Cricket Comment: Selectors crazy to opt for Rankin over Onions September 23, 2013 IMAGINE this scenario: England lose James Anderson to injury early in this winter’s Ashes series and arrive in Melbourne for the fourth Test without their key bowler and needing to beat Australia. To who do they turn to take his place? Whoever it is won’t replicate Anderson’s swing, as England have overlooked Graham Onions and [...]
Cricket Comment: England must unleash future stars or risk World Cup failure September 10, 2013 ASHLEY Giles has his hands tied with a number of his top players not available for selection to England’s one-day international squad, but that gives him licence to try the younger players and I think he’s missing a golden opportunity at the moment. I didn’t see the sense in selecting Steven Finn and James Tredwell, [...]
Sport Comment: Time for cricket world to get priorities straight and put fans first September 8, 2013 IT’S ANY old Monday but you suspect that somewhere in the world a one-day cricket international is being played. It doesn’t really matter who between. It will fill a hole in a couple of TV schedules, exercise a few people on the sub-continent who fancy a bet and slip into the record books unnoticed and [...]
Cricket Comment: Fans being fleeced by under-strength England September 4, 2013 AS ENGLAND prepare for their one-day series against Australia, which starts tomorrow, it’s hard to escape the feeling that ordinary punters are being cheated. Cricket fans up and down the country have shelled out in the hope of seeing Ashes heroes such as Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Graeme Swann and Ian Bell. None of them [...]
Cricket Comment: Disappointing finale to Ashes shows game in bad light August 26, 2013 AFTER a thoroughly enjoyable Ashes series played in excellent spirit it was a terrible shame to see a thrilling final day’s play halted before its fitting conclusion, leaving cricket looking silly. England fans hoping to see a first ever 4-0 home series victory were up in arms, quite understandably, when the match was abandoned due [...]
Cricket Comment: Prior primed to deepen Aussies’ Ashes suffering August 20, 2013 WITH the Ashes long since retained and a series victory also ensured before today’s fifth and final Test, there is an obvious danger that some England players could ease off when play resumes at the Oval today. But if any team is likely to wilt as the end approaches then I think it’s the tourists, [...]
Cricket Comment: What would Australia give to have Ian Bell? August 13, 2013 WHEN Ian Bell was selected for Michael Vaughan’s team in the 2005 Ashes series he was ridiculed by Australia. They nicknamed him the Sherminator and, Old Trafford aside, he scored 47 runs in four Test matches. Fast-forward eight years and what would Australia give to have Bell in their team now? He has been by [...]
Cricket Comment: Australia ensure series has its edge back August 8, 2013 THE SERIES desperately needed a competitive edge and, after Australia had the better of the third Test, that has been reintroduced. England might have retained the Ashes, but Andy Flower and the backroom team won’t have given them an easy time of it over the last few days and there will be no complacency in [...]
Cricket Comment: I fancy Panesar to help wrap up a series victory July 31, 2013 ENGLAND have the chance to retain the Ashes at Old Trafford and there is no reason to think they won’t if, as expected, the weather ensures enough play. As the first two Tests have shown, Alastair Cook’s men are superior in all departments and, over five days, that should become obvious. I expect England to [...]
Cricket Comment: Ashes has lost edge but enjoy England’s era July 22, 2013 THE ASHES is all over as a series. There is more chance of pigs flying over Sydney Harbour Bridge than this Australia side coming back from 2-0 down and reclaiming the urn. It looks to me that the tourists have accepted that they are the inferior team, so they now have to regroup, set new [...]