< 1 minute read England’s second innings top order batting collapse was pretty piss-poor, but it was just as big a crime to get themselves into that position in the first place. Neither set of bowlers were exceptional in the first Test. The exceptional performance came from Australia’s batsmen, who were sublime. There was
Continue readingMonth: July 2009
Momentum has raised its meaningless head
< 1 minute read If cricketers’ use of the word ‘momentum’ were given physical form, we’d like to meet it. Even if it were an innocent-looking child holding a balloon, we’d still have no qualms about punching it square in the face with all our might. We’d watch the balloon floating skywards and think
Continue readingClose Ashes finishes (and why a draw after five days can be exciting)
< 1 minute read We’ve reached a conclusion. We’re all dead. That’s right. Each and every one of us is dead. But we’ve not gone to heaven. Instead, we’re all stuck in purgatory working off our sins. It’s an Ashes purgatory of inevitable, unendurable tension where Tests are still in the balance right up
Continue readingAnd it begins…
< 1 minute read We’re increasingly thinking that the Ashes is actually a grim psychological experiment that’s being carried out on all of the people of England and Australia. How much tension can a human being endure?
Continue readingLeaving the ball as an art form
< 1 minute read Non-cricket fans think the concept of ‘a good leave’ is hilarious, unaware that it’s a mark of the batsman’s decision-making, not his technical ability. Batsmen pride themselves on knowing where their off stumps are, but Kevin Pietersen can’t have felt much pride about knowing his was about eight inches from
Continue readingCricket beer for the summer
< 1 minute read What’s the best way of dealing with a crisis? That’s right: Marston’s have brought out another cricket themed beer. This one’s called Ashes Ale and it’s light and hoppy and the kind of beer you could have a few of – which is just as well considering how today’s play
Continue readingWhat’s wrong with Simon Jones?
< 1 minute read Those of you who don’t know can probably guess: he’s injured. He had his knee operated on in April and he’ s out for the season. He made it to August last season and that’s about as much cricket as he’s ever managed in one go. So Simon Jones sits
Continue readingAustralian batsmen batting on and on
< 1 minute read This is the toss side of the Ashes that you forget about in the two year downtime: ball not doing a lot, Australian batsmen not doing a lot wrong. You can enliven proceedings greatly by playing the ‘how bored can I possibly make myself’ game. Put the TV on mute
Continue readingGraeme Swann’s joyous bat throwing
< 1 minute read After his lower order skittering, Graeme Swann claimed that Mushtaq Ahmed was his batting mentor. Graeme Swann’s pleasingly unafraid to tell outright lies every now and again, but we think he was serious about this. Mushtaq Ahmed shouldn’t be anybody’s batting mentor. You can’t just find the nearest person who’s
Continue readingBen Hilfenhaus is quietly impressive
< 1 minute read Midway through yesterday’s play, there was a strange, unholy sound in our front room. We eventually concluded that an Australian was trying to communicate with us. After concealing all sleeves from sight so that it didn’t get distressed, we eventually managed to deduce what it was trying to tell us.
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