< 1 minute readIan Bell was the only batsman not to be toss today. He said: “We all know we have to get better at playing in the subcontinent. It’s a long-term goal and it isn’t going to just happen overnight.” This is a shame, because England will almost certainly be batting again
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James Anderson’s 30 this year
< 1 minute readThis might not seem all that significant. After all, not a year – not one single year – goes by without some international cricketer or other turning 30. This is different though. James Anderson was one of those players who loomed into view early in life and we still think
Continue readingPlaying the long game in Sri Lanka
< 1 minute readSamit Patel’s cricket statistics are being weighed against his vital statistics even more frequently of late. Is he fit enough for five-day cricket? It’s an interesting question, but we’re actually more interested in how the other England players cope. Even if Patel plays, we can’t see a debutant playing the
Continue readingEnglish players in the heat and humidity of Sri Lanka
< 1 minute readWe’ve read a couple of things today about how English players will struggle with the heat and humidity in Sri Lanka. Graham Gooch described the conditions as ‘unnatural,’ which isn’t strictly accurate. It strikes us that English cricketers should buck their ideas up. Sri Lanka may well be hot and
Continue readingEngland retain the number one Test spot in fine style
< 1 minute readNew Zealand drew with South Africa because it pissed it down on the last day. As a result, the Saffers cannot secure the 3-0 series win they would need to become the top-ranked Test side. This is a highlight. This is better than a Test championship. England have retained the
Continue readingWhy is Samit Patel in the England Test squad?
< 1 minute readLife’s about compromise. That’s what we’ll tell our kids when we take them to Lancashire v Yorkshire and buy them an ice cream between them instead of splashing out on Alton Towers tickets. If the Battotron 9000 averages 50, but has to be bolted to the floor in order to
Continue readingTaking stock of England’s tour against Pakistan
< 1 minute readWell, we would take stock, only there’s NO TIME. England announce the squad for their next tour later today. England’s fixture list frightens us. We once planned to buy a toothbrush one day and toothpaste the following day because we needed to spread out our tasks to fill the week.
Continue readingEngland might keep their one-day openers
2 minute readYou go away for a few days and the unthinkable happens. England at least appear to have settled on a pair of one-day openers. It’s like we’ve been to a faraway planet and have returned to a parallel earth. We had to switch Radio 1 on for a minute just
Continue readingEngland’s one-day victory template
< 1 minute readA hundred from Alastair Cook, a fifty from Ravi Bopara and four wickets for Steven Finn. As templates go, it’s quite specific. It’ll never last. Templates get worn out. Give us a bottle of Tab Clear, some prawn crackers and a copy of Sensible Soccer and we would NOT have
Continue readingAlastair Cook seems to be England’s best one-day batsman at the minute
< 1 minute readAnd after all of 12 matches, Steven Finn would seem to be their best bowler. How do you feel about these things? Angry or amazed? Before this series, each of Sky’s commentary team picked their preferred England one-day side. We weren’t really paying attention (cooking, eating, playing games or just
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