I love cricket. I don’t just eat and sleep it, I revere it. I would prefer to watch Lancashire’s 2nd XI play Derbyshire at Old Trafford than Man Utd play Liverpool at the other Old Trafford. Subconsciously I even think of David Lloyd and Mike Atherton as friends because I hear their voices on TV so often. So somebody tell me this: why do I have no interest in the IPL whatsoever? Some diehard Indian fans might say I’m jealous. Why? Because England is no longer the centre of the cricketing world...
A knee in the groin
Not long ago England’s Ashes preparations were always ruined by injuries. Whenever we discovered a world class talent, or a newcomer burst onto the scene, they’d always break down the month before the Ashes. Our batting line-up used to depend on Graham Thorpe. So what used to happen during the Ashes build-up? Thorpe would break his back lifting a sofa or something. The bowling was just as injury plagued. In the days when Angus Fraser was our only decent seamer, he’d need a hip replacement the...
Why England will win the Ashes Part 3 – KP
We’ve talked about England’s ability to keep control in the field, we’ve discussed our long batting order, here’s the next reason why England will give the Aussies a good old fashioned drubbing this year: it’s Kevin Pietersen, of course. With thanks to guest writer Shaun Edwards. “Let each man think himself an act of God, His mind a thought, his life a breath of God; And let each try, by great thoughts and good deeds, To show the most of Heaven he hath in him”...
Why the third test matters
Normally test matches against New Zealand don’t exactly get the pulse racing. The problem is that we don’t hate them enough. There’s no Shane Watson to snarl at; or Xavier Doherty to laugh at. Matches against the Kiwis have also been short on drama or controversy. Paul Collingwood got into hot water over a disputed run out a few years ago, but he soon apologised and the matter was quickly forgotten. The Barmy Army and the Beige Brigade soon got back to what they love doing best: hating...
Why England will retain the Ashes – Part II
Here’s the second part of Shaun Edward’s epic Ashes preview … Two: Batting Long. Or, if you’re being less kind, batting dull. In the last victorious Ashes series, the main plan was to bat once, and bat long. It worked, England winning all three of their matches by an innings, having racked up scores of 620, 513 and 644. Even in the drawn opener at the Gabba they saved the game with a truly monstrous 517-1 declared. I’ll be honest: when Andrew Strauss hung up the boots and...
England look to New Zealand for redemption
Seldom have the England cricket team endured such a turbulent year of cricket. Frightening frailty against spin derailed our attempts to stay world No1 in the UAE, then South Africa piled on the misery in the second instalment of the English summer. And remember, had it not been for Kevin Pietersen’s mesmeric performances in Sri Lanka, we might have slipped to five consecutive test defeats. Then there was KP-gate, that unsavoury affair which tarnished the reputation of a team who, under Andy...
