2 minute readThere seem to be a lot of head to head type previews of this series. We never really get much out of them, because cricket doesn’t really work on a points system. There are no judges comparing the two teams’ attributes. You decide which side’s the better by pitting them
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How we’ll remember Mark Boucher
< 1 minute readWhen someone retires, people are generally supposed to focus on that person’s attributes and this has been particularly true for Mark Boucher after his career was ended by a horrendous incident where a bail cut his eyeball. However, here at King Cricket we don’t have all that much lyrical waxation
Continue readingHow are South Africa faring as they begin their tour?
< 1 minute readWe’ll give them one thing: they got into the middle. That’s no mean feat this summer. Other than that, things were as rosy as wet cardboard. They conceded 312-8 against Somerset, despite dismissing Nick Compton for a duck. (His presence might have slowed the run rate a tad, actually). They
Continue readingOld cricketer to retire in the future
< 1 minute readThat’s the big news today. Cricinfo have revealed that 35-year-old Mark Boucher is thinking about maybe stopping playing. Possibly even fairly soon. Boucher said: “I would like to go England and then start a process of trying to get another keeper involved.” He didn’t even include a ‘maybe’. “After England
Continue readingJacques Kallis is fitter than he looks
< 1 minute readJacques Kallis bowled a ball at about 90mph today. Generally speaking, he was bowling faster than Philander, Steyn and Morkel. Despite looking more like a rugby player, Kallis has always been pretty slippery when the mood’s taken him. It’s astonishing that he can still do this when he’s 36-years-old. Few
Continue readingVernon Philander takes wickets for fun
< 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.
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 readingThe deflation of Sri Lanka
< 1 minute readA lot of the life seems to have gone out of Sri Lanka since Murali’s retirement. On the face of it, the team’s much the same, but there’s a wrinkling and lack of solidity about them. They’re like yesterday’s balloon. They haven’t shown much heart according to Russell Arnold. Maybe
Continue readingA two match Test series that was a success on every level
< 1 minute readAustralian defeats, South African defeats, brilliant fast bowling, feisty batting, 47 all out and everyone feeling profoundly irritated at being massively short-changed by there only being two matches – this was the perfect Test series. It was better than anything. It was better than turning up at a restaurant and
Continue readingWhen the fifth day of a Test match has the right ingredients
< 1 minute readThe fifth day of a Test can be dreadful. It can also be the best thing ever. When you get the right ingredients, it’s rich and intoxicating, like a creamy mustard sauce laced with smack. The second (and final) Test between South Africa and Australia is set up perfectly. South
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