Only about 11 months until the next ashes...
...and the build up hasn't started yet. What the hell is going on? I feel let down by cricket journalists everywhere.
OK, OK, I jest (ha, ha, ha, guts spilling everywhere). There's a whole lot of cricket to be played between now and then, some of which looks very interesting and is imminent. I'm talking of course about Pakistan against India (cue drum rolls, or maybe not - too military). It's going to be interesting to see how the former fare. Have they improved or were England just shite? Bit of both maybe.
Of all the many end of year round ups, this one was my favourite. Apart from being quite funny, it's an interesting point he makes about England not really celebrating the wickets they took in Pakistan. They didn't, did they? They just looked kind of bored.
Anyway, the reason I'm thinking about next year's Ashes is that I've been watching the DVD of last year's once again. Quite a few of those Australians aren't in their side any more, are they? I do feel a bit sorry for Damien Martyn. I always thought he was a very classy batsman and almost all of his dismissals during that last series were either unlucky (he edged a couple which were given LBW), a bit careless (chipping one to mid wicket), or else the result of some amazing cricket by the opposition (run out by Vaughan at Edgbaston, bowled by Giles at Old Trafford). Is Hodge better than him? Probably not. Still, with Hussey there, the Australian batting is looking a little more formidable. Long may Gilchrist's loss of form continue.
Ponting seems to be happy with his new look team anyway. Then again, he doesn't just look like Dubya, he also has a similar way of ignoring what doesn't look so great, and frankly, the australian bowling still seems pretty average to me (average as in not as good as it used to be). McGrath may be getting old, Lee isn't much younger and never was so great, I don't think. As for Nathan Bracken... OK, OK, there's always Warne.
Fine as England's pace bowling quartet may look (I'm thinking of you Mr Jones, no, not in that way, but bowling Clarke with what must have been the ball of the series on that last day at Old Trafford), our batting still looks shit. I've said that before, haven't I?
Anyway, it had crossed my mind in recent weeks that every test playing nation seems to have a wicketkeeper who can bat better than Geraint Jones. Here is confirmation. Can't someone do an Alec Stewart for us? Did Rob Key's Mum give him some gauntlets for Xmas?
I swear not to mention the Ashes for another six months.
OK, OK, I jest (ha, ha, ha, guts spilling everywhere). There's a whole lot of cricket to be played between now and then, some of which looks very interesting and is imminent. I'm talking of course about Pakistan against India (cue drum rolls, or maybe not - too military). It's going to be interesting to see how the former fare. Have they improved or were England just shite? Bit of both maybe.
Of all the many end of year round ups, this one was my favourite. Apart from being quite funny, it's an interesting point he makes about England not really celebrating the wickets they took in Pakistan. They didn't, did they? They just looked kind of bored.
Anyway, the reason I'm thinking about next year's Ashes is that I've been watching the DVD of last year's once again. Quite a few of those Australians aren't in their side any more, are they? I do feel a bit sorry for Damien Martyn. I always thought he was a very classy batsman and almost all of his dismissals during that last series were either unlucky (he edged a couple which were given LBW), a bit careless (chipping one to mid wicket), or else the result of some amazing cricket by the opposition (run out by Vaughan at Edgbaston, bowled by Giles at Old Trafford). Is Hodge better than him? Probably not. Still, with Hussey there, the Australian batting is looking a little more formidable. Long may Gilchrist's loss of form continue.
Ponting seems to be happy with his new look team anyway. Then again, he doesn't just look like Dubya, he also has a similar way of ignoring what doesn't look so great, and frankly, the australian bowling still seems pretty average to me (average as in not as good as it used to be). McGrath may be getting old, Lee isn't much younger and never was so great, I don't think. As for Nathan Bracken... OK, OK, there's always Warne.
Fine as England's pace bowling quartet may look (I'm thinking of you Mr Jones, no, not in that way, but bowling Clarke with what must have been the ball of the series on that last day at Old Trafford), our batting still looks shit. I've said that before, haven't I?
Anyway, it had crossed my mind in recent weeks that every test playing nation seems to have a wicketkeeper who can bat better than Geraint Jones. Here is confirmation. Can't someone do an Alec Stewart for us? Did Rob Key's Mum give him some gauntlets for Xmas?
I swear not to mention the Ashes for another six months.
posted by djbrd at 9:50 pm
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