England’s bloom down to Flower December 7, 2010 WHEN England inevitably win the Ashes, the likes of Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen will take the plaudits, but the man who will really deserve huge congratulations is Andy Flower. The kind of consistent success that he has engineered does not happen by chance. The players may be executing it, and very well too, but [...]
Collingwood won’t revel in Australia’s Ashes disarray November 5, 2010 ENGLAND’S Paul Collingwood admits enjoying seeing Australia toil in the run-up to the Ashes but is refusing to gloat just yet. The Aussies slipped to a sixth successive defeat in all formats on Wednesday to Sri Lanka and have had to deny suggestions of a rift between vice-captain Michael Clarke and batsman Mike Hussey. Yet, [...]
Gutsy Cook repays selectors’ faith November 28, 2010 OUR cricket columnist, former England batsman and Warwickshire chairman Andy Lloyd, has been poring over all the Ashes action. Here he dissects what he’s learned from the play so far. THROW IN THE TOWEL England have shown they have terrific resolve. For the first three days they didn’t play badly but things did not go [...]
England kicked them in the teeth December 1, 2010 THE first punches have been thrown and, as England prepare to start the second Ashes Test tonight, it is Australia who are reeling from some body blows to their confidence. The Aussies are used to starting with a win and got themselves in a great position at the Gabba. England will have been disappointed not [...]
IT’S OVER AND OUT September 16, 2010 Iconic all-rounder and Ashes hero forced to quit after doctors warn his knee will never recover ANDREW Flintoff, the hero of England’s 2005 and 2009 Ashes triumphs, yesterday brought down the curtain on a glorious career after conceding defeat in his long battle with knee injury. All-rounder Flintoff, whose off-field antics contributed to his mythology [...]
WORLD CHAMPIONS May 16, 2010 JUBILANT captain Paul Collingwood praised his England heroes after they produced a fittingly dominant performance to clinch a historic triumph at the World Twenty20 in Barbados. Imperious England beat old rivals Australia by seven wickets and with three overs remaining to end a 35-year wait for success in an International Cricket Council tournament. Fine fielding [...]
Weather could have biggest say in the pivotal third Test July 29, 2009 ENGLAND vs AUSTRALIATODAY 11AM – SKY SPORTS 1 AFTER a thrilling Test in the capital the series is Birmingham-bound, returning to the scene of perhaps the most memorable Ashes encounter of all time. Unfortunately the key protagonists from Edgbaston 2005 – as captured in one of the most iconic sporting images ever – look unlikely [...]
‘Jelly’ concerns at Edgbaston as Australia look to regroup July 23, 2009 GROUNDSMAN Steve Rouse admits he is facing a race against time to prepare the Edgbaston pitch for next week’s third Ashes Test, claiming heavy rain has turned it into “a jelly”. “It’s a nightmare,” Rouse confessed. “We’ve had two actual dry days in the last 10 and the wicket is like a jelly. “It has [...]
‘Jelly’ concerns at Edgbaston as Australia look to regroup July 23, 2009 GROUNDSMAN Steve Rouse admits he is facing a race against time to prepare the Edgbaston pitch for next week’s third Ashes Test, claiming heavy rain has turned it into “a jelly”. “It’s a nightmare,” Rouse confessed. “We’ve had two actual dry days in the last 10 and the wicket is like a jelly. “It has [...]
Swann still confident despite Aussie fightback July 19, 2009 SPINNER Graeme Swann insists England remain favourites to clinch the second Test at Lord’s today, while preventing Australia from blasting their way into the record books. Chasing a first Ashes victory at Lord’s in 75 years, the hosts moved into cruise control after reducing the Australians to 128-5 at one stage – still 403 short [...]