< 1 minute read Of all the many eye-catching features of Eoin Morgan’s batting, it’s one of the least noticeable which is perhaps the most significant. He’s very, very calm. Eoin Morgan is the England one-day batsman you most want to watch, but he’s increasingly the one you most rely on as well. He’s
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Andy Flower motivates England’s openers and wicketkeepers
< 1 minute read It’s tricky motivating people. Trust us on this, we’re pretty clued up on the psychopathology of apathy. Earlier in the year, Graeme Smith subtly dissed Dale Steyn because he didn’t think he was pulling his weight, even though Steyn was only just returning from injury. Smith didn’t care about that.
Continue readingCraig Kieswetter – yes or no?
< 1 minute read We might as well do our usual thing of formalising our fence-sitting position. Our initial feelings when Somerset wicketkeeper, Craig Kieswetter, started eating up column inches was: ‘No, not another one. Too many wicketkeepers!’ Everyone’s got a favourite wicketkeeper to push and we hate it. No-one can make an informed
Continue readingEngland’s next bowling coach
< 1 minute read A lot of big names are being bandied about – Allan Donald, Jason Gillespie, Darren Gough and Shaun Pollock, to name but a few – but why is no-one talking about Ian Austin? Ex-Lancashire medium-pacer, Ian Austin, could bring a lot to the job. Imagine a fabulous foursome of rotund
Continue readingAlastair Cook: future England captain
2 minute read We appreciate England’s desire to identify the next England captain in advance, but why has Alastair Cook been chosen? Warning: this article may contain some petty, bigoted views about certain strands of British society Leadership attributes There is no standout candidate to be the next England captain, yet England have
Continue readingTours of Bangladesh are real tours
< 1 minute read “They can’t beat us in Test matches. They can surprise you in ODIs but not in Tests.” So said Virender Sehwag about Bangladesh before his side fell to 213-8 on the first day. Presumably Sehwag saw this coming as well as an almost infinitely better second innings in which India
Continue readingWhat can England take from the South Africa tour?
< 1 minute read A lesson in momentum: South Africa will take momentum from winning this last Test handsomely. England will take momentum from drawing a series they truthfully expected to lose. Everyone’s a winner. Such is momentum in cricket. England can take quite a lot of pride after winning the one-day series, saving
Continue readingLow key fast bowling triumphs No.1 | James Anderson
< 1 minute read Ryan McLaren plays an immaculate cover drive for four. James Anderson bounces him with the next ball and the one after that. McLaren ducks them both. Will it be three in a row? Yes, it will. This time McLaren attempts a hook, but misses and the ball strikes him on
Continue readingEngland v South Africa fourth Test post mortem
< 1 minute read What do you mean it’s still moving? It’s as good as dead. It can’t feel pain any more. Did England listen to all the media coverage that said they’d done well in the series even if they lost this Test and ease off as a consequence? We say no. We
Continue readingAt least it wasn’t like that other time at The Wanderers when England were 2-4
< 1 minute read Atherton 0, Hussain 0, Butcher 1 and Stewart 0. Now that’s a bad start. Morne Morkel is mint, by the way; a big gallumphing lankatron of genial ferociousness.
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