GOOGLIES & CHINAMEN
An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 120
December 2012
Anniversary Matters
This issue completes ten years of Googlies which is a reflection of the support given by the contributors and readers. Thanks to you all. I met up recently in Sheffield with the Professor to have a celebratory lunch before he toddled off to India. I just thought that you’d like to know that.
Out and About with the Professor
Greetings from the land of cricket. One of the (many) great things about India is that everybody, absolutely everybody, likes/knows about/is interested in cricket. Every open space has a game going on, every park, every parking lot,
indeed every alley, if there are not too many cars, has a bat and a ball in use. If you're going to the match, you don't have to explain which match...there is only one game in town.
The teams are staying in the Taj Mahal Hotel, opposite India Gate, where you may remember there was a dreadful terrorist attack four years' ago. As a result the place has more security than the average prison. Our hotel has the journalists in it and also has security but it is more of the G4S variety. The "journalists" don't of course include the usual Sky mob - the story is that the ICB were demanding £500,000 to set up a little Sky studio which the good folk at Shy thought was exploitation (and they should know) so at each break in play Athers and Tim Abraham go into a scrubby field next to the ground to do their "to camera" bits. Warne and Collingwood and Hughes are with us and can be found round the pool or in the bar when not on duty (not too much hard yakka there). There is a nice story going round about KP. The Taj Hotel is one of India's finest but when Mrs KP arrived their accommodation was felt to be a bit poky and so they were moved into the Presidential Suite...so that the baby didn't disturb the others... (he's reintegrating well).
We go to the cricket in the day and then nip back for the highlights before the evening revelries. All three current Tests are on free to view channels, the ICB clearly haven't followed the lead of the ECB and sold their birthright. Someone here told me that there is no coverage at all in the UK of this series except on Sky. If that is true it is a disgrace and the money-grubbing counties should be ashamed of themselves.
As for the game? Well, to be frank, it was wonderful to be here. The Press all reported that Dhoni had "demanded" a turning wicket...and whatever MS wants, MS gets. In truth it was a brute of a pitch from the start. The first innings scores were a testament to three truly great Test match innings. Pujara has established himself as a high-class Test player in almost no time while Cook and Pietersen have got there earlier, and with more diversions, but have seen off all (or almost all) their critics. Cook played a perfect hand on a track where every ball turned and the odd ball jumped and spat. Pietersen's innings was beyond praise. His shot selection was near perfect and his judgement of length, so crucial on this type of pitch, was perfect. Those buffoons who thought he should not even be in the side remain, with all due respect for the late Lord Ray, buffoons. It is difficult to imagine anybody at anytime play a finer innings on this kind of surface. Several of our group thought the third day was the best days Test cricket they had ever seen.
One thing it is (obviously) impossible to realise at home (assuming you are able to watch the game at all) is how hot it is here. It is boiling. It is too hot to sit in the sun and watch the game let alone take part. I tried it for ten minutes (watching that is) and that was enough. Oh I know they are fit young men, and "professional sportsmen" blah, blah, blah, but they still have bodies. The heat and the humidity are crucifying and England, and I think even India, wilted in the last hour of the day. Cook and Pietersen's achievements were testaments to skill and technique but also to fitness.
Panesar's return was well deserved although in truth he bowled a lot of dross in the first innings amongst the unplayable balls and Swann was always going to bowl well on this sort of track. For the first time for a very long while I thought the England spinners looked better than the opposition's but that might just be another testament to how well KP and "Chef" played. Last time I was here Shaun Udal bowled out India on the last day, this time it was Monty.
The deification of Sachin continues. When he fields on the boundary the crowd leave their seats and run down the terraces to the fence just to be closer to him. If only cricketers (and cricket) had a fraction of that popularity in England. But, if you can't even watch it on the TV, I suppose it never shall. Shouldn't the ECB be re-named: the English and Welsh Counties Cricket Board?
As always there are some worrying features of England's performance: the ineffectual nature of the seamers, Broad's loss of form, Trott's loss of form, the slip catching in the first innings, Anderson's catching anywhere, Patel's place at no.6, Compton as the England opener, and so on and so on. Surprising we won really, but win we did, and in style and... your correspondent was there.
One little ps. Each day there was a longish queue to get into the ground and thus the chance to chit-chat. One morning a member of our group, a retired headteacher (and also an avid Googles reader) fell into conversation with someone behind him in the line.
"Oh yes" said his new-found chum,
"I went for an interview at that school".
"Were you successful?"
"No"
"Oh dear, who interviewed you?"
"You did".
Sofa Cricket
Australia v South Africa, Brisbane
South Africa scored 450 on the back of routine centuries from their principal sources, Amla and Kallis. Australia were in some difficulties at 40 for 3 when Clarke joined Cowan but they added 259 and Cowan completed a maiden test century. Michael Hussey and Clarke then added a further 228 before Hussey fell for 100. Clarke declared at 565 for 5 and presumably could have gone on to join the elite two test triple century club had he not given his side a remote chance of bowling the visitors out for 115 in 68 overs. In the event they closed on 166 for 5. We all know what Brian Lara would have done.
Bangladesh v West Indies, Mirpur
Powell, Chanderpaul and Ramdin all scored hundreds as West Indies reached 527 for 4 and then Bangladesh replied with 556 which included a hundred from Naeem Islam. Powell scored a second hundred and at one stage the West Indies second innings score was 209 for 1. The match then took on the feature of one of those games on uncovered pitches when overnight it rains and the side batting second gets skittled. After Darren Bravo was dismissed nineteen wickets fell for 231 runs. The first fifteen wickets had cost 1092 runs, 72.8 each. The final nineteen averaged only 12.15 each and no batsman scored more than 29. Just thought that you’d like to know that.
India v England, Ahmedabad
Some wankers employed by the England set up are paid a lot of money to look at old tapes to see how the opposition batsmen score their runs. How do we know that they are wankers? I don’t get to see the old tapes and am paid nothing for my knowledge but I do know where Sehwag scores a lot of his runs. In fact we all do. He scores them both aerially and on the ground through that zone that used to be called third man and is now forbidden territory for fielders to set foot in. At one stage there was not only no one at third man but no slips either. Sehwag said thanks very much and angled his bat without any risk of getting out.
We later saw the ridiculous business of a night watchman being deployed who was then dismissed and the batsman he was supposedly protecting then emerging. What happened in the dressing room? Presumably the captain or his deputy said to Trott: “Do you fancy it tonight?” to which he replied: “Not likely. Its turning square and they’ve got fielders all round the bat.” Then when the hapless Anderson was dismissed: “How about now Trotty?”, “Leave it to me skip, I really fancy it now, I’ll sort the bastards out”. Of course Trott was then dismissed himself. I think that if a batsman is considered good enough to be picked for his country he should have the skills to be able to deal with all situations. Nightwatchmen should be banned.
Bangladesh v West Indies, Khulna
Bangladesh were in the shit at 193 for 8 but then Mahmudullah and Hasan added 184 for the ninth wicket with the latter scoring 113. 387 seemed a respectable score but Samuels scored 260 and Bravo and Chanderpaul both hit centuries to enable the West Indies to reach 648. This proved too much for Bangladesh despite nineties from Shakib and Nasir Hossain. Tino Best, the sometime Yorkshireman and Lancastrian, took 6 for 40 setting up a ten wicket win for his side.
Australia v South Africa, Adelaide
The Australian first innings was a déjà vu experience for the crowd. Warner scored a hundred instead of Cowan but Quiney and Ponting failed again and then Clarke scored 230 and Hussey scored another hundred in taking the Aussies to 550. In reply South Africa managed only 388 with an injured Kallis appearing at number nine and scoring 58, with 46 coming in boundaries. South Africa then got Quiney and Ponting cheaply yet again and managed to dismiss Clarke for less than a double hundred. Set a mammoth 430 to win South Africa blocked it out scoring 248 for 8 from 148 overs, a scoring rate of 1.67 an over! Du Plessis made 110 not out from 376 balls whilst de Villiers faced 220 balls for his 33. Riveting stuff.
India v England, Mumbai
This was the game in which the commentators kept telling us that no one could bat on the pitch but until Panesar took out the Indian top and middle order on the third evening they were proved wrong. Pietersen added a second epic innings in four months (Headingley being the other) after an extraordinary display against Ojha at Ahmedabad where he seemed mesmerised by an orthodox left arm spinner. Panesar who is often accused of bowling too fast seemed to be just right for this surface and was head and shoulders above his Indian counterparts.
Much fuss was made of Bairstow being caught off Gambhir’s helmet in that the commentators claimed that the ball should have been called dead and five runs awarded. I don’t remember ever seeing this occur when for example the ball hits the wicket keepers helmet when he is standing up or indeed a short leg fielder’s helmet when he is taking evasive action. Is this technical interpretation of the laws gone mad?
England Matters
King cricket give their view on the famous win
Regardless of the outcome of the rest of the series, we’re inclined to say this was one of the most impressive England wins we’ve seen.
It’s not just that it’s an England win in India – which is as rare as a sighting of a wendigo – it’s that they outspun India and did so despite having a batting line-up which gives opposition spinners something of a head start. MS Dhoni even described the pitch as being India’s ‘specialty’. Against that backdrop, England’s 10-wicket win was a bigger surprise than seeing a wendigo with lips.
India remain hot favourites on flatter and slower pitches, but credit to Dhoni for continuing to demand more pitches like the one in Mumbai.
“What’s the point of playing on a flat track and winning the toss and batting for three or four days over the Test? You want to face challenges in Test cricket. These are the kinds of wickets that push you. Definitely all the wickets should be like this.”
Good on him.
Dhoni can reassure himself that the series is 1-1 despite only a handful of England players really contributing. Of the batsmen, Cook, Pietersen and Prior seem to be functioning well and Compton’s performances have been encouraging, but the others seem as vulnerable as a frail old woman being stalked by a wendigo. Of the bowlers, Swann and Panesar are the only ones who are really pulling their weight, although Anderson can perhaps evade criticism.
What’s to come? Will England contract wendigo fever and experience tearful nightmares for the rest of the tour, or will they gain supernatural strength as time wears on, much like a wendigo does? We’ll just have to wait and see. It’s proving to be an excellent Test series.
Match Reports
When criticism of his excellent minor county and second eleven reports prompted the Great Jack Morgan to retire from reporting on such matches we were left with a potential void in the winter issues of Googlies. Fortunately I have persuaded the Great Man to trawl through his scorecards of fifty five years of first class watching and send us some reports of memorable games
No play was possible on the first day of three in the Middlesex versus Surrey County Championship match at Lord’s on August 6 1977 and only five overs were bowled on day 2, during which Alan Butcher fell for one and Surrey started day three on 8 for 1. The uncovered pitch was a damp seamers’ paradise and the Middlesex opening bowlers, Test men Wayne Daniel and Mike Selvey, revelled in the conditions. It is interesting to note however that the only other seamer in the Middlesex team was the young Mike Gatting, while there was strength in the spin of John Emburey and Phil Edmonds (with Norman Featherstone to back them up). The Surrey first innings lasted only 22.5 overs as they were shot out for 49 by 12.15, Intikhab Alam making the only double figure score of 15; Daniel took 5 for 16, Selvey 3 for 29 and Gatting 2 for 2.
It was then that skipper Mike Brearley pulled his masterstroke (in the days before it was possible to forfeit an innings) and declared the Middlesex first innings after one ball (at which Emburey essayed an almighty yahoo and missed, if memory serves), leaving Surrey to bat for a second time in conditions favouring the bowlers. Of course, Surrey did better second time around, but not by very much. Monte Lynch completed a pair before lunch on his first appearance at Lord's and no 9 Geoff Arnold was the top scorer with 19* as the visitors collapsed again for 89; Daniel 4 for 23, Selvey 3 for 31 and Gatting 2 for 1.
However, Surrey occupied the crease for 50.3 overs in their second innings (Butcher spent more than two hours over 10) and this left Middlesex to chase 139 to win in 88 minutes in conditions that were still not easy for batting, but Mike Smith and captain Brearley got Middlesex off to great start (47 off the first 7 overs) with Arnold unable to bowl and Robin Jackman below his best. The openers took their stand to 101 before Smith fell for 51, but this did not cause Middlesex to break stride and with Brearley untroubled on 61* and Clive Radley (21*) immediately finding his touch, Middlesex strolled home by nine wickets with eleven balls to spare. Middlesex 16 points, Surrey 0: this win took Middlesex back to the top of the table and they went on to share the Championship with Kent in a sensational climax to the season and they also beat Glamorgan by 5 wickets at Lord's on September 3rd to lift the Gillette Cup.
---
Middlesex won the toss and chose to bat first on a good wicket at Lord's in the four day Championship match against Leicestershire on August 5 1993. Desmond Haynes and Mike Roseberry put on 56 for the first wicket and any disappointment at seeing Haynes depart for only 20 soon disappeared as Roseberry and captain Mike Gatting embarked on a brilliant stand of 230 in 63 overs for the second wicket. Gatting's 121 was his 75th first class hundred, while Roseberry went on to a career best 185. There were more runs for Mark Ramprakash (83), John Carr (74*), keeper Keith Brown (24) and allrounder Mark Feltham (32*) as Middlesex earned maximum batting points for the first time that season before Gatt finally declared at 551 for 5 midway through the second afternoon.
Leicestershire found batting much more difficult than Middlesex had done and the main reason for this was the excellent form of Angus Fraser, gradually returning to his best after persistent hip problems. Fraser soon had Leicestershire in deep trouble at 36 for 3 (Gus had 3 for 8 in his first five overs) and finished with figures of 7 for 40 as Leics collapsed to 114 all out in 34.2 overs. Feltham (3 for 24) gave good support and took three wickets in seven balls, while Vince Wells's 30 was the best that the visitors had to offer.
Following on 437 behind, Leics applied themselves rather better and were unfortunate that skipper Nigel Briers (33*) had to retire hurt with an Achilles tendon injury. James Whittaker made a sound 42, Paul Nixon contributed 32 before being run out and there was some entertainment as WI Test allrounder Winston Benjamin, batting at 9, hit a lively 63 and added 55 for the ninth (and last) wicket with David Millns (8*) before falling to the wiles of Ramprakash. Feltham (3 for 40 and 6 for 64 in the match) returned the best figures in the Leics second innings as the visitors closed on 253 in 87.4 overs to lose by an innings and 184 by half past four on day 3. Keith Dutch made his first class debut for Middlesex, but was not required to bat and bowled only five overs. It was Middlesex's sixth consecutive win in the Championship, they were clearly on their way to the title and the Trophy was presented to them on the first day of the penultimate Championship game against Lancashire at Lord's on September 9th. Middlesex 24 points, Leicestershire 1.
Correction Matters
When the Professor recounted the tale of Lord Ray’s speech at a Shepherds Bush dinner long ago he forgot that the Great Jack Morgan would also have been in the room. He sent me this
I recall the Entre Deux Mers story rather differently. I reckon Peter Ray said, while examining the label, "Entre Deux Mer(de)s... exactly where I find myself this evening... between two shits", a "humorous" insult to his companions on either side of him at the dinner table, rather more amusing and making more sense than a wine tasting like between two shits, which is fairly nonsensical.
Wright Matters
Steve Wright sent me this
I allowed myself a quiet smile as the point I was making a couple of months ago about our fast bowlers being no faster than military medium ( particularly the misfiring Broad) has now become a major topic of discussion.
Broad is surely only in the team because he is vice captain but he will be lucky to hang on to his place for the third test. Why has it taken the analysts such a long time to pick on this? Well if you look at the "team" and ignore that grumpy old man, Bob Willis, which I am sure most of us would be happy to do, the only bowler is Ian Botham. Hussein, Atherton, Lloyd, Gower,Knight etc will all look at the game primarily from a batsman's viewpoint( I think!). Hussein and Atherton are particularly good but it takes a bowler to really understand a bowlers's problems.
A number of slow bowlers have had their careers prematurely terminated by the yips and fast bowlers, particularly, put their bodies under stress and often have serious injuries. This causes them to alter their actions and generally to become less effective. Speaking as a club bowler I know that my action changed over the years although not from injury? I have seen Broad bowl at 90 mph and to drop 10 mph to where he is now is not just "tiredness” which is what the commentary team are putting it down to but,I suspect, a change in his action. It shouldn't be long before they start analysing it!
Alan Coxon
John Linley sent me this
I have to report sad news, Alan Coxon former Ealing CC Club Captain 1961-63 died at Honiton on 7th November aged 82. He was a Vice President for 46 years, an Ealing playing member from 1956 to 1976. He was a member of our side that played at Lords in The National KO Final in 1971.
In his “A History of Ealing Cricket Club” Sam Kelso noted:
An aggressive player as bowler, batsman, captain & fielder. Former Oxford Blue, an intense competitor, who became only the third player ever to complete the double when he took one hundred wickets & scored one thousand runs in 1959 and repeated it again in 1962. A great all-rounder.
Took over 1250 wkts and scored over 10,000 runs. Scored 3 Centuries & scored over 1000 runs in season 4 times. Took over 100 wkts in a season 7 times. His highest total being 171 wkts in 1965. 246 catches.
His funeral is on 5th December near Honiton.
And then I received this from Bob Fisher
I am sorry to advise readers that Alan Coxon passed away recently at the age of 82 at his home in Devon. Alan’s career at Ealing ran from 1956 to 1976 although during much of this time he was away in Nigeria on business. He captained the club from 1961 to 1963. He made over 10,000 runs and took close on 1300 wickets for the club and did the double on four occasions. He was a fierce competitor and on occasion he ruffled a few feathers in the opposition ranks but all was quickly forgotten in the bar afterwards. He used to love to recount the story of when playing for Oxford University in the varsity game at Lords in 1952 how in making his highest first class score of 43 not out in Oxford’s second innings when they were battling successfully to avoid an innings defeat that he was hit on the top of the header by a bouncer by South African test quickie Cuan McCarthy and that in Coxon’s words the ball almost then went over the keeper’s head for six leg byes. One can image knowing Alan as we did how much he would have relished this contest. May he rest in peace.
Alan was playing in the Ealing side when I made my first team debut for South Hampstead against them in 1963
Revier Matters
Jim Revier sent me the following
A couple of issues of Googlies back Test and one day ratings were touched upon. In my opinion the cricket ratings are as close to a true reflection of current standings as you are going to get. But does it really matter ? Do people watching a test really worry about the standings of the teams in the rankings? In the absence of a genuine Test Championship I realise the rankings give us the only guide to the best team in the world, although a quick look at other sports' rankings show this isn't always the case.
Individual sports of course need a rankings system for the purpose of the draws for tournaments. Men's tennis follows cricket in having a reasonable ratings system. No one could quarrel with a top 4 of Djokovic, Federer, Murray and Nadal. Grand Slam winners all. However the women's game has in the past ranked the likes of Jelena Jankovic and Caroline Wozniacki as No 1, neither of whom has won a slam. Serena Williams however with 15 slams to her credit has not been No.1 since 2009. She has won 4 slams and Olympic gold since then but is now ranked No 3.
I know little of golf but prior to Rory McIlroy's ascent to the No 1 slot, the position was constantly vied for between Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, both of whom still await a Major crown. Surely in years to come people will remember title winners rather than No 1's ?
On the green baize this year Ronnie O'Sullivan won his 4th world title, along with 2 other ranking events. Ronnie is widely regarded as the best player to ever pick up a cue, yet his world title was only good enough to hoist him up one place to 12th in the rankings.
Prior to the Olympics a couple of quite speedy Jamaicans ,Messrs Bolt and Blake were ranked 7th and 8th for 200 metres. The form book was certainly torn up there.
The worst system of all however must be that devised by FIFA to rank the world's football teams. After the European Championships ,lest we forget. England scrambled out of their group only to come up against the sneaky Italians who employed that low trick known only to countries outside the UK of only passing the ball to people wearing the same coloured shirt.This latest failing by England made them in most eyes about the 8th best team in Europe ( let's be kind ).But not to FIFA.This triumph sent them roaring up to 3rd in the WORLD. On the same chart Argentina were 7th and Brazil 11th.In my eyes Lionel Messi on his own would be ranked above England.
So the cricket ratings come out quite well, but as I said earlier do we care ?
Middlesex Matters
The Great Jack Morgan reports
I have just got the fixtures for next season and they look much more sensible than recent seasons. The first team are playing a CB40 at Radlett: they must have made huge changes for that to be possible. They sometimes get quite good crowds for those matches so where are they all going to park and where they are all going to sit, I have no idea! There will also be a huge crush to get in and out of the ground; there had been talk of constructing a second entrance (or exit), but I have not heard that that has happened. I do not think I will be attending.
Red Mist Matters
Chris Gayle has become the first player ever to hit a six off the first ball of a Test match in the first Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. He hit Bangladesh debutant Sohag Gazi over long-on. It was the 2,051st Test in history since the first match in 1877. Gayle now has a total of 84 sixes in his Test career to reach joint sixth on the all-time list. He sees so much red mist he must have blood shot eyes. I just thought that you would like to know that.
Harry Pilling Matters
Don Shearwood sent me this
I have just learned about the sad passing of little Harry Pilling (little in height, but big in heart and ability) on 22nd September. There is a nice obituary in The Independent today. I trust Googlies & Chinamen will pay its own tribute in the next edition.
I replied
How about you doing the tribute? You can base it around the obit and add in some personal anecdote or observation.
He responded
I would be happy to, but I only ever saw HP on TV, never saw him live at a ground (no, wait, I remember a John Player match at Essex's Leyton ground, but I don't recall Harry's contribution, only Barry Wood declining to give me his autograph but Jack Simmons happy to give his to all and sundry). But loved the sight of him and Clive Lloyd at the crease at the same time, talk about Little and Large. The only thing I remember about Harry that wasn't mentioned in the obit was after Lancs won the Gillette Cup, possibly for the first time, and some of the players were being interviewed on the radio, and Harry was aked if he'd partaken of some of the champagne, and he replied "Ah, no, I like my brown ale, thank you", or something to that effect.
Well at least Don tried, here’s my bit
I seem to remember that Pilling was a favourite of my Dad’s but other than his diminutive stature I don’t really know what would have attracted him. I saw Pilling play in the August Bank Holiday match between Middlesex and Lancashire at Lord’s in 1962. He was nineteen and came to the crease at 103 for 4 after Ron Hooker had shot out the top order. He added over 50 with Peter Marner but when Marner was dismissed there was another collapse. Pilling was ninth out for 31. This was his career best at the time. He was dismissed by Ron Hooker who returned a career best of 6 for 69 on the day. Middlesex made 327 for 9 in reply with Russell, Gale, Parfitt, White, Brearley, Hooker, Titmus and Murray all contributing.
Lancashire ground it out the second time round with Brian Booth making a hundred. Pilling was run out for 0. Middlesex bowled 34 maidens in this innings. Riveting stuff. After early scares White and Brearley saw Middlesex through to a comfortable seven wicket win. There were 326 overs bowled in this three day match which finished just after tea on the third day. Just thought you’d like to know that.
Bruton Matters
Allen Bruton sent me this
I am somewhat confused having read that Duminy has ruptured his Achilles tendon performing warm down exercises following the first days play in Brisbane. At the close South Africa were 255 for 2, Duminy bats at 7 so would not even have put his pads on. What the hell was he warming down from?
Seems to me he would have been better off making his way to the bar for a pint and a chat.
I replied
You show the wisdom of your years and such sound advice will go down well when you stand in for Andy Flower when he takes his rest. In fact I can see you being retained.
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An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 120
December 2012
Anniversary Matters
This issue completes ten years of Googlies which is a reflection of the support given by the contributors and readers. Thanks to you all. I met up recently in Sheffield with the Professor to have a celebratory lunch before he toddled off to India. I just thought that you’d like to know that.
Out and About with the Professor
Greetings from the land of cricket. One of the (many) great things about India is that everybody, absolutely everybody, likes/knows about/is interested in cricket. Every open space has a game going on, every park, every parking lot,
indeed every alley, if there are not too many cars, has a bat and a ball in use. If you're going to the match, you don't have to explain which match...there is only one game in town.
The teams are staying in the Taj Mahal Hotel, opposite India Gate, where you may remember there was a dreadful terrorist attack four years' ago. As a result the place has more security than the average prison. Our hotel has the journalists in it and also has security but it is more of the G4S variety. The "journalists" don't of course include the usual Sky mob - the story is that the ICB were demanding £500,000 to set up a little Sky studio which the good folk at Shy thought was exploitation (and they should know) so at each break in play Athers and Tim Abraham go into a scrubby field next to the ground to do their "to camera" bits. Warne and Collingwood and Hughes are with us and can be found round the pool or in the bar when not on duty (not too much hard yakka there). There is a nice story going round about KP. The Taj Hotel is one of India's finest but when Mrs KP arrived their accommodation was felt to be a bit poky and so they were moved into the Presidential Suite...so that the baby didn't disturb the others... (he's reintegrating well).
We go to the cricket in the day and then nip back for the highlights before the evening revelries. All three current Tests are on free to view channels, the ICB clearly haven't followed the lead of the ECB and sold their birthright. Someone here told me that there is no coverage at all in the UK of this series except on Sky. If that is true it is a disgrace and the money-grubbing counties should be ashamed of themselves.
As for the game? Well, to be frank, it was wonderful to be here. The Press all reported that Dhoni had "demanded" a turning wicket...and whatever MS wants, MS gets. In truth it was a brute of a pitch from the start. The first innings scores were a testament to three truly great Test match innings. Pujara has established himself as a high-class Test player in almost no time while Cook and Pietersen have got there earlier, and with more diversions, but have seen off all (or almost all) their critics. Cook played a perfect hand on a track where every ball turned and the odd ball jumped and spat. Pietersen's innings was beyond praise. His shot selection was near perfect and his judgement of length, so crucial on this type of pitch, was perfect. Those buffoons who thought he should not even be in the side remain, with all due respect for the late Lord Ray, buffoons. It is difficult to imagine anybody at anytime play a finer innings on this kind of surface. Several of our group thought the third day was the best days Test cricket they had ever seen.
One thing it is (obviously) impossible to realise at home (assuming you are able to watch the game at all) is how hot it is here. It is boiling. It is too hot to sit in the sun and watch the game let alone take part. I tried it for ten minutes (watching that is) and that was enough. Oh I know they are fit young men, and "professional sportsmen" blah, blah, blah, but they still have bodies. The heat and the humidity are crucifying and England, and I think even India, wilted in the last hour of the day. Cook and Pietersen's achievements were testaments to skill and technique but also to fitness.
Panesar's return was well deserved although in truth he bowled a lot of dross in the first innings amongst the unplayable balls and Swann was always going to bowl well on this sort of track. For the first time for a very long while I thought the England spinners looked better than the opposition's but that might just be another testament to how well KP and "Chef" played. Last time I was here Shaun Udal bowled out India on the last day, this time it was Monty.
The deification of Sachin continues. When he fields on the boundary the crowd leave their seats and run down the terraces to the fence just to be closer to him. If only cricketers (and cricket) had a fraction of that popularity in England. But, if you can't even watch it on the TV, I suppose it never shall. Shouldn't the ECB be re-named: the English and Welsh Counties Cricket Board?
As always there are some worrying features of England's performance: the ineffectual nature of the seamers, Broad's loss of form, Trott's loss of form, the slip catching in the first innings, Anderson's catching anywhere, Patel's place at no.6, Compton as the England opener, and so on and so on. Surprising we won really, but win we did, and in style and... your correspondent was there.
One little ps. Each day there was a longish queue to get into the ground and thus the chance to chit-chat. One morning a member of our group, a retired headteacher (and also an avid Googles reader) fell into conversation with someone behind him in the line.
"Oh yes" said his new-found chum,
"I went for an interview at that school".
"Were you successful?"
"No"
"Oh dear, who interviewed you?"
"You did".
Sofa Cricket
Australia v South Africa, Brisbane
South Africa scored 450 on the back of routine centuries from their principal sources, Amla and Kallis. Australia were in some difficulties at 40 for 3 when Clarke joined Cowan but they added 259 and Cowan completed a maiden test century. Michael Hussey and Clarke then added a further 228 before Hussey fell for 100. Clarke declared at 565 for 5 and presumably could have gone on to join the elite two test triple century club had he not given his side a remote chance of bowling the visitors out for 115 in 68 overs. In the event they closed on 166 for 5. We all know what Brian Lara would have done.
Bangladesh v West Indies, Mirpur
Powell, Chanderpaul and Ramdin all scored hundreds as West Indies reached 527 for 4 and then Bangladesh replied with 556 which included a hundred from Naeem Islam. Powell scored a second hundred and at one stage the West Indies second innings score was 209 for 1. The match then took on the feature of one of those games on uncovered pitches when overnight it rains and the side batting second gets skittled. After Darren Bravo was dismissed nineteen wickets fell for 231 runs. The first fifteen wickets had cost 1092 runs, 72.8 each. The final nineteen averaged only 12.15 each and no batsman scored more than 29. Just thought that you’d like to know that.
India v England, Ahmedabad
Some wankers employed by the England set up are paid a lot of money to look at old tapes to see how the opposition batsmen score their runs. How do we know that they are wankers? I don’t get to see the old tapes and am paid nothing for my knowledge but I do know where Sehwag scores a lot of his runs. In fact we all do. He scores them both aerially and on the ground through that zone that used to be called third man and is now forbidden territory for fielders to set foot in. At one stage there was not only no one at third man but no slips either. Sehwag said thanks very much and angled his bat without any risk of getting out.
We later saw the ridiculous business of a night watchman being deployed who was then dismissed and the batsman he was supposedly protecting then emerging. What happened in the dressing room? Presumably the captain or his deputy said to Trott: “Do you fancy it tonight?” to which he replied: “Not likely. Its turning square and they’ve got fielders all round the bat.” Then when the hapless Anderson was dismissed: “How about now Trotty?”, “Leave it to me skip, I really fancy it now, I’ll sort the bastards out”. Of course Trott was then dismissed himself. I think that if a batsman is considered good enough to be picked for his country he should have the skills to be able to deal with all situations. Nightwatchmen should be banned.
Bangladesh v West Indies, Khulna
Bangladesh were in the shit at 193 for 8 but then Mahmudullah and Hasan added 184 for the ninth wicket with the latter scoring 113. 387 seemed a respectable score but Samuels scored 260 and Bravo and Chanderpaul both hit centuries to enable the West Indies to reach 648. This proved too much for Bangladesh despite nineties from Shakib and Nasir Hossain. Tino Best, the sometime Yorkshireman and Lancastrian, took 6 for 40 setting up a ten wicket win for his side.
Australia v South Africa, Adelaide
The Australian first innings was a déjà vu experience for the crowd. Warner scored a hundred instead of Cowan but Quiney and Ponting failed again and then Clarke scored 230 and Hussey scored another hundred in taking the Aussies to 550. In reply South Africa managed only 388 with an injured Kallis appearing at number nine and scoring 58, with 46 coming in boundaries. South Africa then got Quiney and Ponting cheaply yet again and managed to dismiss Clarke for less than a double hundred. Set a mammoth 430 to win South Africa blocked it out scoring 248 for 8 from 148 overs, a scoring rate of 1.67 an over! Du Plessis made 110 not out from 376 balls whilst de Villiers faced 220 balls for his 33. Riveting stuff.
India v England, Mumbai
This was the game in which the commentators kept telling us that no one could bat on the pitch but until Panesar took out the Indian top and middle order on the third evening they were proved wrong. Pietersen added a second epic innings in four months (Headingley being the other) after an extraordinary display against Ojha at Ahmedabad where he seemed mesmerised by an orthodox left arm spinner. Panesar who is often accused of bowling too fast seemed to be just right for this surface and was head and shoulders above his Indian counterparts.
Much fuss was made of Bairstow being caught off Gambhir’s helmet in that the commentators claimed that the ball should have been called dead and five runs awarded. I don’t remember ever seeing this occur when for example the ball hits the wicket keepers helmet when he is standing up or indeed a short leg fielder’s helmet when he is taking evasive action. Is this technical interpretation of the laws gone mad?
England Matters
King cricket give their view on the famous win
Regardless of the outcome of the rest of the series, we’re inclined to say this was one of the most impressive England wins we’ve seen.
It’s not just that it’s an England win in India – which is as rare as a sighting of a wendigo – it’s that they outspun India and did so despite having a batting line-up which gives opposition spinners something of a head start. MS Dhoni even described the pitch as being India’s ‘specialty’. Against that backdrop, England’s 10-wicket win was a bigger surprise than seeing a wendigo with lips.
India remain hot favourites on flatter and slower pitches, but credit to Dhoni for continuing to demand more pitches like the one in Mumbai.
“What’s the point of playing on a flat track and winning the toss and batting for three or four days over the Test? You want to face challenges in Test cricket. These are the kinds of wickets that push you. Definitely all the wickets should be like this.”
Good on him.
Dhoni can reassure himself that the series is 1-1 despite only a handful of England players really contributing. Of the batsmen, Cook, Pietersen and Prior seem to be functioning well and Compton’s performances have been encouraging, but the others seem as vulnerable as a frail old woman being stalked by a wendigo. Of the bowlers, Swann and Panesar are the only ones who are really pulling their weight, although Anderson can perhaps evade criticism.
What’s to come? Will England contract wendigo fever and experience tearful nightmares for the rest of the tour, or will they gain supernatural strength as time wears on, much like a wendigo does? We’ll just have to wait and see. It’s proving to be an excellent Test series.
Match Reports
When criticism of his excellent minor county and second eleven reports prompted the Great Jack Morgan to retire from reporting on such matches we were left with a potential void in the winter issues of Googlies. Fortunately I have persuaded the Great Man to trawl through his scorecards of fifty five years of first class watching and send us some reports of memorable games
No play was possible on the first day of three in the Middlesex versus Surrey County Championship match at Lord’s on August 6 1977 and only five overs were bowled on day 2, during which Alan Butcher fell for one and Surrey started day three on 8 for 1. The uncovered pitch was a damp seamers’ paradise and the Middlesex opening bowlers, Test men Wayne Daniel and Mike Selvey, revelled in the conditions. It is interesting to note however that the only other seamer in the Middlesex team was the young Mike Gatting, while there was strength in the spin of John Emburey and Phil Edmonds (with Norman Featherstone to back them up). The Surrey first innings lasted only 22.5 overs as they were shot out for 49 by 12.15, Intikhab Alam making the only double figure score of 15; Daniel took 5 for 16, Selvey 3 for 29 and Gatting 2 for 2.
It was then that skipper Mike Brearley pulled his masterstroke (in the days before it was possible to forfeit an innings) and declared the Middlesex first innings after one ball (at which Emburey essayed an almighty yahoo and missed, if memory serves), leaving Surrey to bat for a second time in conditions favouring the bowlers. Of course, Surrey did better second time around, but not by very much. Monte Lynch completed a pair before lunch on his first appearance at Lord's and no 9 Geoff Arnold was the top scorer with 19* as the visitors collapsed again for 89; Daniel 4 for 23, Selvey 3 for 31 and Gatting 2 for 1.
However, Surrey occupied the crease for 50.3 overs in their second innings (Butcher spent more than two hours over 10) and this left Middlesex to chase 139 to win in 88 minutes in conditions that were still not easy for batting, but Mike Smith and captain Brearley got Middlesex off to great start (47 off the first 7 overs) with Arnold unable to bowl and Robin Jackman below his best. The openers took their stand to 101 before Smith fell for 51, but this did not cause Middlesex to break stride and with Brearley untroubled on 61* and Clive Radley (21*) immediately finding his touch, Middlesex strolled home by nine wickets with eleven balls to spare. Middlesex 16 points, Surrey 0: this win took Middlesex back to the top of the table and they went on to share the Championship with Kent in a sensational climax to the season and they also beat Glamorgan by 5 wickets at Lord's on September 3rd to lift the Gillette Cup.
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Middlesex won the toss and chose to bat first on a good wicket at Lord's in the four day Championship match against Leicestershire on August 5 1993. Desmond Haynes and Mike Roseberry put on 56 for the first wicket and any disappointment at seeing Haynes depart for only 20 soon disappeared as Roseberry and captain Mike Gatting embarked on a brilliant stand of 230 in 63 overs for the second wicket. Gatting's 121 was his 75th first class hundred, while Roseberry went on to a career best 185. There were more runs for Mark Ramprakash (83), John Carr (74*), keeper Keith Brown (24) and allrounder Mark Feltham (32*) as Middlesex earned maximum batting points for the first time that season before Gatt finally declared at 551 for 5 midway through the second afternoon.
Leicestershire found batting much more difficult than Middlesex had done and the main reason for this was the excellent form of Angus Fraser, gradually returning to his best after persistent hip problems. Fraser soon had Leicestershire in deep trouble at 36 for 3 (Gus had 3 for 8 in his first five overs) and finished with figures of 7 for 40 as Leics collapsed to 114 all out in 34.2 overs. Feltham (3 for 24) gave good support and took three wickets in seven balls, while Vince Wells's 30 was the best that the visitors had to offer.
Following on 437 behind, Leics applied themselves rather better and were unfortunate that skipper Nigel Briers (33*) had to retire hurt with an Achilles tendon injury. James Whittaker made a sound 42, Paul Nixon contributed 32 before being run out and there was some entertainment as WI Test allrounder Winston Benjamin, batting at 9, hit a lively 63 and added 55 for the ninth (and last) wicket with David Millns (8*) before falling to the wiles of Ramprakash. Feltham (3 for 40 and 6 for 64 in the match) returned the best figures in the Leics second innings as the visitors closed on 253 in 87.4 overs to lose by an innings and 184 by half past four on day 3. Keith Dutch made his first class debut for Middlesex, but was not required to bat and bowled only five overs. It was Middlesex's sixth consecutive win in the Championship, they were clearly on their way to the title and the Trophy was presented to them on the first day of the penultimate Championship game against Lancashire at Lord's on September 9th. Middlesex 24 points, Leicestershire 1.
Correction Matters
When the Professor recounted the tale of Lord Ray’s speech at a Shepherds Bush dinner long ago he forgot that the Great Jack Morgan would also have been in the room. He sent me this
I recall the Entre Deux Mers story rather differently. I reckon Peter Ray said, while examining the label, "Entre Deux Mer(de)s... exactly where I find myself this evening... between two shits", a "humorous" insult to his companions on either side of him at the dinner table, rather more amusing and making more sense than a wine tasting like between two shits, which is fairly nonsensical.
Wright Matters
Steve Wright sent me this
I allowed myself a quiet smile as the point I was making a couple of months ago about our fast bowlers being no faster than military medium ( particularly the misfiring Broad) has now become a major topic of discussion.
Broad is surely only in the team because he is vice captain but he will be lucky to hang on to his place for the third test. Why has it taken the analysts such a long time to pick on this? Well if you look at the "team" and ignore that grumpy old man, Bob Willis, which I am sure most of us would be happy to do, the only bowler is Ian Botham. Hussein, Atherton, Lloyd, Gower,Knight etc will all look at the game primarily from a batsman's viewpoint( I think!). Hussein and Atherton are particularly good but it takes a bowler to really understand a bowlers's problems.
A number of slow bowlers have had their careers prematurely terminated by the yips and fast bowlers, particularly, put their bodies under stress and often have serious injuries. This causes them to alter their actions and generally to become less effective. Speaking as a club bowler I know that my action changed over the years although not from injury? I have seen Broad bowl at 90 mph and to drop 10 mph to where he is now is not just "tiredness” which is what the commentary team are putting it down to but,I suspect, a change in his action. It shouldn't be long before they start analysing it!
Alan Coxon
John Linley sent me this
I have to report sad news, Alan Coxon former Ealing CC Club Captain 1961-63 died at Honiton on 7th November aged 82. He was a Vice President for 46 years, an Ealing playing member from 1956 to 1976. He was a member of our side that played at Lords in The National KO Final in 1971.
In his “A History of Ealing Cricket Club” Sam Kelso noted:
An aggressive player as bowler, batsman, captain & fielder. Former Oxford Blue, an intense competitor, who became only the third player ever to complete the double when he took one hundred wickets & scored one thousand runs in 1959 and repeated it again in 1962. A great all-rounder.
Took over 1250 wkts and scored over 10,000 runs. Scored 3 Centuries & scored over 1000 runs in season 4 times. Took over 100 wkts in a season 7 times. His highest total being 171 wkts in 1965. 246 catches.
His funeral is on 5th December near Honiton.
And then I received this from Bob Fisher
I am sorry to advise readers that Alan Coxon passed away recently at the age of 82 at his home in Devon. Alan’s career at Ealing ran from 1956 to 1976 although during much of this time he was away in Nigeria on business. He captained the club from 1961 to 1963. He made over 10,000 runs and took close on 1300 wickets for the club and did the double on four occasions. He was a fierce competitor and on occasion he ruffled a few feathers in the opposition ranks but all was quickly forgotten in the bar afterwards. He used to love to recount the story of when playing for Oxford University in the varsity game at Lords in 1952 how in making his highest first class score of 43 not out in Oxford’s second innings when they were battling successfully to avoid an innings defeat that he was hit on the top of the header by a bouncer by South African test quickie Cuan McCarthy and that in Coxon’s words the ball almost then went over the keeper’s head for six leg byes. One can image knowing Alan as we did how much he would have relished this contest. May he rest in peace.
Alan was playing in the Ealing side when I made my first team debut for South Hampstead against them in 1963
Revier Matters
Jim Revier sent me the following
A couple of issues of Googlies back Test and one day ratings were touched upon. In my opinion the cricket ratings are as close to a true reflection of current standings as you are going to get. But does it really matter ? Do people watching a test really worry about the standings of the teams in the rankings? In the absence of a genuine Test Championship I realise the rankings give us the only guide to the best team in the world, although a quick look at other sports' rankings show this isn't always the case.
Individual sports of course need a rankings system for the purpose of the draws for tournaments. Men's tennis follows cricket in having a reasonable ratings system. No one could quarrel with a top 4 of Djokovic, Federer, Murray and Nadal. Grand Slam winners all. However the women's game has in the past ranked the likes of Jelena Jankovic and Caroline Wozniacki as No 1, neither of whom has won a slam. Serena Williams however with 15 slams to her credit has not been No.1 since 2009. She has won 4 slams and Olympic gold since then but is now ranked No 3.
I know little of golf but prior to Rory McIlroy's ascent to the No 1 slot, the position was constantly vied for between Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, both of whom still await a Major crown. Surely in years to come people will remember title winners rather than No 1's ?
On the green baize this year Ronnie O'Sullivan won his 4th world title, along with 2 other ranking events. Ronnie is widely regarded as the best player to ever pick up a cue, yet his world title was only good enough to hoist him up one place to 12th in the rankings.
Prior to the Olympics a couple of quite speedy Jamaicans ,Messrs Bolt and Blake were ranked 7th and 8th for 200 metres. The form book was certainly torn up there.
The worst system of all however must be that devised by FIFA to rank the world's football teams. After the European Championships ,lest we forget. England scrambled out of their group only to come up against the sneaky Italians who employed that low trick known only to countries outside the UK of only passing the ball to people wearing the same coloured shirt.This latest failing by England made them in most eyes about the 8th best team in Europe ( let's be kind ).But not to FIFA.This triumph sent them roaring up to 3rd in the WORLD. On the same chart Argentina were 7th and Brazil 11th.In my eyes Lionel Messi on his own would be ranked above England.
So the cricket ratings come out quite well, but as I said earlier do we care ?
Middlesex Matters
The Great Jack Morgan reports
I have just got the fixtures for next season and they look much more sensible than recent seasons. The first team are playing a CB40 at Radlett: they must have made huge changes for that to be possible. They sometimes get quite good crowds for those matches so where are they all going to park and where they are all going to sit, I have no idea! There will also be a huge crush to get in and out of the ground; there had been talk of constructing a second entrance (or exit), but I have not heard that that has happened. I do not think I will be attending.
Red Mist Matters
Chris Gayle has become the first player ever to hit a six off the first ball of a Test match in the first Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka. He hit Bangladesh debutant Sohag Gazi over long-on. It was the 2,051st Test in history since the first match in 1877. Gayle now has a total of 84 sixes in his Test career to reach joint sixth on the all-time list. He sees so much red mist he must have blood shot eyes. I just thought that you would like to know that.
Harry Pilling Matters
Don Shearwood sent me this
I have just learned about the sad passing of little Harry Pilling (little in height, but big in heart and ability) on 22nd September. There is a nice obituary in The Independent today. I trust Googlies & Chinamen will pay its own tribute in the next edition.
I replied
How about you doing the tribute? You can base it around the obit and add in some personal anecdote or observation.
He responded
I would be happy to, but I only ever saw HP on TV, never saw him live at a ground (no, wait, I remember a John Player match at Essex's Leyton ground, but I don't recall Harry's contribution, only Barry Wood declining to give me his autograph but Jack Simmons happy to give his to all and sundry). But loved the sight of him and Clive Lloyd at the crease at the same time, talk about Little and Large. The only thing I remember about Harry that wasn't mentioned in the obit was after Lancs won the Gillette Cup, possibly for the first time, and some of the players were being interviewed on the radio, and Harry was aked if he'd partaken of some of the champagne, and he replied "Ah, no, I like my brown ale, thank you", or something to that effect.
Well at least Don tried, here’s my bit
I seem to remember that Pilling was a favourite of my Dad’s but other than his diminutive stature I don’t really know what would have attracted him. I saw Pilling play in the August Bank Holiday match between Middlesex and Lancashire at Lord’s in 1962. He was nineteen and came to the crease at 103 for 4 after Ron Hooker had shot out the top order. He added over 50 with Peter Marner but when Marner was dismissed there was another collapse. Pilling was ninth out for 31. This was his career best at the time. He was dismissed by Ron Hooker who returned a career best of 6 for 69 on the day. Middlesex made 327 for 9 in reply with Russell, Gale, Parfitt, White, Brearley, Hooker, Titmus and Murray all contributing.
Lancashire ground it out the second time round with Brian Booth making a hundred. Pilling was run out for 0. Middlesex bowled 34 maidens in this innings. Riveting stuff. After early scares White and Brearley saw Middlesex through to a comfortable seven wicket win. There were 326 overs bowled in this three day match which finished just after tea on the third day. Just thought you’d like to know that.
Bruton Matters
Allen Bruton sent me this
I am somewhat confused having read that Duminy has ruptured his Achilles tendon performing warm down exercises following the first days play in Brisbane. At the close South Africa were 255 for 2, Duminy bats at 7 so would not even have put his pads on. What the hell was he warming down from?
Seems to me he would have been better off making his way to the bar for a pint and a chat.
I replied
You show the wisdom of your years and such sound advice will go down well when you stand in for Andy Flower when he takes his rest. In fact I can see you being retained.
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