Showing posts with label England vs Australia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label England vs Australia. Show all posts

The screwed up English cricket

Posted: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , , , , ,
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I don't think the current display of England should be surprising anyone. And the ones who cited England as favourites for the Ashes definitely forgot which team they were talking about. I feel the biggest reasons for England's losses, always, are selection and the lack of desire for winning.

Moving on, I really like Finn's recent interview, in which he appeared confident.
It's tough for me to leave the tour, I'm upset I'm leaving the tour because I want to be helping England win games of cricket... but I do feel that it's best if I go home now.
I am nowhere near as far away as some people have been suggesting in the press. In terms of the technical things, they are not massive things.

I definitely believe the media is inaccurate on this occasion. I have hardly seen any English bowler bowl as consistently as Steven Finn. In his last one-day, Finn ended up with figures 2/43 with only Tredwell taking more wickets than him-3. Finn did not feature in any game on this tour and it has been heard that there is something wrong with his bowling action.

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I feel England need to support their players more, what with Jonathan Trott returning and Graeme Swann retiring. This is not the first time such incidents have happened in English cricket. We have often heard the England dressing room is not a happy place to be.

I'm also against the opinion that Kevin Pietersen's best is behind him, because the man is 33, has scored more than 8000 runs, his Test average in 2013 is close to 52. We have seen KP mature as the years have gone by and he definitely lends psychological advantage to the England team and power to the English batting line-up.

I hope KP will not take premature retirement like Graeme Swann and many other cricketers and I hope to see Steven Finn back in the team soon. On that note, this is me, Sanya signing off. Take care.

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Too Early to Write Anderson off

Posted: Friday, January 17, 2014 by Anonymous in Labels: , , , , , , , ,
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After a summer of major disappointment for Jimmy Anderson down under, some cricket punters are questioning if the England pace bowler's best days are now behind him?

Anderson headed into the return Ashes series as still one of the most feared bowlers around but, like many of his international colleagues, he simply failed to deliver in the humiliating 5-0 whitewash and looked a pale shadow of his former self. Like England, his reputation has taken a battering that may take some time to recover from.


And, after he was not included in England's one-day side, some are suggesting Anderson is on the verge of retirement but it would be foolish to dismiss the Lancashire star after just one poor series and he can bounce back even if his bowling must improve significantly from what was on show in Australia.

Like several of his England team-mates, there are claims Anderson's time as an automatic first-choice in the side must now be challenged such was the shocking level of performance across the board in the Ashes. Plenty of pundits believe now is the time to rip up this ageing team and plan for the future, building a side around talented youngsters like Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Johnny Bairstow.

England's official line in 'resting' Anderson and Kevin Pietersen for the current ODI series and the T20 games that follow is that they wanted their key players suitably refreshed and fully fit for the upcoming West Indies tour but, as Graeme Swann's shock retirement in November proved, you cannot take anything for granted - especially with players who are the wrong side of 30.

Certainly Aussie legend Glenn McGrath is one influential former player that thinks Anderson is now on borrowed time.

"I don't know if he had a big workload going into this series or whether it's just because the ball hasn't swung and he doesn't know how to take wickets," he said.

"When it's swinging he's one of the best bowlers in the world, without a doubt. Time will tell where he's at when he goes back to England.

"If he can lift himself when he gets a Duke ball, which he loves bowling with, and bowl well then he's fine otherwise, who knows, he may be towards the end of his career."

Amid all the doom and gloom it is wise to remember that Anderson's record - aside from his most recent outings - speaks for itself and he is one of only four players to have taken over 300 Test wickets for England. Not so long ago he was rightly regarded as the best bowler in the world but he must bounce back and prove that the well-worn mantra of 'form being temporary, and class permenent' is applicable in his case.

But surely, at only 31, he still has time to rediscover his devastating best form and help rejuvenate a battered and bruised England side, despite what the likes of McGrath are suggesting.

Image by Nic Redhead.

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Time for Sweeping Changes to Re-energise Abysmal England

Posted: Friday, January 3, 2014 by Anonymous in Labels: , , , , , , , , ,
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England's latest Ashes calamity in Melbourne means the time has come for wholesale changes to be made to an ageing side that has simply had its day.

England headed into the current five-game series full of confidence that they could again successfully defend the Ashes they won on home soil against what was thought to be just an average Australia side supposedly with plenty of problems. But how wrong has that prediction been made to look?

It has been a completely one-sided series so far with England's camp being affected by injury (Stuart Broad), withdrawals (Jonathan Trott), an unexpected retirement (Graeme Swann), wretched form with both the bat and ball and some questionable selection and captaining issues.




All of these things have combined to leave the tourists staring at a totally-unexpected 5-0 whitewash in the Aussies favour and many Ashes pundits now are suggesting it is time to break up a team that has enjoyed significant success over the past decade.

All good things come to an end and it appears for a good chunk of what has been rightly a celebrated England side, it's now the end of the line - or it will be after the final Sydney Test.

Some will say that is a harsh judgement but so bad have all aspects of Andy Flower's side's performances been down under that only a rigorous examination of what has gone wrong preceding big changes is what's now required for England to rise again - and that may mean Flower himself is also given the axe.

The coach has said he will review his position at the end of the failed series and the murmurs are that he will either decide to quit or, more likely, be shown the door with England needing a new direction under a new leader. 

Flower has been brilliant for the country but sometimes freshening things up is what is required and there is a case to be made that, under Flower, he and the squad have now become stale.

Then there's the question of Cook. Undoubtedly, on his day, he is an excellent batsman but he appears too weighed down with captaining the side to perform at his best. There should still be a place for him in the side moving forward provided he regains his form, but it might be time to relieve him of the skipper's role to concentrate on his own game instead. 

Stuart Broad would be seen as the ideal candidate by cricket fans while Trott, if he recovers from illness, could also step up. Cook's tactical ability has been rightly questioned and found wanting in Australia while several well-placed pundits suggest he is not a man able to inspire and lead others when the going gets tough in the heat of an Ashes battle.

Both Flower and Cook have indicated, at the minute at least, that they do want to stay on in their key roles but their defiant stance may change if Australia do indeed go on to inflict an embarrassing 5-0 whitewash.

Sadly for the likes of Michael Carberry, a woefully out-of-form Matt Prior and even the wildly unpredictable Kevin Pietersen they may too be told their international careers are over with the ECB instead deciding to build a new side around the promising Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes.

Whatever the ramifications end up being following the dismal tour, changes aplenty are needed to revive an England side that has so badly and so quickly lost its way.

Image by Peter Meade.

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Embarrassing England must Recover

Posted: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 by Anonymous in Labels: , , , , , , , ,
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England are in real danger of suffering an embarrassing whitewash in the Ashes series in Australia after a thoroughly dismal three matches so far for Alastair Cook's side.

The 3-0 scoreline, which means the Baggy Greens reclaimed the urn for the first time since 2007, is no more than the home side deserved after totally dominating in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. England, who came into the series as slight favourites in the Ashes betting remember, have failed in pretty much every aspect of the game down under and there are now many questions to answer.

The recriminations - which are totally justified - have well and truly started with plenty of pundits suggesting changes are needed now to try and shake up a team that has underperformed so badly it is barely believable.

The fact newcomer Ben Stokes is the only man to hit a century in three Tests shows you just how poor England's supposed leading batsmen have been. Time and again, skipper Cook, Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior have given their wickets away too easily and only Ian Bell can truly say he has played anywhere near his best level on a consistent basis.

The tail have, sadly, been unable to offer much support either with Stuart Broad, Jimmy Anderson and Graeme Swann struggling to make much impact when it mattered most.

Equally, the bowling and fielding has not been up to the required standard with Anderson and co being nowhere near as dangerours as in the previous three Ashes series' - admittedly on three good batting pitches so far.

So what now? There are two important Tests to come in which England must approach with the positive mindset of at least recovering some pride. Plenty will say, 'what's the point in coming to the party now when the damage has been done and the Ashes lost' but some of the squad could well be playing for their futures.

No matter how the remaining Melbourne and Sydney Tests go, England have been so far behind that serious questions need to be asked and senior players - with the finger being pointed firmly at Cook, Pietersen, Prior and even Broad here - now need to stand up and be counted, if only to save some face.

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Broad Has No Problem with Sledging

Posted: Thursday, November 28, 2013 by Anonymous in Labels: , , , , , , , ,
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England all-rounder Stuart Broad has revealed that he has no concerns over what was said between England and Australia players on the field during the first test but he was critical of some of the off-the field talk from the Australians.

England suffered a humiliating defeat by 381 runs in the first Ashes test at Brisbane with their batsmen failing miserably to cope with the short bowling of Mitchell Johnson in particular.

As well as the aggressive short pitched bowling there was also a torrent of sledging which clearly unsettled some of the England players but, for Broad, the on the field verbals are all part of the game.

“I think the on-field stuff has been fine,” the 27 year old said. “You’re playing in an Ashes Test match – you expect it to be tough. I grew up hearing all sorts of stories about ‘sledging’, and on the field I don’t think a line’s been crossed.”

In the aftermath of the first test defeat England’s Jonathan Trott has left the tour citing a stress related illness but before his departure was announced, Australia batsman David Warner was critical of his performance.

For Broad, taking criticism of individual opposition players off the field is a step too far and he would certainly not expect that from his England side.

“Off the field, there have been some mistakes made,” Broad said. “As an England side, we pride ourselves on how we conduct ourselves when talking about the opposition, because you never know what’s going on in their changing rooms and lives,” he added.

Australia will certainly go into the second test buoyed by their dominance at Brisbane but fans know that England still have the quality to turn the series round.

If Broad and his teammates can use the Australians’ on and off the field comments as motivation to lift their game ahead of the second test at Adelaide on 5th December then they could upset the Ashes betting odds and breathe life into the series.

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Pietersen a Huge Plus for England

Posted: Friday, November 22, 2013 by Anonymous in Labels: , , , , , , , ,
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Despite clearly not being everyone's favourite person, Kevin Pietersen's announcement that he wants to play on for England until 2016 is great news for Andy Flower and the rest of the squad.

Pietersen has rarely been too far away from controversy off the pitch and, if some reports are to be believed, he still does not enjoy a completely harmonious relationship with everyone inside the England dressing room.

He has again been in the news in the build-up to the first Ashes Test against Australia by labelling it a "boring" city during another Twitter exchange with a journalist. 

The 33-year-old has dismissed it as banter, saying he was joking around and responding to an earlier cheeky story in the press Down Under, suggesting that he was that arrogant even his own teammates do not like him.


It is no secret that he has had fall-outs with several of his fellow England players in the past and he has also endured a fractious relationship at times with the media, who have sometimes labelled him a lone wolf and a player who lets his ego get in the way of his cricket.

However, what has never been in doubt has been the Surrey star's ability with the bat and, when in form, he is rightly regarded as one of the very best modern-day batsmen around. So, from a purely cricketing perspective, it is great to hear he wants to continue playing for his adopted country for as long as possible.

The former Hampshire man will aim to further underline his reputation as one of the world's top players with a solid showing in the Ashes, and he will be towards the top of the cricket betting odds to be the tourists' top batsman in the eagerly-anticipated series.
 
Pietersen says winning a 50-over World Cup remains a big ambition as he has managed to achieve pretty much everything else starring in the current talented England side.


"I had coffee with [England one-day coach] Ashley Giles and said to him - I want to be with you in 2015," he said. "I've been so lucky to have done everything with this great side. We won the Twenty20 World Cup, have beaten Australia home and away and beaten India in India. 


"The only thing that hasn't been ticked is beating everybody in a World Cup 50-over tournament. I would love to be given that opportunity and I'm committed to Ashley and the England side to get there."

If Pietersen can stay injury-free over the next couple of years he may just get to tick that success off his cricket 'to-do' list as well, as England will be among the more favoured sides for the competition in the cricket betting.


There may also be more controversies to come along the road because with Pietersen on board things never seem to go quite to plan but, make no mistake, England are a much better side with the unpredictable but hugely-talented batsman in it.

Image by Gareth Williams.

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Trott Judges Lehmann Response Perfectly

Posted: Monday, October 21, 2013 by Anonymous in Labels: , , , , , ,
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Jonathan Trott has responded to Australia coach Darren Lehmann's recent jibe that England were "dour" in their 3-0 Ashes victory this summer in exactly the right way.

Lehmann branded some of England's play in their comfortable home victory as "dour", while he also claimed his side had "made inroads" into Trott's mind ahead of the return Ashes down under, which begins with the first Test in Brisbane on November 21.


Lehmann appeared to be suggesting the England star's below-par batting displays were down to his side being able to nullify him and work him out at the crease and not as a result of the Warwickshire man's own mistakes.

Several cricket betting pundits believe there is no disputing the fact that the 32-year-old was one of the big let-downs for England, in a series that otherwise will be remembered for one in which the home side got the job done in a professional manner, as opposed to a spectacular and dramatic win like back in 2005.

Trott only managed an average of 29.30 during the recent Ashes series, but says he has been working hard on improving and will be ready to face the Aussie attack again at The Gabba next month, a fixture for which England are the favourites in the cricket betting odds.

"When you don't score runs people like to think they've worked you out, but sometimes that's cricket, things just don't go your way," he said. "I've been working really hard to put a few things right technically and work things out and make sure I get to Australia playing really well."

Trott was also asked recently about the early comments coming out of the Australian camp as they continue to lick their wounds following another Ashes defeat in England and, while refusing to enter into anything remotely approaching mind-games, his riposte was perfectly judged and will no doubt have wound Lehmann and co up somewhat.

He said: "I'd take another dour 3-0 in Australia. I know Australians are a confident bunch of guys, but they've lost the Ashes series and they are making comments already.

"That's just the Australian way, that's how they are - I think we go about our cricket a little bit differently."
The words of a confident man who, while admitting on one hand he needs to improve personally, knows a 3-0 win for his team does very much speak for itself.

Image by Rae Allen. 

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It's time Bell's Brilliance was Told

Posted: Monday, August 12, 2013 by Anonymous in Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,
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Ian Bell's superb 113 in the fourth Test at Durham was his stand-out moment so far of an increasingly impressive Ashes series for the batsman.

 So, surely now it's time the Warwickshire star is heralded as one of England's most important players by Ashes betting pundits? Because if he doesn't get the praise now, he never will.

 Bell has had to endure plenty of stick - some of it wholly unjustified - as he has risen up the ranks and he is now finally looked upon as a mainstay in Andy Flower's side as they aim to continue their push to win the Ashes outright once again.

 His consistent performances this summer - Bell has now joined an elite list of men who have managed three centuries in the Ashes - means he has a very real chance of being named 'Man of the Series' and his knock in Chester-le-Street may well end up swinging the fourth Test England's way.

 His crucial intervention was all the more impressive coming as it did when the usual go-to men, like Kevin Pietersen, skipper Alastair Cook or Jonathan Trott, were struggling with their own games and not looking like providing the much-needed inspiration.

 Basically, England badly needed someone to step up to the plate and Bell was the man who came forward to enhance his somewhat unjustified reputation as a workmanlike batsman rather than one of the star turns.

 Bell may not be quite like a Jimmy Anderson, Pietersen, or Stuart Broad and is unlikely to ever be a player who will generate the headlines regularly, but his quiet self-assuredness and consistent high scoring certainly means you cannot ignore him.

 Just ask the Aussies that. But he also deserves more acclaim from cricket fans after proving he is, after all, the man for the big occasion and one England will look to rely on when the chips our down again in the future.

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England victorious in jittery 1st Ashes Test

Posted: Monday, July 15, 2013 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , , , ,
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England clinched the 1st Ashes Test in the most wonderful fashion. This was a perfect Test match. Interesting on all days. At the end of Day 1, Oz were at 75/4 after England were all out for 215. While Australia scored a bit more runs than England, Day 2 ended with England at a slightly better score of 80/2. Day 3 ended with England leading by 259 runs. At the end of Day 4, Australia looked behind at 174/6 chasing a target of 311. Mostly though, you couldn't tell which way the match was going. Right till the end. When England reviewed for the 10th wicket, I was thinking this would be a replay of what we see often, England managing to almost win so Haddin being given out was a huge pleasant surprise for me.


Jimmy Anderson got the Man of the Match award as expected. I think it's wrong to suggest England are relying on one man. Finn, Swann and Broad have all won matches for England. It's too early to say anything like that. Even in this Test, it's not like they didn't perform. Finn and Swann took 2 wickets each in the 1st innings while Broad and Swann took 2 each in the 2nd. By taking Cowan's wicket, Root also showed that he can be brought upon to shake things up like Kevin Pietersen. This wasn't a high scoring game. No team scored 400-500 so you can't blame any bowler. Jimmy didn't leave much to other bowlers.

Haddin and Pattinson deserve to be praised to have taken the game to an exciting finish.

Wickets
James Anderson 10
Siddle 8
Pattinson, Starc 5
Swann 4
Broad 3
Finn, Agar 2
Root 1
Scorecard
England go to Lord's with an advantageous 1-0 lead. The action begins at 11 am local time (10 am GMT) on Thursday, 18th. Exciting time for online cricket betting. See ya.

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James Anderson takes 5 on Day 2 as 1st Ashes Test evenly poised

Posted: Friday, July 12, 2013 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , , ,
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David Lloyd: Good news for Australian fans, sunny day at Trent Bridge. After 2 overs, Australia scored 34 runs in 6th over, coming to a halt with the wickets of Smith and Haddin in consecutive overs. Australia lost their 1st wicket on Day 2 after 40 minutes of play and after 23 minutes, they were 117/9. It feels worst when a No.11 scores runs against you, especially after surviving a controversial appeal in the beginning. With Ashton Agar at 6 and Australia at 131/9, the man upstairs gave Agar another life at an appeal for stumping off Swann. It clearly looked out to me. I don't if umpiring has always sucked or if it's only that way these days but the DRS isn't helping either. 3rd umpiring needs to be improved, if not the on-field umpiring. Earlier, commentators and experts would argue that umpires don't see the replays like we do. What about 3rd umpires then?

It wouldn't have made much of a difference to me if Agar would have scored a century rather than 98. If I had a choice, I'd have let the chap have his glorious moment. It would only cost England 2 runs though some would argue that centuries give you psychological advantage. I just don't see it that way personally.

James Anderson has taken more wickets at Trent Bridge than any other man and he is no danger of losing that spot anytime soon. The 9 men behind him have all retired. Jimmy has 44 wickets at the ground while the next man behind him who is still around is Stuart Broad, standing at 11 in the list with 19 wickets to his name. Betting is something most of us sports fans fancy. However, choosing which betting sites to try and if beginner bonuses really help can be tough. Here are some reviews of the top sports betting sites.

The scorecard would tell you that the match is evenly poised but as an English fan, I'm happy. England have played well. The wickets of Root (caught behind) and Trott (lbw) were also very controversial. Root should have reviewed in my opinion but Captain Cook probably suggested not to. Hot spot and Snicko didn't show anything. Though Snicko is not used in DRS so it wouldn't have saved Trott as Hot spot didn't show anything his time either.

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England continues to Reign Down Under

Posted: Thursday, January 13, 2011 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , , , ,
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The English played like 20 year old reckless beings
Kudos to Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood. To Alastair Cook, for facing the challenge and coming out as the top performer of the Ashes 2010 by quite a distance. And to Paul Collingwood, for quitting Test cricket. England were reluctant to drop him and he had his chances but the continuity of his tough times have been too long in recent times. He has made it easy for himself and for England. Many cricketers want to end their career on a high, so as to be remembered. And not just remembered, but remembered as successful. But this was the right time to go. He is 34 and will continue to be England's captain in the shortest format and play in One day Internationals and IPL.

The Indian Premier League is a funny thing and provides a lot of stories for the media. Recently, the auction for the 4th edition.  Kevin Pietersen (previously Royal Challengers Bangalore) will play for Deccan Chargers, Stuart Broad (IPL debutant) for Kings XI Punjab, Eoin Morgan (previously Royal Challengers Bangalore) for Kolkata Knight Riders, Paul Collingwood (previously Delhi Daredevils) for Rajasthan Royals, Owais Shah (previously Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders) for Kochi, Dmitri Mascarenhas (previously Rajasthan Royals) for Kings XI Punjab, Michael Lumb (previously Rajasthan Royals) for Deccan Charger. The list of the unsold is obviously long. But some unknown players have been 'bought' for huge amounts while Graeme Swann, Matt Prior, Luke Wright, Ravi Bopara, Chris Gayle, James Anderson etc. have gone unsold. And in this bid for humans, it is a humiliation for the unsold. Sourav Ganguly and Brian Lara have also gone unsold but I don't think there is anything wrong in ignoring past heroics. James Anderson is a must-have in Tests but not in Twenty20s. The schedule of the English and ego-clashes of BCCI and ECB must have also been considered.

Meanwhile, in the cleaner form of cricket, England have made a record of winning 8 Twenty20 Internationals in a row, overtaking Pakistan and South Africa. The last time England lost a Test series was in Feb-Mar '09, one day series/tournament in Sep-Oct '09, Twenty20 series/tournament in June '09.

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England set for 3-1 Ashes victory

Posted: Wednesday, January 5, 2011 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , ,
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It had been a while since I stopped enjoying this Ashes, but watching Cook and KP bat reignited the fire. Alastair Cook is having the time of his career. He is the one who was being considered for making the way for someone else, before Ashes, but rose to the challenge, quite magnificently. He's been itching the Aussie eyes. Australia's new "discovery" Michael Beer almost got Cook out. But almost is an important word. After he was given out Billy Bowden doubted that it might be a no ball and so it was. Cook was walking away and it was nice to see KP call him back. Bell, too scored a ton and continued his tradition of almost never scoring a century when no one else did before him in the innings. It's been only once when his century came when no one else reached 3 figures. That happened earlier this year, against Bangladesh. But not like he has always only capitalised on opportunities, there's been 70+ scores when runs were badly needed. And his ton in '05 against Pakistan came when England were 39/2 and he shared a partnership of 154 runs with Kevin Pietersen. KP, Cook, Bell seem to bat well with one another.

Meanwhile, at the SCG, England are in command and winning the Ashes by 3-1 seems likely. I'm not much concerned with an innings defeat. For me, 3-1 is more than enough. It's Down Under, it's against the ex-World No.1, it's the Ashes.

Some interesting stats about the hot Cookie

Alastair Cook has spent the most time ever in a 5 Test series, over 36 hours at the crease. Cook is now the 2nd highest English series scorer with 766 runs behind Wally Hammond's 906.
He is engaged to former glamour model, Alice Hunt. I heard she is 33 and was among the England WAGs involved in Allen Stanford fiasco.

Brief scores after Day 3:
  • Aus 280 (Johnson 53, Watson 45, Anderson 4/66, Bresnan 3/89)
  • Eng 488/7 (Cook 189, Bell 115, Strauss 60, Prior 54*, Johnson 3/97)

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England retain the Ashes in style

Posted: Wednesday, December 29, 2010 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , ,
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So, this is a special day for England cricket fraternity. England have taken an unbeatable 2-1 lead in Ashes 2010. It's special because it's Ashes but even more special because it's in the land of the rivals, the kangaroos. It's been 24 years since England retained the Ashes last time. This is the first time Australia have lost twice by an innings in a home series. Quite remarkable. It's only the third occasion that a visiting team has averaged over 45 in a series (minimum three matches) in Australia. I'd say England has had it easy. It seems like they have won easily I mean even though Australia won at Perth (3rd Test). In the other 3 matches, the kangaroos have looked like chickens. Picking Bresnan has worked. But I didn't quite enjoy this Test. At times, I switched on the TV but got bored. Thus, did other things while watching it. Both the batsmen and the bowlers did their job. But not all. Paul Collingwood has averaged 28.55 this year with one ton, against Bangladesh. He is a fighter but needs a break. The Aussies must be tired of Shane Watson's starts, who has only scored 2 centuries in his 26 matches. He has 15 half-centuries by the way.

Brief scores:

  • Aus 98 in 42.5 overs
  • Eng 513 in 159.1 overs (Trott 168, Prior 85, Cook 82, Strauss 69, Pietersen 51, Siddle 6/75, Hilfenhaus 2/83, Johnson 2/134)
  •  Aus 258 (Haddin 55*, Watson 54, Bresnan 4/50, Swann 2/59)
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KO: England hammers Australia, gone in 2 sessions

Posted: Sunday, December 26, 2010 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , , , , , ,
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England vs Australia 4th Test: 26-30 December
Day 1
England continued Christmas celebrations by crushing the Aussies at Melbourne on Day 1. I, surprised by the selection of Tim Bresnan, wasn't expecting this. England for Bressie over Finn, a mistake in my book. Prompted by the dismal performance of English batsmen, Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss picked Bresnan for a longer batting order. The batting should be stronger, not longer. When they fall, they do. True, the batsmen are good but falter under pressure. So work needs to be done on their mental attitude rather than tail-enders' batting. England already has Swann, Tremlett, no need for another bowler who can bat a bit. Tail-enders' usually only contribute when there is no pressure. And it isn't Finn's job to take wickets and score runs too. And my mates, you shall remember, Finn was the leading wicket-taker of the series before this Test.

Nevertheless, England seamers knocked up old rivals at the MCG in front of a near 90,000 witnesses on the Boxing Day. Jimmy Anderson, Chris Tremlett with assistance from Tim Bresnan have set the path for a 2-1 lead in the Ashes with one Test to go. Australia's 98 is their 2nd lowest total on this ground. Their lowest being 83 against India. This is also Australia's 4th score below 120 since 1990 in home Tests. Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss are now 4th on the list of opening pair with most century stands. They have had 10 so far. The ones above them are the pairs of Greenidge and Haynes, Hobbs and Sutcliffe, Hayden and Langer. They are tied with Chauhan and Gavaskar, Gambhir and Sehwag, Slater and Taylor for the 4th position. James Anderson is now the leading wicket-taker in the series with 16 wickets.

Paul Collingwood has saved England quite a few times but he also goes on a spree of runless matches. And England cannot afford that. However, finding a replacement isn't easy. Carberry and Morgan are in reckoning. I'd go for Carberry, looks determined.



Brief scores:
  • Aus 98 in 42.5 overs
  • Eng 157/0 in 47 overs (Cook 80, Strauss 64)

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Australia on the way to leveling the Ashes

Posted: Saturday, December 18, 2010 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , , ,
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England vs Australia 3rd Test: 16-20 December
Day 3
This Test has been exciting. 35 wickets have fallen in 3 days. Tremlett has been a real star, he has taken 8 wickets in the match, all of which were among the top 7. There is been a bit of drama. Collingwood was given out on a referral, overturning the decision of the on-field umpire in the 1st innings. I didn't watch it live, though it looked out in the replay much later. It was unexpected. The height and whether it was struck outside off were in question. To me, height didn't seem a problem though. There have also been word exchanges. Johnson and Anderson have liked chirping up. Today, Watson, on 95, was given out and he referred it straight away. He was stunned when the 3rd umpire too, gave it out. Showed his bat to the umpire. We have seen naked pitch invaders in the past and it happened today as well. The second time at WACA in 2 years. He only started to undress after invading the pitch and was carried off by authorities. The Aussies were busy laughing, didn't mind the delay!

When Australia posed a target of 391, I thought both teams have an equal chance of winning since the highest successful run chase at Perth is 414/4 by South Africa against Australia in December '08. Last time England toured Australia, England managed 350 in the 4th innings but lost. But now that England have lost 5 wickets for 81, it's needless to say who has a better chance. The icing on the cake for Australia was getting Collingwood out on the last ball of the day. England sent Jimmy Anderson when the 4th wicket fell. Why do they always send a nightwatchman? Now with Strauss, Cook, Pietersen, Trott, Collingwood back in the dressing room, England are in trouble. And Australia couldn't ask for a better chance to level the series. And remember, there are still 2 days to go.

Until next time, take care. Cheers.

Brief scores:
  • Aus 268 (Johnson 62, Hussey 61, Haddin 53, Anderson 3/61, Tremlett 3/63)
  • Eng 187 (Bell 53, Strauss 52, Johnson 6/38, Harris 3/59)
  • Aus 309 (Hussey 116, Watson 95, Tremlett 5/87, Finn 3/97)
  • Eng 81/5 (Harris 2/22, Johnson 2/28)

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Tremlett & co make Australia falter

Posted: Thursday, December 16, 2010 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , ,
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England vs Australia 3rd Test: 16-20 December 2010
Day 1, just before tea
England won the toss and elected to field first at WACA, Perth. Despite Stuart Broad's injury, Finn didn't get the new ball. Thankfully, England went for Tremlett. The other options were Shahzad and Bresnan. Though they probably didn't consider Shahzad. I have heard writers and commentators describe Twenty20 as 'blink-and-miss'. Well it has just been like that today at Perth. The pitch was bouncy, as usual and made use of it. There was also just a little bit of movement. There are talks of England being the new Australia. Well, England is certainly winning more than they have in a lot of years and even dominating down under. The UDRS actually helped today, in two decisions, it saved Watson in the very first over of the match, bowled by Anderson. It got England the important wicket of Hussey. Australia made quite a few changes to the side. Katich (injured), North, Doherty and Bollinger made way for Hughes, Smith, Johnson and Hilfenhaus. North wasn't scoring runs and I think Hilfenhaus is good. Johnson has the power to swing the match either side. The Aussies were aggressive today but that didn't help as they lost their 5 wickets for 69. Currently, they are 163/6. Cheers.

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Australia butchered by England!

Posted: Tuesday, December 7, 2010 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , , , , ,
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It's the best day for England. They came out like tigers and crushed Australia. It took England 20.1 overs to take 6 Australian wickets. There is a storm of anger, criticism and sadness in Australia. This is Australia's biggest defeat to England at the Adelaide Oval in 118 years. Also, England's 100th Test win over Australia. The last time Australia was beaten by an innings was in 1993, by West Indies. It has been 24 years since England took the lead in an Ashes series in Australia. Before the series, former cricketers had regarded this Ashes as the best chance to beat Kangaroos at home and that seems true. Ricky Ponting has lost 2 Ashes already, will this be the third? Not many Aussie captains have achieved that! I don't expect Australia to bounce back. Kevin Pietersen may have observed Australia as wounded animals before the Ashes but they are not rebels, not revenge-takers, they are like those fast bowlers, who become losers once they go for runs. Australia were on a  winning streak for a long time. It's time for the reverse. Since England arrived in Australia, everything have gone their way. The media reckons Stuart Broad's injury as the only loss in this Test, but it may be a blessing in disguise. Sure, Broady was bowling well but not taking wickets. Bring Tremlett or Shahzad and please, no Bresnan this time!

I'm sure more records were broken and I'll take a look at them later. For now, let me sink in the victory. Big cheers to England fans!

Man of the Match: Kevin Pietersen

Brief scores:
  • Aus 245 (Hussey 93, Haddin 56, Watson 51, Anderson 4/51, Swann 2/70)
  • Eng 620/5 dec (Cook 148, Pietersen 227,Trott 78, Bell 68*, Collingwood 42, Harris 2/84)
  • 304 (Clarke 80, Watson 57, Hussey 52, Katich 43, Swann 5/91, Finn 2/60 Anderson 2/90)
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Rain a concern as England aim to take lead in Ashes

Posted: Monday, December 6, 2010 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , , , , , ,
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Thanks to Kevin Pietersen, England are much ahead in the game after Day 4. The entertainer didn't only hit a double ton but also took the crucial wicket of Michael Clarke on what turned out to be the last bowl of the day. It's been 4, no, I shall say just over 3 days because many overs on Day 3 and 4 were washed out. And Australia's over rate doesn't help either. I'm certainly very pleased with KP's success, I was even against it when he was dropped from one-dayers against Pakistan in summer. I said it out loud here, I'm with KP, are you? He's massive, so is his ego and ambitions. The guy rises against challenges, like playing against South Africa, who didn't pick him over racial quota or rivals, Australia. Most of this series so far, things have gone England's way. Now, after declaring on a massive 620/5, England need to get 6 Australian wickets for less than 136 more runs.

Steven Finn is the leading wicket-taker in the series but I don't think Strauss knows it. Or does he know it and believes in saving runs? With such a huge lead in the kitty, I don't think Strauss needs to worry about that and when the wickets fall, no one gets going! Finny has taken 8 wickets in the series, followed by Anderson, Siddle, Swann (6 each). With 2 wickets, Stuart Broad is the lowest wicket-taker among the main bowlers who have played in both the Tests. Shane Watson has also taken 2 wickets and bowled 46 overs but he is the opener. Mitchell Johnson has been the biggest disappointment but wasn't picked for the ongoing Test.

Only Sachin Tendulkar has hit more centuries (19) than Alastair Cook before the age of 26. Don Bradman struck as many centuries as Cook has hit (15). Also, Sachin hit 21 50s before turning 26, while Alastair has already struck 23. Bradman lags behind with six 50s before 26. But Cook still has the chance. He'll turn 26 on December 25. The 3rd Test will begin on December 16, Perth.

Brief scores:
  • Aus 245 (Hussey 93, Haddin 56, Watson 51, Anderson 4/51, Swann 2/70)
  • Eng 620/5 dec (Cook 148, Pietersen 227,Trott 78, Bell 68*, Collingwood 42, Harris 2/84)
  • Aus 238/4 (Clarke 80, Watson 57, Hussey 44*, Katich 43, Swann 2/72)
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Another ton by Alastair Cook puts England on top!

Posted: Saturday, December 4, 2010 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , , , ,
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England vs Australia 2nd Test: 3-7 December
Day 2
Seems like England carried the momentum of the Gabba to Adelaide. After getting Australia out for 245, Alastair Cook continued his innings of 235*. At the end of Day 2, he is on 129*, along with star batsman Kevin Pietersen. There were question marks over the places of both before the Ashes began. Day 2 started in a dramatic fashion with the wicket of Andrew Strauss. But that was all for Australia. Australia bowled 88 overs after that and could only take one wicket - Trott (78). Alastair Cook is having a great series. He was under pressure when it began and the action has been around him. If Day 4 of the 1st Test was about his and Strauss' ton, Day 5 was about his double ton. He has been on the field for most of the series so far. In my post, England ends on a high as 1st Ashes Test drawn I've mentioned exactly how much time he spent on the field. He is young, he is sexy and he is selectors' favourite. Ali Cook will turn 26 this Christmas. He has struck 15 centuries so far.

The weather forecast says it will remain mostly cloudy at Adelaide with chances of shower at times. But then, it predicted thunderstorm for today as well. Rain has the best chance of saving Australia, followed by Hussey, Ponting and Clarke. England shall declare at 600 and aim for an innings defeat. Lastly, I would like to congratulate Ricky Ponting for his 150th Test. What a game it's turning out to be for him.

Brief scores:
  • Aus 245 (Hussey 93, Haddin 56, Watson 51, Anderson 4/51, Swann 2/70)
  • Eng 317/2 (Cook 136, Pietersen 85,Trott 78)
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England vs Australia 2nd Ashes Test: The Preview

Posted: Wednesday, December 1, 2010 by Sanya Michelangelo in Labels: , , , , , , ,
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Kevin Pietersen is furious at the pitch curator of Adelaide Oval, Damian Hough. He expressed it in person and then on twitter. England were forced to practice indoors due to rain which frustrated KP. He tweeted when it was about 4pm in Adelaide (5:30 am GMT):

What should a groundsmen make sure he does 2days out from a test match????
Cover the nets when it rains maybe???
PATHETIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To which, Cricket Australia replied,
SACA has put out a statement re rain 2day, 1st priority was to protect Test track, practice wix [wickets] then covered, normal practice 2moro.

Guess where they replied? Twitter of course. Soon, it will replace media conferences too.That time is not far away when team will be announced via twitter.

The England team will probably be unchanged unless there are last minute injuries. The Australian media suggests it's almost finalised that Johnson will miss the 2nd Test. It doesn't come as a surprise, since he got for duck, didn't take any wicket and dropped a catch too, at the Gabba. Reports say that Johnson missed Australia's practice session following a brawl with Aussie selectors who told him he wouldn't be playing at Adelaide. Though no wonder Michael Clarke denied it. Bollinger is likely to replace him. And Ryan Harris, notched his pace up during the practice session to impress the keen-eyed selectors.

Although Johnson was the highest wicket-taker in both Tests and ODIs last year, has a good record in Australia, I personally don't believe in him. His bowling is many times wayward and either he gets 5 or none. Johnson averages 27.61 in Australia, with a strike rate of 52.7. The only places he fares up better in, are New Zealand and South Africa. His worst average is against England, 41.05 while his career average is 30.08. That is an enough reason to drop him. During the 1st Test, we could see how sunken his body language can get.

I received a tweet from Adrian Duell (@RedL1on), an Australian, which said:
@shadds_criclova @Jimmymycrushie only England would be happy and upbeat because they didn't loose.

To which I'd like to say that the one who comes out of a hole is victorious. Sometimes, a draw is like a win. Obviously, this wasn't as much of a triumph as the Cardiff Test (Ashes '09) was but it proved to be quite a thumping for the Aussies. Most of the Aussie side and fans looked mashed. Aussie fans were a rare sight on Day 5 and the Australian team was down in the dumps in the field. Except, a few, like Ponting.

An English journalist, reports from down under, how the Austrlian media and fans are keeping up and it's a must read, Interview with the man down under: 1st Test

Cheers.

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