I've had a bit of a ridiculous schedule of late, so there is no way i've been able to (or really wanted to) stay up for the ODI's against, but i have caught most of the replays; a better option at the moment. Watching last night some things became obvious.
The few things that have stood out are:
The different crowds at the ODI's compared to the tests. At the tests there is crowd applause for good cricket, regardless of the country. At these games you can hear the tumble weeds rolling down a road three blocks away when Aus get a wicket. While this is not particularly unusual anywhere in the world, i don't think i've ever heard such silence! It seems all of the Aussies in London left when the GEC kicked in!
England's fielding has been sub-par, and the replay last night highlighted this and made me think the result could have been somewhat different. Dropped catches -yeah, you Bresnan, what a sitter!- and Anderson's TWO failed run outs; not close calls- missed opportunities!
Of course there is the poor batting throughout the order too- apart from their imports (nice reverse sweep Morgan). Do Australia have any plan for Strauss?
On the flip side, Aus are looking solid. White should fight Punter for the #3 spot as it gives him even more time to create a big innings without having to belt it out of the park further down the line up. Can Ponting be persuaded to come in at 4? He must feel happy stepping back in at 3-0 up!
Talk on cricinfo is of the possibility of a 7-0 whitewash (or White-wash, if he stays at 3!). Who cares, one more, get the series, and then if we clean up, reflect further on what a waste 7 games is. It will be one more nail in the English 50 over game if Australia win the next game/series, no one turns up for the last three games and the ECB end up in deficit for the series!
Finally, i think most of us here -certainly myself- have had to eat a large slab of humble pie (with cockles and eel) in regard to Watson. Not only is he staying fit, but he is bowling efficiently, getting wickets and appears to be playing with a lot of heart: maybe too much as he looks totally gutted and on the verge of tears when hit for four! Maybe transferring his batting poker face (deals well with a bowlers lip and rot) over to his bowling.
stoph verismo
down the wicket
Showing posts with label ECB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ECB. Show all posts
Friday, 11 September 2009
Thursday, 30 April 2009
more fun than you can poke a willow stick at!
I can't believe i haven't posted much lately... probably got to do with being ridiculously busy.
The reason why i can't believe it is because there is so much going on in the cricket world.
Firstly the IPL: after a average start to the comp, it looks like Warnies mob are winding up again; funny thing how well he captains... maybe he missed his true calling! He has bowled a couple of good spells too, and one average one. It is clearly enough to get people asking would he go to England? Obviously he will, only to neck pints and pies in the stand!
Hughes is having fun in Blighty at the moment too; back to back tons. Clearly a good way to ensure he has a spot in the test side once the Ashes begin. Maybe Brad Hodge should push for a spot in the Ashes side as a bowler after his 3-24 off 4 overs! It might be the only way in for him!
And to merge the two paragraphs above- T20 and England, we hear now that the ECB want to develop a rival 20-20 comp for the English summer called P20. What a joke! The plan is to have it based on the county sides and yet wants to draw in big name internationals; like the Raj now has the money to compete against India! When is the ICC going to look at an international club competition? Like the champions league, but with enough dollars to keep the splitters happy and consolidate this need to play a competition like this. IPL, ICL, Stanford, P20 etc and whatever. I understand peoples reservations against T20, i myself- while preferring test- am just happy to have any cricket, but let's get some consistency and uniformity to T20 at a level outside of international competition.
What else is news? India are prepared to give ICL players permission to play again if they end their connection with ICL; how generous of them!
Brett Lee looks likely to be called back up again... according to himself. It might be a bit of a shite-fight with Johnson and Siddle totally worthy of their positions, Clark fit again (but lacking form yet), Hilfenhaus needed to provide swing in England and a spinner likely to figure in the equation.
Another offie being pinged for chucking whilst playing against Australia, then Ajmal got fined for having a sook in the media accusing Watson of dobbing on him! Boo Hoo!
See, it is all happening, and i haven't even mentioned the Australian/Paki results in UAE... any takers?
stoph verismo
down the wicket
The reason why i can't believe it is because there is so much going on in the cricket world.
Firstly the IPL: after a average start to the comp, it looks like Warnies mob are winding up again; funny thing how well he captains... maybe he missed his true calling! He has bowled a couple of good spells too, and one average one. It is clearly enough to get people asking would he go to England? Obviously he will, only to neck pints and pies in the stand!
Hughes is having fun in Blighty at the moment too; back to back tons. Clearly a good way to ensure he has a spot in the test side once the Ashes begin. Maybe Brad Hodge should push for a spot in the Ashes side as a bowler after his 3-24 off 4 overs! It might be the only way in for him!
And to merge the two paragraphs above- T20 and England, we hear now that the ECB want to develop a rival 20-20 comp for the English summer called P20. What a joke! The plan is to have it based on the county sides and yet wants to draw in big name internationals; like the Raj now has the money to compete against India! When is the ICC going to look at an international club competition? Like the champions league, but with enough dollars to keep the splitters happy and consolidate this need to play a competition like this. IPL, ICL, Stanford, P20 etc and whatever. I understand peoples reservations against T20, i myself- while preferring test- am just happy to have any cricket, but let's get some consistency and uniformity to T20 at a level outside of international competition.
What else is news? India are prepared to give ICL players permission to play again if they end their connection with ICL; how generous of them!
Brett Lee looks likely to be called back up again... according to himself. It might be a bit of a shite-fight with Johnson and Siddle totally worthy of their positions, Clark fit again (but lacking form yet), Hilfenhaus needed to provide swing in England and a spinner likely to figure in the equation.
Another offie being pinged for chucking whilst playing against Australia, then Ajmal got fined for having a sook in the media accusing Watson of dobbing on him! Boo Hoo!
See, it is all happening, and i haven't even mentioned the Australian/Paki results in UAE... any takers?
stoph verismo
down the wicket
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