‘The Summer of 2011...’

Well, that wasn’t quite the end to the summer we were all hoping for. After their ten-wicket thrashing of the West Indies on Friday, everyone assumed that Sundays match would offer much of the same. Yet, the West Indian spinners had other ideas and England’s young-guns floundered under the pressure. Chasing a more than manageable total, they capitulated in a wave of panic. Four run-outs being the result. Nevertheless, one dismal performance should not detract from the fact that 2011 has been England’s summer. Winning every series, rising to the top of the Test rankings and beginning to look like a dominant force, the future is bright. The future is red and white.

A Damp Series

The current One Day Series against India has, lets face it, been a bit of a damp squib and that’s not just because of the weather. With the first ODI called off due to rain, the second reduced to just 23 overs a side, the third being decided by Duckworth Lewis and the fourth a tie, there hasn’t been much to cheer about. Add into the equation the fact that eight of the original Indian team have gone home (for some various and, it has to be said, dubious reasons), and this ODI series is proving to be a bit of a let down. Built-up as the World Champions (India having won the ICC World Cup just five months ago) versus the World Twenty20 Champions (England taking that honour last year), it had, like the Test series, all the makings of a classic contest.

While nearly all of the Indian fans (and probably a great many of the England ones as well) had brought tickets in anticipation of seeing some of crickets superstars, they have been forced to watch what is effectively a second string Indian team. Used to seeing Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar opening the batting, they have had to be content with Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane. While, in the bowling department, the ever loyal Praveen Kumar has once again had to lead the charge. While this may not have quite been the promised billing, the Indian supporters have still had plenty to cheer about. The new opening partnership has largely been successful and their middle order has really taken the attack to England’s bowlers. MS Dhoni, a captain who has actually shown immense character throughout what has been a very difficult series for him and his team, has played some quality innings. As has Suresh Raina. What a difference a shortened game can make. All things considered though, England have been just that little bit stronger. With Alastair Cook continuing to prove his critics wrong and Ravi Bopara finally stepping up to the mark in Sunday’s match, England have always managed to (just) get the runs needed. This, of course, has been greatly aided by the quality of England’s bowling. Jade Dernbach has proven to be a real revelation and the potency of his bowling at the death was highlighted by his absence on Sunday, whereby India scored over a hundred runs off the last ten overs. Despite a series win then, England still have a very long way to go. With the absence of Eoin Morgan for the upcoming series in India they will need a ‘powerful finisher’. While Bopara played well for his 96 can he do so consistently? Ben Stokes, meanwhile, (one of England’s young hopefuls), still has a lot to do having had a string of low scores. With the news that Stuart Broad will also miss that series (it seems the injury bug is catching), England’s bowling attack will also need some careful consideration.

Fast forward a couple of months then, and the line-ups of both teams may look very different once again. Lets hope it proves a more thrilling contest.

A 4-0 Whitewash

“We’ve got the best team in the world, we’ve got the best team in the world…!”

So rang out the chant of the Barmy Army as England secured another resounding victory, wrapping up the series 4-0 and securing their place at the top of the world Test rankings. This being the first time, since the ICC’s official Test ranking came into existence in 2003, that England have been ranked number one. A massive achievement in itself, yesterday also marked another milestone; a 4-0 whitewash. At the beginning of the series many thought the result would be a draw and while CicketChicks predicted an England victory, we (along with everyone else), never dreamt England would win 4-0 and, more importantly, by the margins they have. Yesterday saw another innings victory for England, the second of the series.

The question then, is have England really been that good or have India been that bad?

The answer is probably a combination of both. India came into this series ‘undercooked’, unprepared and unfit. Some of their key players had not played a Test Match since January, opting to miss a tour of the West Indies (surely it can be no coincidence that Rahul Dravid, the Indian ‘Man of the Series’, did play) and looking somewhat more rotund than usual. When you combine this with the ageing nature of the current Indian team and some injury problems, the result was never likely to be the competitive series we had all hoped for. Nothing, however, should be taken away from the England team. They were simply outstanding. Being fitter, stronger and more drilled then their Indian counterparts. While the Indian bowling attack was at best mediocre, the England batsman could only play what was in front of them; and play them they certainly did. Consistently making big runs (over 700 at Edgbaston and 591 at the Oval) and with a number of the England players contributing with much lauded “daddy hundreds” (Kevin Pietersen, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell all made scores in excess of 200), their batting was relentless. With the inclusion of Tim Bresnan (after the injury to Chris Tremlett) England batted all the way down to number ten. The bowling was equally superb. Taller, faster and more skilled than the Indian bowlers, England’s attack (led brilliantly by Jimmy Anderson) never allowed the Indian batsman to find any sort of form. As equally relentless as the batsman, they complemented each other perfectly and exerted the sort of pressure which resulted in the Indian team only reaching 300 once in eight innings. Indeed, it is testament to the way England bowled that Sachin Tendulkar never managed to reach the illusive milestone of his 100^th international century. This being the first time since 2008 that the ‘Little Master’ has not reached three figures at least once in a Test series. This is undoubtedly one of the best bowling attacks he, and his other superstar batsmen, have had to face in a very long time. After all, this same line-up, managed to make runs against South Africa late last year.

The Indian team, though, could have been a little tougher. As Dravid showed, runs could have been made. It would be difficult but not impossible. Unfortunately for Dravid, who ‘carried his bat’ at the Oval and was one of India’s only shinning lights (Praveen Kumar perhaps the other), many of his counterparts lacked such courage and resilience. The attitude of Virender Sehwag in the filed and the antics of Suresh Raina and Gautam Gambhir, are three of the most blatant examples of a questionable attitude. A criticism which can be aimed higher than at just the players themselves. One has to wonder what the BCCI were thinking, delaying Sehwag’s shoulder surgery so as he could play a full season of the IPL. Moreover, what were they thinking when they decided to recall RP Singh (someone who hasn’t played Test Cricket for three years)? Is too much emphasise on the shorter format of the game hampering India’s Test Match potential? It is interesting to note that England have the fewest number of IPL players. As the number one Test team in the world and, facing a huge series against your biggest aspiring rivals, India should have been primed and pumped for this series. Unfortunately, they were anything but.

So, what now for England?

Totally focused and utterly ruthless, England, under Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower, have all the makings of a truly great team. With this current eleven having an average age of just 28, they have the potential to dominate for years to come. Moreover, as has been proven in this series, they posses the strength in depth needed to sustain that higher level. Two away series in the subcontinent will be England’s next big challenge. But we wouldn’t bet against them succeeding there as well.

England are Number 1!!

England are the number one Test team in the world. Official. England are number one. What is so impressive, however, it is not merely the fact that England have managed to climb to the top of the rankings, but the way they have gone about it. England’s thrashing of India (with a victory by an innings and 242 runs there really can be no other word for it), was a million miles away from their abysmal 57 all out against the West Indies back in 2009. Since then, Andrews Strauss and Andy Flower have taken the reins, instilling a professional, focused and winning mentality. The odd Ashes victory was no longer going to be enough. England not only want to be the best, but the best for a very long time. The domination of world cricket, in the same vein as the West Indies team of the 1980s and the Australian team of the 2000s, is now in England’s sights.

Such was the gulf between the two teams, in the latest Test Match, that it looked as if England and India were playing on totally different wickets. Finally winning the toss, Andrew Strauss took the decision to bowl first; one that seemed dubious when India reached 51-1 and Rahul Dravid and Gutum Ghambir were well set. But, that would have been to underestimate the England bowling attack. Tall, fit, strong and skilled they managed to bowl India out once again for under three hundred. With India’s batting line-up back to full strength, this feat was even more remarkable. As too was the brilliance of Alastair Cook. Batting for over twelve hours and amassing 294 runs (oh, how he deserved a treble hundred), Cook’s physical and mental strength are both supreme. With Eoin Morgan chipping in with his own hundred and decent scores from most of the others (Ravi Bopara being the most notable failure - may this have been the perfect opportunity to give a chance to a young, up and coming batsman?), England amassed a staggering seven hundred runs. With a lead of over four hundred the nail was all but sealed in India’s coffin. James Anderson’s opening spell in the second innings was brilliant as he accounted for the top four. Though MS Dhoni and Praveen Kumar played some shots, India were once again all out for under three hundred.

England deserve to be the number one team in the world and the nation should be very proud. There have been (as has already been indicated) some abysmal performances from England in the past, but this England side seem to have turned a corner. For all those supporters who have stuck by them through thick and thin, this is your reward.

An England Master Class…

Another fabulous Test Match, another fantastic win for England and a further step towards them becoming the Number One Test Side. Put into bat (again) on another overcast morning, England quickly found themselves eight wickets down. While many feared the worst, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann looked totally fearless as they came out to bat. With a partnership worth 70 runs from just 73 deliveries it was not only crucial in getting England up to a competitive total but also in seizing the momentum. India, however, appeared to have grasped it back when they reached 267 for four; the partnership between Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Sing being worth 128 and looking ominous. That was until Broad’s hat-trick. A spell of bowling that, a few months ago, would have seemed almost impossible. But, such has been Broad’s transformation (ah, the benefits of bowling a fuller length), he is now arguably England’s premier bowler. OK, so his glorious hat-trick was greatly aided by the absence of the Decision Review System (oh, the irony for India), but it was still a fabulous spell and was crucial in restricting India’s lead to just 67. What was even more remarkable about England’s performance was the way they then batted in the second innings. Having lost two wickets while still trailing, Ian Bell’s 159 was sublime, as was Eoin Morgan’s 70 and Tim Bresnan’s 90. (A key feature of the series has indeed been not only England’s depth but strength in batting). Pummelling the Indian bowling attack (albeit depleted, with the continued absence of Zaheer Khan and the injury to Harbhajan Singh) into submission, England amassed an imposing lead of 477 runs. The batting taken care of, it was over to the bowlers who, once again, were superb; being much taller, fitter and skilled than there Indian counterparts and, thus, much more effective. While the star this time was Bresnan (with his six wickets), it was most definitely a team effort. While the build up to the series often pitted it as a battle between England’s bowlers and the India super-star batsman, it is clear who is winning the contest. Failing to reach 300 in four innings now, India are in real trouble.

One side looks the best in the world and it’s not India.

…But Some Controversy

One issue which proved to be a massive talking point of the Test Match (other than how badly India were playing that is), was the ‘Ian Bell run-out’. Everyone, it seems, has given their opinion, so CricketChicks thought they would give theirs as well.

Firstly, despite the ball looking like it had gone for four (and Praveen Kumar’s theatricalism on the boundary didn’t exactly help), Bell should not have merely assumed the ball was ‘dead’ (and, if you look at the replays I don’t think Eoin Morgan had made that assumption as he grounded his bat and signalled for Bell to wait). He was naive, silly, idiotic - call it what you want. He was not, however, trying to score another run. While the laws say he was technically out, India did the decent and honourable thing. My problem, however, is with Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss approaching Duncan Fletcher and MS Dhoni during the Tea break to ask them to reconsider their initial decision. If India had of (and I’m sure they would have) reversed their decision on their own, then fine. But, the idea of the opposition going and asking is just wrong and, what’s more, has the potential to open up a whole can of worms. As one of the Sky Commentators said, everyone knew Harhhajan Singh had gotten a massive inside edge onto the pads, so what was to stop the Indian Captain and Coach appealing to the England team?

A Test Match Showcase

Has everyone calmed down yet?

It’s been a couple of days since the 2000^th Test Match in the History of the game and the 100^th between England and India came to an end. A capacity crowd on all five days, lengthy queues, extra security (mainly for Sachin Tendulkar) and a parade of old players - the first Test in the current series certainly lived up to the hype, while the cricket wasn’t bad either. A great advert for the longer format of the game, the match had a number of ebbs and flows; though, in the end, the tide of England proved too strong for an out of form India (some of their key players including Tendulkar himself, as well as Zaheer Khan, have only played one Test match since January). To add to the fact that India are notoriously ‘slow starters’, they also suffered a couple of injuries (most notably to Zaheer Khan who failed to bowl a single ball after the first days play), while the ‘little master’ was struck down with a virus. While India’s Captain, MS Dohni, was quick to point out all these unfortunate events, nothing should detract from that fact that England played exceptionally well.

Put in to bat on a damp, overcast morning, India surely had designs on having England at least four or five down by lunch. While they claimed England’s openers fairly cheaply, they hadn’t banked on the resolve of Jonathon Trott and Kevin Pietersen. OK, so the fact that Trott dug-in in the face of adversity may not have been a total shock, but the way KP played out his innings was a total revelation. Often lambasted (mainly by CricketChicks) for giving his wicket away and playing exciting but lose shots, Pietersen’s double hundred showed a mark of maturity and an understanding of his responsibility within the team. Cautious, watchful and measured are words which seem to juxtapose with the image of ‘Kevin Pietersen the batsman’, but they are surely central to the formation of ‘Kevin Pietersen, one of the greatest batsman of all time.’ While this may seem a total exaggeration, when KP first burst onto the International scene in 2005, that’s exactly what people were saying he had the potential to become - an all time great. In the past few years he has seemed anything but. Yet, if he can consistently put in innings, not only of flare and skill but also substance, there is no reason why he cant achieve such grandeur.

Another player much lauded in their early career but suffering for form of late, is Stuart Broad. Not guaranteed of playing in the starting eleven (the return to full fitness of Tim Bresnan putting serious pressure on his Test place), Broad finally managed, with devastating effect, to find the right, fuller length. Claiming four wickets in the first innings and at times looking virtually unplayable, Broad made all those who had doubted his selection look incredibly stupid. Not only was he brilliant with the ball, but he also contributed an excellent seventy runs to help England set up their declaration and assisted the magnificent Matt Prior in reaching another hundred.

Indeed, one of the key features of this Test Match has been how well the England team have gelled as a unit. Confident in each others abilities, the batsman know the next man in can get the runs, while the bowling unit consist of an effective and varied attack. The swing of James Anderson, the bounce of Chris Tremlett, a combination of the two from Broad and then the spin of Graeme Swann, must be one of, if not the best, bowling line-ups in world cricket.

History in the Making

Today marks the start of a momentous Test match. Here’s why:

1) It is the 2,000^th Test match in the History of the game.

2) It is the 100^th Test match between England and India.

3) It could see Sachin Tendullkar reach his 100 hundredth in all international cricket at the ‘home of cricket’.

4) If victorious, it could see England well on their way to becoming World Number 1 (a feat which would be achieved should they beat India by a margin of at least two games).

All things considered then, this Test promises much. Indeed, it is not just the opening match, but the whole series which brings with it great expectation and anticipation. Make no mistake, while this is a mighty challenge for England (perhaps the greatest they have yet to face), it should also be difficult for India. Ranked the number one Test match team for the past eighteen months, India have gone unbeaten in 11 series and have only lost 3 times in 30 tests. Impressive stats. Though, equally impressive is the fact that England have not been beaten in their last 8 series. They are most definitely a team on the up. What this means then, is that it should be a close fought series. Our money is on an England victory. Whether or not its by a margin of two games, however, remains to be seen.

For England and Captain Cook

Beating Sri Lanka (who were after all World Cup finalists) is no mean feat, especially when you have to come from behind. In the last two One Day Internationals then, England managed to do the unthinkable and turn a 2-1 deficit into 3-2 victory. A good win for England and an even more monumental one for their new ODI Captain, Alastair Cook. Under enormous pressure from the get-go (in fact from the minute he was announced as Andrew Strauss’s successor), Cook has not only handled himself impeccably in a wave of media negativity, but shown his true class as a One Day batsmen. With his total series runs amounting to 298 and a with a strike rate of nearly a run a ball, surely Captain Cook has silenced many of his detractors. To add to his well constructed hundred at Lords, Cook shared an unbeaten partnership of 171 with Craig Kieswetter at Trent Bridge, with the same opening duo then smashing 83 runs off the first 13 overs at Old Trafford. If these two innings are a sign of things to come, England’s One Day prospects look considerably more promising.

One debate which this series may not have ended though, is the issue of having two orthodox (i.e. slow) batsmen in England’s top three. As Cook has continued in the same rich vein of form he left the Test Arena in, the focus has inevitably fallen onto Jonathon Trott - England’s frustrating number three batsmen. Trott is a one-off; an expressionless, superstitious, old-fashioned batsmen who gets runs - valuable runs. With a One Day strike rate of 78.4 and with no other batsmen in the world having scored more runs than him this year, Trott simply must play. The issue, however, for me, is that Cook and Trott should never be at the crease at the same time. They are both accumulators who job is it to take the single and rotate the strike while the more expressive batsmen bat around them. To have them both in together then, would, I feel, cause undue problems. Namely, suffocating the scoring rate and putting pressure on each other to up the ante (such a scenario actually occurred in England’s innings at Lords with Trott out for single figures). Flexibility will thus be key. To give an example then, should Cook happen to go within the first five overs, Trott would be the next man in; being able to take over (and hopefully fulfil) Cooks role. If, however, Keiswetter should lose his wicket, then Kevin Pietersen or (judging by current form) even Eoin Morgan should be the next man in. These are two world class players who are more than capable of playing the big shots and keeping the run-rate ticking at a decent level. Such a plan would, however, depend on the willingness and form of Pietersen. Having never previously taken the initiative to come in at three in a fifty over match before, one can only assume he doesn’t much fancy the idea. More importantly, however, his form of late and his ability to go on and score big is of real concern. One feels that the India series will be massive for KP.

As we say goodbye to Sri Lanka then, (who, considering the fact that it pretty much rained for most of their tour, must be glad to leave the English ‘summer’ behind) our attention turns to India. With four Test Matches up first, the issue over who while occupy the number eight spot is intensifying. Tim Bresnan’s performance in the One Day Series has been exceptional. While, in contrast, Stuart Broad has been badly out of nick. It all depends on how bold the selectors want to be.

Just When You Think They’ve Turned a Corner…

Just when you think the England Cricket Team has turned a corner, they take two massive steps backwards. Yes, we’re talking about the two crushing defeats England have suffered at the hands of Sri Lanka in the current One Day Series (which now stands at 2-1 with two more to play). If Friday’s performance wasn’t bad enough, CricketChicks were actually at Lords yesterday and witnessed first hand England’s ineptness in the One Day format. Lacklustre, unimaginative, limp - these are all words which could appropriately sum up what we saw from England yesterday. An excellent wicket for batting, a par score would probably have been in the region of 280 - 300, if not more. Yet, England’s batsmen were stuttering and doddering as though they were playing on a minefield. The result, a miserly score of just over 240 (thanks in no small part to a late impetus from Graeme Swann who hit a six and a four off Lasith Malinga’s last over), which never looked competitive.

So what exactly went so wrong?

Many have laid the blame with Alastair Cook, the new ODI Captain. Firstly, on winning the toss, he should have elected to bowl first and secondly, his scoring rate was far too slow. Personally, I don’t agree with either of these criticisms. Yes, England have a better winning record when they are chasing down a score (the notion being that they prefer to know exactly what is they have to get so as they can plan and pace their innings accordingly) - the idea of setting a target has always sat uneasily with England. They get nervous, flounder, panic and then ultimately lose. Yet, I believe that a decent squad (as on paper at least, England surely are) should be able to bat sufficiently well first off (assessing conditions, over rate etc.), setting a decent and competitive total. Having won the toss yesterday, there was absolutely no reason why England shouldn’t have made at least three hundred runs. With a decent number of runs on the board, not only would England have had their tail up but all the pressure would have been on Sri Lanka.

One of the reasons, however, according to many, why England failed to do so, was Cook’s scoring rate. I strongly disagree with this. In my opinion, Cook’s role within the team is the ‘accumulator’ - the one who bats out nearly all fifty over’s, takes the singles, rotates the strike and puts away any bad deliveries. 119 off 126 balls, at a strike-rate of 83, doesn’t sound too bad for me. Of course, it could be argued that Cooks plodding nature puts pressure on the person at the other end to score more quickly, thus causing errors. Yet, batsman such as Craig Kiswetter, Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan and Ian Bell should be able to comfortably switch gears once established. What we saw yesterday, however, was Kiswetter scratch around for a number of delivers before getting out (isn’t his role to provide the impetus at the top?), KP throw his wicket away once well set and Morgan doing the complete opposite by trying to be aggressive too early. The result was the regular loss of wickets and the stalling of momentum. As Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara showed brilliantly on Friday, partnerships are key. Certain English batsmen need to actually think while they are in the middle and take some responsibility. Without Cook, England’s total would have been even more abysmal.

The bowling department is not, however, completely blameless. Though I would argue this is more the selectors fault than the players themselves. While Jade Dernbach looks a fine player, is he really better than either Steven Finn or Chris Tremlett? Indeed, it was ironic yesterday, that with England attempting to remove Dinesh Chandimal with short pitch bowling, Dernbach was asked to bang the ball in. I thought his skill was the slower ball? And what’s more if one thinks this type of bowling may be effective against the Sri Lankans, why not have one of the two aforementioned men who can more naturally bowl such balls? England are too focused on slow ball variation. Just because that method worked in the Twenty20 World Cup it doesn’t mean it will work now and in English conditions. As Malinga expertly demonstrates, a well bowled Yorker will undo even the best batsmen.

The game of cricket (particularly the shorter format) is constantly evolving and England are proving slow to adapt. If they don’t do something before Wednesday, this series will be dead and buried.

1-0 England. Four to go….

Taking into consideration England’s performance in Saturdays Twenty20 match and also the fact that the last time they played Sri Lanka in a One Day game (the World Cup quarter final in Colombo) they lost by ten wickets, expectations weren’t exactly high for Tuesday’s game. If England have been slowly growing in confidence within the Test Match arena (currently standing at third in the world rankings and with their sights firmly set on the number one spot), their performances in the shorter format of the game have been distinctly average.

After yet another disastrous World Cup campaign then, the team who faced Sri Lanka on Tuesday was minus six of those who had played in that fateful quarter final. Under new leadership in the form of Alastair Cook, (someone who wasn’t even included in the World Cup squad let alone opening the batting a few months ago), England actually played very well. Craig Kieswetter (returning to the squad after yet another change of wicketkeeper) showed promise as an opener; taking his time to get in before accelerating his scoring rate. How long he will last in this role, however, remains to be scene. One thing which is for sure, though, is the place of Eoin Morgan. Simply outstanding in the Twenty20 match (one of England’s only shining lights duringt that game), Morgan continued on in the same fashion. Promoted up the order ahead of Ian Bell (the first positive move from the new Captain), the Middlesex man did what he did best. Indeed, when him and Kevin Pietersen were both at the crease, their destructive potential was apparent for all to see. The one down side then, with regards to England’s batting, was the fact that they lost key wickets in close succession. The loss of Pietersen, Morgan and Bell severely staled England’s run-rate, as the two new lower-middle-order batsman struggled to get the ball away. One costly over from Lakmal (perfectly taken advantage of by Tim Bresnan), greatly assisted the home side in reaching a target of 230. If the batting prowess of the Sri Lankans had been reaffirmed on Saturday, as Mahela Jayewardene and Kumar Sangakkara pummelled England’s relatively inexperienced bowling attack, the return of James Anderson proved too much for them. With figures of 4-18, Anderson accounted for three of their top four and with such power hitters back in the pavilion, their could only be one result. However unlikely that may have seemed a few days ago.

Sri Lanka Back On Top

If Sri Lanka looked out of place in their whites, then they never looked more comfortable than when in their more colourful attire. A team much more confident and, it has to be said, skilled in the shorter format of the game (greatly helped by the return of certain players, particularly Lasith Malinga), the Sri Lankans totally outclassed their feeble opponents. With Stuart Broad taking over the captaincy, England opted to leave out Ian Bell (arguably their most in-form batsman) in favour of three ‘all-rounder’s’. While the inclusion of Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel and Luke Wright may have provided more options with the ball, it left England’s middle order batting somewhat depleted. As Mahela Jayewardene and Kumar Sangakkara expertly demonstrated, ‘proper’ batsman (i.e. touch players and stroke makers) can be just as effective in the shorter format. The way they batted was sublime and put England’s sloggers to shame. While the trio mentioned above are all undeniably good cricketers, none posses the batting skills needed to marshal the middle overs of play (often when the spinner is on and quick singles and strike rotation is needed). Trying to whack every ball out of the ground simply wont work. On the plus side, the partnership between Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan was brilliant; with Morgan in particular taking full advantage of a number of full tosses. Had one managed to go on and see out the remaining overs, things might have been different. As it was, England were at least twenty runs short and thus never in the contest. Lets hope the One Dayers are more competitive.

CricketChicks ODI team for the series against Sri Lanka:

1) Alastair Cook

2) Craig Kieswetter

3) Jonathon Trott

4) Kevin Pietersen

5) Ian Bell

6) Eoin Morgan

7) Tim Bresnan

8) Stuart Broad

9) Graeme Swann

10) Chris Tremlett

11) Steven Finn or James Anderson

Lords Under Threat?

It was announced last week that Lords will not be hosting a Test Match when the West Indies come to England next year. Apparently, the ground was outbid by Cardiff, who will host one of three Test Matches alongside Edgbaston and Trent Bridge in 2012. I don’t know about you, but I think this is outrageous.

Lords is the ‘home of cricket’. It has a history and aura which no other ground can match. The idea of a visiting side not getting the chance to play on the hallowed turf, to walk through the long room, to get their name on the prestigious honours board, is utterly ridiculous. If I were the West Indies team I would be asking some stern and serious questions. Their position in the ICC World Rankings may have had some impact on the decision, as it seems unlikely that a higher ranked team would be treated in such a manner (can you imagine if India had been denied a Lords test?). Saying that, Bangladesh did get to play a Test at the home of cricket. This leads onto the fact that there have, in the past, been some concerns raised about the dominance of London in hosting games (with, quite often, the Oval also hosting a match). Yet, with regards to the impending West Indies series, not even the Oval was awarded a Test Match. Surely at least one should be in the capital?

More importantly though, is the question as to whether Cardiff will even be able to fill their ground. If recent evidence is to go by, then the answer is no. Hosting the first Test in the current series against Sri Lanka, the Swalec Stadium did poorly on pre-sale tickets and large sections of the ground remained empty throughout. Admittedly, the weather didn’t help and the opposition wasn’t as alluring as Australia, but Lords managed to sell out for the first three days with the remaining two also pretty full. The allure of Lords is a strong crowd puller, whether the other Test Match grounds like it or not. In fact, in my opinion, Lords shouldn’t even have to bid. As a Test Match venue, there is simply no competition.

A Break or Two

After the excitement of the Cardiff test, (where despite almost persistent rain - who’s bright idea was it to play a test match in Wales, in May? - Sri Lanka capitulated on the final afternoon and were all out for 82), the Lords Test Match seemed rather dull. Despite a couple of breaks - Dilshan’s thumb and a pavilion window (is anyone actually buying the story that Matt Prior’s bat ‘accidentally’ set off an avalanche of the said item, resulting in shattered glass and the cut ankle of an MCC member? No, me neither. The more likely story is that, after having had to endure Alastair Cook plod his way to yet another century and then being told it was his job to up the ante - a ploy which resulted in him being run out for four - Prior got back to the dressing room in a fit of anger and threw something straight at the window. Simple.) - nothing else really happened.

As already mentioned, Cook reached another milestone, Prior (before his break) also played well

for a century and Dilshan (also before his break) was sublime, as he notched up the highest score by a Sri Lankan at Lords. While the batsmen then, (with the exception of the first mornings play) looked competent, England’s bowling giants (the tallest in Test Match history, with a combined height of 9 feet, eight inches) struggled to find the right line and length. While the inclusion of Steven Finn seems to have vindicated itself with his ‘four-for’, having three tall, ‘hit-the-deck’ bowlers seemed a bit, well, samey. With Lords typically being one of the most productive grounds for swing bowling, one cannot help but wander if England may have been better off including Jade Dernbach or Ajmal Shazad in their squad? While this is of course all hindsight, when you add yet even more rain into the mix (OK, so Wales isn’t the only place to receive wet weather) and the cautious nature of Strauss and Flower, a draw always seemed the mostly likely option. Sri Lanka’s bating is too good to let another spectacular collapse happen again; though their ‘heavyweights’ in the form of Jayewardene and Sangakkara, could do with some runs.

Let’s hope that down at The Rose Bowl the sun is shinning, the cricket is exciting and the windows remain intact.

Over and Out

It was the toughest quarter-final. Sri Lanka at home. But England only have themselves to blame for the position they found themselves in today. Had they managed (as expected) to beat both Ireland and Bangladesh they would have finished top of their group and in line for a quarter-final against New Zealand. Not that they would have been guaranteed to win that match (New Zealand after all managed to see off the mighty South Africa), but it certainly would have been less daunting.

All in all, like all previous World Cups, this tournament has been a massive disappointment for both the England team and their supporters. Players have been injured (Kevin Pietersen, Ajmal Shazad and Stuart Broad), while the managements plans - well, what plans? - have been jumbled and, frankly, desperate. In their defence, however, it is unfortunate that Michael Yardy had to return home early (an admission of depression being both incredibly brave and a stark indication that the international schedule is just too hectic) and (with reference again to the latter) that the World Cup always occurs straight after an Ashes tour down under. Inevitably then, players are both fatigued and below their best. This aside, though, England have underperformed. Fortunate to get through the group stages, today their luck run out. Up against an exciting and ambitious team, England were found wanting; being humiliated by a ten-wicket defeat.

Looking forwards, England will return home within the next couple of days for the rest and relaxation many have publicly been crying out for. While being on tour since the end of October must be tiresome, how many will soon be returning to India for the IPL? A tournament which takes place during what is technically a ‘rest period’ and is motivated solely by money. As for the remainder of the World Cup, lets hope the semi-finals provide some excellent, entertaining cricket. After all the most eccentric and inconsistence team have finally been knocked out.

So, the rollercoaster that is England’s world cup campaign continues after they (just) managed to beat the West Indies and other results have gone their way. We don’t know about you, but CricketChicks are not sure if their nerves can actually take anymore.

The good, the bad and the downright awful

England have now played three matches in this years ICC World Cup and what can we say. Their performances have ranged from the sublime to the downright awful. Whereas most of the Test playing nations have managed to beat the associate teams with ease (ten or nine wicket wins being the norm, with the West Indies bowling Bangladesh out for just 58, yesterday), England have struggled. Once again facing those men in Orange (the last time being in that infamous Twenty20 World cup opener), England’s bowlers were expensive, as the Nerthlands racked up a thoroughly competitive score. England managed to force a victory, but only just.

Yet, this was nothing compared to Wednesday’s match against the men in Green. Odds on favourites to brush aside the minnows, Ireland’s victory over England will go down as one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. While taking nothing away from Kevin O’Brien’s brilliant hundred (the fastest ever scored in a World Cup), England’s bowlers were appalling. With the exception of Graeme Swann, the seamers were totally indiscipline. James Anderson being the greatest concern, as he is now the most expensive England bowler in World Cups. How much longer he features in the starting eleven remains to be seen. Add to this, England’s atrocious fielding (five dropped catches in the match against Ireland) and you have defeat written all over it. Will they fair any better against Bangladesh and the West Indies - matches which, pre-tournament, were seen as nothing more than mere formality.

In the match against India, though, England looked a thoroughly competent side. A batting master class from Sachin Tendulkar helped India to a formidable total (one which incidentally, could have been a lot more menacing had it not been for some excellent death bowling by Tim Bresnan). At half time, lets be honest, no one would have given England much of a chance. Similar run chases of the past, have usually resulted in England capitulating. But, some superb batting from Andrew Strauss (upstaging the little master himself) and Ian Bell, took England to within a comfortable distance of victory. But, no. It wouldn’t be England if there wasn’t some sort of disaster. Opting to take the batting power play, England lost four wickets for twenty-five runs. Suddenly, with new batsman at the crease and the fielders up, things began to look a little more difficult. An ever increasing run-rate resulted in more departing wickets. It was only thanks to some power hitting by Bresnan and Ajmal Shazad that England managed to get a draw. A game of mixed emotions for all then. As while England should have won, they did well to reach India’s score of 338. Moreover, they definitely played their part in an exciting game of fifty over cricket.

Indeed, if there is one word that can sum up England’s campaign so far, its entertaining. Lets just hope tomorrows drama’s (with England there is bound to be some) ends in an England victory.

The World Cup has begun…

So, the World Cup has begun. On Thursday we were treated to a parade of rickshaws, each of which contained one of the Captains from the fourteen (yes, that’s fourteen) teams competing in this years tournament. A six week One Day marathon, the ICC World Cup consists of two groups of eight teams; with the top four from each advancing to the knock-out stages. This part of the tournament lasts for about a month. At the end of which will be the result we could all predict right now. (OK, that might be a little unfair - the West Indies may fail to make it to the quarter final stage). While the thought of the Cricket World Cup fills many with dread (and that’s just the actual cricket lovers) England’s two warm up games, but particularly their last, have provided a faint glimmer of hope.

The big change has been the promotion of Kevin Pietersen. Why, after playing 110 ODI’s, he (and the England Management) have suddenly decided this is the best place for him to bat, who knows and who cares. His 66 against Bangladesh on Friday showed that KP ‘The Opener’ may just work. Frankly, its about time KP took on more responsibility. He his often hailed as England’s best batsman and he likes to be the showman. So, what better place to bat than at the top. Ego aside though, KP is a mighty fine player and if he can bat out a majority of the fifty over’s (allowing players such as Jonathon Trott and Ian Bell to accumulate runs around him), England wont lose many matches.

Paul Collingwood also showed a much welcomed return to form on Friday, with his 65. While Stuart Broad has been even more impressive on his return from injury; taking two five-wicket hauls. With Graeme Swann set to join the team early next week, things might just be falling into place. The absence of Eoin Morgan is obviously still a massive blow, but lets see if the other batsman can stand up to the plate.

If we have to endure six weeks of an ICC tournament, lets at least have an England victory at the end of it.

A series finished but not forgotten (unfortunately).

It has nearly been a week since England lost the One Day International series against Australia 6-1. In all sense and purposes it was a terrible series and that’s not just because England were hammered (the second time incidentally, they have lost a limited over’s series by such a margin after winning the Ashes; the other being 2009). Whether both sides were just fatigued (seven games at the end of a five match Test series is ludicrous) or suffering from a post-Ashes hangover, the quality of the cricket has been poor all round. Australia won simply because they weren’t quite as bad as England. To make matters worse for both sides, but particularly England, this ODI series has an injury list which would give Holby City a run for its money. In total, six of England’s players had to return home early. This included Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan, Ajmal Shazad, Chris Tremlett, Paul Collingwood and most worryingly of all, Eoin Morgan. Thank heavens the tour ended when it did.

If we rewind to the winter of 2009, England’s tour of South Africa marked the start of their improvement within the limited format of the game. A series win against the Proteas (in their own back yard) was no mean feat. Neither was beating Bangladesh, winning the Twenty20 World Cup, beating Bangladesh again (this time in England), beating Australia and then beating Pakistan both in the summer of 2010. Such a transformation is often accredited to the presence of Morgan. A rare talent, possessing both power and finesse, many have argued that Morgan showed the England players how to lift up a bat, to attack and back yourself. While this is undeniably true and his recent poor run of form in Australia (sitting around for three months can’t have helped, neither could the broken finger) has been a major factor in England’s string of losses, it is not the only cause. For some reason, this current England One Day squad have looked like the team of old. Timid, hitting ‘nothing’ shots, indiscipline in the bowling, inconsistent in selection and all with predictable results. The fact that this latest series witnessed five run outs in the space of three innings, indicates a team unsure of what they are doing.

Looking forward, the England squad fly out to Bangladesh today. They play their first warm-up match on the 22^nd and then face six group matches; five of which will be played in India. If you thought things were going to get easier, think again. In fact, if anything, England face an even tougher task. Australia, as I have already mentioned, were not playing great cricket- certainly not a brand of cricket good enough to win a World Cup. In contrast teams like India, Sri Lanka and South Africa will be fresh and raring to go. Bereft of their best one day player, unsure of what balance to have (Prior to open? Collingwood as the fifth bowler?) and with many others nursing injuries, England’s chances of winning have been seriously hampered.

Saying that, though, not many people would have given them a chance in the Twenty20 World Cup and look what happened there. In cricket you just never know.

To Trott or not to Trott? That seems to be the question.

Jonathan Trott has made himself almost un-droppable. Again. He has a habit of doing this, remember last summer and his double century, at Lords, against Bangladesh? His 82 not out in the third ODI of the current series and then his century at Adelaide (not to mention his two wickets in the same match), have not only demonstrated his potential as a player in the shorter format of the game, but have given the England selectors a great deal to think about just before the World Cup. If Trott is included in the starting eleven it means that either Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen or Paul Collingwood will have to be left out. While England’s performance at Adelaide was much improved (a feat which sees their chances of a series win still alive), the balance of the side put out in that match, will not work in all circumstances. While Collingwood batting at seven and acting as the fifth bowler proved effective at Adelaide, one feels England will need another ‘proper’ bowler come their opening World Cup match. After all, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad and possibly Tim Bresnan are all set to return. A balanced One Day side always appears to be a dilemma for selectors, so CricketChicks thought they would give it a go themselves.

CricketChicks World Cup starting eleven :-

1) Andrew Strauss - he is no longer the liability he once was having made adjustments to his game, so as he can take advantage of the power play over’s. Last year he had a strike rate of 96.0.

2) Ian Bell - a much improved player, he has the ability to defend and hit over the top. Skills vital for a One Day opener.

3) Kevin Pietersen - England’s best batsman, he has the ability to take the game away from the opposition so needs to bat higher. Also, as a senior player, he should take more responsibility.

4) Paul Collingwood - out of form with the bat, but brilliant in the field and a more than handy bowler.

5) Eoin Morgan - an unbelievably gifted player, he averages over 50 when batting at 5 but just 29 when batting at 6. This is the place for him as he needs time to settle in, but he also has the ability to accelerate.

6) Matt Prior - a much improved wicket keeper, but not an opening batter. Much better down the order where he can play his best cricket.

7) Michael Yardy - a canny bowler and handy batsman. Should be effective in the subcontinent.

8) Bresnan - injured at the moment, but will hopefully be fit in time for the World Cup. A key player who has proved his worth with both bat and ball.

9) Graeme Swann - the best spinner in the world and handy with the bat. Enough said.

10) Stuart Broad - back from injury, he is a strike bowler with good variations. Also a competent batsman.

11) James Anderson - one of the best bowlers in the world. Is greatly missed in the current series.

As you can tell by our selections, CricketChicks are still to be convinced of Trott the ODI player. What’s a man got to do, we hear you cry. Well, lets see in the remaining games.

2-0 down and counting…

So, when England lost the first One Day International CricketChicks said a 6-1 scoreline (in Australia’s favour) was possible but unlikely. Yet, they are starting to change their minds. If England continue to play in the manner which they have, both in Melbourne and Tasmania, a series defeat seems imminent.

While England started well with the ball, reducing Australia to 142-8, some undisciplined blowing saw them reach 230; with Marsh being the last man out for 110. When it came to the batting, England were even worse. A top score of just 32 is never going to win a One Day match. While it’s been said before, England are somewhat depleted in their bowling. Graeme Swann is injured, as is Stuart Broad. While James Anderson has been given time to return home. The latter two are now back with the team and are expected to play, if not in the next game, then the one after. This will bolster England’s death bowling, if nothing else. As for the batting, there really is no excuse. The top six are who most would pick for a starting eleven. Bringing Matt Prior back into the squad, on paper at least, made the batting stronger (even if it was a little hard on Steve Davies). Yet, he scored a duck . Prior was not, however, the only batsman to fail. Blown away by the pace of Brett Lee and Shaun Tait, England were (as in the ODI series at home last summer) found wanting. One of the biggest question marks though, hangs over Jonathon Trott. Is he or isn’t he a One Day player? The debate continues every time he plays. Last summer against Bangladesh he seemed unable to switch gears. Playing a cumulative innings is fine, if you are going to go on and make a big score. What is not acceptable, is getting out in the 30’s - as he did on Friday. Time to bring back Paul Collingwood? After all, the World Cup is only a few weeks away.

An Eye to the World Cup

So, the ODI series has gotten underway and CricketChicks can’t help remembering what happened the last time England played a one day series straight after winning the Ashes in 2009. Yes, that’s right, they lost (or to be more precise, they were humiliated) 6-1. Looking at events in Melbourne a couple of days ago, the same sort of scoreline is possible, though one would have to say unlikely. In the shorter format of the game Australia look a better side. They have a solid and rather rapid pace attack with Brett Lee (even though he is 34 now) and the possibility of Shaun Tait. The batting doesn’t look to bad either. As while Shane Watson is a make-shift Test opener, he is a genuine one day opener. A powerful hitter, who plays predominantly straight of the wicket, Watson showed just what he was capable of on Sunday with a brilliant 166 not out. The highest one day score for an Australian against England. What was even more fitting about his achievement, is that he comes from Ipswich; the Brisbane town devastated by the floods. His innings at least gave them something to cheer about.

How long Australia’s winning streak will continue, however, is uncertain. As while Australia do look a better ODI side and are still currently ranked number one in the world, England are more than a fair match. The narrowness of the victory (and the closeness of the twenty20 games) proves that these two sides are more than compatible; with more narrow victories likely to follow. What let England down in the first game was some indiscipline bowling. Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shazad simply gave away too many runs at the death - full tosses and no-balls are no no’s in ODI cricket. In all likelihood though, if England had the side they would have liked to have picked (both Stuart Broad and James Anderson being absent) they wouldn’t have been in that position and England may have sneaked a victory. However, they also could have done with their batters getting a few more runs. With the start Andrew Strauss and Steve Davies got them off to (backed up superbly by KP) England should have made 320/340. Yet, too many batsman came and went. The dropping of Paul Collingwood was also an interesting move. One, however, that didn’t pay off for me. He may be having a torrid time with the bat, but he is indispensable in the filed and with the ball in ODI cricket. Maybe he does need some rest, as Strauss explained but I would like to see Colly back sooner rather than later. Especially, as he could be a key player for England in the World Cup.

Talking of the World Cup, the squads have to be announced by Wednesday. So, CricketChicks thought they’d share who they would take on the plane.

CricketChicks 15 Man World Cup Squad :-

1) Andrew Strauss
2) Steve Davies
3) Jonathon Trott
4) Kevin Pietersen
5) Paul Collingwood
6) Ian Bell
7) Eoin Morgan
8) Ravi Bopara
9) Graeme Swann
10) Michael Yardy
11) James Tredwell
12) James Anderson
13) Stuart Broad
14) Tim Bresnan
15) Ajmal Shazad

Collingwood, we salute you!

He jumped before he was pushed. That’s the crude assessment of Paul Collingwood’s retirement from Test cricket. With no score of significance (OK, with no score at all) in the five match Ashes series and with his fellow batsman all achieving a century at some point, Collingwood was the obvious blot on otherwise rosy picture. Yet, while a series average of less than twenty is no where near good enough, this should not blight the reputation of a true English Lion.

Born into a working-class family, Collingwood grew up in Shotley Bridge, a Durham village famous for sword making. A north eastern lad through and through, Collingwood is as tough as it gets. Never the most naturally gifted of players, his strong belief that you have to fight to get where you want to be and that your mark is made over the hard yards, has served him well. Playing for Durham and then finally getting his big break into the national side, during the 2005 Ashes, Collingwood never looked back. Since that memorable series, he has missed just three Tests. Something which reflects both his immense fitness and passion to serve his country. One of the best fielders in world cricket and a handy bowler too (his last Test wicket being that of Mike Hussey) Collingwood has been indispensable to the side. In fact, whenever England have been in a whole, Collingwood’s been the man they turn too. Dogged and determined, he is the arch battler. His most memorable innings have been when England’s backs were against the wall. Who can forget the 2009 Ashes series, were Collingwood batted for most of the final day of the first Test in order to ensure England secured a draw. A feat which was vital to England’s overall success and something he repeated less than six months later out in South Africa. Collingwood also has a double hundred against Australia. In fact, his batting average of 40.82, is nothing to scoff at. Being higher than both Michael Atherton and Nasser Husain.

Overall though, what England fans will miss most about Collingwood is his spirit. He’s been proud to wear the three lions and has always given it his all. An ordinary lad from Durham who achieved his dream of playing for England at the highest level. He said in a recent interview that he “wasn’t made for fairytales”, but that seems like a pretty good one to me.

Anyway, while he may have retired from Test cricket he’s still Twenty20 captain and a vital One Day International player. There’s still plenty of life in the boy from Shotley Bridge yet.

A Record Breaking Series

What a difference four years make. 5-0 was the scoreline, as England succumbed to a humiliating defeat, in that (best forgotten) 2006/07 ashes series. Now its the turn of the Aussies. As stand-in-skipper, Michael Clarke, explained “It hurts even more in your own country”.

Comprehensively beaten at the Sydney Cricket Ground then, (the third time in this series that the Australians have lost by an innings), the final scoreline of 3-1 is a true and just reflection of the huge gulf between the two sides. England were simply outstanding. The Aussies weren’t simply beaten, but annihilated; being outplayed in every facet of the game. From the moment they stepped off the plane, England were focused and determined. Their aim was simple; to win every match they played. Apart from the Third Test at Perth (a loss for England which can partly be attributed to giddiness but mostly attributed to the anomaly that is the WACA wicket), England succeeded in every area.

It was in the batting department that cricket history was re-written and numerous records broken; with Alastair Cook being chief breaker. What a difference six months make. Rewind to the English summer and Cook was hanging on to his place by a thread. CricketChicks were at the opening day of the Oval Test Match between England and Pakistan and, did indeed, share in the views of most of the crowd when Cook, once again, failed to get a score in the first innings. “That’s the end of Cook, he wont be going to Australia now”, was the almost unanimous cry. Yet, in England’s second innings, he managed to reach 110 and thus managed to book his seat on the plane, at least. Fast forward to today and Cook was the ‘man of the series’ with a total of 766 runs. Over the course of these five Tests Cook has batted for a staggering 2,171 minutes (the longest anyone has batted in a five match series), he has shared record partnerships with both Andrew Strauss and Jonathon Trott, beaten Don Bradman’s record to achieve the highest individual score at the Gaba and the sixth best Ashes score of all time for an England player, and has officially scored more runs than anyone else and batted longer than anyone else without being out. Cook has simply been outstanding. Demonstrating a more comfortable and relaxed technique, and both a supreme mental and physical strength, no one has come close to what Cook has achieved. At only 26, lets hope there is plenty more were this came from. While Cook’s achievements deserve all the accolades, he was superbly backed up by a number of batsman. In total the England team achieved nine centuries; the highest number ever scored by an England team in an Ashes series and way ahead of the measly three managed by Australia. Paul Collingwood aside, England’s top seven all managed to reach a century at some stage of the series. Kevin Pietersen’s 227 at the Adelaide Oval was his best score yet, while Trott further cemented his place at number three with a consistently good performance and Ian Bell just gets better and better. The fact that most of England’s batsman averaged over fifty, speaks volumes.

While the quality of England’s batting allowed the bowlers plenty of time to rest and plenty of runs to play with, in order to win a Test Match, a team still has to take twenty wickets. Before the series started the composition of England’s attack was hotly debated. Should they pick five bowlers? Should they have picked Tim Bresnan? Being two of the key questions. In team selection and preparation, much credit has to go to Andy Flower and David Saker (the fast bowling coach). Not only have they made some good calls - most notably, dropping Steven Finn for Chris Tremlett (who, as the second highest wicket tacker of the series, has proved a revelation) and bringing in Tim Bresnan for the last two Tests (who, despite often being seen as nothing more than a journeymen, proved to be a more than adequate fourth seamer) - they have also conditioned the players well. The consistency, patience and accuracy of all England’s bowlers has been absolutely fundamental to the teams success. And while Cook deserves a special mention, so too does James Anderson. Four years ago, by his own admittance, he didn’t bowl well; wayward, inaccurate and low on confidence, he let the Aussies dominate him. Not so now. The undisputed leader of England’s attack, in possession of variation and with a razor sharp tongue, Anderson has grown into the potent, confident, swing bowler we all hoped he would be. If there could be two men of the series, Anderson would be the second.

In their fielding, fitness, strength of character and determination, England have outshone Australia. Confused in selection and lacking in talent, the Aussies failed miserably. If this Australian team is being branded as one of the worst ever, then this England team have the potential to be one of the greatest ever. Rising to third in the Test rankings, a series against India (the number one Test team in the world) in the summer and the Cricket World Cup only a couple of moths away, the 2010’s could be England’s decade. Looking at what they have achieved in just four years, anything is possible.