England cricket team

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May 28, 2010

Innate oppo hatred goes too far

Posted by thevillagecricketer under Bangladesh cricket, England cricket team, Entertainment, Village cricket, cricket, cricket journalism
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Did anyone else notice that England were playing test cricket? It kind of by-passed me somewhat. Haven’t we just played Bangladesh? Didn’t we wallop them this time last year?

With all due respect to Jonathan Trott, The cricket can tumble on. I just flicked on Sky Sports to be confronted by its regular piece on various club teams from around the UK. I caught Workington and St Helens before turning off because, almost instinctively, I don’t like them.

It’s not that they are necessarily bad or unpleasant teams. They may be a cracking bunch of lads. It’s just that I’ve grown to instinctively dislike the opposition. I’ll pick out the fancy dans, the sloggers and the ‘all the gear’ types. Somehow I know that there will be some dreadful chat, shouts of ‘great shot Rich’ to nicks between keeper and slips and that the late-teen to mid-20s players will all be horrendously spoiled little buggers that are rude to their mothers despite getting their whites cleaned for them by those too scared to stop pandering to their little darlings.

I also know that them being on Sky Sports regularly will cause egos to inflate to the point that even the small and friendly sides will catch ‘big club syndrome’, and that the big clubs will be even more unbearable than they were before.

I also – instinctively – know that a half decent side that I am part of would wipe the floor with all of them put together and see them off with a caustic, inspired and intelligent chirp.

I may also be slightly bitter that my team hasn’t been picked. Bastards.

Sorry, but I’m feeling old today ;-)

 

April 9, 2010

David Saker’s angry past

Posted by thevillagecricketer under England cricket team, cricket
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England has a new bowling coach, and he’s a nutter… so sayeth the prophet Jrod.

 

March 25, 2010

England 2, Bangladesh 0

Posted by thevillagecricketer under Bangladesh cricket, England cricket team, cricket
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England just beat Bangladesh 2 – nil in a test series, after winning something called one day internationals 3 – nil. Captain Cook was in charge, apparently someone called Kevin Pietersen found some touch and a small ginger person called Ian Bell found some balls. I was fairly sure I knew there was some cricket on the telly, Christ – I pay £40 a month to ensure I can watch it, but most of it was on while I was asleep, and I couldn’t be arsed to get sleep deprived for this series. And then I kept missing the highlights. Hey, no worries though, this weekend I can watch four IPL games, for free on ITV 4, whooopeee!

 

February 27, 2010

Kieswetter latest in long line of ENGLAND cricketers

Posted by thevillagecricketer under England cricket team, cricket, cricket journalism
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So, there is a very real possibility that Craig Kieswetter (born in Johannesburg, South Africa) will make his England debut in one day international against Bangladesh tomorrow. Fair play to the lad, he is English qualified, holds a British passport and, most importantly, has earned his place on merit.

I don’t go in for all this moaning about the amount of players born abroad in the England side. We’re a nation that has for thousands of years had been built on immigration. I just so happened to be of Anglo Saxon stock, with a bit of Irish mixed in, and believe me you don’t want me playing in the England team!

The England cricket team has a proud history of including foreign born players who are qualified to play, yet it has depended on the prevailing public opinion of the time whether anyone has chosen to criticise this. I’m not sure anyone sensible ever does.

When there was almost an international incident over England’s selection of Basil D’Oliveira (Cape Town, South Afica) for a tour of South Africa, I’m not sure they were too many people on this island that suggested it was inappropriate for him to play for us.

Likewise, the likes of Allan Lamb (Cape Province, South Africa), Robin Smith (Durban, South Africa) and Graeme Hick (Salisbury, Zimbabwe) were judged according to temperament and ability, rather than their southern African upbringings. Players of West Indian heritage were also more than welcome, Devon Malcolm (Kingston, Jamaica) was seen as the great hope for fighting the fire of the West Indies pace attack with some fire his own variety. Gladstone Small (St. George, Barbados) and Phillip DeFreitas (Scotts Head, Dominica) both had respectable England careers, which included an Ashes win in Australia. Today they would have MBEs. Oh, and of course there was Nasser Hussain (Madras, India).

There was of course the controversial article included in a 1995 issue of Wisden magazine, which questioned the commitment of foreign born cricketers born of immigrant parents. I remember this causing quite a stir at Derbyshire, then the home county of both Malcolm and DeFreitas, and it took quite a while for the tag of racism attributed to the publication that held the same venerable name as cricket’s yellow bible to be lifted.

So, why is there such a stir today? Granted there are a few England players born in South Africa. Kevin Pieterson (Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa) and Jonathan Trott (Cape Town, South Africa) both took the decision to progress the cricket careers in England, and pinned their colours to the mast early on. Not for them the slightly dubious practice of playing county cricket as a British player, but being unsure as to which country to represent until one of them came calling. Andrew Strauss (Johannesburg, South Africa) has an English mother and move to England at six, while Matt Prior (Johannesburg, South Africa) has an English father and has been here since aged 11. I’m not sure there was ever any doubt about which international side they would both wish to play for.

That there are so many South African born players at this point in time is a bit of a quirk, but if they are the best English qualified players, then I really don’t have a problem. We’ve been including cricketers born overseas for years, but that more reflects the multi-cultural nature of the UK, rather than a cynical attempt to pinch the talent.

If anything, I’d suggest that the media have been trying to whip up a bit of a storm to see if they could get some of the colourful comments that create some of the easy stories of the type they got when KP first played for England.

Kieswetter did the interview bit in the week stressing his dual heritage, which was a bit unnecessary for me, but didn’t feed the media machine by knocking the Saffas. Hopefully, the focus from tomorrow will be on the way he bats. Should he be able to step up to international level he will bring a bit of sparkle to the English top order.

 

February 1, 2010

Beware of the Tigers (by Philip Oliver)

Posted by thevillagecricketer under Bangladesh cricket, England cricket team, contributed article, cricket, cricket journalism
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Every now and again The Village Cricketer is sent material for consideration to include on the post. Sometimes its complete crap, so we don’t include it, on other occasions its worth using. A corporate giant has coughed up for this one, hiring pro cricket writer Philip Oliver, yes that Philip Oliver, to spread the word. His opinions are not necessarily shared by me, but in the spirit of fair play and all that I’ll give you some perspective. Enjoy…

Much ink has been spilled over England’s decision to rest Andrew Strauss from their tour of Bangladesh.

Many suggest that the England captain should lead his team at every opportunity, but the real problem with Strauss’ exclusion is not the moral implications of an absent leader, but the fact it could leave England exposed.

The squad will depart for Bangladesh not only without its captain, but also without its best strike bowler as James Anderson is also being given a rest. None touring squad have played international cricket in Bangladesh before, so the absence of key players could be significant.

Even though the cricket betting makes England strong favourites, Bangladesh should not be taken lightly. Despite their recent Test series defeat by India they are an improving team whose 2-0 win in West Indies last year should not be written off as a victory against weakened opposition.

They have a genuine Test all-rounder in new skipper Shakib Al-Hasan and he is capable of turning matches with both bat and ball. His slow left arm bowling will play an important role in the series.

Fellow spinning all-rounder Mahmudullah was excellent against India, maintaining a fine start to his Test career. His form suggests he can join his skipper as a frontline player in both disciplines. At the same time, talented young wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim and swashbuckling opening batsman Tamim Iqbal both made batting breakthroughs against India, striking their best Test scores.

All these players are just as dangerous in ODI cricket and England are perhaps more vulnerable in the shorter form of the game, the online sports betting odds certainly suggest this is the case. With next year’s World Cup being played in the subcontinent Strauss might have missed an opportunity to gain valuable captaining experience. Worse still, England could come unstuck on this tour.

 

January 19, 2010

Duncan Fletcher on England’s middle order

Posted by thevillagecricketer under England cricket team, cricket, cricket journalism
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Over at The Guardian, Duncan Fletcher talks about the batting issues faced by Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott in South Africa.

 

January 18, 2010

Selection for Bangladesh

Posted by thevillagecricketer under England cricket team, cricket
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So, England have decided to leave Andrew Strauss out of the tour to Bangladesh. Cricket writers across the nation have got irate at the prospect of the England captain taking a rest. Even the sports jockey on BBC Radio 2’s Drivetime show was suggesting that it was just not cricket.

I’m fairly relaxed about the move, provided it means that Mr. Strauss is in peak condition for England’s summer series and the Ashes tour to Australia. Granted, there is some work he could do in Bangladesh, but I feel that there are also other positives that can be gained by such a move.

Number 1. I get the ECB’s reasoning around Cook as captain. Succession planning is a good thing and he should gain valuable experience from taking on the role in Bangladesh.

Secondly, this provides an opportunity to take a look at Michael Carberry. I’ve seen him bat a few times in county cricket and he looks terrific. If he can make a significant impact at the top of the order it may be that he is the man to slot in at 3 when Strauss returns.

I’m afraid that I really don’t have an opinion as to how good or otherwise the selection of Ajmal Shahzad is, although I am disappointed that Adil Rashid has not been included in either squad.

Even if the cricket turns out to be dull, it’s going to be a really interesting series, if only to get a view of how the England team will develop.

 

January 18, 2010

Cook to lead England in Bangladesh

Posted by thevillagecricketer under Bangladesh cricket, England cricket team, cricket
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I’ll comment on this later, but in the meantime, here is the ECB’s media release:

England today announced a 15-man one-day squad and a 16-man Test squad for the forthcoming tour to the United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh, which departs on February 13.

The selectors have opted to rest Andrew Strauss from the tour and he will be replaced as Test and one-day captain by the current vice-captain Alastair Cook.

Paul Collingwood will lead the side in the two Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan in UAE, which precede the tour of Bangladesh.

James Anderson has also been rested from the tour in order to undergo a specialist review and a programme of rehabilitation for his chronic right knee injury.

It is anticipated that following the rehabilitation period, he will be fully fit and available for selection for the ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies in late April.

Two uncapped players, the Yorkshire pace bowler Ajmal Shahzad and the Kent off-spinner James Tredwell, have won places in both squads while another uncapped player, Hampshire batsman Michael Carberry, has been included in the Test squad.

National selector Geoff Miller said: “Andrew Strauss has provided outstanding leadership for the team in both forms of the game over the past 12 months and the selectors feel it is important that he takes a break ahead of an extremely busy programme of international cricket leading up to and including the Ashes series in Australia and the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.

“Our decision to appoint Alastair Cook to the Test vice-captaincy last year clearly demonstrated the belief that he has the potential to be a future England captain.

“Alastair will now have an opportunity to develop his leadership skills still further by leading the side in both forms of cricket in Bangladesh and I know that he is excited by the challenge and looking forward to working closely with Andy Flower.

“Paul Collingwood had an excellent tour of South Africa in all forms of cricket and he will continue to lead the side in the T20 format, with the two T20 internationals against the current world champions Pakistan providing excellent preparation for us ahead of the World T20 in the Caribbean.

“We are delighted to welcome Ajmal Shahzad to both squads for the first time. He enjoyed an excellent season with Yorkshire last year, made a strong impression while he was in South Africa with the EPP squad and is a bowler with the potential to make a real impact in international cricket.

“James Tredwell and Michael Carberry have also continued to impress the selectors over the course of the winter and we expect both players to make a strong challenge for inclusion in our starting line-up on the forthcoming tour. “

One-day squad
Alastair Cook (captain, Essex)
Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Paul Collingwood (Durham)
Joe Denly (Kent)
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex)
Matt Prior (wkt, Sussex)
Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire)
Liam Plunkett (Durham)
Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire)
Ajmal Shahzad (Yorkshire)
Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)
James Tredwell (Kent)
Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire)
Luke Wright (Sussex)

Test squad
Alastair Cook (captain, Essex)
Ian Bell (Warwickshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Michael Carberry (Hampshire)
Paul Collingwood (Durham)
Steven Davies (wkt, Surrey)
Graham Onions (Durham)
Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire)
Liam Plunkett (Durham)
Matt Prior (wkt, Sussex)
Ajmal Shahzad (Yorkshire)
Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire)
Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)
James Tredwell (Kent)
Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire)
Luke Wright (Sussex)

Full schedule

England in UAE
Feb 14: Teams arrive in Dubai
Feb 15-16: Practice, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Feb 17: Pakistan A v Pakistan, T20, Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Feb 17: England v England Lions, T20, Abu Dhabi
Feb 18: Practice, Dubai
Feb 19: Pakistan v England, 1st T20 (evening), Dubai
Feb 20: Pakistan v England 2nd T20 (evening), Dubai
Feb 21: England depart for Bangladesh

England in Bangladesh 2010, updated schedule
Feb 21: Team arrives, Zia International Airport, Dhaka
Feb 22: Rest and practice, venue TBC
Feb 23: Warm-up match v BCB XI, Narayanganj Osmani Stadium, Fatullah
Feb 24: Rest and practice, TBC
Feb 25: Warm-up match v BCB XI, Narayanganj Osmani Stadium, Fatullah
Feb 26: Rest and practice, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Feb 27: Rest and practice, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Feb 28: Bangladesh v England, 1st ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Mar 1: Rest and practice, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Mar 2: Bangladesh v England, 2nd ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Mar 3: Travel to Chittagong, Jahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Mar 4: Rest and practice, Jahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Mar 5: Bangladesh v England, 3rd ODI, Jahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Mar 6: Rest and practice, Jahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong.
Mar 7-9: Warm-up match v Bangladesh A, MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong
Mar 10-11: Rest and practice, Jahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Mar 12-16: Bangladesh v England, 1st Test, Jahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
Mar 16: Travel to Dhaka
Mar 17-19: Rest and practice, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Mar 20-24: Bangladesh v England, 2nd Test, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka
Mar 25: Depart from Zia International Airport, Dhaka

 

January 17, 2010

Drawn series probably fair

Posted by thevillagecricketer under England cricket team, South Africa cricket, cricket
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At least the demolition was brief. Morne Morkel might be considered by some to be at mentally fragile as Steve Harmison, but in helpful conditions he looked as quick and nasty as the Durham and England paceman at his best.

On the same pitch on which England’s pacemen toiled hard against the superior South African batting, Morkel and Dale Steyn (back to looking like a bowler who should be top of the world rankings) made test match batting look like the dangerous job it was for Englishmen in the 1980s and 90s. Wayne Parnell also looked a handful on debut.

Paul Collingwood was again superb, the only one of England’s batsmen who looked like they had the ticker for a scrap.

1 – 1 is probably a fair result for the series, although South Africa will be ruing the fact they haven’t won it.

While England’s bowlers, this test excepted, largely performed, the same cannot be said of the batsmen.

Swann has had a terrific series with the ball, while Anderson, Onions and Broad performed very credibly. Balance has proved problematic however, with the lack of a fourth seamer a glaring issue.

Of the batsmen, only Collingwood and Bell have come out of this series with improved credentials. That might be harsh on Cook, who had his moments, but there were not enough of them.

Strauss, Pietersen, Trott and Prior did not live up to their respective billings. Again, it might be harsh on Trott, who had played only one match prior to this series, but with the openers not blunting the new ball he looked exposed at 3.

Assuming the current opinion that only Strauss of the batters will be rested for Bangladesh, I’m sure the likes of Trott and Pietersen will fill their boots. They need too.

 

January 16, 2010

England up against it

Posted by thevillagecricketer under England cricket team, South Africa cricket, cricket
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Oh deary deary me. Things are looking a bit tasty in Jo’berg and the South Africans will be licking their lips in anticipation of a roasted England served up with relish.

At one point today England could possibly have been contemplating a first innings deficit of just over 100, hopes were dashed by some terrific counterpunch batting, particularly from Mark Boucher. That, and England have already lost two wickets so far in their second innings.

Its easy to blame some of the umpiring. So I will. Darryl Harper again showed he has a huge amount to learn about TV umpiring, umpiring and probably life too. Giles Clark was in extraordinary form rattling on about it on Sky during the rain break, complaining about the authority of the umpire being undermined (yes Giles, but it will be when they are making shit decisions), demanding our review back and hinting that he won’t be allowing umpire reviews this summer in England.

Unfortunately, that is just a distraction.

The real business in hand is for England to bat long and hope the rain comes.

 

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