2 minute readWe remember seeing a story in the local paper once where a woman had come second in some sort of vegetable growing competition despite being the only person to have entered that particular category. Let’s say she grew a broccoflower – which is apparently a thing. In a world class
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Magazine aimed specifically at Michael Clarke’s Australia team launched
< 1 minute readAsked about ‘the line‘ earlier this month, Michael Clarke responded: “I probably say this every series but we respect there’s a line you can’t cross. Both teams might head-butt that line, but I’m confident we won’t overstep the mark.” Everyone knows that Clarke would never breach a line, which is
Continue readingSteven Smith is destined to fail says Michael Clarke
2 minute readMichael Clarke has launched an astonishing broadside against his team-mate Steven Smith ahead of this summer’s Ashes series. The Australian captain claims that Smith will struggle to make any sort of impact this summer despite now being ranked the best Test batsman in the world. Responding to Graeme Swann’s assertion
Continue readingHow New Zealand kept their distance from ‘the line’
< 1 minute readNew Zealand’s performance against England in the recently-completed Test series was the most relentlessly aggressive we can remember. There have been examples of individual players adopting a persistent attacking approach before now, but look back on those series and you’ll tend to find obdurate batting and dry bowling from a
Continue readingWahab v Watson
< 1 minute readTechnically, Shane Watson won this particular duel by surviving, going on to hit the winning runs. But if it really was a victory, it was one characterised by looking like a complete div for a prolonged period. Wahab Riaz’s mistake was that he left himself reliant on the woeful catching
Continue readingKane Williamson demonstrates how to hit a six
2 minute readWhen New Zealand played Australia, the bowlers won and cricket was all the better for it. Runs are not a sensible unit of measurement when gauging the value of the ‘product’. AB de Villiers is a genius and deserves every plaudit that comes his way, but Kane Williamson’s 45 off
Continue readingEngland hit the ground, not running, but with exceptional conservation of energy
< 1 minute readThis World Cup’s a marathon not a sprint. The last thing you want to do is hit the ground running. You want to hit the ground with a wet splat; look up; slowly get your bearings; and then start crawling in about a fortnight’s time. You want to reach a
Continue readingBatting aggression does not require actual aggression
2 minute readThat’s a straightforward message for Ricky Ponting and all who would make a similar defence of David Warner’s behaviour. Read it, accept that it is a fact and then go away and think through the issues again, Ricky. Ponting’s latest column for Cricinfo features the following assumption, stated as fact.
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Being an arsehole gives David Warner special powers
< 1 minute readThat is the subtext of any comment from captain or coach after David Warner has behaved like a bit of a prick. “He’s an aggressive player and we don’t want him to lose that edge,” they say. They say this because they know the truth: picking fights with people as
Continue readingDeclarations unforeseen on paper
2 minute readAustralia will get to declare again. Maybe this is presumptuous on our part. Maybe they were batting for a declaration but have now got a taste for scoring at ten an over and will carry on tomorrow. It seems unlikely though. If there’s one thing Australia like more than scoring
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