All posts by n8rngtd.top

In 1985, at the height of his powers, David Gower was flawless, influential, and a lesson to eight-year-olds on what style meant

Ed Smith04-Oct-2012Who is your favourite player? It’s only half a question because our preferences change with age. As with novels, we are susceptible to different cricketers at different stages of life. The showman, the stylist, the battler: there will be a time for each of them.In 1985, as a cricket-obsessed eight year old, I was just about old enough to grasp the idea of style. In fact, it may have been a cricketer, David Gower, who introduced me to the concept.That Ashes summer of 1985 seemed to be a never-ending highlights reel of languid Gower cover drives and nonchalant late cuts. Can an eight-year-old really distinguish an elegant cover drive from all the others? Perhaps only just. But like many childhood experiences, watching cricket was informed by the adult conversations around me. “Did you see that David Gower cover drive? He never looks like he’s trying, it’s so effortless.” When you hear so many adults gasp in admiration, you subtly absorb new ways of enjoying the cricket on the television screen.That summer’s footage has lodged permanently in my memory. Gower batting without a cap or a helmet, the afternoon sun casting long shadows over the field, and Jim Laker and Tom Graveney trying to find new ways of saying, “He seems to have all the time in the world.” When Gower reached yet another hundred with a cover drive, the commentator exclaimed, “I’m not sure if the bowler is clapping the shot or the century.”In artistic terms, this was “High Gower”. We didn’t know it then, of course, but Gower was exactly halfway through his 14-year England career; he was at the peak of his powers. We knew he was great and we knew he was close to his best. And Gower was not making flawless, inconsequential cameos. He was shaping whole matches with hundreds and double-hundreds. But High Gower, like High Federer, was ruthless as well as beautiful.Style demands economy as well as grace. In 1985, Gower rarely wasted a movement. Even between balls, he remained in character: his Gray-Nicolls bat resting on one shoulder, blade facing the sky, his grip more open than that of most modern players, the handle settled in his hand as though it was a natural extension of his body.One of Gower’s underestimated qualities was his psychological bravery. He had the guts to keep being himself. Most players spend their careers making increasingly pragmatic compromises. We tend only to hear about the people for whom it works. Steve Waugh, of course, banished the hook shot, and developed an iron-wristed front-footed square cut to replace the classic cover drives of his early days. By the end of his England career, Graham Thorpe rarely allowed himself to use the full array of his attacking shots.The trend is common across all forms of the game. Maturity is usually accompanied by the reduction of risk: the closing of the bat face, the favouring of the leg side over the off, the narrowing of scoring shots to just a few trusted favourites.

When Gower reached yet another hundred with a cover drive, the commentator exclaimed, “I’m not sure if the bowler is clapping the shot or the century”

If anything, Gower went the other way. He never turned away from risk. He never stopped playing his favourite shots, even when it led to recurrent dismissals. It is too easy to call this a failure of discipline. For batting is not only a question of percentages, it is also a matter of voice. Many batsmen, in the search for scientific progress, lose what makes them special, what makes them unique. Gower never did.A former team-mate of Gower’s once said to me that he “never really got better as an England player”. He said it mildly, but it was accompanied by a hand gesture to signify a flat-line. I was tempted to mirror the action, only drawing the flat line significantly higher. If someone averages mid-40s all the way along, the point, surely, is that he has been exceptionally consistent, not disappointingly static.”Late Gower” also inspired my favourite cricket poem. Gower roused the very best from the editor and poet Alan Ross, himself a romantic, writing in the autumn of his literary career:

Watching a champion in the autumn of his career is a double-edged pleasure. There is joy at the unexpected bonus. But sadness that it surely cannot last for much longer.That was not the case in 1985. We knew there would be many more days like this, with Gower gliding into cover drives, swivelling on pull shots, and occasionally deigning to sweep – though never touching the ground for long enough with his knee to muddy his pad. Yes, there would be more.But it was surely never quite so good again.

Australia’s bowlers and fielders were relentless on the fourth day, keeping South Africa under constant pressure despite the absence of James Pattinson

Daniel Brettig at Adelaide Oval25-Nov-2012Two of sport’s more famous reflections on the concept of pressure were of the dismissive variety, encouraging participants not to worry as there were graver matters in life than whether or not a sporting contest is won. War veteran and former Australia allrounder Keith Miller remarked of the demands of Test cricket that “pressure is a Messerschmitt up your arse”. Similarly, the gregarious Lee Trevino scoffed at the possibility of choking at a major golf tournament by offering a memory from earlier days in less revered company: “Pressure is playing for ten dollars when you don’t have a dime in your pocket.”On day four at Adelaide Oval, pressure could in fact be found in abundance on the field, to the point that another definition might have been added to those of Miller and Trevino: trying to cope with a relentless Australian bowling and fielding ensemble on a wearing pitch. The hosts’ efforts in their first three innings in the field this series had been patchy, but on this occasion they comprehensively throttled South Africa’s top order, albeit one that was shorn of Jacques Kallis’ considerable talents by injury.This was all the more admirable for the absence of James Pattinson, who had been Australia’s outstanding fast bowler in the Brisbane Test. Here his only contribution to the fourth innings was to ignore a serious side/rib tear to punch 29 unbeaten runs in the third and stretch South Africa’s target to world-record dimensions. Michael Clarke’s team will miss Pattinson over the rest of the home summer, but his unfortunate exit spurred on the remaining trio to a level of performance that arguably surpassed the heights reached during last summer’s trampling of India.The combination of Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon worked persistently and precisely, exploiting the movement and variable bounce on offer while offering barely any free scoring opportunities on a ground with plenty to be had for even the most slightly misdirected delivery. As ever, they were aided by Clarke’s adroit captaincy, with stratagems including the early introduction of spin, the posting of plenty of close fielders in front of the bat to capitalise on any deliveries stopping in the surface, and as stumps drew near even the surprise appearance of Ricky Ponting’s offbreaks.Australia’s bowling collective is under new management this summer, after the former Tasmania bowling coach Ali de Winter was contracted to replace Craig McDermott, who had been waylaid by personal matters. Steve Rixon’s role has also been broadened from that of fielding coach to also include spin bowling, a useful addition to Lyon’s retinue. McDermott remains in touch with many of Australia’s pace bowlers and has kept close watch on proceedings, but the completeness of this Adelaide performance will help de Winter establish himself within the team. The senior coach Mickey Arthur does not mind McDermott chiming in every now and then, but also wants de Winter to be acknowledged as the primary source of counsel for the pacemen.”I really enjoyed the work Craig did for us and he built some really good relationships with our quick bowlers. Craig delivered good, clear, simple messages,” Arthur told ESPNcricinfo before the match. “Ali is doing exactly the same – in this game you can’t reinvent the wheel, there’s only one right way, and both Ali and Craig are delivering messages that are exactly the same. I think Billy was very, very good, and it was nice seeing him around the nets in Brisbane and nice seeing Billy when he was coaching with Ireland [at the World Twenty20], but Ali’s our bowling coach now.”One of de Winter’s major calling cards before he took the job was his close and productive relationship with Hilfenhaus and other seamers in Tasmania, first overseeing their rise to become a Sheffield Shield-winning battery of bowlers but also offering remedial work when Hilfenhaus lapsed into workaday bowling habits during the 2010-11 Ashes. Similar patterns of the ordinary emerged during the Brisbane Test, after Hilfenhaus’ lead-in had been characterised by a raft of Twenty20 and only one first-class fixture since April. His improvement since then has been gradual, but notable. Hilfenhaus’ arm may still not be quite in the right place but his use of various angles on the crease has returned, allowing the ball to angle in before tailing away. On Sunday afternoon he moved swiftly around the wicket to Graeme Smith, and was rewarded with an outside edge and an alert snaffle by Ponting at second slip.Siddle’s record so far in this series is muted, and at times in Brisbane he struggled to live up to the tag of spearhead that he had earned with performances the national selector John Inverarity described as “lionhearted” last summer. But in Adelaide he delivered two vital spells. The first undid Smith and AB de Villiers on the third morning when South Africa had resumed at a comfortable 2 for 217, and the second found a way through Alviro Petersen’s defence on the fourth evening. Petersen is not the most high-profile member of the touring side, but his ability to play the long innings is proven.Lastly Nathan Lyon showed his capability to switch from the restrictive commission he held in the first innings to a more expansive role in the final innings. Spinning the bouncing ball teasingly from both the flat part of the pitch and the footmarks, Lyon found drift to be a decidedly useful weapon. He had Hashim Amla pouched by a juggling Clarke at slip when South Africa’s No. 3 drove at an offbreak that floated away but did not deviate back as much as he expected. Lyon then maintained his hold over Jacques Rudolph, cornering him into a shot-less state of mind with a tight early LBW appeal and subsequently drawing an error from another fullish delivery that drifted into the batsman’s pads. The low deflection was snatched out of the air by Ed Cowan, now an expert short leg, and Lyon rejoiced in confounding his quarry four times in as many innings.The final 29 overs of the day had de Villiers and Faf du Plessis carrying on the dourest of struggles to occupy the crease, having forsaken all hope of chasing down the target. They nudged 32 runs in 29 overs, recalling a period during the Sydney Test in January when India’s batsmen were kept scoreless for no fewer than 38 consecutive balls. Then, as now, a wicket did not eventuate before stumps, but the pressure imposed by Australia’s attack was palpable, whatever Miller and Trevino might have thought.

Most parts of South Africa’s cricket are running smoothly at the moment, but that is not the case with the captaincy of the one-day team

Firdose Moonda21-Jan-2013A captain by any other name should manage just as well. That must be what South African cricket thought when the process to replace Graeme Smith as limited-overs leader began in August 2010.Two and a half years on, they have been through four captains but have not found a long-term replacement. The search for someone who has security in team position, aptitude, and the willingness to do the job full time is still on, as concerns grow about AB de Villiers’ suitability. It is something South Africa have to address seriously as they plan for three ICC events in three years.Johan Botha was initially named Smith’s successor and he was a good choice. Botha is a natural leader who is comfortable enough with himself to know when to delegate and when to take charge. His tactical acumen is solid and he thinks about the game in interesting ways.But Botha was not kept in the frame for long. He was stripped of the role 11 months on, when South Africa’s management structure changed. Following that, he was slowly shifted out of the team to its fringes. Eventually, sensing the end was near, he asked to be released from his national contract to take up a position at South Australia, where he would captain the state team in all formats. Botha last played for South Africa at the World Twenty20 last September and all indications from both him and the administrators are that he will not return to the fold.When Botha was dislodged, a new think tank was put in place, with de Villiers and Hashim Amla as Smith’s sidekicks. Although de Villiers had never captained a team before, at any level, his enthusiasm and team-man attitude made it seem he was perfect for the job. Amla was a less obvious choice, having always shied away from leadership, but he excitedly said he was ready for a different challenge and understood he would be de Villiers’ understudy in limited-overs teams, even though he was not a regular in the T20 side at the time.It has been 18 months since those decisions were made and questions are being asked about whether they were the correct ones. De Villiers appears increasingly uncomfortable with the role and Amla has shunned his part in it. Instead Faf du Plessis, who at the time of the appointments was only just starting to establish his place in the ODI side but has since become a regular across all three formats, has captained South Africa in a T20 series and will now take charge of the rest of the ODI series against New Zealand because of de Villiers’ suspension.A slow over rate cost de Villiers the chance to immerse himself in the intricacies of captaincy, as was the plan for this series. To that end, he gave up the wicketkeeping gloves so he could get a different perspective on the game.It was this time last year, almost to the day, that de Villiers captained South Africa for the first time, against Sri Lanka in Paarl. South Africa won convincingly after scoring 301 and bowling Sri Lanka out for 43. De Villiers was hugely satisfied with the win but looked hassled. He confessed that because things had happened so fast, he wasn’t able to have sufficient time with his bowlers to discuss field placements and strategies, and said he felt out of control as the match went on.He has been in charge in nine more ODIs and eight T20s. Before this series, he said almost exactly the same thing he did after the crushing win over Sri Lanka. He still felt he needed to be closer to the bowlers so that he could communicate better with them and he said felt rushed on the field.

Long before he was considered captaincy material, de Villiers made it clear he wanted to become the best batsman in the world and did not want to keep wicket. He has since, in the words of convenor of selectors Andrew Hudson “changed his mind” to the point where he was willing to sacrifice a year of his career to do the job

That his concerns were almost identical to what they were a year ago could simply mean de Villiers needs more time to get to grips with captaincy. It could also point to his own uncertainty and indecisiveness, two traits that should appear only in very small quantities in a captain’s kit but seem to feature more with de Villiers.To illustrate that, consider that not only has he struggled to get to grips with leadership, he has also continually wavered about his role in the team. Long before he was considered captaincy material, de Villiers made it clear he wanted to become the best batsman in the world and did not want to keep wicket. He has since, in the words of convenor of selectors Andrew Hudson, “changed his mind” to the point where he was willing to sacrifice of “a year of my career” because of his bad back, to do the job.When de Villiers was asked to take over as a limited-overs captain, it was put to him that the triple task of keeping, leading and batting would be too much. De Villiers did not agree with such suggestions. Neither did those who appointed him, specifically Gary Kirsten, although he has also changed his mind about that now and said he was “always concerned” the burden on de Villiers would be too great.As a result, they have had to make a plan to rest de Villiers so he can continue keeping in Tests. He passed the gloves on in limited-overs, a dual solution that also allowed him to “focus on captaincy.” It appeared a clever solution to all de Villiers’ concerns but it did not ease the one about his ability, not willingness, to captain.De Villiers continually claims to be unsure of the skills needed and the style of captaincy he should adopt. He has yet to find his way despite a reasonable amount of time in the job. He could have had even more time if he had gone to the unofficial T20 tri-series in Zimbabwe to June last year.Instead it was Amla who took South Africa to that event, as a vice-captain rightly should. The same Amla who now wants the armband as far away from his shirt as the alcohol-manufacturer sponsor’s logo.Although Amla captained South Africa at Under-19 level and had a stint in charge of Dolphins, he has always been a reluctant leader. At Dolphins his period as captain coincided with a lack of personal runs, and that seems to have put him off captaining for good.AB de Villiers had admitted he is unsure about whether he is captaincy material•Getty ImagesStill, Amla stood in for de Villiers once, in what was supposed to be de Villiers captaincy debut, against Australia in October 2011. De Villiers picked up an injury at the Champions League, so Amla led South Africa to a T20 series draw and ODI series loss. His own form suffered and he indicated it was not a job he would want again.That view has not changed. When ESPNcricinfo spoke to a source close to the team minutes after news broke that de Villiers was ruled out of the remaining ODIs against New Zealand, they said it was unlikely Amla would take over. A CSA release later confirmed that Amla wanted to “concentrate on his batting” and that the selectors would grant him his wish.Amla, like Jacques Kallis, obviously wants no part in captaincy. In being largely left alone to play his own game, Kallis has given South Africa more than any other cricketer. Amla may do the same. In which case he has to lose the vice-captain tag. He probably won’t even notice its gone.It should probably go the way of du Plessis, who has emerged as a candidate to take over the main job too. Du Plessis was a captain at school level and a former leader of South Africa’s A side, and seems to enjoy the extra responsibility.Promoting him, maybe even above de Villiers, should not be seen as an insult to de Villiers or Amla. It should rather be seen as responding to the changing times. When de Villiers was put in charge of the limited-overs teams he was not the Test wicketkeeper and his concerns about the captaincy had not been developed. Circumstances and experiences may require a shift in policy.A decade of Smith meant that South African cricket had not had to debate about another leader for most of that time. Even when doubts about Smith started to emerge, it was always clear that he had the ability to lead and the presence that would prompt others to follow him. In two weeks’ time, Smith will captain South Africa for the 100th occasion in a Test match. He is undisputedly the best captain this country has had, and if they want another like him, sensible decisions must be made to find one.

Welcome back, Confectionery Stallers, just in time for the official Confectionery Stall preview of the end of the 2011 Indian tour of England

Andy Zaltzman25-Feb-2013Welcome back, Confectionery Stallers, just in time for the official Confectionery Stall preview of the end of the 2011 Indian tour of England. The final match in a damply curious ODI series will bring the curtain of mercy down on one of the most unsuccessful tours ever to fail to grace these shores. It might be a good game, it might not be, and either side could win it and/or lose it. Duckworth-Lewis, in fine form after their spectacular win at Lord’s, cannot be ruled out. No one will mind very much either way, I imagine. The schedule of the English international summer is specifically designed to maximise the chances of a prolonged anti-climax, and the weather has chirped in this year to assist the achieving of this oddly conceived goal.On then to the official Confectionery Stall review of the 2011 Indian tour of England.At the start of the summer, there had been rich anticipation for a titanic showdown between two of Test cricket’s leading forces. Titanic showdowns, however, as early-20th-century maritime historians will vociferously testify, can end with something that was widely lauded as indestructible and magnificent sinking rapidly and disastrously. The good ship India rammed repeatedly into Iceberg England, and the rest is now statistically alarming history that will be sifted over by curious students in decades to come. (If there are any curious students of Test cricket in decades to come.)Back in April, as India briefly celebrated their iconic triumph in Mumbai before looking at their fixture schedules and thinking that they had better get some kip whilst they had the chance, and England recuperated from their Ashes megavictory and their barking-mad World Cup campaign, some mesmerising contests loomed – Zaheer against England’s batting machine; Sehwag against England’s demon swing attack; Tendulkar versus Statistical History.The first flickered tantalisingly on the first day at Lord’s before Zaheer’s not overwhelmingly well-honed body rebelled. The second began (a) too late, as injury ruled out the Evel Knievel Of Opening The Batting from the first two Tests, and (b) too early, as he rushed back with insufficient preparation to face brilliant, in-form swing bowlers in swingy conditions. I am sure even Albert Einstein after a prolonged break from science needed to ease himself back into things with some basic physics – a couple of frames of snooker, at least, or juggling some tomatoes – before launching into the serious quantum stuff. The third saw Statistical History fighting a brave rearguard against the Little Master (whilst taking its eye off the majestic Dravid, allowing him to put on one of the finest displays of batsmanship in a losing cause and become only the second player after Bradman to twice score three centuries in a series in England).India were underprepared, knackered and unlucky, but their response to their misfortunes is unlikely to have the world’s poets wielding their quills in excitement, ready to poet out some stirring tales of steadfast heroism in the face of adversity.Consequently, as a contest it has been strange and unsatisfying, like eating a plate of high-quality filet steak lathered in a once-delicious lemon mousse that had been left out of the fridge for a couple of weeks. For England, the Test series was unremittingly glorious. Players reached or maintained peaks that a year ago had seemed inconceivable. They were ruthless, dazzling, thrilling. Those are three adjectives that have not always been applicable to English cricket over the last 30 years. They have slap-hammered their opponents for seven innings victories in 14 Tests over 12 months – one more than England managed in 211 Tests over 20 years in the 1980s and 1990s. England have averaged 59 runs per wicket with the bat in 2011 – the best year ever for England batting, and the best by any team that has played more than six Tests in a year. Their pace bowlers have collectively averaged 24 this year – the second-best such figure by England since 1979, behind 2000, when Gough, Caddick, Cork and White eviscerated the hapless West Indians.England had an almost supernaturally stellar Test summer, to follow a similarly successful winter, and ascended to the official top of the Test rankings with ease. Reaching summits is often considered tricky in mountaineering circles (I am reliably informed). England scaled the ICC Rankings Peak in the the manner of Hillary and Tensing unicycling the last few hundred metres up Mount Everest whilst juggling apples and singing Viking drinking songs.It is hard to know exactly how good this England team is currently and can become in the future – they have had a happy knack of playing opponents who are in transition, meltdown or need of a holiday, and have exploited weakness, misfortune and fatigue with merciless power and precision. A winter in various parts of Asia will give further evidence, and next summer’s annoyingly brief showdown with South Africa could prove to be the crucial exhibit.EXTRAS
Lancashire clinched a staggering triumph in the County Championship, with two bone-jangling late victories in their final two matches. Last time Lancashire won the championship outright, in 1934, it heralded a 19-year spell in which Britain fought a World War, saw a king abdicate, and presided over the collapse of its empire, and in which, more importantly, England failed to win the Ashes. So whilst this extraordinary and long-overdue triumph will be rightly celebrated across Lancashire, the rest of the country and the government may be understandably more muted in its response.When I was a cricket-obsessed boy, I patiently endured a four-year period from 1986 to 1989 when my country won three Tests out of 40. Fortunately, two of those wins were in one Ashes series, so the late ‘80s seldom get the credit they deserve as the absolute nadir of English cricket history. It was often said at the time that county cricket was not producing Test-quality cricketers. This was not entirely true. It was producing them, but they were mostly playing for England’s opponents. County cricket is still producing Test-quality cricketers, and England’s opponents, too busy to allow their players be properly schooled in English conditions, as they once were, are suffering the consequences, trying to learn on the hoof in the Test arena, like schoolchildren trying to cram in some desperate post-last-minute revision after a crucial exam has already started.Following the trial of a pink ball in a County Championship game, the ICC has announced that in the forthcoming Sheffield Shield season in Australia, umpires’ index fingers will be painted fluorescent green, and topped with a flashing light. “We want to make the moment of dismissal a more spectator-friendly experience,” explained the secretary of the ICC Tinkering Around Committee. A further proposal under consideration is forcing batsmen’s helmets to be coated in a bronze casing, to ensure that a bowler clonking a batsman on the noggin with a bouncer makes the metal clang loud and amusing enough to prevent the crowd drifting off and thinking about gardening.Apologies for my lengthy absence, which was caused by a range of factors: (1) spending a month telling jokes at the Edinburgh Festival; (2) taking my wife and children on holiday to compensate for spending a month away from home at the Edinburgh Festival; (3) trying to explain the difference between cricket and football to my two-year-old son; (4) Statsguru asking me for some time apart to think about where our relationship is going; and (5) a rest and recuperation period advised by my doctor to help adjust psychologically to the fact that England are now officially the universe’s leading Test Match cricket team, a state of affairs for which cricket supporters in my age bracket in this country have not been adequately conditioned. In fact, medical staff at cricket grounds have reported cricket fans complaining of a range of previously unimaginable ailments, including disbelief, delirium, smugness, an unshakeable suspicion that it is all an elaborate trick, terror that England’s ascent to the summit of the world’s greatest sport is an unarguable sign of impending apocalypse (it is all in The Book Of Revelations, if you read it backwards in John Arlott’s accent), and in several cases “feeling disconcertingly Australian”.

There was no time to get bored in Hyderabad

Atul Bhogle03-Mar-2013Choice of game
It is my dream to watch all days of all Tests in a series. I had already watched three days of the Chennai Test last week and was not going to miss a home Test in Hyderabad, especially against a team other than New Zealand.Team supported
The hurt of the 0-8 overseas losses and then the defeat against England at home was hard to digest. I approached this match hoping India wouldn’t repeat the mistake they made in Mumbai against England. Needless to say, I am rooting for India to go 2-0 up in Hyderabad.Key performer
Michael Clarke again proved to the fulcrum of the Aussie batting and was the only reason Australia lasted the day. But the start performer for me was Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Australia never recovered from those three wickets in the first session. The spinners too would have relished the rare chance of not having to bowl at the openers.One thing I’d have changed
I would have loved to see local boy Pragyan Ojha have a go at the Aussies. Clearly, they were most troubled by Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm orthodox spin and Ojha would have proved more than handy.Interplay I enjoyed
Clarke came in much earlier than he would have wanted to and immediately began enforcing himself on the spinners. R Ashwin was treated to a huge six down the ground. Clarke’s footwork against the spinners was exemplary. He showed others around him how it’s done.Filling the gaps
VVS Laxman seemed to be giving batting tips to the camera in the company of Ramiz Raja and Kapil Dev during the tea break. He is much loved in Hyderabad, and the crowd was quick to show its appreciation to one of their own.Wow moment
Bhuvneshwar’s inswing to the left-handed Aussie top order was reminiscent of Ajit Agarkar’s efforts against Justin Langer down under. It was heartening to see him pick up wickets after the no-show in Chennai. The wow moment, however, belonged to Jadeja who turned one past Henriques’ outside edge to take the middle stump. The crowd went delirious at the sight of the sight of the disarranged stump.Close encounter
As always, Sachin Tendulkar was the object of the crowd’s affection more than anyone else. The crowd in the eastern stand swarmed around him like bees as he fielded there through the last two sessions. Almost any gesture from him was enough for them to bring the house down with loud cheers. He seemed to be interacting more than usual with the crowd today.Virat Kohli, as in Chennai, kept engaging the crowd when they were quiet – especially in the second session when Clarke and Matthew Wade got stuck into the Indian bowling, encouraging them to get the noise levels up. His way was to taunt the crowd by gesticulating that he couldn’t hear them, and it worked like a charm.Shot of the day
Clarke’s six off Ashwin takes the cake. He did not make a move till the ball was delivered, and when it was, he got to the pitch with lightning quick footwork, and had a lovely arc of the bat to send the ball over the sightscreen.Accessories
Quite simply, the only things we were allowed to carry were wallets and car/bike keys. Mobile phones, banners, and even binoculars were not allowed, which meant we had to walk back almost a kilometre to keep it safe in the car. I spotted an elderly lady using one later on though. Wonder how she got it past the “tight” security.Surprise of the day
If I thought dropping Nathan Lyon and picking two spinners was a puzzling move, Clarke had more in store. His declaration was as surprising as it was innovative. Even some of the Indian fielders seemed taken aback. Many in the crowd thought something had gone wrong due to which play was called off! The crowd was not complaining, though, since it meant fans could watch Virender Sehwag bat, even for only an over.Match experience
The new canopy in Hyderabad’s stadium proved to be a relief, albeit for those lucky enough to be in the southern stands. The catering and other facilities left much to be desired once again. The screen was a disgrace. It was barely 6ft long, which is way too small for a cricket ground, and hardly visible in the sunlight – this when they have as many as two proper-sized “giant” screens for IPL!Marks out of 10
9. The cricket was very good. India dominated the first and third sessions, after Australia had fought back through Clarke and Wade in the second. It has also set up the game beautifully – James Pattinson should enjoy bowling here, and the Indian batting is not the best against express pace of his kind.

Plays of the day from the IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians in Dharamsala

Sidharth Monga18-May-2013The ball
Adam Gilchrist has a T20 bowling average of zero, has a strike rate of 1, and the gratitude of the smiles he brought to people’s faces.Gilchrist has shown lovely self-deprecation about his IPL retirement last year. Having come out of retirement, having finished another season, he said it was highly unlikely any team will go for a 42-year-old now that the existing contracts are over.Then having all but won the match, he took off his hat, asked Praveen Kumar to keep wicket and came on to bowl the last over of the match. Offbreak was his weapon, Harbhajan Singh the victim. He was also the last man in, because Dhawal Kulkarni after him was injured.Gilchrist bowled flattish, on off, in Harbhajan’s arc, who swung hard. But the bottom hand came off the handle, and he holed out to long-on. Joyful celebrations kicked off. Gurkeerat Singh, the catcher, laughed in an unbelieving manner. Gilchrist went on to mimic Kieron Pollard’s trademark celebration and improvised on Harbhajan’s version of the Gangnam-style. No bitterness was involved, though. He said he forgot to do Darren Sammy’s “rock-the-baby” dance. Gilly, you beauty.The run-out
Piyush Chawla might be the same height as Sunil Gavaskar, but he doesn’t have the same nous. Not with the bat at any rate. Off the penultimate ball off Kings XI Punjab’s innings, when he ran back for a difficult second he didn’t bother about grounding his bat. The throw was wide, which had given him time to make it, but he was run out even though his bat was over the line but in the air.A new batsman, Praveen Kumar, faced the last ball, and his stump went for a walk.The commentary
Gilchrist flopped with the bat on his final day, but enjoyed the commentary while keeping. The reactions were superb. When Aditya Tare pulled Azhar Mahmood for a flat six, the mic was not off, and we could hear the “ooooooo”, which suggested both disappointment and praise for the shot. Immediately he said, “That was the ball I was expecting from Coulter-Nile.”Making his IPL debut, Nathan Coulter-Nile had earlier bowled Gilchrist on the pull with a ball that was not short enough for the shot.The comeback
In the fourth over of the chase, Tare lofted Sandeep Sharma for a straight six. It was not a half-volley. It was taken on the up, and picked up on the up. That can be a demoralising sight for the bowler, who has done nothing wrong. Sandeep, though, came back with a similar delivery with the subtle difference of seaming it back in to beat the inside edge and flatten two of Tare’s stumps.The catch
Gilchrist might be retiring, but he showed his eyes and hands were working all right. Chawla bowled Rohit Sharma with a quicker ball, which took a big deflection off the top of the off stump, but straight into Gilchrist’s gloves.

His distinctive announcements and sense of humour were a feature of the Lord’s media centre – Norman de Mesquita will be greatly missed

Vithushan Ehantharajah31-Jul-2013For a young journalist, the press box is a scary place. Even discounting the pressures of live blogging and match reports, it is full of potential faux pas that, as Lawrence Booth wrote in the latest issue of the , can get you a reputation very quickly. Inside my first month covering county cricket for ESPNcricinfo, it seemed I already had mine.”You do love a sneeze, don’t you?” noticed the voice from over my left shoulder. I turned around, apologising. “It’s hayfever,” I explained, worried he may have me quarantined in one of Lord’s many underground nooks. “Never mind that, it’s just too bloody cold in here – even I’m not used to it after all these years.” This was my first exchange with Norman de Mesquita.Before then, our interactions had been limited to a daily “good morning” quickly followed by a “thank you” as he passed me a scorecard, occasionally with some vocal amends. From that moment on, we chatted every morning as I passed him in his regular seat on the back row, just right of centre. And I was all the richer for it.Last week, Norman passed away in his home in north-west London at the age of 81. His voice and way with words saw him excel as a broadcaster. Initially commentating on Sunday John Player League matches for BBC Radio London, before moving into print, covering Test cricket and his beloved Middlesex, reporting for them on behalf of .Before cricket, Norman’s time was spent championing his first love, ice hockey – commentating on British finals in Wembley (along with the odd game of tennis). He was also a qualified referee and would take annual trips to America with his good friend and fellow ice hockey aficionado Peter Byrne, the former Middlesex statistician who sadly passed away in December of last year.”He used to be known as the voice of Wembley,” remembers Pat Gibson, chairman of the Cricket Writers’ Club, who worked alongside Norman for 40 years. “He was as natural as they come – an articulate man with lovely tones, but he was a very hard working man who constantly strived for the highest standards in himself and colleagues. I remember when I referred to the ice hockey puck as a ‘ball’. He wasn’t impressed.””We’ve lost Christopher Martin Jenkins and Dicky Rutnagur so soon, and now Norman. Great losses to the press box and the game.”Despite several strokes in the last decade or so, which left him with a speech impediment, Norman remained wonderfully affable, with an ability to faultlessly read the game unfolding in front of him. It was his wicked sense of humour that stripped away the pomp and circumstance of the media centre, putting newcomers like myself at ease with their historical surroundings.His imitation of the Lord’s announcer always raised chuckle, as did his parallels with life and Middlesex’s occasional malaise; a standout example coming during a top-order batting collapse, in which Dawid Malan offered classy resistance before falling cheaply. “It’s like talking to a beautiful married woman,” Norman began, “pretty to look at but it doesn’t go anywhere.” He started packing his bag after the sixth wicket, turning back to me as I scribbled down the mode of dismissal: “Don’t be too mean – they’ll find you!”When he was not entertaining, he was informing – every milestone announced proudly, as if it were his own, complete with the number of balls faced and minutes. At 12.45pm, he would wander to the dining area, before returning to broadcast the soup of the day. A critique would soon follow; from what I recall, he was a carrot and coriander fan and didn’t care much for leeks.The last time I spoke to Norman was during Middlesex’s defeat to Yorkshire in June. My pollen tolerance was at an all-time low as I ploughed through tissues, filling the silences with my best distressed elephant impressions. Norman was worried.”Young man, I really think you should see a doctor. You sound very poorly and it has been going on for so long that I’m genuinely starting to think something is wrong with you.”I ended up taking Norman’s advice and it turns out something was wrong – a deviated septum and severely swollen turbinates had all-but blocked both of my nostrils. Nothing life-threatening, but certainly something that would only worsen if I had not had an operation, which now leaves me in much better shape.I was looking forward to sharing the news with Norman this Friday on my return to Lord’s to cover Middlesex’s Division One clash with Durham. Sadly, I will never get to thank him for his concern.The media centre will be a much quieter place – it’s just a shame it will be because it has lost one of its most revered devotees.

Both batsmen haven’t had the best of series so far, but while Rogers has a solid record at the WACA, Smith is yet to come to terms with the bouncy track

Brydon Coverdale in Perth11-Dec-2013Chris Rogers and Steven Smith have a few things in common, not least that 2013 has been a year of second chances for them. Smith was recalled to the Test side after two years out, Rogers for the first time in five years. Both scored their maiden Test hundreds on the Ashes tour of England and returned entrenched in the side having been among the team’s better performers. And both have been outshone in this series by Michael Clarke, David Warner and Brad Haddin.But there’s one big difference as they prepare at the WACA, where both want to pull their weight with the bat. There could hardly be a better venue for Rogers, nor a more challenging one for Smith. As a Western Australia cricketer for ten years before moving to Victoria, Rogers piled up runs at the WACA and has made 13 first-class centuries there in his 3653 runs at 48.70. Smith’s six first-class games there have yielded 172 runs at 17.20, making it his worst Australian venue.There is a caveat, though. Batsmen can find it difficult to get used to the pace and bounce of the WACA, and after his first six games there Rogers was, like Smith, averaging below 20. In his seventh, something clicked, and he scored unbeaten centuries in both innings against South Australia, and never looked back.”It’s one of the hardest places in the world to bat but also one of the best, if you can negotiate the first 20 balls or so,” Rogers said in Perth on Wednesday. “You can score 360 degrees on this wicket. Some grounds you can’t. It’s great cricket. You can play all the shots. It’s exciting. Hopefully we can get through that new ball and we get a big score.”Smith would do well to speak to Rogers about how to adjust to the WACA, and specifically how to get through those difficult early stages. His first-class scores at the ground read 4, 0, 6, 8, 70, 7, 36, 19, 22, 0, and he knows that one of the keys to him succeeding in Perth will be to avoid the temptation of flashing early, and being prepared to leave the ball based on length.”My game now is more suited to this wicket than it previously has been,” Smith said. “My patience now has changed a bit. Going out there, it’s pretty key to watch the ball closely and leave well early. That’s going to be part of my game this week. I’ve heard from all the boys that it’s one of the best places to bat in the world when you get in. Hopefully [I can] get through my first 30 balls and go from there.”The bounce is always pretty consistent here in Perth, so it is one place where you can leave a lot on length. Their bowlers have bowled quite a shortish length so far in this series, we probably could have left a lot of balls that aren’t going to be hitting the stumps. If they continue to bowl those lengths here it’s going to be even easier to leave. Hopefully I can watch the ball closely and get through early and then be able to cash in later on.”One advantage Smith has over Rogers is he has at least played an Ashes Test at the WACA before, Australia’s sole victory in the otherwise disastrous 2010-11 series. Rogers has played England XIs in Perth before, but never in a Test. In fact, it was against England that Rogers made his first-class debut at the WACA 15 years ago. On that occasion, the part-time offerings of Mark Ramprakash were sufficient to have him caught behind.That must seem a world away for Rogers, now 36. In fact, his Test debut at the WACA against India nearly six years ago also seems an age ago. Back then, Rogers was a Western Australia batsman filling in for an injured Matthew Hayden, knowing full well that his appearance could be a one-off. Now, he returns as a Victoria cricketer established in the Test team, and perhaps about to play in a winning Ashes side.”It feels a lifetime ago. It was a crazy time,” Rogers said of his Test debut. “I can’t really even remember much about it. I remember ripping my baggy green cap. It was too tight. The one I’ve got at the moment is my second one. It was a long time ago. Lots of things have changed.”To be in this position, the mood in the camp to be so good, everyone’s getting on so well, and to feel like we’re accomplishing something, after losing so many Tests, now to be a part of something special is a great feeling.”Back then even though I was 30, it still felt like it was the initial stages in my career in many respects. Now it’s at the back end. I’ve got nothing to lose. If it all ends tomorrow then so be it. I’ve had an amazing time over the last few months so I’m just taking everything as a bonus and loving every minute of it.”

The cricket world reacts to the ECB ending Kevin Pietersen’s England career

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2014″They’ve distanced him – he fielded at fine-leg for the whole [Australia] series. I thought he could have been managed in a better way. England lost 5-0 and need a huge scapegoat. He didn’t have a great series, by his own record, but the ECB need to explain what he does that they can’t manage any longer. You have to be able to manage mavericks. You can’t have clones around.”
“He was quite outstanding. Many people enjoyed watching him bat – a box-office cricketer – and now sadly it has all come to an end. When we were winning, we didn’t hear anything. When we lose, everyone is pointing fingers at KP – and I find that unfair and unjust.”
“[Alastair] Cook and [Andy] Flower haven’t been able to manage him and have to accept some responsibility. He was an individual; I was one [as well]. You can be an individual within the team but not an individual full stop – take it or leave it. They’ve taken it for long enough and now they’ve said they’ll leave it.”
“It’s time to move on. A line in the sand has been drawn. Captains and team directors have all suffered because of Pietersen’s behaviour. No man is bigger than the game and England have decided Kevin Pietersen got too big for his boots.”
“It’s a bold move when you go without one of your best players … so there must have been things that were happening behind the scenes that Flower and Cook weren’t amused with.”
“It was coming, I think. There was a unanimity of views there from the people that count, so ultimately I think Kevin Pietersen found himself friendless. He had no allies amongst the management, the hierarchy and the senior players as well because Paul Downton [the new ECB director] would have been taking soundings from them at the end of the Ashes tour. It was a pretty horrific Ashes tour and there have been a few victims along the way, but I think he just found himself friendless and with no allies.”
“Can’t believe what I’m hearing and reading tonight! Sad day for English cricket fans, Love or hate him, KP is still the best player we’ve got! The only people who are losing in this whole situation is the England fans! [Giles] Clarke statement yesterday and this today shows poor management!
“No KP for the Caribbean tour later this month against West Indies? That’s really sad for English/international cricket! Don’t let the fans suffer. Was really looking for the hype of having KP in the Caribbean, would be big tickets sales for us. #Sad – Learn to MANAGE Big Names!”
“That’s a big call regarding a big player, a big-ticket item. He is a guy who believes in his own ability as much as anyone I’ve ever come across and he outwardly expresses that unashamedly. That does divide opinion. Some people think that’s too brash and too arrogant and it’s not the way you go about being in a team sport. For me it’s a personality better suited to an individual sport, [but] there is a lot of those qualities and traits required in cricket.”
“KP no longer English property but will remain hot property on the T20 circuit around the world. #IPL #CPL #BBL #RAMSLAM to mention a few!”
“Can’t believe what’s happening with KP! Stay strong boss!”
“I think he is [a loss to international cricket], he was their highest run-scorer, a world-class player, but we don’t know what goes on behind closed doors and in their camp, so we can’t talk on their behalf … I know through playing with KP at Delhi, he likes to encourage the other guys coming through. His door’s always open if you want to ask him a question, or if you need to work out a plan for the next game, say you’re playing Malinga and you’re a young kid, he’ll give you advice on how to approach that. He’s always been helpful to me.”