So the day has finally come. The players have talked the talk; now it’s time to walk the walk (not that we’ve seen many Aussie batsman walk over the years). Everyone has made their predictions. The country seems split. Some think 5-0 is on the cards. Others are jumping on another bandwagon: the one which claims the Aussies are actually a good side and it will be closer than people think. However nobody, and I repeat nobody, in the UK actually thinks Australia will win. Even Glenn McGrath...
Glory at the SWA-LAKE
England 169 all out (23.3 overs). New Zealand 159-8 (24 overs) Back in stereotypical English conditions (or is perpetual rain and damp typically Welsh?), England marched into the semis yesterday. There was no drama about the pace of the innings – even our top 3 realise you’ve got to play shots straight away in a 24 over match – and our bowlers rediscovered their teeth; who needs to tamper with the ball when you can move it off the seam for fun?! The shorter format seemed to liberate our batsmen...
Buttler serves up a treat. And farewell to New Zealand.
England 287-6 (50 overs). New Zealand 253 all out (46.3 overs) Cricket has a great way of making people look foolish. For 45 overs of England’s innings in the 3rd ODI against the Kiwis, experts were calling the pitch ‘sticky’, ‘two-paced’ and rather slow. England’s batting was laboured to say the least, although it was certainly better than the tortuous affairs witnessed in the two previous games. Enter Jos Buttler – the newcomer who had taken T20 by storm, but had yet to really cement his...
Job done – day five at Headingley
Andy Flower’s deadpan persona is great at making the media look stupid – even its most cerebral members. When Mike Atherton interviewed our team director after we wrapped up the win yesterday, he asked him whether his team had squandered an advantage by not enforcing the follow on. Flower looked quizzically at Atherton – a bemused look which certainly contained more than a smidgeon of distain – and scowled “well, I don’t know what advantage you’re talking about … we won the game”. It’s...
Should we be worried? Day two at Auckland
New Zealand 443. England 50-2 I’m not sure whether to write from the head or the heart today. The head says “we’ll be ok in this match – we won’t win but we’ll secure a bore draw”. My heart, however, senses impending doom. Why? Because cricket is a funny old game and supporting England has always been a rollercoaster. In 2005 we won a historic Ashes triumph. The cricketing Gods didn’t want us to get too complacent, however, so he / she / it kicked us in the nadgers immediately afterwards: we...
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...
