The Googly

Titanic Triples: Graham Gooch, 333 vs India, 1990

Continuing our looks back at triple-centuries, the moustachio'd maestro tonks a mighty score against India at Lord's.

Shoaib Akhtar is dropped AGAIN because he's facing ANOTHER disciplinary panel

Pakistan are due to play the newly victorious Bangladesh in five ODIs and a Twenty20 match in April.  One person who will not be joining them - in what will no doubt be a walkover - is Shoaib Akhtar, who has landed himself in the pooh again.

Shoaib is to face a PCB disciplinary panel amidst charges of giving statements against the policies of the Board and spoiling the team spirit of the Federal Areas side whom he captained in one match of the recent Pentangular Cup. He faces several counts of violation of the PCB Players Code of Conduct.

"I will submit my viewpoint when I appear before it." the fast bowling dope-fiend said, "I am still very keen to play for Pakistan against Bangladesh in the upcoming series and I don't think my career is finished."

Of course it's not finished, Shoaib could sacrifice a goat in the middle of the wicket at lunchtime and still be recalled by Pakistan, such is his talent/their spinelessness.

Titanic Triples: Don Bradman, 334 vs England, 1930

In celebration of Sehwag's magnificent effort, let's take a look at other great triple-centuries.  Starting with The Don breaking the world record back in 1930 at Headingley.

Video: Virender Sehwag tonks 319 off 304 balls

As is usual in matches where such a high score is made, the draw is looming.  However, that doesn't take away from what an incredible knock this was; the fastest triple century in history.  Sehwag is special, but he is not hard to work out - he wants to hit every ball for four.  It's a high risk approach, and he runs the risk of being dropped if it doesn't come off consistently (like for most of last year).  But when is does work, like here, is there any better sight in the whole of cricket?

Thunder Downunder: Warne Walks

In what is probably a augury tale in regards to English County cricket, Shane Warne has opted out on the final year of his not so insignificant contract with Hampshire for business and personal reasons.

However, Shane will still be playing cricket for the Jaipur based Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League that begins in around three weeks time.

Warne has been instrumental in recruiting his Hampshire team-mates Dimi Mascarenhas and Shane Watson to Jaipur and I can only imagine that Hampshire chairman Rod Brangrove is less than impressed with Warne’s actions despite his diplomatic public utterings.

The rupee-laden Indian T20 tournaments, both official and unsanctioned, are affecting cricket at the top levels in a way that we haven’t seen since the 1970’s with World Series Cricket and the 1980’s with the questionable rebel tours to the then Apartheid dominated South Africa.

In the last few weeks we have seen New Zealand and South Africa field less than their best teams in Test matches and it would seem that only the richest cricketing nations will be able to prevent their best players from falling to the temptation of easy money on the sub-continent.

Cricket Australia, well aware of the long-term damage that rebel organisations can cause to the game, have so far been willing to accomodate their best players but a few fringe players have opted out of contracts to take a full-time place in India.

Jason Gillespie while still contracted to the national board retired from first-class cricket and is now preparing to play in India. Brad Hogg likewise. There is a suspicion that Adam Gilchrist’s decision to retire was made all the easier by the truckloads of cash he will receive in India.

There are rumblings in England that there could soon be a player revolt at many of their best players missing out on the gold rush and if that happens, and here at The Shed we hope it does not, then only Australia and India will be relatively unaffected by this new league.

Although I am anticipating the IPL with some enthusiasm I’m beginning to see the dangers it holds for the rest of the cricketing landscape. I can see a time in the not so distant future where only two or three nations reguarly compete year round with their best eleven.

And that, however you look at it, cannot be good for the game of cricket.

[Nesta Quin]

The Vote: The future of Matthew Hoggard

He was harshly dropped, but he is looking a little too slow, and has lost his legendary control as well. 

With Sidebottom playing so well do England need him?  With Anderson bowling like a blind man with the bends can they afford to be without him?  Give us your vote here adn some views in the comments.

Cricket Venn: Ryan Sidebottom

England players' union weighs into the great Indian Premier League debate/war

Dimitri Macarenhas has already gone (for about £25 in the cut-price, low-end second auction) to the IPL and it seems some of the other England players have been bleating to the PCA about it.  You see, they quite fancy making huge wodges of cash in a pointless competition as well; trouble is the ECB would rather they didn't.  The players' union, as you might expect, are on the side of their members.

"The value of the cricketer has just increased through what is happening in the IPL," Morris told BBC Sport.  It's perfectly natural for the PCA to want our members to take advantage of that - it's a unique opportunity."  PCA chair, Sean Morris, said today.  "Restricting employees anywhere will cause friction in a relationship - over a period of time that will break it down." 

Giles Clarke is not impressed though.  "I don't think the rewards being talked about are ones England players would be interested in," he gloated, in his usual particularly smug manner, "Should any player give up his English contract - which is not an insignificant amount of money, let alone all the extra methods of earning money that go along with that - he would, of course, risk losing his England place."

Will central contracts be enough to save the ECB from a significant player desertion?  Tell us what you think..

Video: Tim Southee's 77 off 40 balls

The young fella scores the fastest fifty in NZ history, and the sixth fastest of all time.  A beauty.

New Zealand vs England - England SHIT/GOOD™ series ratings

The computer has been working overtime, so much so that I have had to put an extra hamster on the wheel to power it.  Here are the results.

Alastair Cook - Became the youngest England player to reach 2000 Test runs during the tour.  However, a worrying lack of ability to impose himself after decent starts at present raises a few worries, also his tentative footwork against a pretty average attack.  A high score of 60 is not good enough.  It says a lot about his class and talent that we expect so much more from him even at such a young age.  SHIT

Michael Vaughan - His hair is inexplicable, his batting mediocre, and an average of 20.50 for the series raises doubts about whether he should be opening; or even in the side on his batting alone.  But, as captain he was involved in the decision to mix up the attack after Hamilton, and he did steer the good ship England to a series win.  SHIT

Andrew Strauss - I was all ready to write a damning report about him, demanding that he be dropped so hard that he splinters his arse-bone as he lands.  Then he went and tonked his highest test score in Napier.  Amazingly, it seems to have taken him to the age of 31 to learn the straight-drive.  Has bought himself a summer in the team, for all our sakes let's hope he doesn't waste it. GOOD

Kevin Pietersen - Like Strauss, finally broke out of the top order malaise that had been the most disturbing development of the whole winter.  Still largely unconvincing and looks mostly like he can't be bothered at the moment.  Maybe the century will ignite whatever fire in him went out sometime last year.  SHIT

Ian Bell - So very fluent, so very talented, so very infuriating.  His century in Napier displayed more natural ability than perhaps anyone else in the team, but as usual it was in the second innings.  However you cannot argue with an average of 50 for the series.  Needs a minumum three centuries in the summer, all in the first innings.  GOOD

Paul Collingwood - Somehow managed to average 40 for the series despite only having a high score of 66; a consistenly average performance with the bat.  However, Colly is more than this as we all know, and his tail-destroying bowling in the second Test was useful, added to his usual contribution in the field.  GOOD (but only just)

Tim Ambrose - Match-winning century at Wellington aside, it was fairly fitful performance from the Aussie debutant.  Low scores everywhere else and some very dodgy glovework indeed at times.  Seems the problem position is still open to a solution but he will keep it for now.  GOOD

Ryan Sidebottom - What can you say?  The series where he finally cemented himself as a world-class bowler, and where would England be without him at present?  Head and shoulders above everyone with 24 wickets at 17.  Will bowl all day, any end, until his legs fall off.  SO VERY VERY GOOD

Stuart Broad - Where has he been for two years?  While persevering with a misfiring Harmison this youngster has wasted months of development time at this level.  Time he has instead spent dying his hair.  For shame. GOOD

James Anderson - One decent session of bowling in an series is not good enough.  SHIT

Monty Panesar - Not given much a chance to show what he can do until the closing act at Napier.  As always, did not fail to impress.  Fielding seems to be getting worse, which is a bit strange is it not Mr Moores? GOOD

Matthew Hoggard - Harshly dropped after a poor show in Hamilton,  will be back due to Anderson's total lack of consistency.  I have the feeling it was a fitness issue rather than a loss of class.  SHIT

Steve Harmison - The chief Boycott-baiter was finally dropped after bowling at 27mph for the whole of the Hamilton debacle.  Will there be any way back for him?  Does he really want a way back?  Do we really care?  SHIT