First let’s start with the positives. England picked the right team, won the toss, and correctly decided to bat first. Hallelujah! In this day and age that’s a triumph. It’s just a shame that the rest of the day – you know, the bit that actually involves playing cricket – didn’t exactly go to plan. Sadly there’s no hiding from the fact that 262-9 represents a big disappointment on a decent batting pitch. It’s even worse when you consider that...
Why The ECB Really Supports Four-Day Tests
A quick update from Cape Town before I reveal the very obvious answer to the question about four-day tests above. Apparently Jofra Archer has been struggling with a sore elbow – previously diagnosed by England’s management team as a sore arse – and therefore he might not be fit for the second Test against the Cricket Boks. This is bad news for England, who desperately need Archer’s pace, but something tells me that Silverwood and Co might be slightly relieved if Jofra...
If Not Now Then When? Day 4 At Centurion
Defeat. Another depressing defeat. And this time against a side that had lost their last 5 Tests. Basically, if you’re an international team struggling for confidence, look for England on your fixture list. This loss stings because it wasn’t the archetypal England defeat overseas. Normally we concede 500, get bowled out for 300, and then complain bitterly about our inability to take wickets with the Kookaburra ball. This time we were gifted a pitch that should’ve suited our...
Lions With The Bat, Buffoons With The Ball – Day 3 at
A day of mixed emotions at Centurion. The good news is that we’ve still got a sniff thanks to some remarkably resilient batting in the evening session. But after what we witnessed during the morning session, which was as lamentable a performance as I’ve seen from an England team in the field, I’m not sure whether I can say (hand on heart) that we deserve to win. First let’s deal ‘with the positives’ (© ECB media training vernacular). How good was Rory Burns...
In A Hole Again
I didn’t manage to write a report for day 1 as I’ve been irritatingly sick this Christmas. I’ve had the lurgy from hell and it just won’t go away. Maybe I’ve come out in sympathy for Pope, Leach and the others victims of the Benochi Belly? However, had I been match fit enough to put a few words together, I might have said something like this: “five seamers? FIVE bloody seamers? Win the toss and bowl? WFT? Have Joe Root and Chris Silverwood lost any remaining...
Selecting England’s Squad For South Africa
Although the ink in the Seddon Park scorebook is barely dry, England’s selectors will choose their squads for South Africa tomorrow. The games come thick and fast this winter, with the first Test commencing as soon as Boxing Day. This gives the players about 20 hours to digest their festive turkey, xmas pud, and schooners of Drambuie, before they’re back on the field in a high stakes Test. So who will the selectors choose to pull off what used to be one of the toughest challenges in...
