< 1 minute readSamit Patel said of playing Pakistan: “It would be a great achievement to beat them 4-0 in their own backyard.” Yes, it would, considering you’re in the Middle East. There seems to be an issue defining ‘back yard’. Kevin Pietersen used the same term last week. As a rule of
Continue reading< 1 minute readAnd after all of 12 matches, Steven Finn would seem to be their best bowler. How do you feel about these things? Angry or amazed? Before this series, each of Sky’s commentary team picked their preferred England one-day side. We weren’t really paying attention (cooking, eating, playing games or just
Continue reading< 1 minute readWe did a Cricinfo piece about ways England could slavishly copy Pakistan – because if you’re beaten by a particular side, it stands to reason that EVERYTHING they do is correct. One thing that we didn’t suggest was that England should try and get their opening bowlers incarcerated. We’re quite
Continue reading2 minute readBefore you start criticising us for getting carried away and not appreciating the depths of the problems facing a war-torn nation, let us just say that those aren’t our words. They’re the words of Afghanistan’s minister of finance, Dr Omar Zakhilwal and you’d hope he’d have half an idea what
Continue reading< 1 minute readWe’re not quite sure what’s going on in Abu Dhabi and we’re not sure we want to know. England Lions made 96 all out in 28.3 overs. This apparently means that an England XI are chasing 230 in 50 overs. It is not clear at this stage whether you get
Continue reading2 minute readBert writes: On Saturday last I found myself home alone for the evening, my The Wife having gone out. Bert Jr. and his brother Ernie were in bed, fast asleep. So I had the TV and DVD player all to myself. But what to watch? I narrowed it down to
Continue reading< 1 minute readJos (short for Joseph) replaces Ian Bell in the squad. Bell actually had a pretty good one-day tour of India compared to most of his team mates. However, this was largely because he only played in one of the matches. Sadly for him, neither of the runs he scored on
Continue reading2 minute readWhat about Pakistan, eh? Talk about feisty. They’ve just won a Test match after being bowled out for 99 on the first day. That’s exceptional. Pakistan seem a really hard team. They’re not too flashy; not too dynamic with the bat; but they fight like a sack of drunk badgers.
Continue reading< 1 minute readIf Azhar Ali knows that speed equals distance over time, it doesn’t unduly concern him. This is a batsman who will not be rushed. With a train to catch in ten minutes’ time and the station five minutes from his house, Azhar’s sitting in his dressing gown with a cup
Continue reading< 1 minute readEngland and Pakistan seem to have swapped identities at some point in the recent past. Pakistan are all obdurate and professional, while England try to make up for their catastrophic batting with ever more spectacular bowling efforts. There’s a limit to what the poor bowlers will be able to achieve
Continue reading