Three Lions Cricket

Change of plan

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:10:00 +0000

To the literally tens of people who read this blog,

Thank you for visiting, especially if you've kept coming back for more (honourable mention to messers J Hayward and C Staniforth-Endsor). In the past week or so, I have been lucky enough to be asked by Will Luke to contribute regularly to his excellent blog, The Corridor. I'm exceedingly lucky to have this opportunity.

If you haven't already, please check it out. Will was formerly an assistant editor at Cricinfo, and now works for ESPN in general. As yet, I'm unsure what's going to happen to Three Lions Cricket - I may post on it from time to time - but for now, you can follow me over on The Corridor.

Many thanks for reading,

Rich

Pietersen Beginning To Talk The Talk Again

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:11:00 +0000

Kevin Pietersen gave a typically frank and honest interview to The Times yesterday, and - crucially - it was positive too. Because that's a word that's been slipping down the long list of adjectives aimed at England's best player in recent times.

Will Luke alluded to it in a recent article, the man himself in yesterday's piece; Kevin Pietersen was beginning to fall out of love with the game.

In that respect, writes Alison Rudd, his recent injury can be viewed as "a necessary evil... The combination of politics [the captaincy debacle] and playing while in pain left Pietersen wondering about his relationship with the sport." In his own words, he "hasn't particularly enjoyed playing cricket" in 2009.

But, as 2010 rears into view, his injury heals and his homeland beckons, his love for the game is set to be restored.

"I can't wait. I haven't been at my best since India last year. These last three months have cleared my brain and my thoughts," he said.

Despite the recent Ashes win, England's batting needs to be much stronger in South Africa. A fit and firing KP not only improves the top order through his mere inclusion, but also through the effect he can have on his teammates. It will be great to see him back.

Limited Overs Pump Up The Volume, But Test Is Best

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:24:00 +0000

Both Patrick Kidd and Will Luke - authors of the two best cricket blogs out there - have hit the bail on the head in recent posts regarding the sheer volume of cricket currently played on the elite circuit.

As Luke points out, very rare is the occasion when one logs onto cricinfo to find an empty Live Scores box. The top players are in demand like never before - from their national boards and a plethora of globalising club franchises. Not to mention their families back home.

I have no problem with the Champions League or the IPL - which is good, because they represent the direction in which the sport is heading. But, while some see this uncertain path as exhilarating, and others vulgar, all agree it must be managed carefully. This is equally true of the international game.

Scrapping seven match ODI series, as advocated by Patrick Kidd, would be a start. Doing away altogether with pointless series, like the one currently being played between India and Australia, is a necessity.

Cricket administrators are dipping their toes into a sea of overkill. Whilst a balance is sought between international and franchise cricket, mistakes are bound to be made and learned from. The one certainty I am taking from all this, is the supreme reign of the longest from of the game.

Whilst the quantity of one-day cricket around the world increases, so too does my yearning for, and appreciation of, Test cricket.

I'm looking forward to the two T20Is and five ODIs on the upcoming tour of South Africa, but they're the warm-up act. The appertiser. The spat before the war. When the floodlights go down, the cricket whites come out.

Unlike the shorter forms of the game, Test matches provide a platform on which, in theory, any type of player can thrive, but in reality only the best do. They create heroes of greater stature, longer lasting memories and more strands of narrative.

The limited overs debate will rage on. The more it's talked about and tinkered with, the more it will serve to underline the brilliance of the purest form of the game.

TLC 'End Of Summer Awards', Pt 2

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:59:00 +0000

Individual One-day Performance of the Summer - Eoin Morgan v South Africa, Champions Trophy

Too few performances to choose from, and most of the aptly named shortlist came from this match, but it was Morgan's knock which carried the most significance. His 67 came off 34 balls, including five 6s at a strike-rate of 197.05. Whilst not an altogether unheard of feat in world cricket, it was an innings rarely achieved by an Englishman - ok, Irishman - and came against the hosts and No 1 ranked team in the world. Along with Collingwood's performances in that tournament, and Wright's potential, it showed that maybe England do have the modern-day firepower to match the Albie Morkel's of this world.

Unsung hero of the Summer - Kevin Pietersen

I whole-heartedly supported Kevin Pietersen's actions at the start of the year. They cost him the job of England captain, and Peter Moores that of England coach, but in the long run, I felt that only good could come of it. I was wrong about the long run bit. The new coach and captain, plus Pietersen's attitude since the affair, enabled an outstanding turn-around and an Ashes result which would not have been previously possible.

An honourable mention to the selectors, who had an excellent Ashes series. They kept faith with Bopara and Broad, giving them every chance of a form recovery during the Ashes, and comprehensively won the 'battle of the gambles' - the inclusion of Trott vs the omission of Hauritz - at the Oval.

Best Opponent of the Summer - Ricky Ponting

Quite simply didn't deserve to become the first Australian captain to lose the Ashes twice in England since Billy Murdoch. Vilified by the English crowds for being too good, he finally garnered the reception he deserved at the Oval, during a match in which he demonstrated admirable humility. Not at his absolute best with the bat, his wicket is still the most prized of any Australian, while his captaincy is remarkably underrated in his homeland. Class act.

Best thing about the Summer - England's character

One thing this England side certainly have, is character. They bounced back from leadership implosion and Test series defeat in the Caribbean to win the Ashes, unthinkable embarrassment against Holland to beat Pakistan, disaster at Headingley to triumph at the Oval, and so on. Now Flower's job is to make such recovery unnecessary; but should we go 1-0 down in SA, all is far from lost.

Worst thing about the Summer - Devaluing of the England v Australia Contest

This occurred during the 6-1 post-Ashes ODI series defeat, and was nothing to do with the score, which merely devalued the ODI format. As the 50-over circus lumbered around the country, it threatened to take the shine off an otherwise memorable summer of anglo-antipodean battles.

Three Lions Cricket 'End Of Summer Awards', Pt 1

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:39:00 +0000

Time - during this well-earned international break - to review the summer of 2009. Only one team in the world could lose to Holland then triumph over Australia in the space of a few months.

Man of the Summer - 1. Andrew Strauss

A stunning summer, in fact, a stunning past 18 months. Grew into captaincy - improvement between Cardiff and Oval Tests was highly significant. Top scored in the Ashes (ave: 52.66) and ensuing ODI series (ave: 38.14). Married great batting and brilliant captaincy in an Ashes series; even Michael Vaughan didn't manage that.

2. Matt Prior

Finally, a worthy successor to Alec Stewart. Only just behind Strauss in terms of consistency during the Ashes. Has become a genuinely world-class keeper in remarkably short space of time. England conceded 106 fewer extras than Australia during the Ashes. Only criticisms being a moderate high score of 63 from seven Tests this summer (Ashes high score: 61) and an inability to consistently transfer Test batting cameos to one-day arena.

3. Andy Flower

Just brilliant. Comfortable in underdog role - a product of his playing career - but aiming to guide England to a level where they can dispense with the tag. Promising early signs of a special working relationship with Strauss. Showed his humility by opting out of the Oval victory lap.

Moment of the Summer - 1. Flintoff running out Ponting at the Oval.

A script writer would dare not pen it: Ponting run-out? Flintoff heroics? Been done before. But this was how it was meant to end. With his body restricting his bowling, Freddie, at wide mid-on, defied it one last time. The purest form of theatre, no-one could have predicted it. Except it didn't really surprise us. Flintoff's last offering of utter perfection to the Test match scene.

2. Panesar and Anderson Holding On At Cardiff

A monumental passage of cricket in the context of the rest of the summer. Few figures inspire less confidence with the bat than Monty Panesar, but his contribution that day - along with those of Anderson and Collingwood - were the first glimpses of the steely character which was to prove the difference between the sides.

3. Swann's Ashes Winning Wicket

Always a sweet occurrence, but made even more sickly by the the fact England were denied an on-field winning moment in 2005. I'm sure Swann doesn't mention it. Much.

Team Performance of the Summer - 1. The Oval Test (Ashes)

Edges out the Lord's Test purely because it followed the Headingley debacle, which, though both were bad, was far worse than the performance at Cardiff. An outstanding team effort, with argument-ending contributions from Stuart Broad and Jonathan Trott.

2. v Pakistan, World T20

A win, under huge pressure, against the eventual winners. Highly commendable due to the unthinkable embarrassment defeat would have caused. Going out of your own tournament after three days, before some teams have even played a game, would have rivaled World Cup '99 - when we exited the tournament before the official team song was released.

3. v South Africa, Champions Trophy

So they can do it. And how. The hosts barely knew what had hit them as England compiled a Shah-and-Morgan-inspired 323. Strauss said it was the best he'd seen England bat in a 50-over game, and, backed-up by sound bowling, it can act as a model performance to aspire to.

Individual Test Performance of the Summer - 1. Strauss at Lord's (Ashes)

The innings which announced England's arrival in the series as a team with pretensions of winning it. Batted for a whole day, and put on 196 with Cook for the first wicket. Fell early on day two, for 161, but had made the decisive contribution of the match by then, despite Flintoff taking the man-of-the-match honours on day five.

2. Broad at the Oval

Kudos to the selectors for sticking with him, kudos to the man himself for the decisive spell of the series. Stuart Broad won the Ashes for England in 12 overs, on day two of the last Test, during a spell of 5-37 - which included four wickets in 21 balls. Stunning stuff, and a 2005-shaped dose of excitement.

3. Trott at the Oval

A scarcely believable debut. So many parallels with KP's 158 four years ago. Siddle looked for all the world to have him caught behind off the first ball of day three, just like McGrath seemed to have snaffled Pietersen first ball in '05, but two great umpiring decisions enabled two historic innings - Trott's every bit as good as his countryman's. Actually, better. As Scyld Berry put it, "one of the all-time best England debuts."

England Issued Stuart Broad Warneing

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:09:00 +0000

Watching him bowl was an unforgettable experience, listening to him commentate is refreshing, and reading his articles is always worthwhile - even if it's sometimes advisable to have a bowl of salt to hand, with fingers in pinching position.

Shane Warne, in his Times column today, has warned England that they are in danger of 'ruining' one of their most promising young stars, Stuart Broad, providing he bats - as looks likely - at No 7 in South Africa.

He said: "If England want to ruin Stuart Broad, it strikes me that they may be going the right way about it. [Batting at No 7] could be the worst thing to happen to the guy.

I'm not bagging Broad, because he has the makings of being a good player. He is a decent bowler and a reasonable batsman - just not an international all-rounder. By thinking that he is, England risk taking his focus away from what he is learning to do well: first and foremost to support frontline bowlers, then to chip in with runs."

I'd apply the pinch of salt to the "makings of a good player" part. Broad has proved a match winner on several occasions in his short career so far, making important contributions with bat and ball. He's one of England's good players, the question is, how much better can he get?

If Warne drew on his own experience in writing this article, then it's barely applicable. He played in Test teams who almost always named their wicket-keeper at No 7. The second half of his Test career coincided with the emergence of a certain Adam Gilchrist, who single-handedly changed the job spec of the wicket-keeper forever, in making 12 hundreds from No 7 and even one from No 8.

Gilchrist's predecessor in the Australia team, and their keeper/No 7 for the first half of Warne's 145 appearances in the baggy green, was Ian Healy. Though made to look decidedly human when compared to Gilchrist, his batting average, after the last of his 119 Tests, was a respectable 27.39. After 22 matches, Stuart Broad's stands at 30.68.

It would be easy for England to 'ruin' Stuart Broad, but I think that a step up the batting order is some way down the list of possible ways how. Too much cricket - let's hope he's rested for the Bangladesh tour - and expecting Oval-like performances every match are more dangerous threats to England's brightest young talent.

Having him at seven is not ideal, but nor is not having a genuine Test-class all-rounder, and at present England don't.

One of Warne's arguments is that Broad at No 7 heaps too much pressure on him. On his batting maybe, but in allowing another bowler in the team it should have the opposite effect on his primary weapon. A 7, 8, 9 of Prior, Broad and Swann sounds perfect, but that would leave Broad as one of four front-line bowlers; a prospect South Africa's supreme batting line-up would surely relish.

The balance of the side is a key issue going into the South Africa series, and if Broad at No 7 works, England will have unlocked the answer. If it doesn't, he's shown enough character so far in his England career to suggest that one failed experiment wont 'ruin' him for good.

Media Round-Up: The Champions Trophy, Harmy And The Heroes Of The Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:15:00 +0000

England's cricketers may currently be trying to remember what they used to do in their spare time, but those who write about them are having no such thoughts.

Papers and websites have been awash with comment, contemplation and analysis, at the end of a summer which included seven Tests, countless limited-overs contests and two world tournaments. The one-day international was ruthlessly KO'd, then resuscitated, all in the space of a few weeks. Time to take stock.

The Champions Trophy promised to be the party no one wanted to go to, but threatened, in the end, to be the talk-of-the-town white hot VIP ticket. It certainly re-ignited an ODI debate which England had threatened to give a definitive ending to through their dismal 6-1 series defeat to Australia.

Alison Mitchell enjoyed what she saw during her informative blogs and reports from the heart of the action. And the general consensus seemed to be that the ODI, in its current format, had been offered a lifeline. Players, such as winning captain Ricky Ponting, and commentators alike subscribed to the view that while the administration of 50-over cricket is so often found wanting, when managed well, it deserves a place in the calendar.

I have dealt with the media reaction to the Ashes success, but sub-plots - relating to the squad chosen for South Africa - have failed to die-down. The Harmison debate has dominated in recent days.

With his record as it stands, I can only see Harmy as an immensely talented actor, with a penchant for forgetting his lines. Glad, as I am, to have seen him in England colours, I think the selectors have got this one right, but Mike Selvey makes a fine case for the defence in this article, and warns that he may yet be able to add credence to the line: "I'll be back." Providing he remembers it.

The implications of a Harmison-less attack are discussed here, by Otis Gibson.

But the men of the summer have to be Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower. There is little left to say about Strauss, the subject of an excellent Paul Hayward article in The Observer, who has enjoyed a masterful summer.

In the case of Flower, it seems interviews - like victory laps around the Oval - are not for him. Martin Johnson secured such a piece for The Sunday Times a month ago, which concurred entirely with his pragmatic, sensible but ambitious image. It took, as a starting point, England's pathetic 51 all out in Jamaica, and chronicled his team's improvement since then. With the start of the journey a mere eight months ago, Flower is certainly not viewing this summer's success as any sort of ending.

Selectors' Surprise Could Prove Wright Move

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:11:00 +0000

Sorry, couldn't resist.

A sub-headline on the BBC Sport website declared Liam Plunkett's inclusion in the Test squad a "surprise recall", but the prize for biggest surprise of all surely goes to Luke Wright being handed a pair of full England whites.

To be honest, I hadn't even considered it as an option, and at first assumed it a misprint born of a desire to break news of the squad before anyone else. It wasn't, and I'm coming round to the conclusion, why not?

For a start, he seems to have replaced Tim Bresnan in the curious replacement-for-Flintoff-but-won't-actually-play role, which is fair enough. Bresnan had a weak West Indies at his potential mercy during his only two Test appearances back in May. He did fine, and has since impressed in 50-over cricket, but for a bowling all-rounder, he's failed to convince that his primary skill offers enough threat in any form of the game. Does Wright's?

It remains to be seen, and probably won't be answered during the four Tests in South Africa. Unless England are battered into changing the make-up of their side, this tour is likely to be fruitful only in terms of experience. The following tour of Bangladesh seems more likely for a potential debut.

He made the right noises, as anyone not named Chris Gayle tends to do, in an interview with Spin Magazine back in September last year, saying: "Ask any young cricketer what their dream is and I would still like to think that it is about playing Test cricket for England. For me, Test cricket is the ultimate goal."

Wright has yet to forge a relationship with the middle-ground in his 25 ODIs and 14 T20Is so far; he's been all or nothing. From big-hitting, high-pressure batting and tight and bright bowling, to the briefest of contributions, he's been in and out of the team, shunted up and down the batting order and used at the death here, discarded there, with the ball. Throughout though, he's shown signs he belongs.

He bowls at 85 mph, can swing the ball, took 21 wickets in eight Championship matches (div 1) this season, hits big when needed, but also has seven first-class centuries from 57 matches, and has shown glimpses of stickability in the 50-over game. He fields brilliantly too.

No doubt he'd relish the opportunity to play eye-catching innings for his country, without a constant battle against time, overs remaining, and the need to resort to the sort of innings-ending shot which saw him clean-bowled by Peter Siddle during his impressive 48 against Australia last Friday.

In a word, or four, he's worth a chance. And more importantly, I didn't end on a pun. Just couldn't find the Wright one.

England Squads For South Africa Tour Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:35:00 +0000

The squads for England's Test, ODI and T20I tour of South Africa were announced at midday today, ending weeks of speculation and signaling the side's post-Ashes direction. They are:

Test Squad: Strauss (c), Cook (vc), Anderson, Bell, Broad, Collingwood, Davies, Onions, Pietersen, Plunkett, Prior, Rashid, Sidebottom, Swann, Trott, Wright

One-day Squad: Strauss, Anderson, Bresnan, Broad, Collingwood, Cook, Denly, Mahmood, Morgan, Onions, Pietersen, Prior, Rashid, Swann, Trott, Wright

Two of the most notable omissions are Steve Harmison and Geraint Jones, for Plunkett and Davies respectively, leaving Andrew Strauss the only survivor from the previous Test tour of South Africa.

The consensus is that this move has ended the international career of these 2005 Ashes stalwarts. That's probably true in Jones's case - there are plenty of promising young wicketkeeper-batsmen on the England radar at present. Harmison though, rightly dropped for Plunkett, can still offer something different on his day. We all know the black marks against his name - the inconsistency, the bad travelling - but his uniqueness has the power to scrub them out once again in the future. If he really wants it. A very-nearly-31-year-old, father of four, two times Ashes winner, he's known for his talent, not his determination. I suspect we've seen the last of him, but if he marries the two, he could yet prove us wrong.

That said, there was an ODI recall for a man who can - on his day (a too frequently used phrase regarding England seamers) - match Harmison's hostility; Saj Mahmood. He and Plunkett have enjoyed brief success for England in the past, and it is hoped that, as with James Anderson, time away from the international scene will have enhanced their maturity, readying them for a renewed challenge.

Two men about to experience the international wilderness again, are Monty Panesar and Ravi Bopara. Ravi will surely benefit from the time off. He seems to struggle with the mental side of top international cricket, and should remember the start of the summer, when he was, along with KP, England's chief Test and one-day batting threat. He's sure to come again, Panesar less so; though he's recently spoken about his intentions to rectify the situation.

England's Champions League Contingent

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:56:00 +0000

The T20 Champions League begins on Thursday, and England players past, future and present will be involved in this 12-team signal of the way the game is headed. Fortunately, there are few front-line England players on show; they both need and deserve a rest. So, most of those on display have a point to prove. They are:

Owais Shah - Delhi Daredevils.

Dimitri Mascarenhas - Otago Volts.

Craig Kieswetter and James Hildreth - Somerset.

Will Beer, Michael Yardy, Rory Hamilton-Brown, Ed Joyce and Luke Wright - Sussex Sharks.

For the likes of Mascarenhas and Joyce, it's a chance to nudge the ribs of England selectors whose eyes have been focused elsewhere of late. For youngsters like Kieswetter and Hamilton-Brown, it's a chance to shine on the biggest stage they've encountered so far. The IPL should be on the periphery of their minds; some of last year's foreign player picks were out of leftfield - players barely known beyond the South African and Australian domestic game. The stage is set.

CT Match 4 (v Aus): To Attack Or Not To Attack?

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:01:00 +0000

2/10/09 - Australia won by 9 wickets.

The mini-revival is over. Despite the impressive efforts of Luke Wright and Tim Bresnan, England lost this match because of their batting in the first 20 overs - during which they lost six wickets - and the inability of their bowlers to match the penetration demonstrated by Pakistan in skittling Australia in their final group game.

Bresnan's inclusion meant England entered the match looking a breakthrough bowler light. However, the brutal simplicity of his batting - in compiling 80 from 76 balls - was the major factor in his team posting a vaguely competitive score, even if it did seem about 40 runs below par.

Much debate centered around the approach of the top order, who tried to play with an attacking freedom which led to the loss of too many early wickets, despite runs flowing at a slick rate. They played their shots, and whilst few were reckless and the boundary found with refreshing regularity, the tactic did not appear to change despite the mounting wickets column. Was this the right approach?

I believe so. For a start, it worked against Sri Lanka, and - most devastatingly - against the hosts. It is also favourable when compared to the top-order's mindset at England's last major 50-over tournament, the 2007 World Cup. The cautious approach adopted by the top-order in that tournament hampered England badly. Such was the negativity and prizing of wickets-in-hand above all else, that against South Africa, in the Super Eights, England were 9-0 after 7 overs.

If going after the opposition early on works, it puts a team in a fantastic position to win a match. The same simply can't be said of platform-building defence and timidity.

Should England have adapted the approach as the wickets began to tumble? Possibly. Collingwood is usually ideal for that role, and maybe he could have consolidated for a few overs when he entered the fray in the 12th over. But he's in fine form, and understandably backed himself as he shot to 34 from 30 balls. His wicket was a huge blow, but he was pursuing a match-winning innings - an admirable, and, given his form, realistic mindset to be in.

Right tactic, poor execution. On Sky, Nick Knight - unsurprisingly in support of the positive batting - said he thought if England maintained the approach they'd win more games than they lose. That would be an improvement.

Pietersen To Make SA Test Series

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:39:00 +0000

According to the man himself, quoted in yesterday's Guardian, Kevin Pietersen will "certainly be in the Test squad" for the winter tour to South Africa.

He said, "The time scale is difficult but i will definitely be doing everything I can to get on that first plane to South Africa which is at the end of October. I might be a few days off that but I will certainly be in the Test squad. The one-dayers I am really pushing for but the Twenty20s might be a rush."

For obvious reasons, the series is an important one for KP, and his availability for selection is equally important to the team. He will be able to start training proper in two weeks time, and if his place on the plane is subject to hard work, England needn't worry; it's one of the reasons he got so badly injured in the first place.

CT Match 3 (v NZ): Thoughts Turn To Semi-Final

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:28:00 +0000

29/09/09 - New Zealand won by four wickets. Both sides progress to semis.

England have spent most of September disproving the theory that winning the toss gives a team an advantage in a one-day cricket match. Yesterday they discovered to their cost that in some cases it does make a big difference.

However, it's still no excuse for being bowled out for 146 - 66 runs less than Sri Lanka managed against England on Friday.

An attacking approach and clear minds had characterised England's first two games of the tournament, but here, as on English soil, those minds were caught in two - a product of good bowling and demons in the pitch. When it looked like the good work of the opening games may be undone by a thrashing at the hands and bats of their weakest group opposition, England's bowlers added some respectability to the scoreboard.

And morale-wise that could prove important, not least because it was masterminded by the quiet-up-until-now Stuart Broad (4-39). Sidebottom (1-32) replaced Onions, but failed to do enough to add any permanence to the switch. He may be more economical than Onions, but the Durham man will target the stumps more if picked against Australia, and thus carries more threat.

And Australia it is, after they crawled over the line against Pakistan.

England must forget the NatWest series, and recall the spirit of the Sri Lanka and South Africa games. The batsmen will take solace from the venue - Centurian - and the bowlers from the brittle middle order of the Michael Clarke-less opposition, kindly exposed today by Pakistan.

CT Match 2 (v SA): "Best Batting Ever"

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:11:00 +0000

27/09/09 - England won by 22 runs and progress to semi finals.

At the start of the Champions Trophy, the sentence: "That batting performance is the best I can ever remember England playing" would have been a strong contender for the Least Likely Claim To Be Made By Andrew Strauss Award. But those were his very words as England sent the hosts, South Africa, crashing out of the tournament. And he had a point.

Having arrived in South Africa with a surprisingly confident murmur against Sri Lanka on Friday, Shah (98), Collingwood (82) and Morgan (67) progressed to a shout yesterday. Any confidence shown from here on in will not be surprising.

The most pleasing thing about England's newly-lethal trio, is the affirmation to them and us that they can do it; they can perform at this level, they can construct a one-day innings, and they can do what we've seen them do before - both in county cricket (Morgan and Shah) and in ODIs of the past (Collingwood).

Strauss and Denly played their part too - no opening partnership has threatened the boundary with such regularity in the post-Tresco years. The bowling too had a bite so lacking on the late-summer English pitches, with several commentators identifying Jimmy Anderson's display (3-42) as one of his best ever.

This renewed belief was thrilling to witness, so too - for once - is a dissection of the particulars:

12 - The number of 6s in the England innings - Shah (6), Morgan (5). Earlier this summer, England failed to hit a single maximum against Holland in the World T20 opener.
197.05 - Eoin Morgan's strike-rate.
247 - The combined score of England's numbers three, four and five.
323 - England's total, the second highest in the competition's history.
2 - Number of semi-finals that England have now reached in major tournaments held outside England.

Tomorrow England face the familiar: a dead and - for them - meaningless group game. This time, however, their place in the last four is gloriously secure.

SA Tour: Jones In, Bopara Out?

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:00:00 +0000

England are set to recall Geraint Jones as back-up wicketkeeper, and discard Ravi Bopara for the winter tour of South Africa, according to Scyld Berry in The Sunday Telegraph.

Berry points out that Jones, who would replace Tim Ambrose as back-up to Matt Prior, has hit five first-class hundreds this season - more than any England gloveman in the past 25 years.

Bopara's struggles with the bat seem likely to see him dropped from both touring parties, with Berry claiming that "Joe Denly probably needs only one good innings in South Africa this week to become the reserve Test batsman in place of Bopara."

No light was shed on the selectors' thinking regarding the fifth seamer role - billed as a tussle between Durham colleagues Liam Plunkett and Steve Harmison.

CT Match 1 (v SL): Winning Start

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:41:00 +0000

25/09/09 - England won by 6 wickets.

Change of scenery, change of fortune. Before the game Andrew Strauss said he felt his side could beat anyone on their day - his players went on to prove him emphatically right.

Escaping the seemingly never-ending English summer, tired and muddled minds seemed freed from the rut of the NatWest series by a pitch which offered much for the bowlers, and an opposition that wasn't wearing green and gold.

England got it right from the start in dropping Bopara - possessor of probably the most tired and muddled mind of the lot - and winning the toss. Bopara has been handled well all summer - a four month period during which he enjoyed considerable success at the start. He was given every chance of an upsurge in form during the Ashes, until finally being dropped when his place became untenable after Headingley. His reintroduction for the NatWest series made sense, but his scores (49, 27, 10, 26, 18, 24, 13) were not enough to warrant a Champions Trophy starting berth.

Onions and Anderson furthered the promising start, reducing the Sri Lankans to 17-4 at one point. Given that, England had reason to be disappointed with Sri Lanka's eventual 212 on a tricky pitch, but to bowl any side out inside 50 overs is a notable achievement. The fact it was achieved despite conceding 25 extras and dropping short in length too frequently makes it even more impressive, whilst simultaneously highlighting what can be improved.

212 was still a worrying total for the batsmen; the lack of urgency to push the rate hovering over them as a potential pitfall. Losing Strauss and Denly early did nothing to quell the uneasiness, but the performance of the maligned trio of Shah, Collingwood and Morgan did exactly that.

In uncertain times, each has secured his place for the next two group games. Shah anchored with flashes of brilliance - he may be no KP, but he's the best option at three in the squad. Collingwood looked as carefree as he has all summer, hitting three 6s (one a flat-batted pull off Malinga) and backing up his recent fighting talk. Morgan's assurance as he came in at 82-3 was exemplary and belied the match situation.

As for Mendis, England showed him respect and nullified his threat. The batsmen were given a platform - not by the top order but by the bowlers - and they made it count, crossing the finish line with 30 balls remaining. England join New Zealand as the only sides Mendis has played but failed to take a wicket against in ODIs. His partner in crime, Muralitharan, was subdued and went for six runs an over.

No hint of getting carried away in the England camp - with Flower today saying, "It's only one game but it is confidence boosting," - but it does prove that England aren't woeful at one-day cricket. They're just woefully inconsistent.

Sri Lanka Preview: First Taste Of Mendis

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:55:00 +0000

England v Sri Lanka, Champions Trophy, Group B, Johannesburg, 13:30

If Ajantha Mendis has his customary say in proceedings, adjusting to altitude may be the least of England's problems when they take on Sri Lanka in Jo'burg tomorrow.

The mystery spinner's already powerful mystique has been enhanced on these shores due to the fact that none of his 55 international appearances have been against England. That will change tomorrow, and although yesterday's evidence suggests the pitch will offer more encouragement to the seamers, England's first encounter with the apparent heir to Murali's throne is significant. Besides, Mendis appears to be from the school of spinners who show scant regard for pitch conditions.

None of England's batsmen have encountered his mix of offbreaks, legbreaks, googlies, flippers and top-spinners - England's small IPL contingent even managed to avoid his Kolkata Knight Riders exploits. He doesn't turn the ball miles - he doesn't have to; his exceptional variety has been enough to account for 71 wickets in 34 ODIs - a wicket every 22 deliveries (including a haul of 6-13 against India). There'll be many more.

The answers to the questions he poses, it seems, are to play with a straight bat, get the front leg out of the way, and, most importantly, to read what's coming out of his hand - learn to pick his wrist movements. Easier typed than done. An additional question for England is have they the time to do their homework? Almost certainly not, unless we can put the failure of the past few weeks down to them ignoring the NatWest series challenge in order to prepare for this.

No, Laptop Mendis analysis must have been inadequately jigsawed in around travel, acclimatisation and the small matter of considering the host of other threats posed by the likes of Lasith Malinga. As a result, it's vital that Strauss, Denly and the chosen number three get England off to a positive start so that the struggling middle order don't have to push the run-rate - on top of merely trying to survive Mendis' spell. One of the few plusses of the recent ODI implosion has been the promise shown by that new opening partnership - tomorrow their role takes on extra significance.

The Champions Trophy 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:59:00 +0000

The ICC Champions Trophy kicks off today in South Africa. Weary England barely have time to breathe before their first match - Sri Lanka on Friday.

What is the Champions Trophy?

A mini, less-important World Cup, this year to be contested by the eight highest ranked ODI sides in the world. Contrary to popular opinion, that includes England.

Australia won the last tournament in 2006, and England reached the final in 2004, before losing in improbable fashion to the West Indies. The odds for those two reaching this year's final are not high.

Do England have a chance?

In theory everyone does, which is rare for a major international tournament in any sport. It's the top eight sides in the world, all of whom have been proficient in this format at different times. However, in practice it would appear we can cross England (and the West Indies) off the list of potential winners due to dire form, crass home ODI series scheduling and non-stop cricket for a core group of players. That said, whether they're recovering from defeat to Holland in the World T20, or demolition by Australia at Headingley, England seem intent on styling themselves as comeback kings. This would be their neatest trick yet.

Are they taking the right squad?

Seemingly not, although they were hampered by a squad submission deadline which predated Jonathan Trott's reintroduction to international cricket. The luxury of a post-Australia ODI series decision would have been ideal, but it gives the consistently average performers (Morgan, Bopara, Bresnan) the chance to snuff out a few question marks.

Who will win it?

Take your pick between the top sides in the world. South Africa have the local knowledge and will be fresher than most England players will remember being since their teenage years. Australia have some serious form behind them, and Pakistan are capable of literally anything - which could be good or bad - but I'm going for Sri Lanka.

Strong batting, led by Tillakaratne Dilshan, who's been unstoppable in one-day cricket for the past year, and thrived on the South African pitches during an explosive IPL spell with the Delhi Daredevils, is backed up by the irrepressible four Ms attack: Mathews, Malinga, Mendis and Muralitharan. England have practically no time to consider this prospect before they meet it head on. It's probably just as well.

It's a big tournament for...

Everyone - England are crying out for a new one-day hero - but Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah in particular. Collingwood has been a fine limited-overs player for England, and has usually managed to up his game when required in the past. This is one such time, as the burden of all-year-round cricket, across three formats, is starting to see his form slide.

Shah is in better touch than his scores in the NatWest series suggest, but his Benny Hill impersonation between the wickets and genuinely poor fielding must have put him in somewhere approaching last chance territory.

Who cares?

Well no-one usually, the Champions Trophy having been out-muscled in recent times by its bullish yet disorganised big brother - the World Cup. However, this year it's perilously close to actually meaning something. Recent 50-over World Cups have been woefully administrated, this is the ICC's chance to show lessons have been learned. Interest here - and in Australia - is likely to be fragile and entirely performance-dependent, but this time that's thanks to the ECB's late-summer flogging of both the format and the players, rather than the ICC.

The 50-over game itself has been taking a battering - from fans, commentators and players alike. England have done it no favours over the past few weeks - the rest of the world now have a prime opportunity to rectify that.

Seventh ODI (v Aus) Reaction

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 08:01:00 +0000

England won by 4 wickets.

England had Graeme Swann to thank for reducing Australia to 176 all out, but the manner in which they chased it down was fittingly limp.

Winning an ODI to avoid a 7-0 series defeat is like dropping a tenner and finding a 5p - hardly cause for celebration - and again, after a good start, the batting fell away badly. But England can take two individual performance plusses out of the game - which is two more than in most of the previous six.

Joe Denly scored his first half-century (53) against major opposition, and seems to be starting to convince himself that he belongs at this level. And a man who's thought that for a while, Swann, took his first ODI five-for (5-28). His was the outstanding performance England have been craving - but it's taken seven games, and stands alone in a campaign afflicted by mediocrity.

Swann's figures were the second best ever recorded by an England spinner - behind Vick Marks's 5-20 v New Zealand in 1984. And second best was the order of the day; England having been thoroughly outplayed over the past two weeks. At least now they have a modicum of form on which to attempt to mount a challenge in South Africa. The odds are against them.

Sensible end of series observations from Peter May at Cricket365.

Sixth ODI (v Aus) Reaction

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:34:00 +0000

17/09/09 - Australia won by 111 runs.

England must now dip into the reserves of courage and character which served them so well between the Headlingley and Oval Tests earlier this summer, in order to avoid an unprecedented 7-0 series whitewash.

Set 297 to win - two less than their score on this ground on Tuesday - England folded meekly on 185 after 41 overs, leaving top-scorer Bresnan - who has shown glimpses of resolve with the bat this series - stranded on 31.

Anderson, subdued since mid-summer, returned to form with the ball (4-55) but all other positives were conspicuous by their absence - a fact that was not lost on Strauss, who has talked, as well as played, a good game all summer.

An England win on Sunday would not dampen the humiliation of such heavy defeat, but it would at least offer some respite. Strauss must remind his men that they've turned things around previously this summer, when the stakes were much higher.

Fifth ODI (v Aus) Reaction

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:54:00 +0000

England lost by 4 wickets, with 10 balls remaining.

Despite England's highest total of the series so far, this match was no closer than the previous four, with Australia in rarely-unwavering control of their run chase.

The 'highlights' were the batting displays of youngsters Morgan and Denly. Denly is at the crawling stage of his international career, but his performance - 45 runs from 68 balls - suggests he'll be walking soon. For now Strauss (35 from 38) is playing the aggressor role, looking to alleviate the pressure from his inexperienced partner; the plan - in time - must be for these roles to reverse, with Denly attacking and Strauss looking to bat through.

Morgan played excellently for his 58 from 41 (including three 6s) proving that he can be more than a run-a-ball merchant at this level.

Sidebottom's performance yesterday (0-43, economy 4.60) reflected his side's throughout the series - decent containment, lacking in penetration. He has bowled his first spell of each match brilliantly, rarely conceding more than one or two an over. Eventually though, consistency leads to predictability, and his lack of variety is compounded by the one-paced nature of the rest of the attack.

A sign of England's travails in recent games, has been the disintegration of their fielding standards - a reliable barometer on which to measure commitment to the cause.

Tendulkar's Playing A Different Game

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:16:00 +0000

Sachin Tendulkar scored his 44th one-day hundred yesterday, as India defeated Sri Lanka in the Compaq Cup. This nudged him one century ahead of the entire combined total achieved by the all-time England ODI side chosen by Mike Atherton in The Times last Thursday.

It would be easy therefore, though entirely pointless, to concoct unflattering comparisons with England batsmen past and present. A fruitless venture; Tendulkar has been blessed with a rare talent and one which has graced an ODI pitch on no less than 428 occasions.

Only one England player in history can boast an ODI century count in double figures. Only one. And although Marcus Trescothick's career tally of 12 is dwarfed by Tendulkar's exploits, his games per century count is comparable: one in every 10.25 games, compared with the Indian's one in every 9.7.

Mind-boggling though Tendulkar's numbers are, the fact that Trescothick stands alone as the only Englishman to score more than eight career hundreds is the stat that should most concern England. Pietersen, on seven, must have him in his sights. A rejuvenated Strauss, on three, must be looking to double that at the very least. The likes of Trott, Denly, Bopara, Morgan, Kieswetter (from February), even Bell should be looking to share the load and inch as close to membership of the double figures club as is humanly possible.

None will get even close to the Little Master, but to match his sublime achievement as a collective unit would represent a marked improvement. Tendulkar deserves the adulation of a billion people, but what England need to build is a team of Marcus Trescothicks.

Andrew Strauss: Back From The Brink

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:00:00 +0000

The Sunday Telegraph today published the first of their exclusive extracts from Andrew Strauss' new book, Testing Times.

Here he describes his feelings ahead of his career-saving innings against New Zealand in Napier last March. He was without a Test century in 15 matches and had yet to pass 50 in the series.

I knew it was do or die time. My team-mates knew it. The media knew it.

Your team-mates, in those circumstances, are not sure what to say to motivate you or get you going. But I can remember one conversation in the middle of a net-practice before the game. Collingwood came down the net and said to me: "Straussy, you're not playing your game." I said: "I've been working for three months to improve." Colly said: "I know your strengths are pulls and cuts and I've hardly seen you play one all tour." In some ways those words almost underlined the point that I was in the last-chance saloon. But it was reassuring that one of my mates had taken enough interest to think about my plight and say something.

He was out for 0 in the first innings and considered himself a doomed man as he made his way out for the second.

My first priority was not to bag a pair. Once I got to 20 or so, I had the goal of getting through to close of play, by when I had reached 42. That night I felt it could have been have been all over by now - but I was still fighting and still had a chance. Realistically, it was going to take a hundred, not a fifty to keep my England career going.

The next day, I felt a mixture of hope and excitement, two feelings I hadn't experienced much in the recent past. I flashed at a wide ball early on and it went past gully, exactly where I had been caught in the first innings, and I remember thinking this could be my day.

I had to endure a couple of very spicy overs when 97 and I played and missed two or three times. Then came a wide delivery which I drove off the front foot through the covers. It was the same shot which brought up my hundred on Test debut at Lord's.

Strauss went on to score 177, his highest Test innings, and England claimed the series 2-1. Eighteen months later he lifted the Ashes urn as England captain.

Fourth ODI (v Aus) Reaction: Selectors' Hands Tied

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:17:00 +0000

Australia won by 7 wickets (with 38 balls remaining). Australia win the series.

England freshened up today's line-up a bit, but not enough, as Australia claimed an unassailable 4-0 lead.

In came Denly, Broad and Rashid for Swann and the rested duo of Paul Collingwood and James Anderson. Except that in the Sky commentary box neither Michael Holding nor Sir Ian Botham could believe they were being rested. Both were at pains to point out that Collingwood has 'only' played 77 days cricket so far this year. Surely they're missing the point; since the new year he's been away in the Caribbean playing Test and ODI series before embarking on a summer of seven home Tests, more ODIs and a stint captaining his country at the World T20. Atherton stood tall for the batting fraternity, suggesting all that may have taken a mental toll, but Holding was having none of it. 77 days of England duty on the pitch it may have been, but it's been at least that or more off it. I don't begrudge Collingwood a rest ahead of the Champions Trophy, in fact, I called for it after the third ODI.

Strauss winning the toss has become as inevitable as England's batting collapsing. He chose to bat first, giving Denly a chance to impress, which he did in part. 11 off 17 balls in 20 minutes is hardly the stuff of dreams, but he did offer a glimpse of hope. First ball nerves were dispelled with a leg-side clip for four, and he's got the first one out of the way. If he can find his feet over the next three matches, England will at least head to the Champions Trophy with a settled opening pair.

Again only Strauss (63) and Shah (39) offered any resistance as England squandered their best start of the series. After 16 overs they were 89-1, which though not headline-worthy does represent an improvement.

Matt Prior's struggles with the bat reflect those of his team. At present he's not translating his Test fluency and expansive shot play to the shorter game. Today he batted at four, meaning he's now batted everywhere from one to nine in ODIs (except five), though as Scyld Berry Points out in The Telegraph, come February, England are likely to install Craig Kieswetter. How we could do with his hitting now.

Brett Lee produced the outstanding performance of the series in claiming five wickets for 49, four of them clean bowled. Sometimes you have to just admire an opponents performance, and having watched the Ashes from the sidelines, Lee is unleashing his frustration in style. That is forgivable, the treatment - or rather non-treatment - of Hauritz less so.

He's clearly a tidy bowler - better than his career stats suggest - but he must be loving how cagily England are dealing with him. They didn't even try going after him - as his economy rate of 2.30 suggests - and with Lee on fire at the other end, this proved fatal. When the opposition are turning their potential weaknesses into strengths, it's time for changes.

Or at least it would be if the Champions Trophy squad hadn't already been announced. Bringing in fresh faces now would be counter productive - England must find their solution with this crop of players. Were this not the case, the likes of Mascarenhas, Lumb, Bell and Trott would all be in with a shout. The CT squad was named before Trott's Ashes heroics, but his unflappable temperament and a one-day average in the fourties suggests he'll feature in the winter tour to South Africa.

On to Trent Bridge, where Stuart Broad destroyed the South Africans last year.

Central Contracts: Harmison And Panesar Dropped

noreply@blogger.com (Rich Abbott) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:01:00 +0000

Despite Andy Flower reiterating that "central contracts don't decide selection - performances do," there are signs in yesterday's central contracts announcement of the direction in which England will head over the coming year. Onions, Swann and Prior - three of England's leading lights in the last twelve months - have been awarded full contracts for the first time. Panesar and Harmison - along with Patel, Ambrose and the retired Michael Vaughan - have lost theirs.

Ian Bell also received one of the eleven full-time deals - an indication he'll be on the teamsheet for the first Test in South Africa, though hopefully at four, with KP moving up to three.

With their contracts taken away, the onus is firmly on Panesar and Harmison, and neither can have many complaints. The former has slipped behind Adil Rashid in the pecking order, who, with his all-round skills will be hard to overtake. Harmison does not have the threat of a like-for-like replacement breathing down his neck. The news will test his hunger, his options being retire now or add another chapter to his jekyll and hyde England career.

Full Contracts

Anderson, Bell, Broad, Collingwood, Cook, Onions, Pietersen, Prior, Sidebottom, Strauss, Swann

Incremental Contracts

Bopara, Bresnan, Flintoff, Rashid, Shah, Trott, Wright