GOOGLIES & CHINAMEN
An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 147
March 2015
Out and About with the Professor
I have only once visited China. I didn’t like it very much. The late industrialisation has produced levels of urban smog equivalent, so it seems, to Manchester in the early 19th century. It was definitely a two Ventolin trip. There was of course a vast and mesmerising cultural history, wonderful museums and galleries – although traditional Chinese opera must be an acquired taste – but not being able to breathe slightly takes the edge of the visitor experience.
So, I was surprised last week to read that cricket is starting to become popular in China. Presumably the grounds are out of town. Apparently the women’s game is the more developed but the number of men’s teams is growing and interest in the sport is developing fast. What good news! I suppose (but I’m not going to look it up) that the MCC has sent a team or two out there, but if cricket really does grow rapidly in China they may end up with a very decent team. It would be important to avoid racial stereotypes – inscrutable leg-spinners and so on (what commentator is able to avoid describing Indian batsmen as “wristy”?) – but if there really was state-backed support for the game, who know how good they could be. Probably they would be denigrated early on as not good enough for international cricket, much in the way that Bangladesh have been – runs and wickets scored against them should not count in the averages, and so forth. I think I recall, or have read about, similar views regarding India and New Zealand in generations gone by. It might be difficult to see China in the World Cup any time soon – especially if the numbers are reduced next time, which seems an absurd proposal , given how well the current competition is going ( and the contributions already of Ireland, Scotland and Afghanistan) – but, for those who think the more cricket played the better, wouldn’t it be good?
And the World Cup has been excellent so far. With more than half the fixtures left to play it has already been a spellbinding competition; not just for the blitzkriegs of AB, Gayle and McCullum, but also for some splendid bowling and quite stunning catching. The breath-taking New Zealand win over Australia shows the sort of theatre that cricket can produce without every third ball flying over the fence…mind you it was good to see a Yorkshireman finish the game in style. England have been predictably poor but have apparently “learned the lessons” from their defeats…I wonder what they were? Selvey reported today that England had “replicated game-day with scenario cricket”; in a free translation from the managerialese he rendered this as “practiced in the middle”. Let’s hope it works.
Sad of course that the whole thing is on Sky, what young person could fail to be turned on to cricket if they had seen Gayle’s 200, or AB’s onslaught? Perhaps now that Yorkshire are taking charge of the ECB there will be some changes. So far the most dramatic announcement I have seen suggests that there will be a name change from ECB to “Cricket England”…and “Wales”. Umm…I was hoping for something a touch more radical.
The success of New Zealand could hardly be regarded as a shock – they were tipped by many to win the trophy – but I have been surprised by how well they have bowled, especially Vittori and Southee, both of whom seemed to be approaching the end of their careers. McCullum, of course, has been stunning and for once the commentators are right to praise his captaincy. If they do go on to win it will be a dramatic achievement for so small a country – World Champions at rugby and cricket – a castigation of England who, with the vast sums now coming into the County game, still do not seem to have got hold of the 50 overs format, and a vindication of allowing “lesser” countries to develop and thrive…watch out for China.
World Cup Matters
Match 1
The continuing rise of New Zealand cricket under Brendon McCullum’s captaincy has featured a series of exceptional batting performances but I am beginning to think that the real key to their success lies in the bowling. New Zealand keep bowling sides out and when you do that you normally win in ODI cricket. At Christchurch they scored 331 with McCullum, Anderson and Ronchi all scoring at over 130 runs per hundred balls and then their bowlers dismissed Sri Lanka with four overs to spare to win by 98 runs.
Match 2
England almost beat Australia. They started well by winning the toss. In the modern ODI game played in good conditions on shirtfront tracks most sides score 300 plus. This means that the combined brains of the England backroom, of which there is still an army, had come to the conclusion that England’s best chance of winning would be to chase down a score of over 300. Fair enough but how realistic is this? How often have England done this recently or indeed ever? This means that they expected to lose and were really on a damage limitation exercise.
In the event they were set 344 and it could have been a few more had it not been for Steve Finn’s bizarre hat trick off the final three balls of the innings. This was a dream fast bowler’s trio with all three coming from mishits into the deep. At least Finn saw the funny side. It gave him another international five wicket haul.
When England batted they decided to get out not to Starc, Hazlewood or Johnson but to the medium pacer, Mitchell Marsh (who?). He cleaned out the middle order of Bell, Ballance, Root, Morgan and Buttler taking 5 for 33. At 92 for 6 England faced an uphill struggle and had Finch held onto a dolly offered up by James Taylor they would probably have lost by 200 runs. In the event Taylor almost got to a hundred, which he was denied by some aberrant umpiring. No England batsman scored at anywhere near the required rate to chase down the total. Australia won by 111 runs but it had been oh so close for England.
Match 3
Zimbabwe almost beat South Africa. Like England, Zimbabwe won the toss and put South Africa in to bat. It seemed to have paid off when de Villiers was dismissed with the score at 83 for 4. But their magic ended here as Miller and Duminy stayed together till the end of the innings both scoring hundreds and in Miller’s case 138 not out with nine sixes. An in form Miller will be hitting a lot more as the competition progresses. Zimbabwe bat a fair bit like the West Indies with large muscular men going for big shots. When Chibhabhe and Masakadza were together it seemed like an unlikely winning chase could be on the cards. But once they were dismissed the middle order, although peppered with sixes, could not hang around long enough and in the event they lost by 62 runs.
Match 4
There is no doubt that the big clash in World cricket is between India and Pakistan. Even when played on neutral turf it engenders passions amongst players and spectators not seen in England/Australia clashes. When he emerged a few years back Dhawan scored a load of runs quickly and it seemed that he would become a major force to be reckoned with. He also had a very amusing moustache that made him look like a pantomime villain. But international bowlers worked him out and it is a while since he scored heavily. The Indian selectors must rate him, though, as they have persevered with him despite the disappearance of the funny moustache. The Pakistan bowlers got over excited on this occasion and served him up with the stuff he loves which he climbed into with all his old relish. In fact it was Kohli who was his eventual undoing as he gave him the classic yes/no call for a run. But Kohli did at least go onto a hundred himself and with Raina upping the tempo India reached 300.
Pakistan change their batting order every time they play and never got into the race. Like England, no batsman scored at the required rate and Pakistan eventually lost by 76 runs. The pundits don’t rate the Indian bowlers but they did the job with three overs to spare.
Assessment of matches 1-4: Side batting first scored 300 on each occasion and went on to win.
Match 5
The West Indies almost beat Ireland. I was going to continue this but realised that there was going to be sixty odd matches….
In the last edition I praised the extraordinary hitting of AB de Villiers and we all wondered what gems the World Cup would throw up. There was plenty of good cricket but nothing exceptional in the early matches. That is not until Match 15, which was between the West Indies and Zimbabwe. Holder won the toss and batted. Dwayne Smith was out to the second ball of the innings but the second wicket only fell off the final ball of the fiftieth over when Chris Gayle was caught. In between times Gayle and Samuels had added 372 a record partnership in ODIs. Gayle scored 215 from 147 balls, the first World Cup double century, and his sixteen sixes equalled the record for an ODI.
Gayle's first six came in the 11th over, over long-on off Williams, a warning that he could repeat the stroke whenever he saw one in his hitting zone. In the 17th, Samuels went for a cut and sliced Sikandar Raza straight towards Chatara at backward point. He dived forward, got both hands to the ball, and dropped it.
After 20 overs, West Indies were 96 for 1, and it wasn't until the 29th that their run-rate crept up to five an over. Gayle by then was going along at over a run a ball but Samuels was crawling along at half that strike rate, struggling for timing and hitting balls straight to fielders. His innings could have ended there, had Panyangara not overstepped while sending down a ball that Gayle skied down long-on's throat. Off the free-hit next ball Gayle gave long-on more catching practice.
Zimbabwe's bowlers probably knew what was coming next. They had conceded 146 in the last 10 overs against South Africa. Here they conceded 152. Just as they had done in that game, they had begun well with the ball and bowled reasonably well in the middle overs without threatening to take wickets. At Hamilton, it had left the well-set David Miller and JP Duminy at the crease after 40 overs. Now it was the turn of Gayle and Samuels.
At the start of the 40th over, West Indies were 203 for 1 and Gayle was on 121.
He then scored 80 in the next six overs reaching his double-hundred in the 46th over. He struggled to get the strike from then on but otherwise would almost certainly have gone on to 250. However, Samuels in the 48th over tucked Chatara away to the fine leg boundary to bring up his century and at that point his strike rate was 69.93. Over the next 13 balls he faced he lifted that to 85.25. He clobbered three fours and a six off Panyangara in the 49th over and clubbed Chatara for another six in the final over. Chatara lost control of the next two balls, slipping down successive waist-high full-tosses, and had to be taken out of the attack. Hamilton Masakadza trudged on to bowl the last two balls, an appropriately absurd end to a bowling effort that had completely gone to pieces but he had the consolation of claiming Gayle’s wicket.
Sri Lanka’s efforts in consecutive matches were truly remarkable. In Match 18 against Bangla Desh they batted first and finished on 332 for 1. Thirimanne made 52 but Dilshan was undefeated on 161 and Sangakkara on 105. Dilshan reached his hundred from 115 balls whilst Sangakkara took just 73 balls. In Match 22 against England they chased down England’s target of 310 with nearly three overs to spare. On this occasion Dilshan was dismissed for 44 but Thirimanne was undefeated on 139 and Sangakkara on 117. Sangakkara had reached his hundred this time from just 70 balls. Sri Lanka in consecutive matches had scored 644 for 2 with Sangakkara 222 not out. In the light of some recent big hitting Sangakkara’s scoring rate may sound pedestrian but extrapolated to fifty overs it translates to scores of well over 400.
Talking of big hitting there can be no scarier sight in the modern game than Brendon McCullum advancing down the wicket towards you (ask Steve Finn!). Against England he attacked from the off and destroyed the English attack with 77 from 25 balls including an 18 ball fifty. He then thrashed 50 from 24 balls in the low scoring win against Australia.
Which brings us back to de Villiers. After his record breaking demolition in the warm up game against the West Indies he found himself coming to the crease at 146 for 3 with twenty overs left against them again in the World Cup. In this period South Africa scored 261 a record in World Cup matches and de Villiers scored 162 not out from 66 balls. His hundred took 52 balls, two more than O’Briens’s effort against England in a previous World Cup but he was quickest to 150 off 64 balls. De Villiers now has the fastest fifty, hundred and 150 in ODI cricket, all against the West Indies.
The score was 280 in the 43rd over and only 330 by the end of the 47th over when de Villiers was 95 off 50. Jason Holder brought himself on. He had bowled two maidens, taken the wicket of de Kock and had conceded only 40 in eight overs. In a complete meltdown he bowled length deliveries, two no-balls and went for 34 runs in the 48th over. De Villiers, though, was just having fun: going down the ground, going over fine leg, reversing over third man deliveries that were pitched in almost identical spots. Holder started the last over to de Villiers. He kept feeding that driving slot, and de Villiers kept hurting him for 30 more in that over. Holder had by now conceded 104 the worst 10-over analysis in World Cups.
Middlesex Matters
The Great Jack Morgan sent me this
Eoin has entered the IPL "auction" rather than staying home to try to win back his Test place following the failure of that gambit last year. Has he given up on a Test recall? Certainly his form has not been sufficiently consistent in recent years, but it reduces the Middlesex strength in the first part of the season.
Gareth Berg, who is deemed not fit enough for Middlesex, has signed for Hampshire.
New ECB Chairman C Graves sounds like a complete berk with some hilarious ideas about the future of cricket: surely sense must be talked into him?
Jeff Coleman sent me this
When I noticed that my MCCC annual subs of £190 had been debited this month it reminded me of something we discovered last year and which might be of interest to the ageing readership of Googlies.
There has been a rather secret senior’s ground pass issued by the MCC which allows access to Middlesex and other matches at Lord’s excluding T20. The cost was £20 for 2014. A lot of members, in fact a large majority, do not use the pavilion or other members’ areas so the £20 offer is very attractive to them. When brought to the attention of MCCC management it was said that it was news to them. Bearing in mind that during the past few months discussions have been held with the MCC re the Middlesex tenancy arrangements, and other things, it will be interesting to see whether the ground pass availability remains.
Whilst on Middlesex matters. We were led to believe and, indeed, hoped that the change in governance from the committee structure to a slimmer Management Board in 2010 would hugely improve the club. Unfortunately this has not happened. The finances have not improved, the player recruitment policy has been unfortunate, results, particularly in one day matches, have been abysmal and interaction with members has declined since the demise of the membership committee. We were told last autumn that a major review of all cricket matters was being undertaken by Andrew Strauss, the newest Management Board member. It will be interesting to hear the results and recommendations from that review. One hopes he will report before the beginning of the season and that his findings are not kept secret.
Hedgcock Matters
Murray Hedgcock sent me the following
I can only say “hear-hear” to those stern comments about David Warner and his offensive behaviour – while commenting: “What else can you expect of someone from Sydney?” Now, if he had been a Melbourne lad…To proceed to the wider issue of sledging generally, I have been annoyed by players and commentators backing the ugly practice on the grounds that “it has been going on since WG”.
I think not. Certainly one contemporary termed WG “an artful toad”, but that did not embrace sledging.
And to turn the argument back on sledging defenders who say it has become controversial only because of the arrival of the stump microphone: if no-one knew what was said by players before the mike, then how do these pro-sledgers assert with such confidence that it has always been common?
Could Googlies initiate a campaign, backed by the Professor, the Great Jack Morgan, the Old Danes and all, to have cricket authority instruct umpires to step in when players abuse opponents – and back them up when they do so?
Incidentally, I never met sledging in my Australian club cricket playing days, but concede that this was way back from the Forties to the Sixties. I rest my case.
Wright Matters Steve Wright sent me this
I am suitably chastised by The GJM. Not too good when you get your own address wrong is it? My apologies. I hope that Jack dispenses justice as accurately as he gets addresses right. This does, however give me the opportunity to plug the Conference book. "The Show Must Go On " is a commentary on 100 plus years of club cricket from a number of perspectives. It includes a chapter written by David Perrin on cricket writings. If you want to read about the fascinating story of St Pancras Spartans this is the book for you. The pre- publication price of £15 is still available to readers of Googlies and Chinamen and please send your cheque made payable to The Club Cricket Conference to:
Club Cricket Conference,
24-26 High Street,
Hampton Hill,
Middlesex,
TW12 1PD
\
I wasn't exactly swamped by the rush of orders last time but perhaps they went to the wrong address. We have already pre-sold about 1,000 copies and are hoping that this could be a candidate for "Cricket Book Of The Year". Incidentally, it's rather a shame that Jack did not personally go to Hampton Hill and check the correct address. Had he done so he would have been able to snap up a second hand guitar in the music shop below our office so that he could entertain the two or three spectators packed into the Edrich Stand on Middlesex match days.
I am off to Grenada in a few days where hopefully I will meet up with the Professor who intends to watch the W Indies v England Test Match at the end of April. Members of the MCC who have to cough up payment for test tickets at Lords several months before the matches take place may be interested to know that Grenada have not yet commenced sales for the test match starting in two months time. Apparently they have not even fixed the prices as yet! Not surprising they are in such a mess is it?
Reluctant Matters
Douglas Miller sent me this
It is always a disappointment to find that I agree with the Professor. And I now do so profoundly. I find the idea of players giving their views on the match even when the ball is live (after the bowler has started his run-up) cheapens everything. And if ever there was truth in the maxim that more is not always better it goes for the chattering of the Big Bash commentators. The Australian notion of having three commentators on duty at once finds no favours with me. It smacks of more jobs for the boys. And I think we might try an experiment by requiring them to commentate without a camera in their box.
Broadhalfpenny Down Matters
If you are still interested in the history of cricket after you have slugged your way through the CCC book you might want some more in Ashley Mote’s “The Glory Days of Cricket – The Extraordinary Story of Broadhalfpenny Down”. I know - you already have the 1997 edition, which won the Cricket Society’s Book of the Year Prize in that year. But the good news is that he is now publishing a new, revised and updated edition in paperback or if you are of that ilk an eBook version is also out on Amazon.
The new edition includes information about the glory days of the mid 18th century at Hambledon, which only came to light after publication of the original edition. It also includes a new chapter featuring four major developments at Broadhalfpenny Down since then, including the resurrection of the original Hambledon Club and the construction of a controversial new pavilion.
The early eighteenth century stuff was tough cricket played for enormously high stakes wagered by the proprietors of the sides. The Hambledon club played the All England side on their ground on no less than fifty one occasions and were victors twenty nine times. Mote is fascinated by this stuff and has carried out meticulous research. The more recent history features friendlier cricket of a more Jazz hat style, in many cases fronting a worthy charity. In the 1977 picture of the players featuring in the bi-centenary match I had fun counting up those I had played with or knew – Ted Clark, Dudley Owen-Thomas, Charles Fry and Alan Day.
The new edition features appendices covering pertinent stats, poetry relating to Broadhalfpenny Down and a cricketing bibliography. Ashley Mote is a true cricket lover and his devotion to all aspects of the cricket experience ooze through the pages.
Football Matters-1
Why do the pundits/commentators keep referring to the number ten role? What do they mean? I think that they are using it as a way of identifying a second striker as in a 4-2-4 set up. But I find it hard to think of such a number ten. For example in the great Leeds side Sniffer played the number ten role to Mick Jones’ number nine but Clarkey actually wore number 8. The number ten role in that side was filled by Giles who scurried around in midfield with Billy Bremner. Meanwhile at Anfield, Toshack wore the number ten shirt but actually played number nine to Keegan who was the number ten but actually wore seven. And I could go on. The Rangers number tens (Marsh and Bowles) were generally far from support men to big number nines.
Football Matters – 2
Why can’t professional footballers take dead ball kicks? At corners most kickers fail to reach the near post or balloon it beyond the far post. At free kicks even the specialists either hit legs in the wall or clear the bar by a distance. We are told they are terrific at these set pieces and practice for hours, so why are they still so crap?
Football Matters – 3
What constitutes a sending off offence? Joey Barton last weekend set a new criteria –“the tweak in the knackers”. The ref identified it straight away as a qualifying offence but it almost certainly had no precedent. It could of course be that Joey has committed all of the offences over the years and is now readjusting the bar so as to provide future criteria for the rest of his playing days.
The Great Jack Morgan reminded me that the knackers tweak was invented by Vinny Jones although he does not think he was ever sent off for it, though he was for plenty of other stuff, of course.
Football Matters - 4
In a recent Everton match the substitution to bring on Mirallas had to be delayed because no shirt could be found for him to wear! What goes on at these clubs? Why wasn’t he already wearing it under his voluminous outer garments? Could he not decide ahead of time whether to wear long or short sleeves? He is probably paid around 30k a week-why can’t they dress him for his work?
Football Matters – 5 The Great Jack morgan sent me these notes
J Mutch is reportedly leaving the Rangers to join Crystal Palace for £4.75m. I suppose the money will help, but we would prefer to see chaps coming in, wouldn't we? Harry says the Rangers are not close to any signings as deadline day looms.
Sensationally, there was only one change for the Stoke game (Kranjcar for Zamora), but the outcome was the usual one. Steve Tongue in the Sindy thought that i) Rangers played a 4-2-3-1 formation; ii) Rangers had played quite well (especially in the second half); and iii) the match had been good (8 out of 10).
No joy for Rangers on deadline day. Apparently they tried to give Zarate back to West Ham because he is not fit in order to take M Jarvis instead, but it didn't happen. However, they ended up with one of the great names of world football: Ryan Manning from Galway United for free. Harry promptly resigned because of an imminent knee operation. Glen Hoddle, Joe Jordan and Kevin Bond have also departed... I suppose they all needed knee operations too? Tim Sherwood is the early favourite to be the new boss. 'Arry is getting plenty of criticism for his ineffective reign, having spent £58m in two years and leaving us in exactly the same position as when he arrived.
Les Ferdinand is the new director of football at Rangers and Kevin Bond (not sacked after all) and Chris Ramsey (grandson of Sir Alf?) will be in charge of the team v Southamton on Saturday. There is plenty more crap about Rangers in the papers, but not much hard news about what happens now. Sherwood is an even stronger favourite now that Tony Fernandes has failed to interest two other managers/coaches, both with Rangers connections, in the position; Paul Clement, son of Dave and a Rangers supporter, is staying with Real Madrid, though he left open the possibility of returning to West London some time in the future, but ex-Rangers coach Steve McLaren is determined to get Derby promoted this season.
There were 4 changes for the Southamton game: out went Isla, Henry, Vargas and Kranjcar and in came Caulker, Phillips, Traore and Taarabt. Of course, it did not work, but they sounded quite unlucky to concede a 93rd minute winner and to have a 94th minute equaliser disallowed. Steve Tongue in the Sindy thought Rangers played a 4-4-1-1 formation. Paul Doyle in the G informed us that Charlie Austin left the ground on crutches, but might only miss the Sunderland game, while Richard Dunne is likely to miss the rest of the season with knee trouble.
Now N Onuoha is out for a month because of hamstring trouble. Incredibly, however, Rangers managed to take all three away points at the Stadium of Light to open their account away from home. Sunderland are nothing special, of course, but we usually lose to any sort of rubbish. There were six changes for this one: Isla, Ferdinand, Yun, Henry, Kranjcar and Zamora coming in for Onuoha, Dunne, Hill, Traore, Taarabt and Austin. The Guardian had a fine action shot of Leroy Fer heading the first goal. Louise Taylor thought Rs played 4-4-1-1. Louise was very impressed with M Phillips, but he only lasted 52 mins and was replaced by SWP, making his first Premier appearance for 2 years. Unfortunately, Fer was carried off with a "potentially serious knee injury". Astonishingly, Aston Villa's goal difference is even worse than ours, so we are now out of the relegation places... for the time being. Tim Sherwood is not taking the Rs job; apparently he is concerned about the lack of funds when the League impose their imminent huge fine. The new favourite is M Laudrup, though the reasons for this are unclear. M Laudrup is now out of the running (was he ever in it?) and it now looks like Chris Ramsey will stay in post until the end of the season.
Austin and someone called Darnell Furlong replaced Fer and Isla for the game at Hull. It sounded as if the Rangers were a little unlucky to lose to another late goal (89 mins), but they have to look at their discipline, having to play without Barton for an hour and having four more given yellow cards. Richard Gibson in the O thought they played a 4-4-2 formation. Gibson's piece in the G was all about Barton, but he did give the Man of the Match to Matt Phillips, who seems to have hit form recently.
Football Matters - 6
Kelvin West sent me this
Having read Jim Revier’s comments I thought I should let you see my new strikers signed as the transfer window closed late last night.
These three up front, should improve my scoring statistics and rate, along with my new Centre Back who will fill the missing hole in my defence.
As for the Greek Election and debt problems, I have asked Mrs Merkel to refund all that was stolen from Greece in 1943, Negotiations are still taking place and I have asked Nigel Farage to speak to her personally.
Kelvin tells me he is also suffering from noisy neighbours but in typically generous style has decided not to lodge any official complaint against their rumbustious Jacuzzi activities.
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An Occasional Cricketing Journal
Edition 147
March 2015
Out and About with the Professor
I have only once visited China. I didn’t like it very much. The late industrialisation has produced levels of urban smog equivalent, so it seems, to Manchester in the early 19th century. It was definitely a two Ventolin trip. There was of course a vast and mesmerising cultural history, wonderful museums and galleries – although traditional Chinese opera must be an acquired taste – but not being able to breathe slightly takes the edge of the visitor experience.
So, I was surprised last week to read that cricket is starting to become popular in China. Presumably the grounds are out of town. Apparently the women’s game is the more developed but the number of men’s teams is growing and interest in the sport is developing fast. What good news! I suppose (but I’m not going to look it up) that the MCC has sent a team or two out there, but if cricket really does grow rapidly in China they may end up with a very decent team. It would be important to avoid racial stereotypes – inscrutable leg-spinners and so on (what commentator is able to avoid describing Indian batsmen as “wristy”?) – but if there really was state-backed support for the game, who know how good they could be. Probably they would be denigrated early on as not good enough for international cricket, much in the way that Bangladesh have been – runs and wickets scored against them should not count in the averages, and so forth. I think I recall, or have read about, similar views regarding India and New Zealand in generations gone by. It might be difficult to see China in the World Cup any time soon – especially if the numbers are reduced next time, which seems an absurd proposal , given how well the current competition is going ( and the contributions already of Ireland, Scotland and Afghanistan) – but, for those who think the more cricket played the better, wouldn’t it be good?
And the World Cup has been excellent so far. With more than half the fixtures left to play it has already been a spellbinding competition; not just for the blitzkriegs of AB, Gayle and McCullum, but also for some splendid bowling and quite stunning catching. The breath-taking New Zealand win over Australia shows the sort of theatre that cricket can produce without every third ball flying over the fence…mind you it was good to see a Yorkshireman finish the game in style. England have been predictably poor but have apparently “learned the lessons” from their defeats…I wonder what they were? Selvey reported today that England had “replicated game-day with scenario cricket”; in a free translation from the managerialese he rendered this as “practiced in the middle”. Let’s hope it works.
Sad of course that the whole thing is on Sky, what young person could fail to be turned on to cricket if they had seen Gayle’s 200, or AB’s onslaught? Perhaps now that Yorkshire are taking charge of the ECB there will be some changes. So far the most dramatic announcement I have seen suggests that there will be a name change from ECB to “Cricket England”…and “Wales”. Umm…I was hoping for something a touch more radical.
The success of New Zealand could hardly be regarded as a shock – they were tipped by many to win the trophy – but I have been surprised by how well they have bowled, especially Vittori and Southee, both of whom seemed to be approaching the end of their careers. McCullum, of course, has been stunning and for once the commentators are right to praise his captaincy. If they do go on to win it will be a dramatic achievement for so small a country – World Champions at rugby and cricket – a castigation of England who, with the vast sums now coming into the County game, still do not seem to have got hold of the 50 overs format, and a vindication of allowing “lesser” countries to develop and thrive…watch out for China.
World Cup Matters
Match 1
The continuing rise of New Zealand cricket under Brendon McCullum’s captaincy has featured a series of exceptional batting performances but I am beginning to think that the real key to their success lies in the bowling. New Zealand keep bowling sides out and when you do that you normally win in ODI cricket. At Christchurch they scored 331 with McCullum, Anderson and Ronchi all scoring at over 130 runs per hundred balls and then their bowlers dismissed Sri Lanka with four overs to spare to win by 98 runs.
Match 2
England almost beat Australia. They started well by winning the toss. In the modern ODI game played in good conditions on shirtfront tracks most sides score 300 plus. This means that the combined brains of the England backroom, of which there is still an army, had come to the conclusion that England’s best chance of winning would be to chase down a score of over 300. Fair enough but how realistic is this? How often have England done this recently or indeed ever? This means that they expected to lose and were really on a damage limitation exercise.
In the event they were set 344 and it could have been a few more had it not been for Steve Finn’s bizarre hat trick off the final three balls of the innings. This was a dream fast bowler’s trio with all three coming from mishits into the deep. At least Finn saw the funny side. It gave him another international five wicket haul.
When England batted they decided to get out not to Starc, Hazlewood or Johnson but to the medium pacer, Mitchell Marsh (who?). He cleaned out the middle order of Bell, Ballance, Root, Morgan and Buttler taking 5 for 33. At 92 for 6 England faced an uphill struggle and had Finch held onto a dolly offered up by James Taylor they would probably have lost by 200 runs. In the event Taylor almost got to a hundred, which he was denied by some aberrant umpiring. No England batsman scored at anywhere near the required rate to chase down the total. Australia won by 111 runs but it had been oh so close for England.
Match 3
Zimbabwe almost beat South Africa. Like England, Zimbabwe won the toss and put South Africa in to bat. It seemed to have paid off when de Villiers was dismissed with the score at 83 for 4. But their magic ended here as Miller and Duminy stayed together till the end of the innings both scoring hundreds and in Miller’s case 138 not out with nine sixes. An in form Miller will be hitting a lot more as the competition progresses. Zimbabwe bat a fair bit like the West Indies with large muscular men going for big shots. When Chibhabhe and Masakadza were together it seemed like an unlikely winning chase could be on the cards. But once they were dismissed the middle order, although peppered with sixes, could not hang around long enough and in the event they lost by 62 runs.
Match 4
There is no doubt that the big clash in World cricket is between India and Pakistan. Even when played on neutral turf it engenders passions amongst players and spectators not seen in England/Australia clashes. When he emerged a few years back Dhawan scored a load of runs quickly and it seemed that he would become a major force to be reckoned with. He also had a very amusing moustache that made him look like a pantomime villain. But international bowlers worked him out and it is a while since he scored heavily. The Indian selectors must rate him, though, as they have persevered with him despite the disappearance of the funny moustache. The Pakistan bowlers got over excited on this occasion and served him up with the stuff he loves which he climbed into with all his old relish. In fact it was Kohli who was his eventual undoing as he gave him the classic yes/no call for a run. But Kohli did at least go onto a hundred himself and with Raina upping the tempo India reached 300.
Pakistan change their batting order every time they play and never got into the race. Like England, no batsman scored at the required rate and Pakistan eventually lost by 76 runs. The pundits don’t rate the Indian bowlers but they did the job with three overs to spare.
Assessment of matches 1-4: Side batting first scored 300 on each occasion and went on to win.
Match 5
The West Indies almost beat Ireland. I was going to continue this but realised that there was going to be sixty odd matches….
In the last edition I praised the extraordinary hitting of AB de Villiers and we all wondered what gems the World Cup would throw up. There was plenty of good cricket but nothing exceptional in the early matches. That is not until Match 15, which was between the West Indies and Zimbabwe. Holder won the toss and batted. Dwayne Smith was out to the second ball of the innings but the second wicket only fell off the final ball of the fiftieth over when Chris Gayle was caught. In between times Gayle and Samuels had added 372 a record partnership in ODIs. Gayle scored 215 from 147 balls, the first World Cup double century, and his sixteen sixes equalled the record for an ODI.
Gayle's first six came in the 11th over, over long-on off Williams, a warning that he could repeat the stroke whenever he saw one in his hitting zone. In the 17th, Samuels went for a cut and sliced Sikandar Raza straight towards Chatara at backward point. He dived forward, got both hands to the ball, and dropped it.
After 20 overs, West Indies were 96 for 1, and it wasn't until the 29th that their run-rate crept up to five an over. Gayle by then was going along at over a run a ball but Samuels was crawling along at half that strike rate, struggling for timing and hitting balls straight to fielders. His innings could have ended there, had Panyangara not overstepped while sending down a ball that Gayle skied down long-on's throat. Off the free-hit next ball Gayle gave long-on more catching practice.
Zimbabwe's bowlers probably knew what was coming next. They had conceded 146 in the last 10 overs against South Africa. Here they conceded 152. Just as they had done in that game, they had begun well with the ball and bowled reasonably well in the middle overs without threatening to take wickets. At Hamilton, it had left the well-set David Miller and JP Duminy at the crease after 40 overs. Now it was the turn of Gayle and Samuels.
At the start of the 40th over, West Indies were 203 for 1 and Gayle was on 121.
He then scored 80 in the next six overs reaching his double-hundred in the 46th over. He struggled to get the strike from then on but otherwise would almost certainly have gone on to 250. However, Samuels in the 48th over tucked Chatara away to the fine leg boundary to bring up his century and at that point his strike rate was 69.93. Over the next 13 balls he faced he lifted that to 85.25. He clobbered three fours and a six off Panyangara in the 49th over and clubbed Chatara for another six in the final over. Chatara lost control of the next two balls, slipping down successive waist-high full-tosses, and had to be taken out of the attack. Hamilton Masakadza trudged on to bowl the last two balls, an appropriately absurd end to a bowling effort that had completely gone to pieces but he had the consolation of claiming Gayle’s wicket.
Sri Lanka’s efforts in consecutive matches were truly remarkable. In Match 18 against Bangla Desh they batted first and finished on 332 for 1. Thirimanne made 52 but Dilshan was undefeated on 161 and Sangakkara on 105. Dilshan reached his hundred from 115 balls whilst Sangakkara took just 73 balls. In Match 22 against England they chased down England’s target of 310 with nearly three overs to spare. On this occasion Dilshan was dismissed for 44 but Thirimanne was undefeated on 139 and Sangakkara on 117. Sangakkara had reached his hundred this time from just 70 balls. Sri Lanka in consecutive matches had scored 644 for 2 with Sangakkara 222 not out. In the light of some recent big hitting Sangakkara’s scoring rate may sound pedestrian but extrapolated to fifty overs it translates to scores of well over 400.
Talking of big hitting there can be no scarier sight in the modern game than Brendon McCullum advancing down the wicket towards you (ask Steve Finn!). Against England he attacked from the off and destroyed the English attack with 77 from 25 balls including an 18 ball fifty. He then thrashed 50 from 24 balls in the low scoring win against Australia.
Which brings us back to de Villiers. After his record breaking demolition in the warm up game against the West Indies he found himself coming to the crease at 146 for 3 with twenty overs left against them again in the World Cup. In this period South Africa scored 261 a record in World Cup matches and de Villiers scored 162 not out from 66 balls. His hundred took 52 balls, two more than O’Briens’s effort against England in a previous World Cup but he was quickest to 150 off 64 balls. De Villiers now has the fastest fifty, hundred and 150 in ODI cricket, all against the West Indies.
The score was 280 in the 43rd over and only 330 by the end of the 47th over when de Villiers was 95 off 50. Jason Holder brought himself on. He had bowled two maidens, taken the wicket of de Kock and had conceded only 40 in eight overs. In a complete meltdown he bowled length deliveries, two no-balls and went for 34 runs in the 48th over. De Villiers, though, was just having fun: going down the ground, going over fine leg, reversing over third man deliveries that were pitched in almost identical spots. Holder started the last over to de Villiers. He kept feeding that driving slot, and de Villiers kept hurting him for 30 more in that over. Holder had by now conceded 104 the worst 10-over analysis in World Cups.
Middlesex Matters
The Great Jack Morgan sent me this
Eoin has entered the IPL "auction" rather than staying home to try to win back his Test place following the failure of that gambit last year. Has he given up on a Test recall? Certainly his form has not been sufficiently consistent in recent years, but it reduces the Middlesex strength in the first part of the season.
Gareth Berg, who is deemed not fit enough for Middlesex, has signed for Hampshire.
New ECB Chairman C Graves sounds like a complete berk with some hilarious ideas about the future of cricket: surely sense must be talked into him?
Jeff Coleman sent me this
When I noticed that my MCCC annual subs of £190 had been debited this month it reminded me of something we discovered last year and which might be of interest to the ageing readership of Googlies.
There has been a rather secret senior’s ground pass issued by the MCC which allows access to Middlesex and other matches at Lord’s excluding T20. The cost was £20 for 2014. A lot of members, in fact a large majority, do not use the pavilion or other members’ areas so the £20 offer is very attractive to them. When brought to the attention of MCCC management it was said that it was news to them. Bearing in mind that during the past few months discussions have been held with the MCC re the Middlesex tenancy arrangements, and other things, it will be interesting to see whether the ground pass availability remains.
Whilst on Middlesex matters. We were led to believe and, indeed, hoped that the change in governance from the committee structure to a slimmer Management Board in 2010 would hugely improve the club. Unfortunately this has not happened. The finances have not improved, the player recruitment policy has been unfortunate, results, particularly in one day matches, have been abysmal and interaction with members has declined since the demise of the membership committee. We were told last autumn that a major review of all cricket matters was being undertaken by Andrew Strauss, the newest Management Board member. It will be interesting to hear the results and recommendations from that review. One hopes he will report before the beginning of the season and that his findings are not kept secret.
Hedgcock Matters
Murray Hedgcock sent me the following
I can only say “hear-hear” to those stern comments about David Warner and his offensive behaviour – while commenting: “What else can you expect of someone from Sydney?” Now, if he had been a Melbourne lad…To proceed to the wider issue of sledging generally, I have been annoyed by players and commentators backing the ugly practice on the grounds that “it has been going on since WG”.
I think not. Certainly one contemporary termed WG “an artful toad”, but that did not embrace sledging.
And to turn the argument back on sledging defenders who say it has become controversial only because of the arrival of the stump microphone: if no-one knew what was said by players before the mike, then how do these pro-sledgers assert with such confidence that it has always been common?
Could Googlies initiate a campaign, backed by the Professor, the Great Jack Morgan, the Old Danes and all, to have cricket authority instruct umpires to step in when players abuse opponents – and back them up when they do so?
Incidentally, I never met sledging in my Australian club cricket playing days, but concede that this was way back from the Forties to the Sixties. I rest my case.
Wright Matters Steve Wright sent me this
I am suitably chastised by The GJM. Not too good when you get your own address wrong is it? My apologies. I hope that Jack dispenses justice as accurately as he gets addresses right. This does, however give me the opportunity to plug the Conference book. "The Show Must Go On " is a commentary on 100 plus years of club cricket from a number of perspectives. It includes a chapter written by David Perrin on cricket writings. If you want to read about the fascinating story of St Pancras Spartans this is the book for you. The pre- publication price of £15 is still available to readers of Googlies and Chinamen and please send your cheque made payable to The Club Cricket Conference to:
Club Cricket Conference,
24-26 High Street,
Hampton Hill,
Middlesex,
TW12 1PD
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I wasn't exactly swamped by the rush of orders last time but perhaps they went to the wrong address. We have already pre-sold about 1,000 copies and are hoping that this could be a candidate for "Cricket Book Of The Year". Incidentally, it's rather a shame that Jack did not personally go to Hampton Hill and check the correct address. Had he done so he would have been able to snap up a second hand guitar in the music shop below our office so that he could entertain the two or three spectators packed into the Edrich Stand on Middlesex match days.
I am off to Grenada in a few days where hopefully I will meet up with the Professor who intends to watch the W Indies v England Test Match at the end of April. Members of the MCC who have to cough up payment for test tickets at Lords several months before the matches take place may be interested to know that Grenada have not yet commenced sales for the test match starting in two months time. Apparently they have not even fixed the prices as yet! Not surprising they are in such a mess is it?
Reluctant Matters
Douglas Miller sent me this
It is always a disappointment to find that I agree with the Professor. And I now do so profoundly. I find the idea of players giving their views on the match even when the ball is live (after the bowler has started his run-up) cheapens everything. And if ever there was truth in the maxim that more is not always better it goes for the chattering of the Big Bash commentators. The Australian notion of having three commentators on duty at once finds no favours with me. It smacks of more jobs for the boys. And I think we might try an experiment by requiring them to commentate without a camera in their box.
Broadhalfpenny Down Matters
If you are still interested in the history of cricket after you have slugged your way through the CCC book you might want some more in Ashley Mote’s “The Glory Days of Cricket – The Extraordinary Story of Broadhalfpenny Down”. I know - you already have the 1997 edition, which won the Cricket Society’s Book of the Year Prize in that year. But the good news is that he is now publishing a new, revised and updated edition in paperback or if you are of that ilk an eBook version is also out on Amazon.
The new edition includes information about the glory days of the mid 18th century at Hambledon, which only came to light after publication of the original edition. It also includes a new chapter featuring four major developments at Broadhalfpenny Down since then, including the resurrection of the original Hambledon Club and the construction of a controversial new pavilion.
The early eighteenth century stuff was tough cricket played for enormously high stakes wagered by the proprietors of the sides. The Hambledon club played the All England side on their ground on no less than fifty one occasions and were victors twenty nine times. Mote is fascinated by this stuff and has carried out meticulous research. The more recent history features friendlier cricket of a more Jazz hat style, in many cases fronting a worthy charity. In the 1977 picture of the players featuring in the bi-centenary match I had fun counting up those I had played with or knew – Ted Clark, Dudley Owen-Thomas, Charles Fry and Alan Day.
The new edition features appendices covering pertinent stats, poetry relating to Broadhalfpenny Down and a cricketing bibliography. Ashley Mote is a true cricket lover and his devotion to all aspects of the cricket experience ooze through the pages.
Football Matters-1
Why do the pundits/commentators keep referring to the number ten role? What do they mean? I think that they are using it as a way of identifying a second striker as in a 4-2-4 set up. But I find it hard to think of such a number ten. For example in the great Leeds side Sniffer played the number ten role to Mick Jones’ number nine but Clarkey actually wore number 8. The number ten role in that side was filled by Giles who scurried around in midfield with Billy Bremner. Meanwhile at Anfield, Toshack wore the number ten shirt but actually played number nine to Keegan who was the number ten but actually wore seven. And I could go on. The Rangers number tens (Marsh and Bowles) were generally far from support men to big number nines.
Football Matters – 2
Why can’t professional footballers take dead ball kicks? At corners most kickers fail to reach the near post or balloon it beyond the far post. At free kicks even the specialists either hit legs in the wall or clear the bar by a distance. We are told they are terrific at these set pieces and practice for hours, so why are they still so crap?
Football Matters – 3
What constitutes a sending off offence? Joey Barton last weekend set a new criteria –“the tweak in the knackers”. The ref identified it straight away as a qualifying offence but it almost certainly had no precedent. It could of course be that Joey has committed all of the offences over the years and is now readjusting the bar so as to provide future criteria for the rest of his playing days.
The Great Jack Morgan reminded me that the knackers tweak was invented by Vinny Jones although he does not think he was ever sent off for it, though he was for plenty of other stuff, of course.
Football Matters - 4
In a recent Everton match the substitution to bring on Mirallas had to be delayed because no shirt could be found for him to wear! What goes on at these clubs? Why wasn’t he already wearing it under his voluminous outer garments? Could he not decide ahead of time whether to wear long or short sleeves? He is probably paid around 30k a week-why can’t they dress him for his work?
Football Matters – 5 The Great Jack morgan sent me these notes
J Mutch is reportedly leaving the Rangers to join Crystal Palace for £4.75m. I suppose the money will help, but we would prefer to see chaps coming in, wouldn't we? Harry says the Rangers are not close to any signings as deadline day looms.
Sensationally, there was only one change for the Stoke game (Kranjcar for Zamora), but the outcome was the usual one. Steve Tongue in the Sindy thought that i) Rangers played a 4-2-3-1 formation; ii) Rangers had played quite well (especially in the second half); and iii) the match had been good (8 out of 10).
No joy for Rangers on deadline day. Apparently they tried to give Zarate back to West Ham because he is not fit in order to take M Jarvis instead, but it didn't happen. However, they ended up with one of the great names of world football: Ryan Manning from Galway United for free. Harry promptly resigned because of an imminent knee operation. Glen Hoddle, Joe Jordan and Kevin Bond have also departed... I suppose they all needed knee operations too? Tim Sherwood is the early favourite to be the new boss. 'Arry is getting plenty of criticism for his ineffective reign, having spent £58m in two years and leaving us in exactly the same position as when he arrived.
Les Ferdinand is the new director of football at Rangers and Kevin Bond (not sacked after all) and Chris Ramsey (grandson of Sir Alf?) will be in charge of the team v Southamton on Saturday. There is plenty more crap about Rangers in the papers, but not much hard news about what happens now. Sherwood is an even stronger favourite now that Tony Fernandes has failed to interest two other managers/coaches, both with Rangers connections, in the position; Paul Clement, son of Dave and a Rangers supporter, is staying with Real Madrid, though he left open the possibility of returning to West London some time in the future, but ex-Rangers coach Steve McLaren is determined to get Derby promoted this season.
There were 4 changes for the Southamton game: out went Isla, Henry, Vargas and Kranjcar and in came Caulker, Phillips, Traore and Taarabt. Of course, it did not work, but they sounded quite unlucky to concede a 93rd minute winner and to have a 94th minute equaliser disallowed. Steve Tongue in the Sindy thought Rangers played a 4-4-1-1 formation. Paul Doyle in the G informed us that Charlie Austin left the ground on crutches, but might only miss the Sunderland game, while Richard Dunne is likely to miss the rest of the season with knee trouble.
Now N Onuoha is out for a month because of hamstring trouble. Incredibly, however, Rangers managed to take all three away points at the Stadium of Light to open their account away from home. Sunderland are nothing special, of course, but we usually lose to any sort of rubbish. There were six changes for this one: Isla, Ferdinand, Yun, Henry, Kranjcar and Zamora coming in for Onuoha, Dunne, Hill, Traore, Taarabt and Austin. The Guardian had a fine action shot of Leroy Fer heading the first goal. Louise Taylor thought Rs played 4-4-1-1. Louise was very impressed with M Phillips, but he only lasted 52 mins and was replaced by SWP, making his first Premier appearance for 2 years. Unfortunately, Fer was carried off with a "potentially serious knee injury". Astonishingly, Aston Villa's goal difference is even worse than ours, so we are now out of the relegation places... for the time being. Tim Sherwood is not taking the Rs job; apparently he is concerned about the lack of funds when the League impose their imminent huge fine. The new favourite is M Laudrup, though the reasons for this are unclear. M Laudrup is now out of the running (was he ever in it?) and it now looks like Chris Ramsey will stay in post until the end of the season.
Austin and someone called Darnell Furlong replaced Fer and Isla for the game at Hull. It sounded as if the Rangers were a little unlucky to lose to another late goal (89 mins), but they have to look at their discipline, having to play without Barton for an hour and having four more given yellow cards. Richard Gibson in the O thought they played a 4-4-2 formation. Gibson's piece in the G was all about Barton, but he did give the Man of the Match to Matt Phillips, who seems to have hit form recently.
Football Matters - 6
Kelvin West sent me this
Having read Jim Revier’s comments I thought I should let you see my new strikers signed as the transfer window closed late last night.
These three up front, should improve my scoring statistics and rate, along with my new Centre Back who will fill the missing hole in my defence.
As for the Greek Election and debt problems, I have asked Mrs Merkel to refund all that was stolen from Greece in 1943, Negotiations are still taking place and I have asked Nigel Farage to speak to her personally.
Kelvin tells me he is also suffering from noisy neighbours but in typically generous style has decided not to lodge any official complaint against their rumbustious Jacuzzi activities.
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