And the really bad news is...
The bad news is that England collapsed again, on a good pitch, albeit after having probably stayed up half the night to celebrate Freddie's winning the sports personality of the year award. It may just have been another one day international, but it's becoming a very worrying trend. Soon it's going to be time for new blood. Who will be the fall guy? Who will come in? Will old Dunc take my advice and move Strauss down the order? Probably not. Actually, it sounds like a bit of a daft idea.
Anyway, that was the bad news. The really bad news is that bowling coach Troy Cooley has defected in much the same manner as a Cold War double agent only without all the hiding in suitcases. It's the betrayal that hurts most, Troy. Or should that be Judas? OK, so I suppose that strictly speaking, he is actually Australian, but just when it seemed like McGrath and Warne were going to be succeeded by a bunch of pie throwers, the old enemy has gone and got someone who transformed Flintoff, Jones, Harmison and Hoggard (to a lesser extent perhaps, because his improvement hasn't been so dramatic) into world beaters. Damn that old enemy's eyes. I guess we're going to find out how much credit Troy can take for those transformations. Not very much, hopefully. Either way, it looks like he might have some work to do.
It's all going on in the rest of the cricket world. Well, not all, but quite a lot. That test series in India against Sri Lanka looks like it might be a good 'un. Congratulations to Tendulkar of course, for getting the record number of centuries. I saw him score this one at Edgbaston back in 1996. Given the circumstances and the conditions, I think it's the best innings I've ever seen live. I still think Lara is, slightly, the greater batsman, if only because he's more mercurial and has scored more runs when they mattered most (notably against Australia in that series back in 1999).
Talking of all time greats, it was good to see this article in praise of Murali. I think that he's fantastic. As well as being the most unique bowler, he seems like such a nice, down to earth bloke. I do like his mischievous smile, and his mad eyes at the point of delivery (he'd be good at the Haka, I reckon). It is such a shame that some commentators just dismiss him as, at best, a freak (and, more commonly, as a cheat). He has to be at least as good a bowler as Shane Warne. Personally, I think he's ever so slightly better.
Finally, I was looking forward to seeing how the Australians would fare against South Africa, but the latter don't look to be in such great shape at the moment. Perhaps they're trying England's technique of playing atrociously in the warm up games. It didn't work in the last series though did it?
Anyway, that was the bad news. The really bad news is that bowling coach Troy Cooley has defected in much the same manner as a Cold War double agent only without all the hiding in suitcases. It's the betrayal that hurts most, Troy. Or should that be Judas? OK, so I suppose that strictly speaking, he is actually Australian, but just when it seemed like McGrath and Warne were going to be succeeded by a bunch of pie throwers, the old enemy has gone and got someone who transformed Flintoff, Jones, Harmison and Hoggard (to a lesser extent perhaps, because his improvement hasn't been so dramatic) into world beaters. Damn that old enemy's eyes. I guess we're going to find out how much credit Troy can take for those transformations. Not very much, hopefully. Either way, it looks like he might have some work to do.
It's all going on in the rest of the cricket world. Well, not all, but quite a lot. That test series in India against Sri Lanka looks like it might be a good 'un. Congratulations to Tendulkar of course, for getting the record number of centuries. I saw him score this one at Edgbaston back in 1996. Given the circumstances and the conditions, I think it's the best innings I've ever seen live. I still think Lara is, slightly, the greater batsman, if only because he's more mercurial and has scored more runs when they mattered most (notably against Australia in that series back in 1999).
Talking of all time greats, it was good to see this article in praise of Murali. I think that he's fantastic. As well as being the most unique bowler, he seems like such a nice, down to earth bloke. I do like his mischievous smile, and his mad eyes at the point of delivery (he'd be good at the Haka, I reckon). It is such a shame that some commentators just dismiss him as, at best, a freak (and, more commonly, as a cheat). He has to be at least as good a bowler as Shane Warne. Personally, I think he's ever so slightly better.
Finally, I was looking forward to seeing how the Australians would fare against South Africa, but the latter don't look to be in such great shape at the moment. Perhaps they're trying England's technique of playing atrociously in the warm up games. It didn't work in the last series though did it?
posted by djbrd at 2:33 pm
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