Archive for the ‘England’ Category
Harmison hammered!!
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Forgotten debut against a team which had just started to see its best opener in years. First test as opener for that man and first test for Harmi as a England player. Harmi got hammered and that player scored 110 odd runs.
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7/12 against West Indies.
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Cheek breaker delivery that set the tone for epic 2005 Ashes win. The batsman on receiving end was Ricky Ponting.
He was one good bowler who was let down by his own inconsistencies and his own homesickness.
England have now lost all 5 of the bowling attack that won them Ashes 2005. Hoggard , Giles, Jones, Freddie and now Harmison. Add Vaughan and Tresco to that.
Last time England toured SA, they won tests 2-1 and a new star was born in the ODI series loss. KP.
The coming 3 months are key for 4 teams. The number 1 team plays number 5 in the rankings. And no 2 (they should not be) play the no 3 (they should be 2) in no 3 country where no 2 country have not won even a single Test.
And then no 1 would then play no 3 in no 3. Before that no 3 would tour no 9 for 2 Tests.
Figure out the numbers…………….
Freelancing and BCCI
It was quite amusing for me to find India being blamed for this concept. He conviniently forgot that he was one of those who began the exodus to the Packer circus in 70s and then was the board member in the ICL which began in 2007 and which gave rise to the “lucrative” options available to modern day cricketers today.
Andrew Flintoff rejected ECB’s central contract to be able to play in T20 tournaments world wide. For all the injuries and form concerns aside, he along with his friend KP remains IPL’s highest paid cricketers. And its ironical that the concerns on the freelance concept getting popular come from this 2 cricketers.
KP was quoted to have said that the English setup needs a change as players may find the county cricket a bit too exuastive.
The bottom line is that the English cricket season coincides with the start of IPL every year.
English cricket writers and admins easily forget that they began the T20 concept in 2003 and now they are the ones who are suddenly bothered about the life of Test cricket. Perhaps their vision is limited to the Ashes and perhaps for them life begins at the Ashes and ends at Ashes.
Its their own players now who have concerns over their own schedule and the domestic setup. Its very easy for them to go blame BCCI for all the ills in the cricket, but they forget one thing no big player from BCCI’s custody has slipped to go play in ICL or has embraced the concept of freelance cricket.
Its very easy for everybody in the world to blame BCCI for the ills in the world. Be it in the sports minister in India who suggests BCCI to accept WADA proposals or the lesser sportsmen in the country who at many times are benefitted by the grant provided by the BCCI for their expenses. Be it the ex-players who jump the gun to ICL and when the shop is closed they come back asking for favors.
Likes of PCB, Arjuna Ranatunga, Tony Greig, WICB blame BCCI for the ills in their own countries respectively. But little do they forget that the ICC is being funded by the star players and the money from India.
Before pointing out a finger to India for every ill, the respective board or individual should review their own position in the context and then point a finger to anybody else. That is take responsibility for your own actions.
BCCI is no saint, but its certainly not the evil its made out to be. After all it has shown the world that in a country like ours where everything is a creamy job for politicians, the game can still rule the headlines 9 out of 10 times for its performance on the field and has given the country some real valued sportsmen who have kept performing despite every road block and stumbling blocks.
But are we ready to accept this achievement of BCCI or is it going to be always eggs and pichkaris thrown at BCCI’s face…
Wishing an England win
Come anybody else they would thump, but bring on the Aussies. English go in a shell.
2/16 in 4 says it all.
I still wish if England could pull over…That would be a win for romantics as they had originally coiined for a team from South Asia…..
England prevail
One more win to England and they are through to the semis.
Good going lads. Keep it up!!
England with a chance to win the game….
Kandamby is their Bevan and Yuvraj in making. Or even Hussey. The lad is underrated, doesnt speak much about the usual processes in their cricket. Quietly delivers. And thats so kewl. Mahela Jayawardhene, the worst speaker, is back to his scoring spree. Thats how he is keeping his place in the team. Amazing man. This lad had 3 ducks in row against BD and Zim last year in ODIs.
England could still lose this game. If they negotiate the Ms well, they could win it but someone will have to bat through. One of Colly and Straussy would need to do it. England are my favorite team after India and Australia.
Jimmy did fire and Swann didnt. Yet Lankans fell for 212. I wont judge England on their recent 1-6 scoreline against the Aussies. They have to win just 3 more sessions of play and they are through to the semis. I am fancying them and Saffers to reach the semis. If England win today, they would make the group interesting should SL beat Kiwis and England beat one of the Kiwis and Saffas.
Yenjai the game and cherish the wikaats Mendhis and Murali, the Jack do not take.
SA trump NZ
England and New Zealend can beat each other and if any one of them upsets or both upset Sri Lanka, then their result would be keen for knowing who goes through to the next round.
Kiwis are crap. They just have no heart to fight.
Years back Stephen Fleming in a TV ad in India had said “Bada he to Better hai”. They should now say “Bada format he to hum bekaar hai”. They won the T20s in SL, but lost ODIs and Tests. Thats the same story here.
Wayne Parnell who had a good series against Australia got a 5-for and AB, Amy’s favorite saw them through.
Purna would be the happiest fan today on a Saffa win. Aint you lady if you reading this ? Yeah Herschelle Gibbs didnt play but then he should be back in the all important game with England.
Go England go.
Future of ODIs
Run up to Ashes — English Way
Every time we hear the same crap from English that they are well placed to win, every time they are thumped royally. 2005 was an abberation(*). Performance against Warwicks doesnt inspire much confidence. Whereas in the enemy camp, Mr Cricket has got some sort of form back.
Cant wait for 6 more days to see Ashes kicked off.
Adios Vaughan
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Being the 1st English captain in ages to have looked good to win Ashes in 2005 and to form a team which looked best English team of many many decades from 2003-06.
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His silken form with the bat in 2002-03 against India and Australia — two of best test playing teams.
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He formed careers of many Englishmen today like Harmison, Fred, KP, Strauss, Geraint Jones, Simon Jones, Hoggie and Bell.
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He did a Ganguly to England, he removed the inferiority complex of English teams after mediocre 90s famous for sudden comic collapses. English teams went to similar mould after he got injured in 2006 and never recovered the silken touch in batting and captaincy since 2007 India series.
His innings of 124 in Nottingham against India before he played on Zaheer Khan was his last innings of substance in Tests.
He would surely be clubbed amongst the best English captains of all times and one of the best captains of this decade along side Steve Waugh, Saurav Ganguly, Stephen Fleming and to an extent Ricky Ponting.
