We had an inkling this might happen. Andrew Strauss, England’s second most successful test captain after Michael Vaughan, retired from all cricket today. The players were told yesterday apparently, which probably explains yesterday’s rather flat performance at the Rose Bowl. Thank heavens we can talk about this, rather than Hamish Amla’s latest ton. So what are your thoughts? Personally, I think it was a brave decision by Strauss and the correct one. His form had been on a downward curve for...
Outgunned and outthought – the day we lost our No.1 crown
After a miserable 12 months, is it time for Strauss to say goodbye? It’s time to grit those teeth and utter the words no Englishman wants to hear: ‘well done South Africa, you played the better cricket and deserved to win’. I don’t honestly think we can complain. The XI we selected was found wanting. At least it was an honourable defeat though. The last two test matches have been pretty even affairs – and thanks to Matt Prior, who has looked our best batsman (and was rightly named England’s...
Losing Pietersen would be a disaster
Are the good times over? Lose KP and any advantage we had going into the 2013 Ashes will be lost If I was in a high profile cricket team, and my teammates followed a twitter account that extracted the Michael out of me mercilessly, I’d feel pretty insecure. I’d definitely question whether I wanted to play with them anymore – especially if I was already in dispute with the team’s governing body. I’d be even more tempted to jump ship if I knew there were other clubs out there willing to pay...
Day one from ‘Eadingley
I’ll just go and practice in the nets then, shall I?! South Africa 262-5 stumps When asked about the balance of the team on Wednesday, Andy Flower said that the makeup of the side that got thrashed at the Oval had been the basis of the team’s success in the past, and therefore he saw no point in doing something drastically different (like picking five bowlers). And yet at approximately 10.30 on Thursday, England dropped the man who has done more than anyone else to create the success to...
Strauss in the runs, again
If you’re a batsman short of runs, get yourself to Taunton – unless, of course, you’re an Indian. Just to make a mockery of our analysis of the tourists’ match against Somerset on Saturday – in which we called Taunton a feather bed – Sachin and Co batted like pelicans in their first innings and found themselves 132-8 at one point. That they recovered to 224 all out was mainly down to a one-man-show from Suresh Raina, who made a classy 103. With India falling well short of Somerset’s...
Indian bowlers get Taunton-ed
Are you a batsman short of form? Get yourself down to Taunton. It’s been a bowler’s graveyard for years. Marcus Trescothick is the local bully but visitors have done pretty well there too. Graeme Hick once plundered 405 at the ground, and India amassed 373-6 against Sri Lanka at Taunton in the 1999 World Cup; that popular chap Sourav Ganguly made 183. Seeing that India were playing Somerset this week, strings were pulled to get Andrew Strauss – who hasn’t been able to hit a cow’s backside with...
