Quick Singles

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. Pakistan are now batting in their final innings, the Pakistani batsman came out firing but New Zealand came back with three wickets to keep themselves in the game. Pakistan now need 212 more runs to win while New Zealand need seven wickets, the New Zealanders commentating seem to think it’s in the bag for their team. 

It’s not there’s everything to play for Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq are batting this will be the crucial partnership for the Pakistani innings, two experienced batsman who now need to bat long and get the majority of the runs, there’s not much to come. Vettori will hold up one end a constant threat with his spin and guile with Martin and Southee posing a potent threat from the other end. Absorbing stuff, test cricket doesn’t have to include India, Australia or England to be grab the attention.

And for the icing on the cake Jeremy Coney is doing the lunch time analysis for Sky in the UK, cricket always sounds better with Coney!

So this morning we heard that Paul Collingwood is currently playing his final test match, he has retired from test match cricket. Always reliable always giving his best but never flamboyant or outrageous Collingwood has for the last five years been a rock in the English middle order, an outstanding fielder, a reliable extra bowler and always willing put the hard yards whatever the discipline. Collingwood has always been a man England have turned to in a crisis, with the bat, ball or in the field.

The two innings I will remember Collingwood for the most are with England in corner, backs against the wall with Collingwood as the last man standing with the rest of the English players beaten. This time last year Collingwood and Bell held out at Newlands against Steyn and Morkel bowling partnership completely selflessly Collingwood didn’t even reach fifty; his innings was one entirely focused on the team. At Cardiff in 2009 focused his efforts on saving the game, a crucial innings of discipline and grit that not only saved the game but the series. Collingwood’s effort and discipline with the bat allowed him to produce results well beyond his abilities a double hundred at Adelaide in 2006 and a debut century in Indian are career highlights that any test match batsman would be proud of.

But it is in the field that Collingwood set a standard that I believe is not matched by any cricketer worldwide. His agility in the field meant that he could save a hat full of runs from his preferred position at point or more memorably change a the course of game with some thrilling catches to take the breath away. In many ways Collingwood’s excellence in field set the tone for the great improvement in England’s field over the last decade, an example to players young and old, for his effort and his committment.

We’ll still see Collingwood giving his all for England in one day and twenty20 or entertaining in IPL but when a player such as Collingwood who has been at the heart of the improvement in England’s work effic and attitude retires from test cricket, the pinnacle of the game a word needs to be said. His attitude, effort and commitment will not be forgotten.

The first hour with the new ball in any test innings in Australia is critical, after around 20 overs it starts getting more and more difficult to take wickets as the kookaburra ball gets much softer than the Dukes used in England. 

Compare and contrast the two teams:

England

Trott superbly runs out Simon Katich with a throw aiming at one stump.

Anderson swings out Ponting and then quickly Clarke

England’s bowlers turn the screws putting Australia’s batsman under pressure by denying them runs with tight bowling, and creating chances.

Australia

Early luck as Strauss leaves a ball he just had to hit with a straight bat.

Hussey drops a straight forward catch and Doherty misses a run out by feet.

The bowlers fail to keep their lines tight and Ponting is forced to turn to his fifth bowler (Watson) with defensive tactics against Trott to deny England free flowing runs.

English bowling pressure and discipline has pushed home their advantage to make it a decisive one.