The Googly

Cricket Snapshot: The next big thing?

Billy Godleman flicks into the leg side (wearing a very silly jumper)

Allen Stanford: "Twenty20 could be bigger that football"

Allen Stanford is a very clever man, or at least I assume he is, as you don't become a multi-billionnaire if you have the brains of a Kookaburra bat.  However, he has said some things today that make me question his intelligence, if not his sanity.

Take this one, for example, "I'm hugely impressed by their [ECB] organisational capacity." He said that without laughing, by the way.  He then followed it with this purler: "Twenty20 has the potential to be the most popular team sport in the whole world in maybe less than 10 years."  Eh?

Far be it from me to question a man as successful as he is, but is he serious?  Twenty20 is still cricket, no matter how you commercialise it, and given that only a handful of ex-British Empire countries are really in any way interested in it I find his prediction doubtful.  And by doubtful, I mean bordering on bonkers.  But he's a visionary is Allen, and he may very well prove me wrong.  Do you think he will?

Cricket Snapshot: The glorious British Spring..

Really cheers you up, does it not?

Michael Vaughan wants to bat at three for entirely nonsensical reasons

Michael “Michael Vaughan” Vaughan is agitating for a shift in the batting order following his piss-poor 20.50 average in New Zealand.  Apparently, it’s because he was opening that he batted like he was wearing an eye-patch on both eyes, and he prefers batting and three, and Strauss likes opening.  Problem solved.  Or not.

"I have felt the best when I have been batting at three and I score a lot more runs then so that is an easy change," he said.  But, let’s apply a modicum of analysis to this statement shall we?  “OH YES!” I hear you cry.

Vaughan’s best years, average-wise are 2001 – 2003 (43.71, 61.70, 41.65 respectively).  This was the period when he opened with Trescothick. The emergence of Strauss in 2004 forced him down the order in ’05 and ’06, where he averaged 35.60 and 38.25 in each year.  2006 was a write-off with knee-knack, and 2007 was a statistical aberration, averaging 47.56, thanks in most part to batting against the woeful West Indies, then one decent knock against India.

Quite why he feels so much better batting at three is a bit of mystery.  Given the above, it certainly doesn’t make me feel better as a fan when he bats there.

Rob Key is back! and Adil Rashid gets some good news as well

King Cricket’s chubby obsession, RWT Key, has started on the international comeback trail by getting himself named in the England Performance Squad.  This means that the ECB can give him a contract at any time during the year, which is a possible double-edged sword for the big fella.   

On the one hand, he will be back playing for his country, but on the other the management could stop him eating pies and drinking 47 pints of Bombardier a night.  He could always switch to Michelob Ultra, I suppose.

In other EPS news, Adil Rashid is in.  If the experience of another young leggie is anything to go by, this will be followed by a disastrous debut.  After this he will be dropped; play less frequently for his county; be sacked by his county; sue his county; win; do some painting and decorating for a few years; then signing Surrey.

Cricket Snapshot: The youngster

Lancashire's young prospect Oliver Newby displays a unique delivery stride.  It didn't really help though as Surrey reached 537-5 at a packed Oval (!), with centuries for Ramps, Butcher and Usman.

Michael Vaughan: "We all want to play in the IPL, and no-one, not even the ECB can stop us. Mwahahahahahaaaaaaa!"

The England captain Michael Vaughan has made it very clear that every player in the England set-up not only wants to play in the IPL, but will do in the next two years.  It seems he is about as impressed with the ECB's new Twenty20 ideas as a newlywed groom whose wife has just passed out on the wedding night after too many Bacardi Breezers.

This is an important turning point the constant bickering about the IPL in England.  Inevitably and predictably the player's union have had their say, and rent-a-gob Kevin Pietersen has thrown in his two cents ("I like money and I want to earn more" basically).  However, neither of these are the current England captain, and Vaughan sticking his neck out like this means that he must have the support of the dressing room.

Giles Clarke will do well to bear this in mind before he comes out to the press with his usual petulant, foot-stampy nonsense about England players being barred from joining the Indian league.  He is pissing in the wind - it's time he accepted it and dealt with it like a man.

It's the Cold War all over again, but with cricket instead of nuclear bombs!

Two worlds collide, rival nations
It's a primitive clash, venting years of frustrations
Bravely we hope against all hope, there is so much at stake
Seems our freedom's up against the ropes
Does the crowd understand?
Is it a East vs. West, or man against man
Can any nation stand alone?

Never have more insightful words been spoken of the Iron Curtain than those above by Survivor in the epic Burning Heart. Now it seems the rubble of the great east-west divide that so dominated world politics (until some students got drunk and pulled a wall down in Germany) looks as though it is settling on cricket. 

The battle lines for this new Cold War, this clash of the hemispheres, were today drawn by Giles Clarke, who looks about as likely a player in such a grand scheme as Eisenhower did, as he admits that the ECB are meeting with Sir Allen Stanford to discuss a multi-franchise competition of our very own.    Clarke knows, like Eisenhower, that you don't need to look cool when you have the money behind you - and in Allen Stanford there is a veritable packed pustule of money.

"We don't want a knee-jerk reaction to the IPL" Clarke knee-jerkingly said today, "but we believe that we can set up a robust, spectator-friendly, economically sustainable competition of our own which will not cut across the core revenue streams of Test and one-day international cricket."

Have you ever heard less inspiring fighting talk in you life?

Quote of the Week: Steve Harmison

"We have a culture in England where we kick people when they are down.  They like to have a pop at someone and at the minute it's my turn."

No Steve, we have a culture of kicking people when they are shit, and it's your turn because you are shit.  Simple really.

Trent Bridge gets a consolation prize

Nottinghamshire were pretty annoyed when they had their 2009 Ashes Test taken from them and given to those upstarts in Wales, but the authorities are keen to make amends.  By "make amends" they mean "give them some World Twenty20 games"

I know which one I'd rather have, but the Notts heirarchy are trying to pretend that they are happy about it.  "As part of the package we will get the semi-final of the men's competition running alongside the semi-final of the women's competition," saif Notts Chief Exec, Derek Brewer, "what fantastic coverage for the city, county and region."

Nice attempt to be positive Del; but instead of a five-day sell-out, as an Ashes Test would be, they are getting a half-day sell-out and a women's match.  No offence to the women's game, but that is unlikely to fill Trent Bridge to the rafters.

Cricket Snapshot: The glorious British Spring..

Really cheers you up, does it not?

Michael Vaughan wants to bat at three for entirely nonsensical reasons

Michael “Michael Vaughan” Vaughan is agitating for a shift in the batting order following his piss-poor 20.50 average in New Zealand.  Apparently, it’s because he was opening that he batted like he was wearing an eye-patch on both eyes, and he prefers batting and three, and Strauss likes opening.  Problem solved.  Or not.

"I have felt the best when I have been batting at three and I score a lot more runs then so that is an easy change," he said.  But, let’s apply a modicum of analysis to this statement shall we?  “OH YES!” I hear you cry.

Vaughan’s best years, average-wise are 2001 – 2003 (43.71, 61.70, 41.65 respectively).  This was the period when he opened with Trescothick. The emergence of Strauss in 2004 forced him down the order in ’05 and ’06, where he averaged 35.60 and 38.25 in each year.  2006 was a write-off with knee-knack, and 2007 was a statistical aberration, averaging 47.56, thanks in most part to batting against the woeful West Indies, then one decent knock against India.

Quite why he feels so much better batting at three is a bit of mystery.  Given the above, it certainly doesn’t make me feel better as a fan when he bats there.

Rob Key is back! and Adil Rashid gets some good news as well

King Cricket’s chubby obsession, RWT Key, has started on the international comeback trail by getting himself named in the England Performance Squad.  This means that the ECB can give him a contract at any time during the year, which is a possible double-edged sword for the big fella.   

On the one hand, he will be back playing for his country, but on the other the management could stop him eating pies and drinking 47 pints of Bombardier a night.  He could always switch to Michelob Ultra, I suppose.

In other EPS news, Adil Rashid is in.  If the experience of another young leggie is anything to go by, this will be followed by a disastrous debut.  After this he will be dropped; play less frequently for his county; be sacked by his county; sue his county; win; do some painting and decorating for a few years; then signing Surrey.

Cricket Snapshot: The youngster

Lancashire's young prospect Oliver Newby displays a unique delivery stride.  It didn't really help though as Surrey reached 537-5 at a packed Oval (!), with centuries for Ramps, Butcher and Usman.

Michael Vaughan: "We all want to play in the IPL, and no-one, not even the ECB can stop us. Mwahahahahahaaaaaaa!"

The England captain Michael Vaughan has made it very clear that every player in the England set-up not only wants to play in the IPL, but will do in the next two years.  It seems he is about as impressed with the ECB's new Twenty20 ideas as a newlywed groom whose wife has just passed out on the wedding night after too many Bacardi Breezers.

This is an important turning point the constant bickering about the IPL in England.  Inevitably and predictably the player's union have had their say, and rent-a-gob Kevin Pietersen has thrown in his two cents ("I like money and I want to earn more" basically).  However, neither of these are the current England captain, and Vaughan sticking his neck out like this means that he must have the support of the dressing room.

Giles Clarke will do well to bear this in mind before he comes out to the press with his usual petulant, foot-stampy nonsense about England players being barred from joining the Indian league.  He is pissing in the wind - it's time he accepted it and dealt with it like a man.

It's the Cold War all over again, but with cricket instead of nuclear bombs!

Two worlds collide, rival nations
It's a primitive clash, venting years of frustrations
Bravely we hope against all hope, there is so much at stake
Seems our freedom's up against the ropes
Does the crowd understand?
Is it a East vs. West, or man against man
Can any nation stand alone?

Never have more insightful words been spoken of the Iron Curtain than those above by Survivor in the epic Burning Heart. Now it seems the rubble of the great east-west divide that so dominated world politics (until some students got drunk and pulled a wall down in Germany) looks as though it is settling on cricket. 

The battle lines for this new Cold War, this clash of the hemispheres, were today drawn by Giles Clarke, who looks about as likely a player in such a grand scheme as Eisenhower did, as he admits that the ECB are meeting with Sir Allen Stanford to discuss a multi-franchise competition of our very own.    Clarke knows, like Eisenhower, that you don't need to look cool when you have the money behind you - and in Allen Stanford there is a veritable packed pustule of money.

"We don't want a knee-jerk reaction to the IPL" Clarke knee-jerkingly said today, "but we believe that we can set up a robust, spectator-friendly, economically sustainable competition of our own which will not cut across the core revenue streams of Test and one-day international cricket."

Have you ever heard less inspiring fighting talk in you life?

Quote of the Week: Steve Harmison

"We have a culture in England where we kick people when they are down.  They like to have a pop at someone and at the minute it's my turn."

No Steve, we have a culture of kicking people when they are shit, and it's your turn because you are shit.  Simple really.

Trent Bridge gets a consolation prize

Nottinghamshire were pretty annoyed when they had their 2009 Ashes Test taken from them and given to those upstarts in Wales, but the authorities are keen to make amends.  By "make amends" they mean "give them some World Twenty20 games"

I know which one I'd rather have, but the Notts heirarchy are trying to pretend that they are happy about it.  "As part of the package we will get the semi-final of the men's competition running alongside the semi-final of the women's competition," saif Notts Chief Exec, Derek Brewer, "what fantastic coverage for the city, county and region."

Nice attempt to be positive Del; but instead of a five-day sell-out, as an Ashes Test would be, they are getting a half-day sell-out and a women's match.  No offence to the women's game, but that is unlikely to fill Trent Bridge to the rafters.

What options do the ECB have regarding the Indian Premier League

The head honcho at the ECB, Giles Clarke, has made his position quite clear regarding the IPL; that no contracted England payers will be allowed to play in it and if they do they risk losing their central contract.  Apart from Andrew Strauss, along with cockroaches his contract will be the only thing that will survive nuclear holocaust. 

The players, however, are getting increasingly agitated.  Kevin Pietersen's exhaustion that he spoke of last year has evaporated in a puff of potential rupees, and he has also admitted that "all the players are talking about it."  So what can Clarke and the ECB do?  Here are the options as I see them:

1.  Stick his fingers in his ears and do the "I cannot hear you, I am the greatest, I am so right" song until the Summer is over.

2.  Allow them to play, but with the proviso they must be available for all England matches.  As the kiwis have done with their stars.

3.  Set up their own Twenty20 Superleague, attracting the cream of talent from all over the World and sell the rights to Sky to make money.  Might be a problem, in that they have already sold the ENTIRE GAME OF CRICKET to Sky in the UK.

4.  Leave it to Hugh Morris to sort out, then sack him.

On the rare occasions he wasn't moaning, Andy Caddick could be a pretty good bowler

As can be seen here: taking four in an over as the Windies crumpled to 54 all out in 2000.

Titanic Triples: Sir Len Hutton, 364 vs Aus, Oval 1938

Not to be outdone by The Don, The Len takes it upon himself to beat the Aussie's record in the fifth Ashes Test in 1938.

Cricket is like opera, apparently

Alf Garnett once said that "football is working class ballet", and now new Wisden Editor Scyld Berry is drawing similarities between another of our national games and highbrow culture - though for slightly different reasons.  Writing in this year's Notes by the Editor, Berry has had a right pop at the costs of watching England.

"A family day out at an England cricket match is now for millionaires only," he says. "Watching the England team, whether at a ground or on subscription television, is becoming an elite pastime for the affluent, like opera. To watch the whole Test match at Lord's against South Africa this summer will cost a member of the public at least £300. Even a day of the New Zealand Test at Lord's will cost £60, while the best ticket for a one-day international at The Oval has exceeded £100."

Of course, if cricket really was like the opera then it wouldn't cost that much as it would have a load of Arts Council subsidy.  One for Giles Clarke to think about as he identifies revenue streams for the coming year.

Somerset will win everything

So says Andrew Caddick, but that's not really why his words have caught the ear today. Never one to miss an opportunity, Caddick has weighed into the Harmison debate with his incisive review of Steve's recent performances in New Zealand.

"The standard he is playing right now, he is not viable in the side."

Caddick, of course, is not the only one to have doubts about Harmison's form - Michael Vaughan recently revealed that he had doubts before and during the tour of New Zealand, and the BBC's Jonathan Agnew expressed his fears some while back.

What makes Caddick's comments in an interview today of interest, is that is not often that we hear such naked bitterness. "He took over my spot ... He frustrates me ... I didn't get a chance to retire ... I was told I wasn't going to play again [for England]." Examples of how deep the hurt went in 2003.

Caddick was never an easy cricketer to enjoy - when playing for England he could be incredibly destructive on one day and then come out as a journeyman club bowler next time. Described again and again in his international career by journalists, coaches and fans as "frustrating", there is an irony in his choice of this word when speaking of Steve Harmison.

While I realise that by writing this piece I am giving Mr Caddick the oxygen of publicity for his views, I think it's a shame that he used his interview to spend time talking about Steve Harmison when he could well have taken the chance to give Somerset a resoundingly positive send-off for the season.

[Image: Getty] [mimitig]

Why I don't like... Two Test Series

There's little that can gladden the hearts of followers of the greatest game than to read of a renaissance in West Indian Test cricket. Alas the Queen's Park Oval appeared to be populated with more dancing girls than cricket fans, but that did not stop Ramneresh Sarwan, supported by Shiv Chanderpaul and others reaching their target of 254 to level the Sri Lankan series 1-1. I looked forward avidly to the showdown next week where the spoils would be decided and (possibly) a new dawn at last hailed.

But no. In their infinite wisdom, the ICC's Future Tours programme saw fit to truncate this "series" to two Tests, and so deny us (and the Windies' worldwide followers) the chance to see a positive result. Shame on them.

And in case you think this is a one-off and see the malign hand of the IPL in play, here are some upcoming two / four Test series: Australia in West Indies (four Tests, April 2008); South Africa in England (four Tests, July 2008); Australia in India (four Tests, October 2008); New Zealand in Australia (two Tests, November 2008). I'm afraid there's plenty more such coitus interuptus to come.

[The Tooting Trumpet]   

Andrew Flintoff is still not injured

Will he be this happy come May 15th?

There are many things that we have become accustomed to in England: heart disease; massive amounts of teenage pregnancy; a sense of anomie about our place in the world; and Freddie Flintoff being knacked.   However, the big Prestonian has recovered, following the 135th operation on his troublesome ankle last year - we are still working on sorting the rest of the list. 

Amazingly, Flintoff has admitted that the reason he failed to recover fully previously is because he was rushed back.  "There's been nothing like in the past when there has been an Ashes or a World Cup to get back for." he said yesterday, "This time we have taken our time and got it right. I'm pretty much where I would like to be, not just with the ball but the batting as well."

Good news all round for us English types.  At least until he breaks down again in the second county match of the season.

Cricket Snapshot: Strauss in the pink

Andrew Strauss talks to the press in his lovely (charidee benefitting) pink Middlesex strip

Titanic Triples: Brian Lara's 375 vs England

Brian Lara breaks the world record (the first time) against a humbled England.  Part 1 here, part 2 after the jump.

“Come on Great Britain & Northern Ireland!”

Doesn’t quite have the same ring as “Come On England” does it?  But if the government has its way then that is what the Barmy Army will be singing in-between bouts of fighting and being rude to foreign nationals.

Are the government right to be considering such a move?  What are your views?

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.

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.

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..

See Ya Banger; it's been emotional

The inevitable has finally happened: Marcus Trescothick has retired from international cricket and will never wear the England shirt again. 

While most of us knew this was the de facto case, it still moves me to sadness to read the words:  "It is in the best interests of all concerned that the issue is put to rest so the England team can concentrate on moving forward."  It's a mark of the man what he is thinking of what is best for a team that he will no longer be a part of.  Like many of us, he is a supporter first and a player second.

We will never know the full extent and nature of his mental illness, but we do know what it did: it prevented him playing for his country and this week culminated in him being unable to go on Somerset's pre-season trip to Dubai.  The final straw.

But this is a time to remember Banger for what he is, rather than what his condition has made him.  England have still not replaced him, particularly in the one-day game, and his leaden-footed clobbering (which is by no means an insult on my part) is greatly missed from both forms. 

Who can forget his 213 against South Africa at The Oval in 2003; or the 413 runs he scored to help England win the Ashes in 2005?  Tres could sometimes get out cheaply, but he had the knack of scoring big once he was in as his six 150+ scores testify.  England would kill for that at the moment, with the misfiring top order refusing to go above 60 in any meaningful way.  He retires with a Test record of 5825 runs at 43.79; and an ODI haul of 4335 at 37.37 gained at the imposing strike rate of 85.21.

We have missed him for two years; we will continue to miss him for the foreseeable future. So it is we say an official farewell to a thouroughly decent bloke who simply wanted to do well for his team, whichever one he was playing for at the time, and usually succeeded in doing so.  Curse the illness for the curtailment of a great career, not the man.

The Googly wishes him all the very best in the future.  Please share any of your memories or testimonials for Banger in the comments.

Cricket Snapshot: Freddie Flintoff bowling..

No, this is not camera trickery, he actually was bowling.  Really.

Sir Richard Hadlee shows that not only Jacob Oram can frighten the life out of England batsmen

Remember when Steve Harmison could do this?

Looks like it's turning into Harmison day around here.  Here he is taking 7-12 in the spiritual home of fast bowling, Sabina Park in the West Indies.  If only he could have captured whatever he had that winter in a bottle to sup from for the rest of his career, we would not all be so disappointed.

Cricket Venn: Steve Harmison

Cricket Venn: Ian Botham