Time now to stop agonising over spot-fixing, draw a line under the turbulent Pakistan tour, and focus on the Ashes. To warm you up, here’s a quick quiz about England in Australia. Have a stab below with your answers – and don’t scroll down to avoid spoilers. First correct entry wins the traditional lifetime subscription to The Full Toss. Good luck! 1. Which England bowler took a hat-trick in the 1998/9 Sydney Ashes test? 2. For half a point each, can you name the four...
Preview versus review – a look back at our county championship predictions
Now that the English cricket season is over and the dust’s beginning to settle (much like it’s doing on Adil Rashid’s equipment coffin right now) we thought we’d look back and see how right, or wrong, our expectations for the season were. At the beginning of April we predicted that England would steamroll Bangladesh and Pakistan – no prizes for guessing that one – but we also dug out TFT crystal ball and forecast how each county team would do. Obviously that proved a little bit...
Ashes squad announced – England turn to the ‘turbanator’
He’s back. Monty ‘the turbanator’ Panesar has been recalled to the England squad for this winter’s Ashes showdown. So order your Monty mask and songbook now at www.celebratelikeanutterwhenyoutakeawicket.com. Meanwhile, the selector’s one-armed bandit also threw up the name Chris Tremlett. Remember him? He’s the bowler that looks like a cross between Frankenstein and the Incredible Hulk, but has a body as brittle as balsa wood – which is why Hampshire were happy to release him last summer. There...
Born Eoin-er
Excuse the cheesy headline. That kind of pun belongs in the Daily Star rather than a well regarded highbrow cricket website (what, you mean like cricinfo? – ed). However, I can’t get away from the fact that Eoin Morgan is indeed a born winner. There’s something about the aggressive way he bats and that steely look in his eyes. It’s also his unorthodox technique, which hasn’t quite hit the heights in test cricket yet, but seems ideal for one-day cricket. If Andy Flower wants to win the world cup...
Spot-fixing banter
Thanks to TFT reader Harmy’s Head for sending this update from the Rose Bowl: “The crowd are singing to Ajmal…’how much for a boundary, how much for a boun-dary?’ Banter will only go downhill from here I fear’. It was only a matter of time. Whatever the subject matter, English cricket spectators will always find a way of puncturing cricket’s pomposity and self-absorption with a wry chant or two. Alleged match-fixing has provided inspiration in the past...
Fourth ODI review – reasons to be tearful (or at least get the hump)
Yesterday was not a good day. We don’t mind when England lose (let’s face it, England defeats have hardly been a rare occurrence over the last decade) but off-field matters and the manner of the defeat have got right under my skin. Indeed, I think I could be the grumpiest man in the history of cricket. I’m even grumpier than Ian Botham when he signed for Worcestershire in 1987 without realising that the best cakes at New Road rarely leave the ladies pavilion. Someone has definitely stolen the...
