February 2011
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England's World Cup Plan (Version 25b, WIP)
At the end of the English summer we thought Andy Flower and a plan™. England would build on their World Cup campaign on a similar basis to their Twenty20 success story, 5 bowlers, 5 batsman (including a wicket keeper) and 1 Luke Wright. Time has however made fools of us all, it’s quite clear that England have many plans for this World Cup and can’t quite make up their minds what which...
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“This time I’ll try to bat 50 overs if I can.”
– Virender Sehwag’s aim for the coming ODI World Cup is to bat fifty overs. Fifty overs in the whole tournament, really that many! Don’t overstretch yourself there Virender.
Cricinfo: Batting long is Virender Sehwag’s aim
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Banned Butt made Pakistan TV pundit →
I’d love to hear the justification for this, does this company not realise that they are undermining any deterrent that the sentence passed by the ICC might provide? The whole cricketing family should be behind the purge of corruption from our treasured game. I urge everyone in Pakistan to find another way to watch the World Cup, we should not stand for this.
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Cricketer's favourite books
The ICC has today launched a partnership with Room to Read to promote literacy and access to books, in conjunction with this they asked one player from each nation competing at the World Cup to reveal their favourite book. Here’s a selection:
Shane Watson and Virhat Kohli went for Andre Agassi’s Open.
Steve Tikolo prefers Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom
Ed Joyce...
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Spot fixing: the ICC shows it's claws
[Asif and Butt] will have to make full confession and show appropriate remorse for their suspended sentences to be waived
The Telegraph newspaper is reporting that Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif will have to confess that they took part in the spot fixing scandal if the suspended parts of their sentences are to be commuted. This is quite significant not only does it make the sentences...
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Too much cricket?
English World Cup Squad Injuries:
Eoin Morgan: Fractured middle finger on left hand in fourth ODI against Australia
Tim Bresnan: Picked up calf injury during second ODI
Graeme Swann: Back strain kept him out of ODI series
Paul Collingwood: Back spasms sent him home after the sixth ODI
Ajmal Shahzad: Limped off pitch with hamstring injury during fifth ODI
Stuart Broad: Tore his abdominal...
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Cricketing Justice is Dealt
Pakistan’s tour of England in summer 2010 started so promisingly a potent bowling attack to match any in the world, a lower order full of explosive batting, and a dynamic young captain in Salman Butt who seemed to have not only the usual Pakistani flaw but intellectual confidence. Throughout the test series Amir and Asif posed a real threat to the English batting lineup at times giving...
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Is Paul Collingwood in form? →
My new tumblr asks the question on everyone’s lips!
January 2011
44 posts
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England win on Australia Day
England haven’t won an ODI in Adelaide since 1983, so I’m unclear on the rules. Does this mean we get the country back?
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Charlotte Edwards: the best captain in England? →
“Strauss, of course, has just retained the Ashes by winning a series in Australia. Charlotte Edwards had already done that. Strauss is about to try and win the 50-over World Cup. Edwards has already done that too. Strauss does not get in to England’s Twenty20 team, but Edwards does. She has won the World Cup in that version as well. At the age of 31 she is one of the most successful...
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“I think Samit’s let himself down. He’s got all the attributes from...”
– Mick Newell on Samit Patel’s cookie habit, a talented cricketer is letting his talent go to waste. When asked the question “World cup or cake?” Samit Patel always answers cake.
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A Prior Engagement
So just as I was praising the the consistent selection policies of the England team they go and pull a fast one on us; Matt Prior has been selected ahead of Steve Davies for the upcoming World Cup. England of course have form with wicket keepers, just before the Twenty20 World Cup Matt Prior himself lost out to Craig Kieswetter and that turned out pretty well. Lets not forget that over the last...
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Test match finishes
It might come as surprise to England and Australia fans, but you can work up a close test match finish - New Zealand and Pakistan are showing us how. Neither side has had the best run of late, Pakistan’s clearly have lots of issues not least corruption and New Zealand appeared to have forgotten how to win a game of cricket, any game but the have conspired to produce some great entertainment....
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Michael Clarke has one too many?
isay:
Now call me paranoid but I’m beginning to think that this whole story is the work of Cricket Australia in a bid to take the captaincy off Clarke (who has had an abysmal run of form yet has still been groomed and presented as the natural successor to Ricky Ponting), without having to make an admission that they got it wrong.
Australian cricket is in disarray at the moment but the blame...
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Chuck em up in the Air
England have some rather interesting selection issues coming up in the next few days. They first need to finalise their strategy for the upcoming World Cup, select an eleven for their upcoming fixture and get their World Cup squad. England played through the Twenty20 competition with five batsman (inc keeper) an all rounder and five bowlers and transported this formula into one day internationals...
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Who's afraid of the MCG?
England are, unable to hit sixes until the 4th ball of the last over they seemed to be caught in the headlights obsessed with the size of the ground. Sure you should be taking advantage of the wide space to turn those singles into twos and run the odd three or four but you need to spread the field by taking boundaries first, you can’t run everything. Chris Woakes showed how it was done with...
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Cricket blog: Drop Collingwood? →
cricketblog:
This sounds really harsh to say on the back of only the first defeat in nine matches in T20 for England, where Paul Collingwood has Captained them to being the best side in the World and the T20 World Cup, but does he really deserve his place in the side?
Interesting piece if Collingwood can’t find form during the Cricket World Cup and subsequent IPL he will surely retire...
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England giving it away...
Serves me right for sledging Australia during a Twenty20 innings, but England are giving it away here.
Pietersen’s wicket was an unnecessary shot, needing just over a run a ball he’d already got ten off the first two balls and couldn’t content himself with manoeuvring it around having pushed the field back. Couple that with rash shots from Bresnan and Morgan and careless batting...
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“They’re catching them in the crowd get ‘em playing”
– Nassier Hussain sums up Australia’s dodgy catching to a tee, they’re letting England off the hook here.
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Imran Tahir - journey complete?
When Imran Tahir ripped through the Somerset batting in the CB40 final to set Warwickshire up victory it was clear to everyone watching that here was an international class bowler who deserved a chance to prove his worth at the highest level. Tahir has played for countless first class teams including four English counties, three South African franchise and various commercial vehicles used in...
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Playing Michael Yardy
There aren’t many bowlers in cricket like Michael Yardy he darts the ball in from wide of the wicket at the stumps and that’s pretty much it ball after ball. He’s often profiled as a spinner but in reality he’s more akin to a slow seam bowler, his most potent weapon is the consistency and accuracy of his bowling, if the batsman misses Yardy hits. The angle of the ball...