Does anyone remember the Jimmy Franklin of old? The one who bowled half volleys at 122kmph and got canned at the death? My memory of him is fading rapidly. I am not going to get too carried away however - look what happened to Chris Martin after his dramatic rehabilitation.
Could we have bounced back from the miserable test series any more emphatically? What a kicking. It wasn't just Franklin doing the kicking either, Oram seems to be returning to his steady best and Cairns provided good support. While the English summer has turned damp, I don't think the wicket was too bad. Certainly we didn't have much trouble batting on it - facing Harmison apart.
I feel better about the world now.
Wednesday, 30 June 2004
Monday, 28 June 2004
Rain, rain go away
We are having a sunny and pristine winter. England is enduring a sodden summer. I suspect you would have a better chance of getting a match at the Basin this month than you would in Blighty.
Wednesday, 23 June 2004
ODing on ODIs
I can't believe it. Its like my brain has erased the entire test series. Here I sit and I can barely suppress the confidence that New Zealand is going to kick arse in the one day tri-series.
My brain cells trying to justify my feelings by whispering that the side is injury free (except for Bond). And with Tuffey's form improving and Franklin frankly a revelation, our bowling resources suddenly look much healthier. One, particularly vile, braincell is telling me that the batting can't possibly continue its bad run. I mean look at the line-up. On paper it is great. And it is time for the theory to be put into practice.
A little piece of my heart is trying to counter all my brain's confidence. But it has no chance of suceeding. At least, not until tomorrow.
My brain cells trying to justify my feelings by whispering that the side is injury free (except for Bond). And with Tuffey's form improving and Franklin frankly a revelation, our bowling resources suddenly look much healthier. One, particularly vile, braincell is telling me that the batting can't possibly continue its bad run. I mean look at the line-up. On paper it is great. And it is time for the theory to be put into practice.
A little piece of my heart is trying to counter all my brain's confidence. But it has no chance of suceeding. At least, not until tomorrow.
Wednesday, 16 June 2004
Sigh
I can't believe we lost 3-0. I just can't believe it.
I could try to put a bright spin on the outcome by saying that at least the (uninjured) bowlers put up a brave effort on a flat deck, and the top order - but I don't really feel up to it.
I could try to put a bright spin on the outcome by saying that at least the (uninjured) bowlers put up a brave effort on a flat deck, and the top order - but I don't really feel up to it.
Thursday, 10 June 2004
3rd test preview
Dan has e-mailed me to ask why I have posted about Michael Slater's retirement rather than giving him a preview of the third test. And the answer is that I have started and tried several times already, but have not been able to manage it. The prospects for the game are just too gloomy for me to face. The body language of the New Zealanders at Headingly made it clear the side has next to no chance of winning at Trent Bridge. And when you realise how many of the bodies that body language is coming from are broken, then the "next to" in "next to no chance" becomes redundant.
Vettori is out. Papps is out. Bond is out. Tuffey is out. (The latter is somewhat of a mercy after his dreadful bowling in the first two matches). With such a short-sightedly small squad we have had to take desperate measures to put a team on the park. As there are no fit spinners within a few thousand miles of Nottingham, James Franklin has been plucked from league cricket to replace Vettori and provide "variation" to the attack(he bowls his dribbly medium pace from left-arm over - golly). Kyle Mills gets a shot at test cricket despite achieving the incredible feat of bowling worse than both Tuffey and Martin in the warm-up matches. And Craig McMillan is back. I can't do anything more at that piece of news than sigh.
The worst thing about this all of course, is that somewhere inside me there is still a kernal of hope. And hope is a bastard of a thing, because it means I will still be disappointed when we lose.
Vettori is out. Papps is out. Bond is out. Tuffey is out. (The latter is somewhat of a mercy after his dreadful bowling in the first two matches). With such a short-sightedly small squad we have had to take desperate measures to put a team on the park. As there are no fit spinners within a few thousand miles of Nottingham, James Franklin has been plucked from league cricket to replace Vettori and provide "variation" to the attack(he bowls his dribbly medium pace from left-arm over - golly). Kyle Mills gets a shot at test cricket despite achieving the incredible feat of bowling worse than both Tuffey and Martin in the warm-up matches. And Craig McMillan is back. I can't do anything more at that piece of news than sigh.
The worst thing about this all of course, is that somewhere inside me there is still a kernal of hope. And hope is a bastard of a thing, because it means I will still be disappointed when we lose.
Wednesday, 9 June 2004
Michael Slater to retire
After a spectacular decline fuelled by a love of the fast life (and a red Ferrari):
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/08/1086460298753.html
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/08/1086460298753.html
Monday, 7 June 2004
Saturday, 5 June 2004
Second test - day two
Shortest test series ever? It might be for Michael Papps. 86 in five hours and then a broken finger and (probably) a flight home.
Angus Fraser in the Independent is covinced that England have lost this game already. The wicket is green, the air is moist, the clouds are staying. And we have 350 on the board. As I wrote this, Cairns managed to lob an easy catch to gully, but I will still be disappointed if we fail to reach 400. And if we do, then Gloomy 'Gus might be right.
On the other hand Gloomy Mike has a funny feeling that new Dad Michael Vaughan might want to leave something for baby Tallulah to remember. I'm picking a big score from my namesake.
And Tallulah? Michael, what were you thinking?
Angus Fraser in the Independent is covinced that England have lost this game already. The wicket is green, the air is moist, the clouds are staying. And we have 350 on the board. As I wrote this, Cairns managed to lob an easy catch to gully, but I will still be disappointed if we fail to reach 400. And if we do, then Gloomy 'Gus might be right.
On the other hand Gloomy Mike has a funny feeling that new Dad Michael Vaughan might want to leave something for baby Tallulah to remember. I'm picking a big score from my namesake.
And Tallulah? Michael, what were you thinking?
Friday, 4 June 2004
A link especially for Dan
Cricket, New York style:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/03/nyregion/03cricket.html?8hpib
Canada beat the USA 366-262 in a three day match? What?
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/03/nyregion/03cricket.html?8hpib
Canada beat the USA 366-262 in a three day match? What?
Thursday, 3 June 2004
2nd Test preview
The very dubious policy of only taking 14 players to England has already been shown up. With Bond and McMillan out of the game already and Fleming and Oram dubious starters we could struggle to put 11 players on the park.
I understand that Papps will come in for McMillan and that Oram will play, but only as a batsman. Matt Sinclair has been dragged in from league cricket should Fleming's ear infection rule him out.
With Oram not bowling, our attack will be even weaker than that which did so poorly in the first test. Tuffey, Martin and Cairns are the only pace men, while Vettori will provide spin. Not a prospect to put much fear into the opposition.
I understand that Papps will come in for McMillan and that Oram will play, but only as a batsman. Matt Sinclair has been dragged in from league cricket should Fleming's ear infection rule him out.
With Oram not bowling, our attack will be even weaker than that which did so poorly in the first test. Tuffey, Martin and Cairns are the only pace men, while Vettori will provide spin. Not a prospect to put much fear into the opposition.
Wednesday, 2 June 2004
Canada vs the USA
In an initiative to develop smaller nations ability to play the longer version of the game, the ICC has introduced a first class competition for nations. A fairly decent idea in principle, it has been rewarded in practice with a cracking opening match. Canada beat the USA in a closely fought match dominated by John Davison. Davison took 17 wickets to produce the best bowling performance in any first class match since Jim Laker took 19 wickets way back in 1956.
This match also happens to commemerate the first ever first class match between nations, which occured 160 years ago. Canada vs USA.
This match also happens to commemerate the first ever first class match between nations, which occured 160 years ago. Canada vs USA.
Sport goes bonkers
In the circus which is Pakistani cricket, a parlimentary inquiry is being conducted to investigate the cricketers' "lack of commitment to national honour" after their loss to India. Sports gone mad? When politicians start calling their best fast bowler "a pampered and spoiled baby" (Senator Tariq Azeem) you have to wonder, even if that fast bowler is Shoaib Akhtar.
To be frank, I think Pakistan did themselves damn proud in the test and one-day series. The current Indian team would probably rank as that country's best ever, full of established performers at the peak of their game (Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman) and stars just beginning to crest (Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Nehra, Balaji). Meanwhile Pakistan has one champion batsman who seems to be slipping over the crest (Inzamam), one world class bowler (Akhtar) and a whole bunch of inexperienced youngsters.
I can think of earlier Pakistani sides which would have disintergrated in the face of a challenge like that the Indians presented, but this side managed to take both the one-dayers and the test series to the wire. If it should be doing anything (and it shouldn't), the government of Pakistan should be figuring out how to build on the performace, not to demolish the foundations of it.
To be frank, I think Pakistan did themselves damn proud in the test and one-day series. The current Indian team would probably rank as that country's best ever, full of established performers at the peak of their game (Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Laxman) and stars just beginning to crest (Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Nehra, Balaji). Meanwhile Pakistan has one champion batsman who seems to be slipping over the crest (Inzamam), one world class bowler (Akhtar) and a whole bunch of inexperienced youngsters.
I can think of earlier Pakistani sides which would have disintergrated in the face of a challenge like that the Indians presented, but this side managed to take both the one-dayers and the test series to the wire. If it should be doing anything (and it shouldn't), the government of Pakistan should be figuring out how to build on the performace, not to demolish the foundations of it.
Sunday, 30 May 2004
Don't go West young man
Bangladesh just knocked 400 off the Windies. How much lower can West Indian cricket get?
Friday, 28 May 2004
Back from the dead
Yesterday, the back page of the Dominion Post was capped by a Jonathon Millmow obituary for Shane Bond. Today, we found that Bond's injury is almost certainly nothing more than a soft muscle tear and he is staying on tour.
Yesterday, I was miserable. Today, I am perky.
Yesterday, I was miserable. Today, I am perky.
Wednesday, 26 May 2004
Failure against England
A tired, average performance. The side let down by their middle order and disappointing bowling on the final day. Two tests, two almost identical losses.
Tuesday, 25 May 2004
Memories (1) - the Greatbatch series
New Zealand in Australia
Perth. 24-28 November 1989. Australia 521/9 dec (Boon 200, Jones 99, Morrison 4-145, Snedden 4-108), New Zealand 231 (Greatbatch 76, M Crowe 62, Hughes 4-51) and 322/7 (Greatbatch 146*, J Crowe 49, Snedden 33*, Hughes 3-92).
Australia in New Zealand
Wellington. 15-19 March 1990. Australia 110 (Hadlee 5-39, Morrison 3-22). New Zealand 202 (Wright 36, Franklin 28, Alderman 4-46, P Taylor 3-44), Australia 269 (Border 78*, P Taylor 87, Bracewell 6-85) and New Zealand 181/1 (Wright 117*)
The first series of the 1990s (and the last series of the 1980s) was an odd split affair straddling the tour by India and including one test in each of Australia and New Zealand. The first match, in Perth, was a hell of a way to mark the transition between decades and, in retrospect, marked some important differences between the two eras. After a long period of decline through the 1980s, Australia’s star was on the rise once more. The 1989 tour to England marked the start of a new period of Australian dominance, led at this stage by the batsmen - Waugh, Taylor, Boon, Jones and Border. And for New Zealand the decade began worryingly with Richard Hadlee missing from the attack.
Australian cricket-writer Trevor Brindle wrote after the Perth game that “it is clearly no coincidence that the only living holder of two Victoria crosses is a New Zealanders”. And this is one game in which it is possible to use the word “hero” about a sportsman without devaluing the meaning of the word too badly. For 876 minutes (14 hours and 36 minutes) Mark Greatbatch defied the Australians and led a badly trampled New Zealand side to the safety of a draw. And for almost all of those 876 minutes those of us watching believed we were simply watching him hold up an inevitable Australian victory. It was one of those matches where as a spectator I had given up hope very early on and watched merely in the hope of seeing some moments of individual redemption. Watching the hated Dean Jones dismissed on 99 (to a very dubious lbw) was one. Seeing Martin Crowe and Mark Greatbatch score some runs in our disappointing first innings was another. Seeing Greatbatch bring up his second innings century was an absolute joy. But to have him remain at the crease for another three hours after this, with only Martin Snedden for company, and to drag us through to safety, was simply astounding.
For Greatbatch this game was to mark the pinnacle of his career. Never again was he to show as much concentration, application and technique. This is no real criticism. I do not believe any player in New Zealand cricket history has demonstrated those qualities as well in a single innings. But Greatbatch’s decline was, and still is, mystifying to me. How could a player who did THAT, turn into the muddling slogger with a penchant for leg-side heaves that marked the latter stages of his career? It was those leg-side heaves that always got me. I remember marvelling in the Perth innings that Greatbatch was looked such a restrained player. There was one cross-bat stroke I can recall, a crashing cut when the game started to look safe. For the remainder of his time at the crease he was a model of self-control. “Why”, I thought to myself so many times over the next few years “could he not keep that bloody leg-side heave in his bag today, like he did that time in Perth?”.
I shouldn’t really be focussing on Greatbatch’s decline here. The brilliance of this innings was such that it can, and perhaps should, overshadow the rest of his career. And its value can be seen in the result of the return fixture at the Basin Reserve some months later. Instead of going into the second match of a two test series one down, we went in with honours even. And thanks to some outstanding performances from the old stalwarts, Hadlee, Bracewell and Wright, we took not just this game, but the series.
The second match of the series was played during one of those horrendous Wellington northerlies and after a period of torrential rain. The sort of weather which marks my memory of all Basin Reserve tests up until the introduction of the Boxing Day fixture in 1997. The highlight of the Australian innings was a scything spell from Danny Morrison which took the top off the Australian order and followed by some of the controlled brilliance which defined Richard Hadlee. His ball to dismiss Steve Waugh seemed to do everything - swung, cut, dart, weave, teleport - before nipping through the normally rock-solid defences of the Australian and remove his off-stump. It was, as Hadlee recalled in a post-match interview, a jaffa.
After a slow grind of a New Zealand innings on a wicket that appeared increasingly low and slow, it was John Bracewell’s turn to show the kids how things are done. With his face fixed in a grimace and with the ball gripping and (surprisingly) bouncing he battered the Australians into submission by as much force of will as talent. Danny Morrison certainly needed a little direction from his elders. One ball he delivered ending up pitching at his toes and rolling gently out to midwicket, where Border wandered casually before smiting the stationary ball to the boundary.
The victory target looked tough, and there was much speculation about whether Australian off-spinner Peter Taylor could replicate Bracewell’s demolition job on a wicket that looked to be wearing. But John Wright came out and played one of his best knocks to put New Zealand’s name on the Trans-Tasman trophy for the first time since 1985/86. After a slow and solid start he blossomed and the series ended with Wright in complete control, driving fluently and attacking Taylor and Australia’s part-time spinners with a look of absolute relish etched onto his craggy face.
Perth. 24-28 November 1989. Australia 521/9 dec (Boon 200, Jones 99, Morrison 4-145, Snedden 4-108), New Zealand 231 (Greatbatch 76, M Crowe 62, Hughes 4-51) and 322/7 (Greatbatch 146*, J Crowe 49, Snedden 33*, Hughes 3-92).
Australia in New Zealand
Wellington. 15-19 March 1990. Australia 110 (Hadlee 5-39, Morrison 3-22). New Zealand 202 (Wright 36, Franklin 28, Alderman 4-46, P Taylor 3-44), Australia 269 (Border 78*, P Taylor 87, Bracewell 6-85) and New Zealand 181/1 (Wright 117*)
The first series of the 1990s (and the last series of the 1980s) was an odd split affair straddling the tour by India and including one test in each of Australia and New Zealand. The first match, in Perth, was a hell of a way to mark the transition between decades and, in retrospect, marked some important differences between the two eras. After a long period of decline through the 1980s, Australia’s star was on the rise once more. The 1989 tour to England marked the start of a new period of Australian dominance, led at this stage by the batsmen - Waugh, Taylor, Boon, Jones and Border. And for New Zealand the decade began worryingly with Richard Hadlee missing from the attack.
Australian cricket-writer Trevor Brindle wrote after the Perth game that “it is clearly no coincidence that the only living holder of two Victoria crosses is a New Zealanders”. And this is one game in which it is possible to use the word “hero” about a sportsman without devaluing the meaning of the word too badly. For 876 minutes (14 hours and 36 minutes) Mark Greatbatch defied the Australians and led a badly trampled New Zealand side to the safety of a draw. And for almost all of those 876 minutes those of us watching believed we were simply watching him hold up an inevitable Australian victory. It was one of those matches where as a spectator I had given up hope very early on and watched merely in the hope of seeing some moments of individual redemption. Watching the hated Dean Jones dismissed on 99 (to a very dubious lbw) was one. Seeing Martin Crowe and Mark Greatbatch score some runs in our disappointing first innings was another. Seeing Greatbatch bring up his second innings century was an absolute joy. But to have him remain at the crease for another three hours after this, with only Martin Snedden for company, and to drag us through to safety, was simply astounding.
For Greatbatch this game was to mark the pinnacle of his career. Never again was he to show as much concentration, application and technique. This is no real criticism. I do not believe any player in New Zealand cricket history has demonstrated those qualities as well in a single innings. But Greatbatch’s decline was, and still is, mystifying to me. How could a player who did THAT, turn into the muddling slogger with a penchant for leg-side heaves that marked the latter stages of his career? It was those leg-side heaves that always got me. I remember marvelling in the Perth innings that Greatbatch was looked such a restrained player. There was one cross-bat stroke I can recall, a crashing cut when the game started to look safe. For the remainder of his time at the crease he was a model of self-control. “Why”, I thought to myself so many times over the next few years “could he not keep that bloody leg-side heave in his bag today, like he did that time in Perth?”.
I shouldn’t really be focussing on Greatbatch’s decline here. The brilliance of this innings was such that it can, and perhaps should, overshadow the rest of his career. And its value can be seen in the result of the return fixture at the Basin Reserve some months later. Instead of going into the second match of a two test series one down, we went in with honours even. And thanks to some outstanding performances from the old stalwarts, Hadlee, Bracewell and Wright, we took not just this game, but the series.
The second match of the series was played during one of those horrendous Wellington northerlies and after a period of torrential rain. The sort of weather which marks my memory of all Basin Reserve tests up until the introduction of the Boxing Day fixture in 1997. The highlight of the Australian innings was a scything spell from Danny Morrison which took the top off the Australian order and followed by some of the controlled brilliance which defined Richard Hadlee. His ball to dismiss Steve Waugh seemed to do everything - swung, cut, dart, weave, teleport - before nipping through the normally rock-solid defences of the Australian and remove his off-stump. It was, as Hadlee recalled in a post-match interview, a jaffa.
After a slow grind of a New Zealand innings on a wicket that appeared increasingly low and slow, it was John Bracewell’s turn to show the kids how things are done. With his face fixed in a grimace and with the ball gripping and (surprisingly) bouncing he battered the Australians into submission by as much force of will as talent. Danny Morrison certainly needed a little direction from his elders. One ball he delivered ending up pitching at his toes and rolling gently out to midwicket, where Border wandered casually before smiting the stationary ball to the boundary.
The victory target looked tough, and there was much speculation about whether Australian off-spinner Peter Taylor could replicate Bracewell’s demolition job on a wicket that looked to be wearing. But John Wright came out and played one of his best knocks to put New Zealand’s name on the Trans-Tasman trophy for the first time since 1985/86. After a slow and solid start he blossomed and the series ended with Wright in complete control, driving fluently and attacking Taylor and Australia’s part-time spinners with a look of absolute relish etched onto his craggy face.
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