It’s hard to think of a more satisfying win. The Ashes were sweet but they came with a caveat: England played in conditions made to order and we won crucial tosses. We were also overly reliant one two batsmen: Root and the skipper. Let’s face it, we were lucky. This time it was different. Cook lost the toss and scored no runs whatsoever. Neither did Root in the first innings. Yet England prevailed thanks to a monumental team effort. Just about everyone contributed. All those supposed weaknesses...
Steyn in Pain as England Rub Salt Into Wound – Day 3 at Durban
England are in control. The Cricket Boks look beaten. Their champion has pulled up lame. It’s only a matter of time now … Excuse my premature confidence but I really expect England to win this game now. The lead is already 260 and there’s two full day’s play to come. Root, Taylor and Co should extend our advantage to approximately 450 sometime between lunch and tea tomorrow, and then we’ll have four and a half sessions to bowl them out. It’s a simple game eh! The reason for my buoyant mood is...
The Beard to be Revered – Day 5 at the Ageas
Bloody fantastic! It feels great to write about something positive for a change. The team has been heavily criticised over the last few months, and rightly so, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with the performance at the Ageas Bowl. It was the perfect team effort. Congratulations all round. It’s important not to go over the top – we all know this side is capable of mindless cricket as well as the inspired variety – but let’s just enjoy this victory without worrying too much about the...
With Us, the Force Is – Day Three at the Ageas Bowl
Whisper it quietly, but we might actually win this test match. Now there’s something we haven’t said for a long time. About eleven months in fact. The force is definitely with our team for a change. Since November last year, the Sith have been winning the battle: how else can you explain the success of guys like David Warner? There was something very dark at work. Now all of a sudden, Yoda’s boys are back in business. Our batsmen’s wickets seem to be protected by an invisible force-field –...
The Long Road Ahead
Usually I can’t wait to update this blog. But this time its different. I can barely summon the energy. The England cricket team has reached it’s nadir: being whitewashed in the Ashes, losing the early summer series to Sri Lanka, and now thrashed at home by an Indian team that hadn’t won away from home for three years. Imagine how ugly it would have been if we’d lost the toss. It’s time to face facts folks … We have a toothless bowling attack. We have a brittle batting line-up without a single...
Collier Out, Boring Stalemates In – Day five at Trent Bridge
So it all ended in a dry, tedious squib. We couldn’t quite press home our slim overnight advantage and the first test ended in a stalemate. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it one last time: it was a desperately poor, depressing pitch. It should never happen again, but it probably will. The pitch was pretty much a disaster for England. Having lost the toss, our bowlers spent over three days toiling in the field. India spent half that amount. If Dhoni wins the toss at Lord’s later this week, the...
