Firstly dear reader an apology for our lack of recent communication – we both appreciate it that people take the time to pour through our musings and hope you continue to do so.
Now down to business.
Back in August last year England did the unthinkable and broke the record for the highest ever one day international score, posting 444–3 – a run higher than the previous total that had stood for a little over a decade.
It was a massive score – one that would have been seen as simply unachievable in years gone by. But the game, like England’s batting order, has come on in spades in recent times with T20 cricket laying much of the foundation for a new style of play.… Read Full Article
Posts Tagged: Alex Hales
0Professional England See Off Tigerish Bangladesh
Well done England on a professional ODI series victory against Bangladesh. The Tigers might not be viewed by all as the toughest opponents and the visitors will certainly face sterner tests – but any Asian opposition on home soil is anything but a pushover.… Read Full Article
0England vs Sri Lanka — any Lessons Learned?
The third and final test in the England vs Sri Lanka test series is now at an end after the rain brought a damp squib of an end to the match.
So what have we learned? Not a great deal really. We are almost where we were three tests ago. Nick Compton would appear not quite of test level is one obvious conclusion. Personally speaking I feel it would be a little harsh to jettison him – I would give him the Pakistan series to make a final decision on him. I doubt that will happen, however and Lords was the last we will see of him in the whites of the three lions.… Read Full Article
0Sachithra Senanayake Mankades (try saying that after a few beers!)
Cricket is a sport in which most followers expect their heroes to adhere to a higher standard of fair play and sportsmanship.
The recent incident of ‘Mankading’ (who on earth coined that phrase?) – when Sri Lanka’s Sachithra Senanayake ran out England’s Jos Buttler who had strayed out of his crease at the non-striker’s end at a key point in the final and deciding ODI in the series was disappointing to see and thankfully remains very rare.
The last incident I can remember is when Kapil Dev ran out South Africa’s Peter Kirsten, apparently without warning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzbFy_elb8k
Differing accounts of Tuesday’s shambles say Senanayake warned Buttler twice or just the once. Either way, it wasn’t cricket. The bowler shouldn’t have done it and the captain should have over-ruled the appeal. He didn’t, it happened so we are left to count the cost of a strain on the game.
What I don’t like, however, is England using this unsavoury controversy to shield yet another highly mixed performance during a ODI series.
Sri Lanka are a decent side – but without the wicket taking machine that was Muttiah Muralitharan in the line-up and home advantage you would have expected England to win the series.… Read Full Article
“The pink ball appears grey/blue in red/green deficient vision, depending on its severity. I did a simulation with colour blindness…”