I guess incredulity is part and parcel of being an England fan. Just when you think our management might be sane and rational people after all they do something daft again. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or so the overused cliche goes. First of all, let me say that I’m all in favour of Zafar Ansari making his test debut. He might only be half the bowler Jack Leach is – only England could exclude the best spinner in the country on the basis that he’s...
England Get Lucky – Days 4 & 5 in Chittagong
I have to confess that I didn’t think the hosts would get anywhere near 286 when the chase began. Fourth innings runs are hard. Really hard. So the fact they got within 22 runs was a fantastic effort. Well played Bangladesh. I also think the Bangladeshis can consider themselves a tad unlucky – at least when it came to that tense mini-session that decided the game on the fifth day. The Taijul Islam LBW looked close but my no means plumb in real time – the review seemed a little speculative and...
Stokes Seizes the Day – Day 3 at Chittagong
When a weaker test nation plays a stronger one, they’re often competitive for a couple of days. But when defensive push comes to leg side shovel, a bad session usually buries them. We saw it all the time with England in the nineties. The team does just enough to get our hopes up but then collapses in a heap. That’s exactly what’s happened to Bangladesh in Chittagong today. They simply couldn’t live with England forever. The tourists have too many stars, and it was a star performance from Ben...
Nervous? Day 2 at Chittagong
So what do we all think? I guess Bangladesh are slightly ahead – although it remains to be seen whether their tail will wag. Either way this game is very much in the balance. Bangladesh have proved they’re no pushovers in home conditions. I imagine that Cook and Bayliss’ bums will feel pretty squeaky tonight. Now there’s a pleasant image for you. Overall I’m feeling a little negative about our prospects – not necessarily our prospects in this particular match, but our prospects for...
Is Your Head Spinning? Day One at Chittagong
What a fascinating, but somewhat bizarre, day of test cricket. I always expect the unexpected when England are concerned, but England’s odd team selection and illogical batting order left me totally perplexed. Throw in a pitch that spun from ball one, the fact that 92 overs were bowled during the day (usually we’re lucky to see 85), plus the realisation that England’s feeble looking score of 258-7 is probably quite competitive, and I’m completely dumbfounded. This is...
The Wednesday Watermelon
I thought today was going to be a quiet one. The first test preview was in the books so I was looking forward to a little down time. Fat chance. Instead there’s plenty of domestic news to talk about. Firstly, the ECB has postponed the launch of its new franchise based T20 city whatsit until 2020 when Sky’s current TV deal expires. Call me daft but I thought a 2020 start was going to be the plan all along. Now we hear that it was actually going to start (or possibly start) in 2018, with Sky...
