The last wicket has fallen, the last Pimms has been drunk, and the test summer is in the books. How can you tell? Because the weather is still glorious and everyone wants to see England and Pakistan play a decider. Yeah. Good luck with that. Anyway, before the players put on their fetching pyjamas, and substitute a red ball for a white one, we’re here to run the rule over the XI that played at The Oval. Who’s hot, who’s not, and who should be bundled into the back of a plane...
Selectors To Blame For Lack Of Progress
When England were whitewashed in the 2013/14 Ashes, it was the end of a flowery and sweet smelling chapter in English cricket. It had a lovely beginning, a joyous middle, but when the ending eventually went sour it stank to high heaven. Out went Trott (mentally shot), Swann (gave up), Pietersen (sacked), Prior (injured) and Carberry (too mouthy). The selectors therefore had a very simple, if not entirely easy, brief: find three new batsmen (one of which must be an opener), a new spinner and a...
Garbage – Day 3 at The Oval
I’m writing this on the train coming back from The Oval after a couple of pints. I’ll start with the positives. Erm. Now on to the considerable negatives. Those of us who said Pakistan’s tail couldn’t wag, and that their lack of batting depth prevents them from being a top side, need to eat a copious slice of humble pie. Their tail was excellent today and gave the sublime Younus Khan more than enough support. Amir in particular played some lovely shots. Yes, he had a few...
If Anyone Khan, Younus Khan – Day 2 at The Oval
You can’t keep a champion down indefinitely. That’s what we learned today. Thus far this summer Younus Khan has batted like Bambi on ice. His footwork has been terrible. He seemed to be doing the charleston, the samba and some kind of Peshawar paso doble all at once. However, today he looked a lot more comfortable at the crease. There were no extravagant movements, no jerks and a far less pronounced crouch as the bowler ran in. As a result we saw the real Younus Khan: the man who’s scored 30...
Magic Mo-ments – Day 1 At The Oval
Now that was one of the most entertaining innings I’ve seen by an England batsman for some time. It wasn’t a brutal seventy ball hundred, full of power hitting and brute strength; it was a study in elegance and panache. Mo, I think I love you. England were in deep trouble this morning. Alastair Cook won the toss, elected to bat on a pitch that offered a little bit for the seamers, and then watched his batsmen commit hara-kiri. Cook himself played on (he could have been caught at...
England Eye Top Spot. But Do We Deserve It?
It seems a tad bizarre to me, but England could become the number one ranked test side in the world in a few weeks’ time. It’s enough to make the new breed of sensitive metrosexual Australians choke on their chicken and zucchini salads. We just need to beat Pakistan at The Oval and hope other results go our way. This intriguing development has arisen because the current No.1, our canary yellow friends, lost to Sri Lanka the other day. When a top ranked team lose to a low ranked team, the ICC...
