BowlingBoy - A Cricket Blog

England beat New Zealand and finally win an overseas Test Series

In an ideal world England would have polished the Kiwi's off before lunch enabling me to get some much needed sleep.  But, I did have the 'pleasure' of watching Southee biff the England bowlers to all parts.

On the whole this has been a good series for England.  That is not to say that they have performed well and won convincingly.  More importantly their hand has been forced in a couple of departments and the team wil be the stronger for it.

So, the plus points.  Good riddance to Steve Harmison.  Had a good series in the Windies 5 years or so back and since then has been pretty average.  For a while now he has been in the team on history, not on merit.  Tim Ambrose did okay behind the stumps.  He isn't a Gilchrist with the bat; but if he can contribute the odd score here and there and keep tidily then he must be persevered with.  There should be some tinkering with England's lower order which should mean that the obsession with having a wicketkeeper averaging over 40 with the bat (potentially at the expense of keeping ability) falls away.

Regular readers of this blog will be aware that I have been calling for Broad's regular inclusion in the Test side for quite a while now.  England have been much stronger for his involvement, and his all round performance in the final Test at Napier was quite exceptional.

Nice to see Strauss, a good guy, getting a big score.  I like the bloke.  However he remains one of the 'unresolved' issues from this series.  It won't be until the home series in the Summer that England will see how far he has come in overcoming his well publicised technical deficiencies.  England have a difficult choice to make regarding his position.

Jimmy Anderson proved once again what I have been saying for a long time.  He is a luxury; a world beater one game, a disaster the next.  And he contributes nothing with the bat.  Vaughan has historically been a fan, but even he must know that a long stint in county cricket for Anderson will be in everyones interests.

This brings me on to the skipper.  A pretty apalling series with the bat.  But Vaughan is a quality player.  He will be looking to score some big runs in county cricket before the internationals get started.

Panesar remains frustrating.  Sure enough he took the final innings wickets that won the match; but throughout the series he was an enigma.  He has failed to find the variations required of a top-notch spinner, and unlike someone like Stuart Broad is struggling a little to learn Test cricket 'on the job'.  Of course, he needs to be persevered with, but it would be nice to see some evidence of his learning the art of variety in pace and flight.  His dismissal of McCullum with one that went straight on yesterday shows that there is hope!

There are still BIG problems with England's batting order; covered up by the fact that NZ have such an ordinary attack.  Im not a fan of Cook (apologies to his many fans that write into this blog slaughtering me for it).  Bell is bloody irritating; he should be so much better than he is.  Colly, Vaughan and KP are inconsistent but big players for England.

My team to start the Test Series this Summer below.  Yes, they are a bowler lighter - but what tends to happen is England don't pick my teams; then half way through the series they kind of pick a similar team, then when the series is over they say they say they wish they picked the team that I pretty much suggested (excuse the arrogance).

Strauss
Cook
Vaughan
Pietersen
Bell
Collingwood
Ambrose
Flintoff
Broad
Sidebottom
Panesar

Yes, that is my batting order too.  For too long too much has been expected from Flintoff. Assuming he is fit and ready, he should be seen as a useful tail-ender, not a top-order bastman.

A final topic which I will address when the dust has settled from this series.  Is Moores actually contributing anything to this England team?

Bowling...

England Vs New Zealand 2nd Test, Day 2 - I'm back and so are England.....sort of

Been out of the country for a few weeks and what has changed with English cricket.  Not a lot.  England are still very, very average.

Things are looking pretty good at close of play on Day 2 with England 150 odd ahead with all wickets standing.  But why do I not feel that excited.  Im tired and jet lagged so Im happy to tell you why.  Monty's fielding was embarassing.  Jimmy Anderson bowled England back into the game, but you know that in the next Test match in less helpful conditions he will bowl like a donkey.  Englands batting failed miserably with the tail collapsing pathetically again; obviously Ambrose's excellent century meant England posted a pretty good total.

Another thing that's pretty annoying  - Harmison has been rubbish for over 2 years now.  Why is he even in New Zealand?  He doesn't want to be there and frankly he ain't good enough anymore anyway.  Watching him in the First Test was tedious in the extreme (almost as tedious as Englands batting).

I desperately hope that England win and level the series.  This Test is very much there for the taking now.  But crikey do England have some problems.  Not a single batsman in any sort of form (unless you can call Ambrose's ton 'form') and our attack 'spearheaded' by a bloke (Jimmy A) who for several years now has looked like a world-beater one day and an amateur the next.  That's progress of sorts, as most of his team-mates have just looked amateur throughout.

I'll post again after an all-nighter watching Day 3 (Thanks Sky).  Bowling....

 

Exciting tie gives England the chance to level the series in the final ODI in New Zealand

Wow, what a game it was in Napier.  After England posted 340 I really thought they'd done enough to win the game.  But then, at the end of the game, I was hugely relieved England came out with a draw.

Glad that 'The Colonel' posted his first 50.   Unsurprised that Bell got out when set (when doesn't he?).  Convinced that Cook doesn't score quickly enough for one-day cricket.  Worried about Jimmy Anderson - just don't think he's ever going to be as dominant a bowler as I hoped he would be when he come on to the scene several years back.  Disappointed in Shah - if he doesn't score consistently now he's lost his chance.

The final game of the series is on saturday and I feel that England have momentum now.  I fancy their chances of levelling the series.  Whether they do or don't they are still well short of the consistency required of top one-day international sides and we are currently several places down the pecking order.

England are getting the losing habit (again)

Okay, I make no secret of the fact that Im watching the New Zealand matches on the telly.  Im not there, in the stadium, so if you think that somehow devalues my opinion then please do move on.

I really don't think you need to be following the boys around New Zealand to have an opinion on the latest two defeats.  Indeed, as someone who has watched thousands of hours of cricket 'in the stadium', there is certainly an argument that you are better able to appraise the days play having watched it all on the telly, super slow mo's and all.

What the hell has happened to England?  So superior in the Twenty20 matches, they have now been hammered twice.  I did say in my post after the Twenty20 victories, that the England team "has several players whose exhuberence is suited to this form of the game - Wright, Mustard, Mascarenhas".

Im not sure that ditching two of those guys was necessary.  Not that that in any way can explain away the reversal in fortunes.  My word, how 'ordinary' England's middle order looks (and has looked for several years).  Colly aint doing great in the one-dayers, and considering the bloke isn't good enough for Test cricket (the one day game is his stronger suit) he may need to start looking over his shoulder soon. KP, what's going on?  Two years of pretty average fare now.  Where is it going?

Ian Bell, so talented, such an ordinary international record. 

England have historically been guilty of chopping and changing things around much too much.  But looking at Englands batting line-up now; could it do with a shake-up?  We have now had around 30 odd months of inconsistency from England.  There is certainly no 'progress' being shown in any version of cricket.  Maybe Duncan Fletcher can afford himself a little smile, as Mr Moores doesn't exactly seem to be setting the world alight with this team and their performances.  England look what they actually are; average.  Left behind by both Australia and India, being overtaken by Pakistan and currently being humiliated by New Zealand.

The two defeats of the last 48 hours need to be England's last defeats of the tour.  They really, really do.

We're back - and so are England!

Ahhh, its good to be back.  Sky Sports knocking CBeebies off the perch in the BowlingBoy household.

More importantly, England are playing rather well.  The selectorial decisions, so wrong in the recent past, have been correct. Englands team today was:

Wright, Mustard, Pietersen, Bell, Collingwood, Shah, Mascarenhas, Swann, Broad, Sidebottom, Anderson

I like this team because:

a) Its aggressive at the top of the order

b) It bats down to and including number 9 (Broad)

c) It has 'proper' batsmen in the middle order, namely Pietersen, Bell, Colly and Shah

d) Swann is undisputedly the better spin option in the shorter versions of the game

e) It has several players whose exhuberence is suited to this form of the game - Wright, Mustard, Mascarenhas

f) Its winning!

Here's the challenge for England.  Don't do what you always do and try to be too clever.  Don't make the easy, complicated.  Last night Fabio Capello picked the best 11 England football players on current form.  He was quite correct to do so.  England must not change the spinner, change the wicketkeeper, bring in Cook or do whatever it is that the selectors may feel they should to to justify their existence (although of course his/their role has been changed of late).

England have underachieved hugely in the limited overs game in recent years.  This is bizarre because I believe several of their automatic choices are far better one-day players than they are Test players.  That applies to the captain Collingwood in particular.

Its early days in a long tour.  England have a lot going for them;  Siders and Jimmy A bowling in optimum conditions, the players well rested etc. Let's not waste it.

When we win I aint got too much to say.  A lot more to rant about when we are rubbish. 

Bowling.

The last day of the 3rd Test between India and Australia looks set to be a cracker

Come on India!

Given the incidents that have occurred in the contentious series to date I really do not feel that this should be an Australia team that win a world-record 17th consecutive test.  I just don't feel they deserve it.

More importantly India do not deserve to be two-nil down in this series.  They have been let down by some poor umpiring decisions, which of course, is not an unusual fate to suffer as a touring team.

Driven by greed, in hoc to the media channels and dominated by a national team (Australia) whose behaviour ain't too great - is cricket about to eat itself?

As Ive made clear from the outset, work committments are such that this blog is largely about England international matches.  Cricket is currently played worldwide 365 days a year and I just can't possibly write about all the different matches and events.

For a great piece about Cricket's woes in the wake of the Second Test Match between India and Australia take a look at Jonathan Agnew's piece here.  Money quote:

"This Australia team plays the game to win – there’s nothing wrong in that – but it has negated its responsibility to those who watch it and, more importantly, the next generation of cricketers who will inherit the battered sprit of cricket that Ponting’s team leaves in its trail."

I fully agree.  Of course the Aussies are not alone.  To my mind last summers 'Jellygate'  when Matt Prior and others sprinkled jelly beans around the crease during the Indian innings, was a somewhat lame attempt by some England players to show that they could play 'hard' like the Aussies.  And what a slippery road we are on with the umpires.  Steve Bucknor removed from the remaining Test matches.  What is that all about?  Why not ban Andrew Symonds for not walking when he was clearly out, and then gloating to the media about how he had got away with it.  I fear that barely a series will now go by without one or other team (usually the struggling one) asking for an umpire to be dropped.  That way madness lies.

I will post my detailed thoughts on the England Squads for the New Zealand tour nearer the start of the series (early February).  Briefly for now:

Dropping Prior - a good thing.

Recalling Strauss - a good thing.

Beyond that, very, very uninspiring.  Still don't like both Vaughan and Cook in the top three.  Still don't like England's tail starting after number 7 (please let's not start believing Siders is an all-rounder). Still hope that they start with Swann as the premiere spinner.  Not holding my breath though......

The final Test versus Sri Lanka

The second Test against Sri Lanka was a poor game, with a draw being the right result.

Harmison has an ear infection and may miss the final Test.  Let's hope so; he simply should not be part of England's future.  Swann is in the 12, as is Hoggard. Anderson and Broad miss out.

Whatever the outcome of the final Test I believe that this mini-series has been a pretty good barometer of where England are at.  They are not in the same league as the Aussies and are struggling  to be part of the following pack  - India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.  If there hasn't yet been a reality check about the quality of England's players individually, then there should be.  What England player would currently make a World 11?  Any of them?  Vaughan as captain possibly (albeit that I'd prefer Ponting's runs). Beyond that.... an in form KP would be in there for me.  That's it.  None of the bowlers even come near.  Of the batsmen; Collingwood, Bell, Cook etc wouldn't even make a squad of 24.  A nice 50 doesn't cut it in Test cricket anymore.  It may be a good innings at an overcast Headingly - but in Sri Lanka or India it is a wasted innings.  My expectations of Collingwood are not high.  He is a good bloke and an excellent one day player.  But he has rarely convinced as a Test player, and in another era he would simply not be one.  Bell is simply annoying.  His inability to convert starts into scores is not longer an irritation; it is a habit, and not a good one to have.

So onto the final Test.  I very much hope that Swann gets a start.  England may find that their decision to omit him from earlier matches was misguided.  The latest in a long line of poor selectoral decisions.  

England in trouble after day 3 of the Second Test Vs Sri Lanka

What a terribly dissappointing day.  England are  now in a bit of trouble in this Second Test.  Easy to blame the bowlers (and  they were pretty average) but England are in this predicament because of what was, on this docile pitch, a poor first innings score.

England just cannot get their selections right and having got it wrong in the First  Test they have found themselves once again feeling that they have got things wrong.  I wanted England to start the Series with Swann as our premier spinner; and nothing that has happened since has suggested I was mistaken. Barring a miraculous transformation an average County career awaits Harmison on his return to the UK.  Broad will come good (what a horrible track on which to make his debut) and Panesar just needs to get out of this rut.

More importantly England have a lot of batsmen due some runs (and we are not  talking an attractive 80 from Bell or a quickfire 50 from KP). The batsmen need to start posting big hundreds.  Watching Mahela Jayawardene today (and perhaps a good chunk of tomorrow) may do them some good.

The Second Test Vs Sri Lanka - England in a decent position at the end of Day2

I must admit to having missed the last hour of play today.  The day ended with Sri Lanka on 105-2 in reply to England's 351.

My view - England can still manouvre themselves into a winning position here.  In fact, had they bagged just one more wicket before the close, they would have found themselves in a strong position.

With Sanath retired and Kumar Sangakarra dismissed, it is quite possible for England to dismiss Sri Lanka for under 250 or so; giving themselves a healthy first innings lead.

My main dissappointment of the day was the bowling of both Harmison and Panesar.  Monty has been learning his trade in Test cricket, and that is tough.  He has the ability to be an excellent spinner, not in the Murali/Warne class, but certainly the bext England have had for a decade or two.  But... you just feel that he would benefit from the bowling coach being a spinner.  The way he bowls with an extra spring in his step only after he is amongst the wickets is frustrating.  The way he bowls too fast when he's not taking wickets is frustrating.  His lack of a 'wrong un' or some sort of mystery ball has always been an issue; and is still a concern on flat tracks in particular.

Harmison is an odd duck.  I just don't fancy him in Test cricket anymore.  Even if he goes and gets a five-for tomorrow, I just don't trust the bloke not to come on and bowl like a drain in the next innings.  He is so very frrustrating.  He has all the attributes to be a great fast bowler except one pretty crucial one - what goes on in his head.

Pluses from the first two days of this Test; Vaughan and Prior had great knocks.  Sorry, just cannot get excited by Cook's innings.  He bores me rigid.  I really have nothing against the bloke; in fact when I've heard him interviewed he seems polite and charming.  But Test cricket has moved on; and with Cook opening the batting with Vaughan there is a real lack of momentum at the top of the order.  I hope Strauss is busy ironing out all his little niggles.  or maybe Marcus is feeling good again......

Let's hope England get amongst the wickets early tommorow.  More thoughts after Day 3.