< 1 minute readOther than Angus Fraser, few bowlers have appeared to do it as penance. Many people’s definition of an all-rounder is that they should average more with the bat than they do with the ball. Vernon Philander isn’t a million miles away from that and his batting average is only 7.75.
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Ricky Ponting earns a hundred
< 1 minute readThere have been times when we’ve thought that a fat man doing naked limbo in the office would have more dignity than Ricky Ponting. However, he can have his moments. He often speaks well these days and he seemed dignified when he reached 100 against India at the SCG as
Continue readingFit and misfiring
< 1 minute readWe don’t try and steer clear of stupidity altogether – that would be unrealistic – but we do generally try and avoid saying anything too moronic until both sides have batted. Even so, we’re tempted to get in early today after India were again bowled out easily by Australia. India
Continue readingIan Bell: Lord Megachief of Gold 2011
2 minute readThat’s right – Ian Bell. Weird but true. Dale Steyn came pretty close to becoming the second player to earn a promotion to Grand Lord Megachief of Gold, but Ian Bell’s year was just too ridiculous to overlook. Some numbers 11 Test innings, 950 runs, five hundreds, an average of
Continue readingMaking sense of Test victories and defeats
< 1 minute readThe Test world is a baffling place right now. There’s more uncertainty than when the cat finds himself equidistant from some food and an open door. Australia are worse at home than they used to be, but India are worse away than they have been in recent times, so what
Continue readingAnother Test, another Australian batting collapse
< 1 minute readIt was only just over a month ago when South Africa were given the most memorable of lessons by Australia. In being dismissed for 96, South Africa thought they’d set the standard when it came to batting collapses, only to see their opponents proudly stumble to a score of 47
Continue readingSachin Tendulkar falling short
2 minute readSuppose we should write about at least one of the Boxing Day Tests. Australia v India is the more interesting one from an impartial perspective and so far India have the upper hand thanks to Zaheer Khan and some old bastard fifties. One of those was from Sachin Tendulkar, who
Continue readingThe Boxing Day Test tradition
2 minute readWe couldn’t remember whether we did anything on the site for Christmas. Turns out we don’t. The closest we’ve come is wishing everyone a happy Boxing Day Test Eve. The Boxing Day Test is a great tradition. There are a great many things that make cricket better than other sports
Continue readingEd Cowan and other good Australian batsmen
2 minute readWe told you Australia had bottomed out. Logic has penetrated their camp and infected a handful of people. We’re worried it might spread. First of all, Ed Cowan comes into the side (or “Cricket With Balls’ own Eddie Cowan” as Jarrod would have us refer to him). He replaces Phillip
Continue readingPakistan: Reliable? Organised?
< 1 minute readA reliable and organised Pakistan cricket team is essentially just a theoretical construct. Nevertheless, Misbah-ul-Haq has got them about as close as they ever get. In recent months, they’ve reached a state of solidity they rarely experience. They’re scoring runs, they’re taking wickets and they’re winning pretty much all of
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