So, the intriguing 1st Ashes Test at Trent Bridge continues to be exciting with no clear winner emerging as yet. However I want to look back to a potentially key moment of the game — the “not out” decision given to Australia’s Agar. Let me be clear — no fault can be laid on any of the players or on-field umpires — only on the DRS system and the umpire managing it. There have been several wrong decisions in this Test match and in the recent champions trophy, lets look at each of them in turn.… Read Full Article
Posts By: Jon Scaife
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It’s time… Ashes predictions
So, the biggest sporting event of 2013 is finally upon us, which means it’s time for me to stick my neck out and predict a result. I’ll start by confidently predicting an England victory. I’m not so confident of the margin of victory but I think it will be at least 2, but as I don’t think England will ever have a better chance I’m going to really risk the “commentators curse” and suggest England could manage a 5 0 whitewash.
I’m not convinced that Australia have an experienced enough bowling attack to exploit the England weaknesses. I am sure the Australian batting line up is going to be given a rough time by the England seamers and the 6 left handers are going to struggle on dry wickets against Graeme Swan. Unless weather or injuries intervene I don’t see how the Aussies can outscore England consistently.
If England can make 350+ in the first innings (having won the toss) I expect them to win the first test. I’ll guess the scores will be about 400, 350, 300, 200 which will give England a 150 run victory around lunch on day 5. Let’s find out how silly I look by Sunday afternoon…
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Blofeld & Baxter — Memories Of Test Match Special
A couple of nights back I went to Sheffield City Hall with a few of the family to see Henry Blofeld and Peter Baxter doing what they do best — telling stories and revealing some of what goes on in the TMS box. Unlike many “performers” they started on time at 7:30 and carried on (with a short interval) until past 10pm. If they’re coming to a place near you and you have a free evening I really recommend getting a ticket and going down — it was one of the best evenings of entertainment a cricket fan could ask for… Read Full Article
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Best bowling attack in the world?
Australian coach Mickey Arthur has given an interview in which he said that he thinks the current Australian bowling attack is the best in the world! I’m taking this in the spirit of the traditional “Glenn McGrath” pre-ashes wind up speech, but Arthur didn’t say they were just better than the England bowling attack (dubious enough in itself) but better than all the others in the world too. So should England really be quaking in their boots?… Read Full Article
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Where’s the spirit of cricket?
So we’re only x days into the ICC champions trophy and there have been 2 very disappointing incidents involving players in the tournament, one on the pitch and one off. Whilst cricket has had issue with gambling related corruption (e.g. Hansie Cronje or the Spot-Fixing scandal from 2011) the game has a reputation for good spirit and honest play between players. Are these recent events a sign that times are changing, or are they merely an unfortunate blip?
… Read Full Article
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The Bowler’s Holding… innuendo still going strong
Almost every cricket fan will have heard the famous quote, attributed to Brian Johnston, “The Bowler’s Holding, the Batsman’s Willey”. Whether or not this really was said live on air no longer matters a great deal, it is brilliantly representative of the many double entendres that have featured in cricket commentary before and since. That latest in this fine tradition was offered up yesterday by Charles Dagnall in his commentary on the Champions Trophy match between Pakistan and South Africa, when, in describing the 7ft1 Mohammed Irfan of Pakistan, he announced “He’s just got a monumentally big handle… so to speak”. After a good chuckle I set about compiling a list of some of my favourites, which I present below.
… Read Full Article
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Broadcasting brilliance by TMS — The England Cricket Sermon
What originally got me following international cricket was an early exposure to Test Match Special. As we all know, test cricket isn’t always the most breakneck paced sport, and filling in the time between overs, the drinks breaks, lunch, tea, and “British-summer” inspired interruptions is not an easy challenge. TMS has done this so well it pretty much justifies the license fee on it’s own. In the most recent 2‑match series I’ve enjoyed “ask the umpire”, I’ve learned about bulbs that repel moles from your garden, and probably the highlight of TMS in 2013, I heard a wonderful “sermon”, written for a cricket loving groom who was getting married whilst the 2nd test was being played. Thank you to TMS for broadcasting this, and thank you to the Revd Stewart Fyfe for writing and sharing it with the nation via TMS.… Read Full Article
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Can red-green colour-blind people play cricket?
Whilst grumbling to myself about the end of play (due to light) last night, a thought suddenly occurred to me — with a red ball and a green pitch, can red-green colour-blind people play cricket successfully?
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What’s wrong with the ICC test ranking system?
Anyone that follows test cricket will know that all the sides are ranked, for example, at the time of writing South Africa are (rightly) ranked the best side in the world. I’ve long felt that the system used to rank teams needs revising, as it often seems to produce rankings that are clearly at odds with how well teams have been playing. Let me use the current rankings as an example.
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New Zealand 0–0 England: Good for Test Cricket
It’s not often you’ll hear me cheer a series where all of the test matches finished in draws, and it’s even less often that I celebrate England failing to win a series. However that is exactly how I feel about the recent drawn series in New Zealand. Now before the barmy army hang draw and quarter me, give me a chance to explain myself!
“The pink ball appears grey/blue in red/green deficient vision, depending on its severity. I did a simulation with colour blindness…”