India 274-7 (50 overs), England 27-2 (7.2 overs). No result.
Saturday’s ODI at the Riverside sold out eight months ago. That’s how desperate the people of Durham were to watch England play India. Unfortunately however, the weather Gods didn’t seem to care. With England needing a further 247 runs to win off 42.4 overs, the heavens opened and the mother of all deluges ensued. What promised to be an intriguing run chase therefore turned out into a damp squib. No result was possible.
This really has been a rubbish summer for weather. The rain played a major factor in the test series against Sri Lanka, did its best to hinder England’s whitewash of India, and it’s still not satisfied. The forecast for Tuesday’s game at the Rose Bowl is diabolical. Spectators are advised to bring waterproofs and a canoe.
If you think back to the Rose Bowl’s test match bow earlier this summer, you’ll remember it was a similar story. With Hampshire struggling in the county championship, and facing the very real prospect of relegation, the Rose Bowl authorities must wonder what they’ve done to deserve such a miserable run of bad fortune.
Still, at least fans at the Riverside saw half a match on Saturday. That’s a lot more than those with tickets for Tuesday’s game can expect. What they saw was pretty entertaining too. Dhoni’s boys made 274 off their 50 overs, with Parthiv Patel, the man with a face rounder than Samit Patel’s belly, making his highest ODI score of 95. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, one of the new pin-up boys of Indian cricket, made a useful 55.
To be fair, India were probably in the pound seats when the rain arrived. England had laboured to 27-2 off seven overs, with both openers dismissed. It was not a pretty sight. Cook tried three cut shots in a row without success and finally dragged one onto his stumps – the ball was too full and straight to play cross-batted off the back-foot. Meanwhile, Kieswetter once again looked terrible.
Obviously things can change quickly in cricket, and oscillations in form often affect opinions, but at the moment it’s hard to escape the feeling that England’s openers are the worst batsmen in the team. A middle-order of Trott, Bell, Morgan, Stokes, Patel and Bresnan looks pretty impressive on paper. The openers, however, make you wonder whether we’ll ever get off to a good start.
Cook’s place in the team has been debated ad nauseum. However, now that he’s captain we’ve got to lump him. Furthermore, Cook has overcome every challenge that’s faced him in his career to date. Who’s to say that he won’t develop into a steady ODI opener over time?
Kieswetter is another matter. We all know his reputation as a powerful hitter, but I’m beginning to lose faith. His batting is just so ugly. He’s very stiffed wristed, his hands are hard, and he only seems capable of hitting the ball through the off-side – and when he does manage to nail a drive, it looks horribly like a hockey shot.
There is no grace to Kieswetter’s game whatsoever, and I’m not sure he has the skill to caress the ball into gaps and keep the scoreboard ticking over. Indeed, I sometimes wonder whether he has any shots on the leg-side whatsoever (other than the predictable mow). Unless the Somerset stumper scores some runs sharpish, Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow will be breathing down his neck.
James Morgan
Yep, yet another wash-out at the Riverside. I must be jinxing every big cricket match I go to, having also been at the Rose Bowl Test. I suspect the rain did save England; India’s batsmen made it look easy and should have got 300 plus, and the openers continue to be cause for concern. If Kieswetter is to be dropped, let’s hope the selectors don’t ruin the next promising wicketkeeper-batsman by forcing him to open, in their ludicrous quest to find another Gilchrist rather than accepting he was a one-off.
Plus points: Durham seemed to have finally sorted out the transport chaos that’s plagued previous internationals, and until the rain arrived the atmosphere was very good. Bizarre banter of the day: the Indian fans shouting “Who ate all the naans” at Samit Patel and making up football-style chants as they went along.
Lovely innings from Patel. Agree on Kieswetter. Looks in a terrible rut at present. I still can’t accept a bat as circumstantially adaptable as Prior is a lost force in ODIs. Bah!
I agree on the Kieswetter as well. Although not an english supporter (South African here) I think your ‘ugly batting comment sums it up. Not a long term prospect for england.
On the rain. I reckon I was lucky to only have one game rained out when I played a two seasons in the UK!
Just read your little blurb. Like I said, not an english supporter but hope I’m still welcome (as there seems to be quite a few of us splaying for you! haha).
Everyone is welcome here. All views given a platform. I’ve been desperately trying to excuse England’s selection of South Africans by reminding people that Pietersen’s mum is English, Trott’s heritage is English, and Dernbach has been in Blighty from a young age (and speaks with an accent that’s more English than S.African) but I’m struggling when it comes to people like Jos Buttler. Surely a true Englishman would be able to spell Butler correctly ;-)
Well, it does save on overheads when England tours South Africa, as the boys don’t have to book into hotels – they can just stay with their parents…