so you'll just have to take my word for it.
Here are some references just in case you aren't convinced.
"He's just what the doctor ordered" - Ravi Shastri
"Will Atkins is the reason I took up cricket" - Don Bradman
"I feel as though I've lived my life in his shadow" - Shane Warne
"Will Atkins is to cricket what Danny Morrison is to commentary" - Muttiah Muralitheran
Thanks for taking the time to read my letter. I'll assume you're going to take me on, so I'll turn up at training on Monday.
Will Atkins
Dear Worcestershire CCC
I've heard that you are in need of an all-rounder, and I'm the man you'll want to pick. I have the rainbow of talents, and will be an excellent addition to your squad.
I played in the same high school team as Sachin Tendulkar, where I captained the first eleven at the age of 14. Sachin, who is a close personal friend of mine, says that I am his "inspiration", and "taught him everything he knows". After outscoring him regularly, we went out separate ways, although I still do help him prepare for test matches by batting alongside him in the nets.
My own playing career has seen me play 53 First Class matches, with a batting average of 86 and a bowling average of 8. I've spent the past few years playing in the notoriously difficult Bangladeshi Premier League, but after a few years turning out for Chittagong, I want a return to my spiritual homeland of Worcestershire.
Despite going to school with 38 year old Sachin Tendulkar, I can confirm that I am currently only 21 years old. However, my passport and birth certificate were destroyed in a tragic fire where I had to save some orphans from a pet rescue centre by bowling really, really fast, so you'll just have to take my word for it.
Here are some references just in case you aren't convinced.
"He's just what the doctor ordered" - Ravi Shastri
"Will Atkins is the reason I took up cricket" - Don Bradman
"I feel as though I've lived my life in his shadow" - Shane Warne
"Will Atkins is to cricket what Danny Morrison is to commentary" - Muttiah Muralitheran
Thanks for taking the time to read my letter. I'll assume you're going to take me on, so I'll turn up at training on Monday.
Will Atkins
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
The Idiot's Guide To The IPL - Part Two
So you've spent the past 24 hours absorbing the format. So now you've bluffed your way through that chat with the friendly IPL fan, what to say when he asks about the teams? Who are your men to watch, who are the teams who will be involved at the business end of the tournament (sometime in 2015)? Fret no longer, as The Idiot's Guide to the IPL Part Two is here!
So who are the favourites this year? Well, the bookies make Sachin Tendulkar's (you may have heard of him) Mumbai Indians the shortest price, followed by Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore. After that, it's the also-rans and the rest.
While Mumbai had a great year last year, and Chennai even won it, technically the previous editions shouldn't have any bearing. A new auction was set up, with the talent being supposedly evenly spread around the various franchises (although the teams were allowed to retain the services of four top players from previous years). And while some teams have hoarded the big name overseas players, the rules say that only 4 non-Indians can play at any one time. So let's have a look at the various teams that will contest IPL4.
In today's Idiot's Guide I'll have a look at the five teams in Group A, while tomorrow will be Group B.
Group A
Mumbai Indians - Captained by Sachin, and keeping hold of some big name players, Mumbai are favourites this year. With Kieron Pollard, Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symonds they'll hit big, and in Lasith Malinga they have a deadly player with the ball. Downside is that there are nine overseas players - who may not be too pleased if they're on the bench every game. Squad perhaps a bit top heavy, with some huge names followed by some not very big ones, but the MI will hope the lesser known guys can step up to complement the big performances of the stars.
Delhi Daredevils - Choosing only to retain Virender Sehwag, who captains the side, the Daredevils selected a almost completely new squad from before. Only Sehwag and South Africa's Morne Morkel were at the World Cup, which could play into their hands compared to the fatigue of other teams. The DD have "taken punts" on a few players, with lesser known overseas Aussies Travis Birt, Matthew Wade and Aaron Finch all getting selected - but they've all excelled in the Big Bash so could really pay off. Big hitting David Warner will return at the top of the order as well. The Daredevils have gone for inexperienced players who could pay off spectacularly, but then again, the lack of star players may count against them as they could slump in form. Will be interesting to see how they go.
Deccan Chargers - After winning IPL2 (the South African one) under the stewardship of Adam Gilchrist, the Chargers released all of their players and started again. Now with a new wicket-keeper/captain in Kumar Sangakkara, the Chargers have a completely new squad, filled with some big names. While they will probably miss Kevin Pietersen for the tournament due to injury, Dale Steyn, Sangakkara, JP Duminy and Cameron White are all big names and proven T20 players, as well as having local internationals such as Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha and MS Gony on the books. Could be dark horses as have strength in both batting and bowling.
Kings XI Punjab - Deccan's loss is Punjab's gain, as Adam Gilchrist comes in to captain the Kings XI, who have been the whipping boys of previous IPL's. However, in Gilchrist, David Hussey and Dinesh Karthik, Punjab have players who have been there and done it in T20s, as well as handy players in Piyush Chawla, Ryan McLaren and Shaun Marsh. Not much is expected of the Kings XI, but they will hope to improve on the previous disappointments.
Pune Warriors India - Not a great deal is known about the new boys Pune, but they're captained by World Cup Man of the Moment Yuvraj, as well as boasting the likes of Jesse Ryder, Angelo Mathews, Graeme Smith and world's greatest T20 bowler ever Alfonso Thomas. Not much is known about the Warriors, and as such, could spring a few surprises.
So there's the teams of Group A. Check back tomorrow for some Idiot's Guides to the teams of Group B.
So who are the favourites this year? Well, the bookies make Sachin Tendulkar's (you may have heard of him) Mumbai Indians the shortest price, followed by Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore. After that, it's the also-rans and the rest.
While Mumbai had a great year last year, and Chennai even won it, technically the previous editions shouldn't have any bearing. A new auction was set up, with the talent being supposedly evenly spread around the various franchises (although the teams were allowed to retain the services of four top players from previous years). And while some teams have hoarded the big name overseas players, the rules say that only 4 non-Indians can play at any one time. So let's have a look at the various teams that will contest IPL4.
In today's Idiot's Guide I'll have a look at the five teams in Group A, while tomorrow will be Group B.
Group A
Mumbai Indians - Captained by Sachin, and keeping hold of some big name players, Mumbai are favourites this year. With Kieron Pollard, Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symonds they'll hit big, and in Lasith Malinga they have a deadly player with the ball. Downside is that there are nine overseas players - who may not be too pleased if they're on the bench every game. Squad perhaps a bit top heavy, with some huge names followed by some not very big ones, but the MI will hope the lesser known guys can step up to complement the big performances of the stars.
Delhi Daredevils - Choosing only to retain Virender Sehwag, who captains the side, the Daredevils selected a almost completely new squad from before. Only Sehwag and South Africa's Morne Morkel were at the World Cup, which could play into their hands compared to the fatigue of other teams. The DD have "taken punts" on a few players, with lesser known overseas Aussies Travis Birt, Matthew Wade and Aaron Finch all getting selected - but they've all excelled in the Big Bash so could really pay off. Big hitting David Warner will return at the top of the order as well. The Daredevils have gone for inexperienced players who could pay off spectacularly, but then again, the lack of star players may count against them as they could slump in form. Will be interesting to see how they go.
Deccan Chargers - After winning IPL2 (the South African one) under the stewardship of Adam Gilchrist, the Chargers released all of their players and started again. Now with a new wicket-keeper/captain in Kumar Sangakkara, the Chargers have a completely new squad, filled with some big names. While they will probably miss Kevin Pietersen for the tournament due to injury, Dale Steyn, Sangakkara, JP Duminy and Cameron White are all big names and proven T20 players, as well as having local internationals such as Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha and MS Gony on the books. Could be dark horses as have strength in both batting and bowling.
Kings XI Punjab - Deccan's loss is Punjab's gain, as Adam Gilchrist comes in to captain the Kings XI, who have been the whipping boys of previous IPL's. However, in Gilchrist, David Hussey and Dinesh Karthik, Punjab have players who have been there and done it in T20s, as well as handy players in Piyush Chawla, Ryan McLaren and Shaun Marsh. Not much is expected of the Kings XI, but they will hope to improve on the previous disappointments.
Pune Warriors India - Not a great deal is known about the new boys Pune, but they're captained by World Cup Man of the Moment Yuvraj, as well as boasting the likes of Jesse Ryder, Angelo Mathews, Graeme Smith and world's greatest T20 bowler ever Alfonso Thomas. Not much is known about the Warriors, and as such, could spring a few surprises.
So there's the teams of Group A. Check back tomorrow for some Idiot's Guides to the teams of Group B.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
The Cult of Sachin
It took the World Cup for me to truly embrace the Sachin.
I knew he was great. The stats told me that. But I'd never really realised just how great.
Sachin was making hundreds before I was even born. He'd been single handedly carrying his country while I was in nappies, and consistently churning out the runs while I was getting into cricket. It wasn't that I wasn't in awe of it, but the sheer amount of runs and consistency of them made me blase. Sachin scored another century? Oh.
I've seen him bat in a test match, back at Lord's in 2007. While to millions (even billions) this would be the greatest thing to ever have happen in their lives, I was generally more interested in Jimmy Anderson taking a five for. To me, Sachin was just a batsman - just a batsman who happened to be out lbw for 37. I knew of the runs, but I'd never really appreciated his genius.
As time went by, the achievements got more extraordinary. Over 14000 test runs. 50 test centuries. The only ever score of 200 in an ODI. The World Cup started - and the adulation that goes everywhere with him swept me up. The superb hundreds against England (number 98) and South Africa (99) made me realise what I'd been missing. Previously I'd seen the borderline stalker / obsessive comments on Cricinfo from Sachinistas, and dismissed them as frenzied lunatics. But suddenly, I'd been bitten with the Sachin bug, and I started seeing sense in what they had to say. "Sachin is no mere mortal, Sachin is God". Why not - someone with that level of ability surely has to have some sort of divine assistance.
Before being swept up in the Cult of Sachin, I'd have seen the Indian players giving Sachin (who scored 18 and bowled two overs of cack in the final) a triumphant carry on the shoulders as ridiculous postering. Why not captain and man of the match Dhoni? Why not nearly-centurion Gambhir? Why not leading wicket taker Zaheer? Why not man of the tournament Yuvraj? But lifting Sachin just made sense.
"Sachin has carried us for 21 years, so it is only right that we carry him today" said Virat Kohli. And having been fully inducted into the Cult of Sachinism, I'd have been alongside him, hoisting the Little Master into the air. And I don't care who knows.
Now, I'm off to spam Cricinfo with some meaningless comments about how great Sachin is compared to everyone else ever...
I knew he was great. The stats told me that. But I'd never really realised just how great.
Sachin was making hundreds before I was even born. He'd been single handedly carrying his country while I was in nappies, and consistently churning out the runs while I was getting into cricket. It wasn't that I wasn't in awe of it, but the sheer amount of runs and consistency of them made me blase. Sachin scored another century? Oh.
I've seen him bat in a test match, back at Lord's in 2007. While to millions (even billions) this would be the greatest thing to ever have happen in their lives, I was generally more interested in Jimmy Anderson taking a five for. To me, Sachin was just a batsman - just a batsman who happened to be out lbw for 37. I knew of the runs, but I'd never really appreciated his genius.
As time went by, the achievements got more extraordinary. Over 14000 test runs. 50 test centuries. The only ever score of 200 in an ODI. The World Cup started - and the adulation that goes everywhere with him swept me up. The superb hundreds against England (number 98) and South Africa (99) made me realise what I'd been missing. Previously I'd seen the borderline stalker / obsessive comments on Cricinfo from Sachinistas, and dismissed them as frenzied lunatics. But suddenly, I'd been bitten with the Sachin bug, and I started seeing sense in what they had to say. "Sachin is no mere mortal, Sachin is God". Why not - someone with that level of ability surely has to have some sort of divine assistance.
Before being swept up in the Cult of Sachin, I'd have seen the Indian players giving Sachin (who scored 18 and bowled two overs of cack in the final) a triumphant carry on the shoulders as ridiculous postering. Why not captain and man of the match Dhoni? Why not nearly-centurion Gambhir? Why not leading wicket taker Zaheer? Why not man of the tournament Yuvraj? But lifting Sachin just made sense.
"Sachin has carried us for 21 years, so it is only right that we carry him today" said Virat Kohli. And having been fully inducted into the Cult of Sachinism, I'd have been alongside him, hoisting the Little Master into the air. And I don't care who knows.
Now, I'm off to spam Cricinfo with some meaningless comments about how great Sachin is compared to everyone else ever...
Friday, 1 April 2011
My Team of the World Cup
So we're just about at the end of another World Cup. So as such, everyone's naming their representative teams of the World Cup. And seeing as I've got not much else better to do, I thought I'd have a go...
Openers
There have been some openers who have really set this World Cup alive. Sehwag and Tendulkar have really set the tone for India - Sehwag with a flurry of quick runs to take advantage of the powerplay early while Tendulkar hangs around to play the innings of substance. Sri Lanka have had Tharanga and Dilshan, who have now racked up two 200+ partnerships. Pakistan's Hafeez has batted well, and has the advantage of taking some handy wickets with much improved bowling. Martin Guptill's form with the bat for New Zealand's also been better than expected, and he could get into most World XI sides thanks to his fielding alone. And Ireland's Paul Stirling has shown maturity beyond his years with fine performances with bat and ball. All worth entrants, I'm sure, which has made the opening spots very hard to select. However, I've gone for Virender Sehwag, for his explosive play throughout the early powerplays, and because of his amazing 175 against Bangladesh, and for Tillekeratne Dilshan, for his couple of centuries, plus the fact that he offers a bit with the ball.
Middle-order
There are a couple of the middle-order who almost pick themselves. Yuvraj Singh has been India's finisher and has contributed immensely with the ball, so he's in. AB de Villiers hit two early hundreds, and looked South Africa's best bat, so in he comes. Ryan ten Doeschate, often a lone voice for Holland, also hit two centuries, and will provide ample support for the bowlers. So they're all in. And someone who I simply can't ignore is Sachin Tendulkar. While I didn't pick him in the position he's been playing this World Cup (opener), it would be unjust to not find space in this World Cup Team for him given the success he's had, so he will bat at three. So my middle order is Sachin Tendulkar, AB de Villiers, Yuvraj Singh and Ryan ten Doeschate.
Wicket-Keeper
This hasn't been a brilliant World Cup for the keepers. While Brendon McCullum and Brad Haddin had flashes of brilliance at the top of the order, they were few and far between. MS Dhoni hasn't contributed much to the Indian middle order. Morne van Wyk looked out of his depth in international cricket. Matt Prior looked even worse. Only one has stood out - and what a World Cup he's had. Step forward Kumar Sangakkara, who makes it into the team with a World Cup average of 104 (so far) with one ton and two fifties.
Bowlers
In the difficult sub continental conditions, we've seen some bowlers struggle. However, the truly good bowlers have found reward, and have had excellent World Cups. Umar Gul and Dale Steyn, the two best fast bowlers, have led their countries well. Zaheer Khan likewise. Before his injury, Stuart Broad was looking to be the star of an England bowling outfit that was seriously out of sorts, but sadly his injury cut short a World Cup where he could have made a real difference. Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee both blew teams away in the groups as well. But the two pacers I've gone for are Dale Steyn, for his superb five-fer against India as well as general good performances in a format that some didn't rate him in, and Umar Gul, who was as excellent with the old ball as he was with the new throughout the tournament (except the semi-final). Spin wise, it's been a rich World Cup. Shahid Afridi has been the leading wicket taker, and has proved his obvious ability with the ball. Imran Tahir and Robin Peterson have both chipped in with plenty for South Africa as well. Graeme Swann, (the world's best spinner) toiled away for some reward for England, and George Dockrell belied his age to put in some very mature performances for Ireland. Not forgetting, of course, Muttiah Muralitheran in his final World Cup. However, the spinners I've gone for are Shahid Afridi, as he has been taking wickets by the bucket load, as well as offering some late order hitting (even though that wasn't seen too often this World Cup). And South Africa's Robin Peterson, who surprised many to be a real potent threat for the Proteas. Imran Tahir can feel very unlucky that he didn't make the selection, but an unfortunate hand injury ruled him out of a few games where Peterson made his mark.
Captain
Of the guys I've picked, Afridi and Sangakkara both skippered their sides during the World Cup, so it's between them. As much as I've enjoyed Afridi's excitable energy-filled captaincy, I fear that his enthusiasm may only work for a Pakistan side, so that immediately rules him out. And it helps that Sangakkara has had an excellent World Cup as captain, rotating his bowlers well and setting inventive fields. So Kumar Sangakkara it is to lead the team.
So that's the team I've gone for. There are a few shocks (an associate player, no English, Aussies, West Indians or New Zealanders) but I'm happy with that team. I reckon they'd give anyone a game - they bat deep (with some useful players up the order), as well as having four top out-and-out bowlers plus handy overs from ten Doeschate, Yuvraj and Dilshan. Agree? Disagree? Let me know, either by the comments section, on Twitter, or on my new sparkly Facebook page.
Sehwag
Tendulkar
Dilshan
Sangakkara (c / wk)
de Villiers
ten Doeschate
Yuvraj
Afridi
Peterson
Gul
Steyn
Openers
There have been some openers who have really set this World Cup alive. Sehwag and Tendulkar have really set the tone for India - Sehwag with a flurry of quick runs to take advantage of the powerplay early while Tendulkar hangs around to play the innings of substance. Sri Lanka have had Tharanga and Dilshan, who have now racked up two 200+ partnerships. Pakistan's Hafeez has batted well, and has the advantage of taking some handy wickets with much improved bowling. Martin Guptill's form with the bat for New Zealand's also been better than expected, and he could get into most World XI sides thanks to his fielding alone. And Ireland's Paul Stirling has shown maturity beyond his years with fine performances with bat and ball. All worth entrants, I'm sure, which has made the opening spots very hard to select. However, I've gone for Virender Sehwag, for his explosive play throughout the early powerplays, and because of his amazing 175 against Bangladesh, and for Tillekeratne Dilshan, for his couple of centuries, plus the fact that he offers a bit with the ball.
Middle-order
There are a couple of the middle-order who almost pick themselves. Yuvraj Singh has been India's finisher and has contributed immensely with the ball, so he's in. AB de Villiers hit two early hundreds, and looked South Africa's best bat, so in he comes. Ryan ten Doeschate, often a lone voice for Holland, also hit two centuries, and will provide ample support for the bowlers. So they're all in. And someone who I simply can't ignore is Sachin Tendulkar. While I didn't pick him in the position he's been playing this World Cup (opener), it would be unjust to not find space in this World Cup Team for him given the success he's had, so he will bat at three. So my middle order is Sachin Tendulkar, AB de Villiers, Yuvraj Singh and Ryan ten Doeschate.
Wicket-Keeper
This hasn't been a brilliant World Cup for the keepers. While Brendon McCullum and Brad Haddin had flashes of brilliance at the top of the order, they were few and far between. MS Dhoni hasn't contributed much to the Indian middle order. Morne van Wyk looked out of his depth in international cricket. Matt Prior looked even worse. Only one has stood out - and what a World Cup he's had. Step forward Kumar Sangakkara, who makes it into the team with a World Cup average of 104 (so far) with one ton and two fifties.
Bowlers
In the difficult sub continental conditions, we've seen some bowlers struggle. However, the truly good bowlers have found reward, and have had excellent World Cups. Umar Gul and Dale Steyn, the two best fast bowlers, have led their countries well. Zaheer Khan likewise. Before his injury, Stuart Broad was looking to be the star of an England bowling outfit that was seriously out of sorts, but sadly his injury cut short a World Cup where he could have made a real difference. Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee both blew teams away in the groups as well. But the two pacers I've gone for are Dale Steyn, for his superb five-fer against India as well as general good performances in a format that some didn't rate him in, and Umar Gul, who was as excellent with the old ball as he was with the new throughout the tournament (except the semi-final). Spin wise, it's been a rich World Cup. Shahid Afridi has been the leading wicket taker, and has proved his obvious ability with the ball. Imran Tahir and Robin Peterson have both chipped in with plenty for South Africa as well. Graeme Swann, (the world's best spinner) toiled away for some reward for England, and George Dockrell belied his age to put in some very mature performances for Ireland. Not forgetting, of course, Muttiah Muralitheran in his final World Cup. However, the spinners I've gone for are Shahid Afridi, as he has been taking wickets by the bucket load, as well as offering some late order hitting (even though that wasn't seen too often this World Cup). And South Africa's Robin Peterson, who surprised many to be a real potent threat for the Proteas. Imran Tahir can feel very unlucky that he didn't make the selection, but an unfortunate hand injury ruled him out of a few games where Peterson made his mark.
Captain
Of the guys I've picked, Afridi and Sangakkara both skippered their sides during the World Cup, so it's between them. As much as I've enjoyed Afridi's excitable energy-filled captaincy, I fear that his enthusiasm may only work for a Pakistan side, so that immediately rules him out. And it helps that Sangakkara has had an excellent World Cup as captain, rotating his bowlers well and setting inventive fields. So Kumar Sangakkara it is to lead the team.
So that's the team I've gone for. There are a few shocks (an associate player, no English, Aussies, West Indians or New Zealanders) but I'm happy with that team. I reckon they'd give anyone a game - they bat deep (with some useful players up the order), as well as having four top out-and-out bowlers plus handy overs from ten Doeschate, Yuvraj and Dilshan. Agree? Disagree? Let me know, either by the comments section, on Twitter, or on my new sparkly Facebook page.
Sehwag
Tendulkar
Dilshan
Sangakkara (c / wk)
de Villiers
ten Doeschate
Yuvraj
Afridi
Peterson
Gul
Steyn
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Podcast - Fairytales All Over The Place
Download this episode here
After years of build up, and a similiarly lengthed tournament, we have our World Cup finalists! (In case you didn't know, it's not Kenya v Holland). It's India v Sri Lanka; MS v Sanga; Sachin v Murali. Who writes these scripts? Will looks at the chances of both sides, and makes a bold prediction. He also looks at the semi-final losers, and the reasons why they were cast off into the ether. Plus why Pakistan shouldn't blame Misbah (or at least shouldn't torch his house). All of that, plus reasons why Will wouldn't have minded a major diplomatic incident. It's literally all going on, Richard.
After years of build up, and a similiarly lengthed tournament, we have our World Cup finalists! (In case you didn't know, it's not Kenya v Holland). It's India v Sri Lanka; MS v Sanga; Sachin v Murali. Who writes these scripts? Will looks at the chances of both sides, and makes a bold prediction. He also looks at the semi-final losers, and the reasons why they were cast off into the ether. Plus why Pakistan shouldn't blame Misbah (or at least shouldn't torch his house). All of that, plus reasons why Will wouldn't have minded a major diplomatic incident. It's literally all going on, Richard.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Paul Collingwood's 300
Being the sentimental fool that I can be, I was reading through some Paul Collingwood tribute posts (he's not dead, but his career is). He's a man who has retired from tests, and after falling out of form and out of the team, looks as though he won't play for England after this World Cup.
One one of the posts I was reading, someone commented that Collingwood was only a few games away from becoming England's most capped player ever. After doing some well constructed research, I found that by playing against Bangladesh on Sunday, Colly reached his 300th game for England - only three behind serial record holder Alec Stewart. A pretty big achievement that went unnoticed amidst the carnage of England's defeat.
Of all of the hundreds and thousands of players to have pulled on the three lions to represent their country, only two have done it more than 300 times. While that may appear small fry compared to Sachin Tendulkar's 627 caps, don't ignore the gravity of that achievement. A regular in England colours for over a decade is remarkable - especially considering the vast amount of players that have been tried and discarded since he made his debut against Pakistan in 2001.
While a dip in form towards the end of his 300 games may give some the opinion that he was nothing more than a gutsy battler, Colly has been so much more than that. His batting at times could be sublime, with some brilliant hundreds in both ODIs and tests, picking up 15 tons and 49 fifties (so far). A cool head in the middle order, Collingwood could be relied upon to recover after a top-order failure, or push on in a position of strength. And his vigil at Cardiff in '09 showed the sheer determination of the man to never give his wicket away for his country.
His bowling was underrated - especially in ODIs, where his medium pacers gave selectors the luxury of playing an extra batsman. While he could pick up prodigious swing (somehow taking a six-fer against Bangladesh in 2005) in his earlier days, the older Collingwood has stuck more to off-cutters, using all of his experience to tie batsmen down (as well as picking up 111 ODI wickets). While he may not have been as threatening as other members of the attack, he would be a useful foil for established bowlers, and would always be willing to turn his arm over, irregardless of the situation.
And who can forget his fielding - athletic, agile and always alert, Colly was the greatest fielder in the generation where fielding became just as important as the other disciplines. Always prone to a stunning one-hander, Colly has remained just as nimble in the field from his first appearance to his most recent.
A dip in form has seen Colly's place questioned for the first time in years, and has seen him go in and out of the team. Added to that the fact that England may not progress further in this World Cup than their final group game against the West Indies, and Collingwood's bid to make a historic 304th appearance suddenly looks unlikely (he would have to play in every game up and including the final - assuming England get there). Becoming England's record appearance maker wouldn't make him England's greatest player (far from it), but it would be nice to see Collingwood get a reward for all of the hard graft he has put in for his country over the past ten years. A man who has won three Ashes and led England to a maiden World Cup, Collingwood deserves all of the plaudits in the world, but sadly he hasn't got many for making his 300th appearance. So on behalf of England supporters - thanks Colly.
And just to tarnish that nice post, here's the main reason I did this post...
"THIS... IS... DURHAM!"
(Thanks to Hannah for the picture)
One one of the posts I was reading, someone commented that Collingwood was only a few games away from becoming England's most capped player ever. After doing some well constructed research, I found that by playing against Bangladesh on Sunday, Colly reached his 300th game for England - only three behind serial record holder Alec Stewart. A pretty big achievement that went unnoticed amidst the carnage of England's defeat.
Of all of the hundreds and thousands of players to have pulled on the three lions to represent their country, only two have done it more than 300 times. While that may appear small fry compared to Sachin Tendulkar's 627 caps, don't ignore the gravity of that achievement. A regular in England colours for over a decade is remarkable - especially considering the vast amount of players that have been tried and discarded since he made his debut against Pakistan in 2001.
While a dip in form towards the end of his 300 games may give some the opinion that he was nothing more than a gutsy battler, Colly has been so much more than that. His batting at times could be sublime, with some brilliant hundreds in both ODIs and tests, picking up 15 tons and 49 fifties (so far). A cool head in the middle order, Collingwood could be relied upon to recover after a top-order failure, or push on in a position of strength. And his vigil at Cardiff in '09 showed the sheer determination of the man to never give his wicket away for his country.
His bowling was underrated - especially in ODIs, where his medium pacers gave selectors the luxury of playing an extra batsman. While he could pick up prodigious swing (somehow taking a six-fer against Bangladesh in 2005) in his earlier days, the older Collingwood has stuck more to off-cutters, using all of his experience to tie batsmen down (as well as picking up 111 ODI wickets). While he may not have been as threatening as other members of the attack, he would be a useful foil for established bowlers, and would always be willing to turn his arm over, irregardless of the situation.
And who can forget his fielding - athletic, agile and always alert, Colly was the greatest fielder in the generation where fielding became just as important as the other disciplines. Always prone to a stunning one-hander, Colly has remained just as nimble in the field from his first appearance to his most recent.
A dip in form has seen Colly's place questioned for the first time in years, and has seen him go in and out of the team. Added to that the fact that England may not progress further in this World Cup than their final group game against the West Indies, and Collingwood's bid to make a historic 304th appearance suddenly looks unlikely (he would have to play in every game up and including the final - assuming England get there). Becoming England's record appearance maker wouldn't make him England's greatest player (far from it), but it would be nice to see Collingwood get a reward for all of the hard graft he has put in for his country over the past ten years. A man who has won three Ashes and led England to a maiden World Cup, Collingwood deserves all of the plaudits in the world, but sadly he hasn't got many for making his 300th appearance. So on behalf of England supporters - thanks Colly.
And just to tarnish that nice post, here's the main reason I did this post...
"THIS... IS... DURHAM!"
(Thanks to Hannah for the picture)
Friday, 15 October 2010
Podcast - Well Done To Bangladesh
Download the latest episode here
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!
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!
Monday, 11 October 2010
Who Is The Best In the World?
I was talking to a few people the other day about the merits of this India v Australia series. In the not too distant past, these two would be going toe to toe as the best two teams in the world. I don't know if they are today.
When I look at both teams, they both have some awesomely crap players. Marcus North is not a test player; neither is Hauritz. McGrath, Warne or Hayden they are not. There are some good journeymen players such as Bollinger and Katich, but they will not be remembered in 30 years as any of the best. Yes, there are some world-class performers in the Australian side, but it's fairly obviously a shadow of the all-conquering side of only a few years ago.
The Indian side is better, and with legends like Dravid and Tendulkar in the top order, they will beat most sides. But the bowling of Sreesanth, Ojha and Zaheer would struggle to worry the Richards, Gooches or Laras in their pomp.
When I look globally, I see plenty of brilliant players in the world's top sides, but I also see JP Duminy, Ian Bell and Dale Richards. Top level cricket isn't what it used to be.
When the Australian side of Warne, McGrath, Hayden, Langer, Gilchrist and Lee were tearing teams apart, they were clearly the best side in the world. Likewise the West Indian side of the 80s, and the England side of the 90s (spot the odd one out...). When sides would play against them, they would need to raise their games in order to compete, and any players not good enough would soon be found out, and taken away from test cricket. Without that sort of dominant team, too many test cricketers are being carried by the performances of their teammates, and racking up far too many test caps. Or grinding out one gritty innings to save their career. (Step forward Mr North).
Sure, everyone who plays test cricket must be half-good. They're probably better than me, and probably better than a few of their club / county / state mates. But are they test-class? Without teams being right at the top of their games, test cricket is suffering. The 2005 Ashes were contested by a team who were rightly regarded as the best in the world (and full of hall of famers), and a side who had built themselves up for that series, giving themselves a chance to overhaul that great side. It led to (perhaps) the best series of all time, with the standard of cricket superb throughout. 2009 was different. Australia were rebuilding having lost loads of players; England were trying to create a team after the loss of the coach and two captains. While the competition of the series was great, the overall quality of the cricket was poor. Yes, England won, so I'm not complaining, but nobody will be watching the 2009 DVD ahead of the 2005 six-disc boxset.
So what's the point of this blog? Basically, I am saying that the overall quality of test cricket is lower than it was a few years ago. We've seen Pakistan collapse for under a hundred three times in a four game series - unthinkable previously. And this week we've seen a player who isn't good enough to be playing in tests make a hundred. For Australia. In India. I'm sure this is a cyclical thing, and in a couple of years better players will be displacing their crap counterparts, and the natural order will be restored. But until then, we're going to have to suffer another few years of Marcus North. And Ian Bell.
When I look at both teams, they both have some awesomely crap players. Marcus North is not a test player; neither is Hauritz. McGrath, Warne or Hayden they are not. There are some good journeymen players such as Bollinger and Katich, but they will not be remembered in 30 years as any of the best. Yes, there are some world-class performers in the Australian side, but it's fairly obviously a shadow of the all-conquering side of only a few years ago.
The Indian side is better, and with legends like Dravid and Tendulkar in the top order, they will beat most sides. But the bowling of Sreesanth, Ojha and Zaheer would struggle to worry the Richards, Gooches or Laras in their pomp.
When I look globally, I see plenty of brilliant players in the world's top sides, but I also see JP Duminy, Ian Bell and Dale Richards. Top level cricket isn't what it used to be.
When the Australian side of Warne, McGrath, Hayden, Langer, Gilchrist and Lee were tearing teams apart, they were clearly the best side in the world. Likewise the West Indian side of the 80s, and the England side of the 90s (spot the odd one out...). When sides would play against them, they would need to raise their games in order to compete, and any players not good enough would soon be found out, and taken away from test cricket. Without that sort of dominant team, too many test cricketers are being carried by the performances of their teammates, and racking up far too many test caps. Or grinding out one gritty innings to save their career. (Step forward Mr North).
Sure, everyone who plays test cricket must be half-good. They're probably better than me, and probably better than a few of their club / county / state mates. But are they test-class? Without teams being right at the top of their games, test cricket is suffering. The 2005 Ashes were contested by a team who were rightly regarded as the best in the world (and full of hall of famers), and a side who had built themselves up for that series, giving themselves a chance to overhaul that great side. It led to (perhaps) the best series of all time, with the standard of cricket superb throughout. 2009 was different. Australia were rebuilding having lost loads of players; England were trying to create a team after the loss of the coach and two captains. While the competition of the series was great, the overall quality of the cricket was poor. Yes, England won, so I'm not complaining, but nobody will be watching the 2009 DVD ahead of the 2005 six-disc boxset.
So what's the point of this blog? Basically, I am saying that the overall quality of test cricket is lower than it was a few years ago. We've seen Pakistan collapse for under a hundred three times in a four game series - unthinkable previously. And this week we've seen a player who isn't good enough to be playing in tests make a hundred. For Australia. In India. I'm sure this is a cyclical thing, and in a couple of years better players will be displacing their crap counterparts, and the natural order will be restored. But until then, we're going to have to suffer another few years of Marcus North. And Ian Bell.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Double Ton Tendulkar
It must have been inevitable. With the advent of Twenty20 cricket (I know, another blog that's mentioned it) player's scoring rates have increased, making scores of 400ish very reachable. And if a player carries his bat through the innings then they will make 200. And Tendulkar did that.
It's great for the sport of cricket that a true great now holds the record - and will always be the first player in history to make an international fifty over double ton. Tendulkar is both the test and ODI record runs scorer, and while he may not meet the high standards of Bradman, Tendulkar's consistency over his 20 years in international cricket surely ranks him as a true cricketing legend. And all credit to previous record holder Charles Coventry... but who? The little master deserves his place in the history books - especially when you consider that he made the runs against the best bowler in the world. It's all well and good scoring double centuries against Bangladesh (like Jason Gillespie), but to score such runs against a South African attack with fearsome Dale Steyn included is some feat.
While Sachin did turn his back on Middlesex for the forthcoming season, that innings shows why they wanted him in the first place. And why he is an absolute hero to millions worldwide. But as he makes the first 200 in an ODI - the question must be how many can follow him?
It's great for the sport of cricket that a true great now holds the record - and will always be the first player in history to make an international fifty over double ton. Tendulkar is both the test and ODI record runs scorer, and while he may not meet the high standards of Bradman, Tendulkar's consistency over his 20 years in international cricket surely ranks him as a true cricketing legend. And all credit to previous record holder Charles Coventry... but who? The little master deserves his place in the history books - especially when you consider that he made the runs against the best bowler in the world. It's all well and good scoring double centuries against Bangladesh (like Jason Gillespie), but to score such runs against a South African attack with fearsome Dale Steyn included is some feat.
While Sachin did turn his back on Middlesex for the forthcoming season, that innings shows why they wanted him in the first place. And why he is an absolute hero to millions worldwide. But as he makes the first 200 in an ODI - the question must be how many can follow him?
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