< 1 minute readHere are some things that happened: 1. Jonathan Trott did some mileage This was probably the most important thing that happened today. When Australia’s openers were in, Trott was fielding at fine leg. Left-hander, right-hander, from both ends, Trott was at fine leg. He covered all four corners of the
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I.Ron Bell puts overs into Aussie legs
< 1 minute readMaybe we should consider him two different batsmen – Ian Bell, the guy who chips one to cover, and I.Ron Bell, the guy who plays these sorts of innings. (Make your own metallurgical puns. We had a look at the iron Wikipedia page with a view to coming up with
Continue readingAshton Agar’s first Test innings could have gone worse
2 minute readWas it only last year when we wrote about how enjoyable it was to watch a number 11 batsman make a record Test score? ‘Cricket at its best,’ we wrote, completely forgetting that a lurching Ashes Test makes us want to vomit until we’re right down to the lung butter.
Continue readingPeter Siddle doesn’t concern himself with hype
2 minute readWho’d have thought that it would be Peter Siddle taking all the wickets? Who’d have thought that in Australia’s brave new world of James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc and shiny new Ashton Agar, it would be tired old veteran Siddle, with his 150 Test wickets, proven record and exceptional fitness who’d
Continue readingIt’s all coming together perfectly for England
< 1 minute readJoe Root’s geting comfortable in his bowling boots. Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann are enjoying the feel of their batting gloves. Except for the fact that the batsmen aren’t making runs and the bowlers aren’t taking wickets, everything’s going exactly as planned in England’s warm-up match against Essex. But who
Continue readingNo desk for Nick Compton
2 minute readThere’s been no announcement that Nick Compton has been dropped from England’s Test squad, but he isn’t in the squad to play a warm-up match against Essex and Geoff Miller, the national selector, said that Joe Root is “currently the best opening partner” for Alastair Cook. It rather smacks of
Continue readingStumped by Dhoni and his experience
< 1 minute readIndia’s Champions Trophy victory presents a good opportunity to bring this post about Twenty20 wicketkeeping to prominence once again. In a 20-over match, two of England’s top three were stumped by MS Dhoni and he could conceivably have had a third dismissal of that nature towards the end of the
Continue readingIndia are better than everyone
2 minute readAnd are thus honoured with the Champions Trophy white jackets. What an honour. The final was an odd one, not least because it featured only 40 per cent of the scheduled overs. As soon as they announced it would be 20 overs a side, everyone started talking about six-hitting, but
Continue readingA Champions Trophy preview sort of thing
< 1 minute readIt’s a final. We’re happy to do a preview for a final. Bowling Other than Jimmy Anderson, England’s other seamers have been at best mediocre. India’s haven’t been as good as Jimbo, but they have at least had their moments. Spin-wise, James Tredwell has been a faintly-pudgy, slapped back superhero,
Continue readingEngland are better than South Africa
< 1 minute readYou know what? We knew this. We intimated as much this morning. This South African team hasn’t choked, it just isn’t really all that good. This particular XI had a couple of good batsmen and no bowlers. You don’t win much with a line-up like that. You may point out
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