< 1 minute read Expectations are a funny thing. A great film trailer guarantees a disappointing film. Far better to keep expectations low. That’s our philosophy. Promise nothing and then deliver half of something to semi-grateful murmurs of: “Oh, it’s not as bad as I expected.” After several years of promise and a number
Continue readingMonth: March 2013
Phil Hughes Watch
< 1 minute read A quick update on how Phil Hughes is doing against India’s spinners. He really kicked on today, scoring two whole runs. This means that Hughes has now been dismissed five times in his last 70 balls against spin, scoring two runs in that time. That’s 0.4 runs per dismissal at
Continue readingAustralia’s tour picks up
< 1 minute read A great result for Australia today with the first day’s play being a complete washout. It didn’t stop them making the one decision needed for them to commit to a playing eleven though. “We went with what we perceive to be our two specialist spinners.” Does that mean that they
Continue readingNew Zealand opt to bowl and then bowl
< 1 minute read Some believe that Brendon McCullum’s decision to bowl in Wellington was partly as a result of his decision to bat and then bowl on the first morning of a Test against South Africa at the start of the year. If so, he’s an idiot. The other alternatives are (1) that
Continue readingAre Australia’s cricketers basically just children?
< 1 minute read This is the impression we’re getting. ‘Come up with three ways in which we can improve’ People keep using the word ‘homework’ and it’s because of the way the task was given to the players. It’s the kind of school assignment where the level of difficulty has been carefully gauged
Continue readingOur three-point plan for improving Australia’s Test performances in India
< 1 minute read If Shane, Mitch, James and Usman won’t bother, we will. 1. Bat Michael Clarke down the order We suggest at number six or even at number seven. As well as protecting the captain from India’s dangerous new ball bowlers, this will also help conserve his strength. He needs all the
Continue readingAustralian cricket somehow manages to become even more embarrassing
< 1 minute read And you thought something couldn’t be simultaneously depressing and hilarious. Australia have dropped four cricketers for failing to deliver a presentation. The modern world just got worse, but so did Australian cricket. The good news for Australia is that Shane Watson didn’t injure himself attempting to operate a computer keyboard.
Continue readingNick Compton, fridges and freezers
2 minute read One of the weirdest send-offs of all time was when Steve Kirby, then playing for Yorkshire, sent Mike Atherton on his way with the immortal line: “I’ve seen better batters in my fridge.” This article is nothing to do with that, even though it is about keeping batsmen in the
Continue readingHamish Rutherford turned it round through caffeine and beer
< 1 minute read There’s a lesson for everyone here. Hamish Rutherford has just middled we don’t know how many deliveries for four through the covers in one of those clean, brutal innings you can’t help but admire. And yet a year ago, he couldn’t even get a game for Otago. How did he
Continue readingBrendon McCullum’s tactics in the field
2 minute read Brendon McCullum’s captaincy was soiled at birth due to having arrived via the feculent womb of Mike Hesson, but just because Hesson’s man management skills are staggeringly inept, doesn’t mean McCullum is a bad captain. Asking questions Commentators always talk about asking questions of a batsman. This is rarely a
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