2 minute readWe haven’t really given much thought to Australia’s other five batting slots which means we can pitch Bailey v Warner as being a battle for the sixth one. They’ll almost certainly both play in the first Ashes Test, but let’s gloss over this so that we’ve got something to say
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Australia beat India 12-11 at sixes
< 1 minute readSo, technically, one-day cricket isn’t ‘all about hitting sixes these days’ because India won. Australia made 359-5 and India skittered to 362-1 in 43.3 overs in reply. Rohit Sharma hit a hundred and looked quite angry about it. Virat Kohli hit a 52-ball hundred and looked extraordinarily angry about it.
Continue readingWeather forecast for the first Ashes Test at Brisbane
< 1 minute readCricinfo is meteorologically ahead of the game. “Clarke under cloud for Brisbane Test” Clearly England should do away with Tremlett, Finn and Rankin and replace them with Mark Ealham, Mike Watkinson and Alan Igglesden to take advantage of overhead conditions. Yes, we have been reduced to this. What of it?
Continue readingWhen Mr Cricket became Mr Anecdote
< 1 minute readIf you’re thinking of reading Mike Hussey’s autobiography, you’d better HOLD ON TIGHT. Published excerpts reveal that after his final Test, the team were all going to have a boat party, but that Hussey didn’t want to go because his children wouldn’t have been allowed. Apparently some players wanted to
Continue readingThe international summer is over
< 1 minute readIt went out with a bang, on a cold, damp, September evening with the run-rate slowly climbing beyond being chaseable and a few drunk people chanting discordantly at a handful of lower-order England batsmen most of them hadn’t really heard of. Even watching on TV, it felt a bit like
Continue readingWhy you don’t give a toss about England v Australia this month
< 1 minute readFollowing yesterday’s look at the workload that is being shouldered by fans, it seems a decent time to restate our position that ODIs don’t matter. We were quite surprised to note that the article in question was written almost two and a half years ago and so there may well
Continue readingThe physiques of batsmen for Twenty20 and Tests
3 minute readAaron Finch and sixes. That’s the story of the first Twenty20 international between England and Australia. Finch hit the first ball he faced over the ropes and pretty much stuck with that approach, hitting 14 sixes in all. He even managed to push one over point while falling onto his
Continue readingLooking back on looking forward at Australia’s Ashes side
2 minute readEveryone’s reviewing the Ashes. It’s a bit tiresome, so we thought we’d instead review our preview. It amounts to much the same thing, but don’t tell anyone. The subheadings link to the original previews should you wish to do what pretty much no-one does and read more than one page
Continue readingTest standard boos before celebratory booze
< 1 minute readThe moment, when it came, was hugely exciting. Connoisseurs of booing had spent quite some time nervously anticipating it. A full series build-up and then a full day’s play where the prospect of a home win grew ever more likely. Just what would it sound like when Megatron finally turned
Continue readingEven the highlights were boring
< 1 minute readOver rates and now run rates. England are in no hurry. Whatever the motivation, it doesn’t make for much of a spectacle. A team batting for a draw can make for riveting entertainment, but it’s tension that makes the cricket so compelling. When a team is batting for a draw
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