Cricket Comment: Anderson ideal man to step in while Cook given a break June 25, 2014 HE MIGHT insist that he wants to carry on and fight for his place, but repeated failures with the bat and his inability as a captain to avoid a home Test series defeat to Sri Lanka mean that scrutiny of Alastair Cook’s place in the England team just won’t go away. If he won’t step [...]
Cricket Comment: Defeat a very big reverse for coach Moores June 24, 2014 IT WAS a shame England got so close to a draw in the end, but when you are 57-5 against that Sri Lankan bowling attack then defeat can come as no great surprise. Sri Lanka aren’t a bad side, but in home conditions England’s recent track record is top class – they’ve taken apart Australia [...]
England’s extra zip has South Africa seething August 27, 2008 While captain Kevin Pietersen and coach Peter Moores are able to deliver their easiest ever pre-match team talk at The Oval on Friday, the same can not be said for their South African counterparts in the opposite dressing room. “Same again lads” will undoubtedly be the rally cry after yesterday’s ten wicket drubbing at Trent [...]
Pietersen’s passed his first test as captain but still has work to do August 13, 2008 Already we’ve seen the Kevin Pietersen effect rub off on the England Test side – now it will be interesting to see how he can revitalise the ailing one-day setup, still reeling after a heavy defeat by New Zealand. Pietersen’s captaincy for the fourth and final Test at The Oval was infectious, encouraging his players [...]
Rest assured, Pietersen won’t change his style August 5, 2008 Much of the concern surrounding Kevin Pietersen’s installation as England captain seems to focus on whether the added responsibility will alter his attacking playing style. But while it’s a valid point, I don’t think there’s any need for concern as KP has the confidence and belief in his own ability to carry both off to [...]
Freddie’s on fire but he’s getting no support August 1, 2008 Whether it be with bat, ball, or in the field, England have almost been a one-man team in the opening two days of this third Test. From one to 11 the only man to have played with any kind of confidence at all is Andrew Flintoff and if England are to steal anything from this [...]
Finally England can unleash their best team July 30, 2008 Well, it took a rather calamitous second Test at Headingley to realise it, but England can now finally lock horns with South Africa this morning with their best team on show. With the top order batting the problem, dropping Paul Collingwood for the second Test was never the answer and it’s no surprise to see [...]
It’s round one to England despite sleepy Lord’s opener July 15, 2008 Although the scoreboard will suggest the first Test petered out into a tame draw, I suspect England will be the team taking the more positives to Headingley for the start of the second Test on Friday. For the first time in quite a while we have seen England pile on almost 600 runs in their [...]
England will need to up their game to tame in-form South Africa July 9, 2008 After twice taking on and comfortably beating what is a transitional New Zealand side, England will undoubtedly go into tomorrow’s first Test against South Africa confident of continuing their encouraging run. But one thing’s for certain, they’re going to have to step up their game because these South Africans will provide a much sterner test. [...]
