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.
Saturday, 29 January 2011
Saturday, 22 January 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
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
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
Sunday, 9 January 2011
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.
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.
Friday, 7 January 2011
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.
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.
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