The Googly

My Cricket Year: mimitig

Player of the Year: Mahela Jayawardene (pictured right with definitely not PotY Michael Vaughan), not only captained Sri Lanka brilliantly in the recent Test series but was also nominated for the ICC awards as Captain of the Year. He lost out to Ricky Ponting, but he's my favourite (as Brucie would say).

Champagne Moment: cheating a bit but I have two. The first being Paul Collingwood raising the Commonwealth Bank Series Trophy after an absolutely horrendous tour downunder for the England team, and the second being Somerset's promotion to Division One. They (both teams) earned it.

Worst Moment: in the larger picture, it can't be anything other than Bob Woolmer's death. Domestically, the realisation that Fred Flintoff's best days are over was pretty tough.

One to watch in 2008: Glamorgan's James Harris proved that not only can teenage dreams come true, but that there is life in Glamorgan post Simon Jones. Harris hit the headlines when he took 13 wickets against Gloucestershire at Bristol - in just his second game for the first XI. He's been in Chennai with the Academy and is due to fly out to Sri Lanka with England Under 19s next month. Not bad for a boy who hasn't done his A-Levels yet.

If I could change one thing about the game in 2008: no more Malcolm Speed at the ICC, and not replaced by another lawyer.

[Image: Getty] [mimitig]

My Cricket Year: The Tooting Trumpet

Player of the Year:  MS Dhoni - Captained a side that won a World Cricket competiton. Okay, it was only the World Twenty20, but he, not Ricky Ponting, held the trophy aloft, and for that the rest of the cricket world should be grateful. T20 is an extraordinary success: cricket has its golden goose for the 21st century - let's hope the powers that be don't slay it!

Champagne Moment:  When Chris Gayle blasted that extraordinary century in front of a vibrant, partying Johannesburg full house, it was clear that the World Twenty20 would not be a re-run of the disastrous World Cup.

Worst Moment:  Whilst Bob Woolmer's passing reminded us of what real death felt like, the acreage of empty seats at the Caribbean's long awaited World Cup told us what the death of a dream felt like. Both were horrible, unexpected, badly managed events that Harold MacMillan would have recognised.

One to watch in 2008:   Ahmed Shehzad. Pakistani cricket needs a lift and this sixteen-year-old might just have what it takes. He's young of course, but just three years younger than the leading candidate  for Prime Minister.

If I could change one thing about the game in 2008:  The game of cricket is better if played on pitches with a bit of bounce and pace, so why are so many pitches so slow? Technology should be utilised both to measure the pace of a wicket in an accurate and comprehensible manner (as golf's stimpmeter is used to measure the pace of greens) and to assist groundsmen (and groundswomen?) to prepare surfaces that reward skill and enterprise, not just "good areas". Nobody wants to watch anonymous dibbly-dobblers strangling the middle overs of an ODI, or Ricky Ponting at second slip standing 15 yards from the bat to Brett Lee because the ball won't bounce above knee-high. Pitch preparation takes years to get right, but if Lord's can be ready for play two hours after flooding, it shouldn't be impossible to get some pace into the world's pitches.

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image: Getty]

Cricket Snapshot: Billy no-mates

Jacob Oram cuts a lonely figure in practice.  Judging by where his front foot is I assume he's trying to iron out some no-ball trouble.  [Image: Getty]

Fidexpress takes us back in time

Fidel Edwards produces an absolute beauty to get shot of the ever-unpopular Graeme Smith as the Windies win their first Test match after 31 months of trying.  South Africa are almost as reliable as the Aussies at home, so in this context it really is a great win for the Islanders.

India must score 499 to beat Australia, or failing that cure cancer

Being an Australian cricket fan must be a bit like being a high-end porn star.  Every day you get up knowing that you are about experience every other man's dream, yet you must feel slightly bored and detached by the whole process.  Although Oz fans don't have to take viagra to get themselves up for the necessary, probably.

India, who looked quite tasty in the series against Pakistan, flew downunder with their tails up and the hopes of most cricket fans in their kitbag.  Unfortunately, like everyone else, in the First Test they have fallen foul of the great Antipodean Behemoth of Relentlessly Depressing Victory.   How utterly predictable.

O'Brien, the agent of state in Orwell's 1984, said of the future that it will be "a world which will grow not less but more  merciless as it refines itself. ... If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face for ever."  I beginning to understand what he meant.

Video: SA vs Windies, First Test, day 2 highlights

West Indies hammer home their advantage in the so far surprising First Test in Georgetown.

Cricket Snapshot: Not our day is it?

Andrew Symonds feels relieved as his edge drops short of slip.  India feel like breaking into collective heaving sobs as the runs continue to pile up against them. [Image: Getty]

My Cricket Year: Lee Calvert

Player of the Year:  Ricky Ponting - for peerless captaincy in the Ashes added to an incredible year with the bat

Champagne Moment:  The twenty-stone Dwayne Leverock soaring like an eagle to take that diving slip catch in the World Cup; followed by the bowler crying while the big man sprinted away.  Such unconfined joy was rare in the mostly abysmal tournament.

Worst Moment:  Woolmer's death - obvious, but true.

One to watch in 2008:   Billy Godleman. Not 19 until February, but boasts an average of 41 in his first full season.  If the woes in the England top order continue he may find a place in the squad beckons.

If I could change one thing about the game in 2008:  Those ridiculously slow over rates, it really is beyond a joke now.  Also, start Test matches earlier in the day on the subcontinent; losing 30 minutes of play every day to bad light is moronic when it is so easily avoidable.  Okay that was two things, but I'm the editor so I can do what I want!

You won't be able to see those lovely pink balls

As I'm sure you have all heard, the ECB is keen to trial some pink balls next season as they strive for a solution to the white ball being less durable and harder to see than its red cousin.

Well, according to some boffins who know about this sort of thing, pink is definitely the wrong way to go.  Pink, you see, is the colour a cloudy sky goes when backed by the sun, it is also one of the shades that colour-blind people have a major problem with. 

So what's the answer?  Yellow balls apparently.  Or perhaps the more obvious solution of not bothering to change in the first place.  [Image: Getty]

40% fine for Michael Vaughan

So that's it. England dragged out a weather-affected draw at Galle and it's Michael's fault for a slow over rate? Yes, no, you can all have your voice. Me: I don't think we we were that bad overall. There were some sub-standard performances - Matt Prior has to go away for a very big think. The top order did not bang out the required runs, though Ali Cook has laid down a real marker for his inclusion in a Test side.

The problem was that England were over-played and yet under prepared for this Sub-continent Test Series and their opponents were keener for the win.

Many of our players gave their hearts and souls to this series - Ryan Sidebottom as one example. We went as an unexperienced One-day side and against all odds, won. Then a few weeks later as a Test side, we just couldn't re-ignite the fire. Damn - for a supporter - that is really hard to understand.

But, the thing is, England may seem to be losing everywhere - slipping back to 5th in the rankings - but we have been here before. We have been in worse places and we will get back.

Captain MPV has caught the opprobrium today of the authorities - and there's no question that Sri Lanka deserved the series win but fining Michael for slow overs on a badly prepared pitch is, honestly, a bit of a nonsense.

[Image: Getty] [mimtig]