2 minute readTim May, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers Associations, explains why Australia are likely to tour India, but wouldn’t visit Pakistan (like usual) for the Champions Trophy: “Pakistan has had 66 suicide bombings within its country over the past 12 months with over 3,000 people killed and 17
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Jesse Ryder’s back
< 1 minute readIs broad and pudgy and malleable like plasticine. It’s an amorphous, wobbling built-in cushion so he can lie down anywhere and feel comfortable. It’s also a trap. When Jesse Ryder needs to take all that weight off his feet, he plonks himself down and leans into his back’s exquisitely welcoming
Continue readingAndrew Symonds: tool
< 1 minute readWe’ve long suspected Andrew Symonds of being a five-year-old trapped in the body of a hirsute cow. That opinion is being reinforced of late. From The Australian: “Stung $3000 for missing the team bus, he became what one person described as “the rule Nazi” and would ensure he was on
Continue readingWho the hell is Jason Krejza?
< 1 minute readAustralia have called up an off-spinner called Jason Krejza as support for Bryce McGain in the upcoming Test series against India. How Australia’s spin resources have – well – evaporated. Even McGain (who we won’t say a word against) will be a debutant. Other Australian spinners we know: Dan Cullen,
Continue readingBotham flouts health and safety regulations
< 1 minute readIs that suitable footwear? No. Should he be removing his hard hat? No. Also, it’s generally accepted that a high-visibility tabard be worn over the top of ordinary clothing so that you can easily be seen. Botham is wearing high-visibility clothing, but has concealed its garish, eye-catching qualities beneath a
Continue readingEngland’s Stanford Twenty20 squad
< 1 minute readWe’ve been waiting for the announcement of England’s Stanford squad with the strange notion that we’d have something to say about it. Other than bemoaning the absence of Ian Austin, Chris Tavaré and Alan Igglesden, we’ve nothing. The squad’s who you think it is and the same players make up
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Fundamental problems with the County Championship
< 1 minute readDoes it have to end in September? ‘Hurray,’ they say. They punch the air, grab a stump and then run inside, because it’s getting chilly and dark. Once inside, they stay there for seven months. There’s also the problem that the counties have been playing for five months now and
Continue readingIndia’s dog turd fixture list
< 1 minute readIf you want to see the technology of tomorrow, today: go to Japan. If you want to see the cricketing fixture lists of tomorrow, today: look to India. India have never played a home Test against Bangladesh, despite the latter being a Test team since 2000. They don’t want to,
Continue readingThat’s a win
< 1 minute read6-1 off three overs? That’s a win. We need to be more decisive about things like this. We can’t just say that there was ‘no result’ because there wasn’t much cricket. That’s just laziness. There was plenty of cricket. Three overs is plenty and what we saw was clearly an
Continue readingGraeme Hick retires
2 minute readWe learnt a lot through Graeme Hick. We learnt that nothing’s preordained. We learnt that heroes can let you down. We learnt that huge talent isn’t the sole ingredient for Test success and we learnt that if you mess about dropping and reselecting players it doesn’t help them one bit.
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