The Googly

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]   

Dale Steyn - the new kid on the block

Dale Steyn has today taken 5-23 to play a huge part in demolishing India for 76 in the second Test. The young fella already has an average of 21.72 and has beaten Allan Donald's record as the fastest SA player to 100 Test wickets.  England fans should be taking a look at this fella, as his away swing will cause truckloads of problems over here in the summer.  Here he is taking 6-72 recently against (albeit shite) West Indies.

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?

The Deadly Sin of Gluttony

Wikipedia speaks thus, "At the end of 2007, Bangladesh had played in 49 Tests, winning only once against a Zimbabwe team crippled by the exodus of its senior players. They have lost 43 of their matches, and 29 of these by an innings". 

The Trumpet is in a quandary. He wants the Bangla Boys to retain Test status as that's the only way they will get better at the Greatest Game (and their ODI and T20 performances show that the raw talent is available) but do scoreboards like the one on the right (from Chittagong, Second Test Bangladesh vs South Africa Day One) do anybody any good? And what about Test records? They don't really matter, but they are a guilty pleasure of every cricket lover and, from tomorrow, likely to show Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie (yes, Neil McKenzie!) sitting atop the pile of greatest opening stands.

The Trumpet isn't sure what, but knows that "something" should be done.

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image: Getty]   

Does anyone really care about the Indian Premier League?

The auction is over, players have been bought for stupid amounts of money, the world's media have reported it and now... well, who cares?

A pointless tournament will take place at some point in the future, but who is going to be watching?  Do we really care that Adam Gilchrist is playing for Hyderabad for example?  In the US, the all-star games are a novelty that people watch but have absolutely no regard for the result. I for one cannot help thinking that this tournament is of the same ilk.

Maybe I am being too harsh.  What are your views on the IPL?  Are you going to watch?  Do you care who Andrew Symonds or MS Dhoni are playing for?

Cricket Snapshot: The departing legend

Shaun Pollock joins some fans today at Centurion.  [Image: Getty]

West Indies return to business as usual

There are certain things in this world that you rely on to remain mentally comfortable that everything is  a-ok: Newcastle United a shambles? Check.   US election system impenetrable and irrelevent, yet all over the UK news?  Check!   

But recently, there have been incidents that have led me to believe all is not well; one involving a dog and a speedboat that I won't go into, and West Indies winning a Test match.  Thankfully things have returned to normal today with the Windies being skittled for 139 and South Africa finishing the day on 213-1.  The ever-likeable Graeme Smith tonked 122* off 133 balls in a display that not only kept the scorer busy but splintered the heart of every West Indies player into a thousand pieces.
[Image: Getty]

Under-19 cricket

While grown-up Test cricket has been getting its collective knickers in a thorougly unedifying twist in Australia, a couple of rungs down the international ladder, the Under-19 teams have been preparing themselves for their World Cup.

Two days ago India U-19s whopped Bangladesh in the final of the Tri-Nation Tournament at Pretoria. Having won the toss they put on 260 for 8 in the 50 overs and then bowled Bangladesh for 123 in just 37.3 overs. A resounding victory to sit nicely for them alongside their victory over South Africa a few days earlier when they won by six wickets chasing a target of 223.

Today Pakistan announced their squad for the World Cup and the Tri-Nations Tournament against England and Sri Lanka that starts in Sri Lanka later this month. Pakistan will be captained by Imad Wasim who led his team to a 3-1 win in England last summer.

Here at The Googly we will be following both the Sri Lanka Tournament and the World Cup with great interest - partly to see if the young England boys can emulate the team of 1997-8 who took England to victory 10 years ago. Follow the jump to see just who's going to try and wrest the Cup off last time's winners Pakistan and better the runners-up: India.

The England squad announced earlier this month for the Tri-Nations is:

Alex Wakely (Capt), Ben Brown, Liam Dawson, Steven Finn, Billy Godleman, James Harris, James Lee, Stuart Meaker, Sam Northeast, Dan Redfern, James Taylor, Tom Westley, Chris Woakes and Greg Wood.

Stay with us for updates and the Cup squad.

[Image: Getty] [mimitig}

Performance of the Day - Ashwell Prince

Our photograph shows South Africa's Ashwell Prince run out for 98 in the Second Test vs West Indies. He was attempting to get back on strike to protect Dale Steyn, thereby maximising his team's lead - a selfless dismissal in a team often accused of individual selfishness.

Ashwell Prince is an old-fashioned cricketer who, like Shiv Chanderpaul, relishes the fight and, like Chanderpaul, plays his best knocks when most needed. Today, he rebuilt his team's innings in a sixth wicket stand of 129 with Mark Boucher, which dragged his team back into a series they were losing.

The fifth wicket had added just 8, but that was because AB de Villiers was dismissed for 2. With but one Test difference in their careers (34 AB, 35 Ashwell), de Villiers averages 36, Prince 42. Nobody would argue that de Villiers isn't more talented with the bat, but there's more to cricket than talent, as the admirable, and PotD winning, Prince shows.

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image: Getty]    

Performance of the Day - Dwayne Bravo

There is little would cheer the Trumpet more this side of 2009 than to see a revival in the fortunes of West Indies cricket. There are many reasons, romantic, financial, social, historical, why West Indies cricket matters to a 44 year-old Englishman, so it was with real despair that the Trumpet has witnessed their decline fearing for the post-Chanderpaul batting era the way I feared, correctly, for the post-Curtley and Courtney bowling era.

But, to my surprise and relief, Chrystal Gayle is getting some excellent displays out of his team. Today, the mercurial Dwayne Bravo stepped up to blow away the Saffers' middle order, snaring Kallis, Amla and de Villiers in a five over spell, thus securing a PotD. He has some work to do on both disciplines, but if his batting develops as it should, and he can retain his knack of wicket-taking to go with a new found parsimony with the ball, he'll soon turn his averages around (currently he bats 32 and bowls 39). That will put him in exalted company and the Windies back, if not at the top, then at least competing with all nations except the Aussie juggernaut.

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image: Getty]

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?

The Deadly Sin of Gluttony

Wikipedia speaks thus, "At the end of 2007, Bangladesh had played in 49 Tests, winning only once against a Zimbabwe team crippled by the exodus of its senior players. They have lost 43 of their matches, and 29 of these by an innings". 

The Trumpet is in a quandary. He wants the Bangla Boys to retain Test status as that's the only way they will get better at the Greatest Game (and their ODI and T20 performances show that the raw talent is available) but do scoreboards like the one on the right (from Chittagong, Second Test Bangladesh vs South Africa Day One) do anybody any good? And what about Test records? They don't really matter, but they are a guilty pleasure of every cricket lover and, from tomorrow, likely to show Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie (yes, Neil McKenzie!) sitting atop the pile of greatest opening stands.

The Trumpet isn't sure what, but knows that "something" should be done.

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image: Getty]   

Does anyone really care about the Indian Premier League?

The auction is over, players have been bought for stupid amounts of money, the world's media have reported it and now... well, who cares?

A pointless tournament will take place at some point in the future, but who is going to be watching?  Do we really care that Adam Gilchrist is playing for Hyderabad for example?  In the US, the all-star games are a novelty that people watch but have absolutely no regard for the result. I for one cannot help thinking that this tournament is of the same ilk.

Maybe I am being too harsh.  What are your views on the IPL?  Are you going to watch?  Do you care who Andrew Symonds or MS Dhoni are playing for?

Cricket Snapshot: The departing legend

Shaun Pollock joins some fans today at Centurion.  [Image: Getty]

West Indies return to business as usual

There are certain things in this world that you rely on to remain mentally comfortable that everything is  a-ok: Newcastle United a shambles? Check.   US election system impenetrable and irrelevent, yet all over the UK news?  Check!   

But recently, there have been incidents that have led me to believe all is not well; one involving a dog and a speedboat that I won't go into, and West Indies winning a Test match.  Thankfully things have returned to normal today with the Windies being skittled for 139 and South Africa finishing the day on 213-1.  The ever-likeable Graeme Smith tonked 122* off 133 balls in a display that not only kept the scorer busy but splintered the heart of every West Indies player into a thousand pieces.
[Image: Getty]

Under-19 cricket

While grown-up Test cricket has been getting its collective knickers in a thorougly unedifying twist in Australia, a couple of rungs down the international ladder, the Under-19 teams have been preparing themselves for their World Cup.

Two days ago India U-19s whopped Bangladesh in the final of the Tri-Nation Tournament at Pretoria. Having won the toss they put on 260 for 8 in the 50 overs and then bowled Bangladesh for 123 in just 37.3 overs. A resounding victory to sit nicely for them alongside their victory over South Africa a few days earlier when they won by six wickets chasing a target of 223.

Today Pakistan announced their squad for the World Cup and the Tri-Nations Tournament against England and Sri Lanka that starts in Sri Lanka later this month. Pakistan will be captained by Imad Wasim who led his team to a 3-1 win in England last summer.

Here at The Googly we will be following both the Sri Lanka Tournament and the World Cup with great interest - partly to see if the young England boys can emulate the team of 1997-8 who took England to victory 10 years ago. Follow the jump to see just who's going to try and wrest the Cup off last time's winners Pakistan and better the runners-up: India.

The England squad announced earlier this month for the Tri-Nations is:

Alex Wakely (Capt), Ben Brown, Liam Dawson, Steven Finn, Billy Godleman, James Harris, James Lee, Stuart Meaker, Sam Northeast, Dan Redfern, James Taylor, Tom Westley, Chris Woakes and Greg Wood.

Stay with us for updates and the Cup squad.

[Image: Getty] [mimitig}

Performance of the Day - Ashwell Prince

Our photograph shows South Africa's Ashwell Prince run out for 98 in the Second Test vs West Indies. He was attempting to get back on strike to protect Dale Steyn, thereby maximising his team's lead - a selfless dismissal in a team often accused of individual selfishness.

Ashwell Prince is an old-fashioned cricketer who, like Shiv Chanderpaul, relishes the fight and, like Chanderpaul, plays his best knocks when most needed. Today, he rebuilt his team's innings in a sixth wicket stand of 129 with Mark Boucher, which dragged his team back into a series they were losing.

The fifth wicket had added just 8, but that was because AB de Villiers was dismissed for 2. With but one Test difference in their careers (34 AB, 35 Ashwell), de Villiers averages 36, Prince 42. Nobody would argue that de Villiers isn't more talented with the bat, but there's more to cricket than talent, as the admirable, and PotD winning, Prince shows.

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image: Getty]    

Performance of the Day - Dwayne Bravo

There is little would cheer the Trumpet more this side of 2009 than to see a revival in the fortunes of West Indies cricket. There are many reasons, romantic, financial, social, historical, why West Indies cricket matters to a 44 year-old Englishman, so it was with real despair that the Trumpet has witnessed their decline fearing for the post-Chanderpaul batting era the way I feared, correctly, for the post-Curtley and Courtney bowling era.

But, to my surprise and relief, Chrystal Gayle is getting some excellent displays out of his team. Today, the mercurial Dwayne Bravo stepped up to blow away the Saffers' middle order, snaring Kallis, Amla and de Villiers in a five over spell, thus securing a PotD. He has some work to do on both disciplines, but if his batting develops as it should, and he can retain his knack of wicket-taking to go with a new found parsimony with the ball, he'll soon turn his averages around (currently he bats 32 and bowls 39). That will put him in exalted company and the Windies back, if not at the top, then at least competing with all nations except the Aussie juggernaut.

[The Tooting Trumpet] [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.

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: I think we could be in trouble here

Snap of the scoreboard illustrating just how deep in trouble South Africa were on the way to a comprehensive defeat to the Windies in today's Twenty20 International.  [Image: Getty]

Video: Do you remember when Flintoff could bat?

Here's Fred tonking Shaun Pollock all over the shop in 2003.  Seems a very long time ago now eh?

Why Gary Kirsten is the right man for India

After much searching, reports suggest that the BCCI have appointed former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten as their new coach.  Here is The Googly lowdown on why he is the man.

1.  Despite having only just turned 40, he looks at least 50, so the younger members of the squad will be kidded into thinking he has more experience

2.  His legendary patience and determination at the crease during his 101tests will stand him is good stead as he wades through the treacly sea of massive egos, arguments and bureaucracy that is Indian cricket

3.  He once had his face mashed in by a Shoaib Akhtar delivery, so he is no doubt out for some revenge on his new team's greatest rival.

4.  He knows what it is like to stare down the barrel of shame and come out the other side; he was once bowled in a Test match by Mark Butcher.

5.  He looks a bit like Billy Zane, and Zane managed to pull Kelly Brook.

Performance of the Day - Andre Nel

Andre Nel isn't everyone's cup of tea, but like his forebear in the comedy sledging and gurning, Merv Hughes, he hides a very big heart behind the antics.

Never was that more clear than today when his South African team-mates were 9/10s of the way towards yet another choke against Vettori's Kiwis. Nel faced up to his first ball with 11 needed off the last over. After a swing and a miss, a dropped catch for one run and a single taken by Mark Boucher, nine were needed off three balls. Away went the left leg, down came the bat and two deliveries were despatched to the extra cover boundary. With one to win off the final ball, Nel made the necessary connection and scampered a single to win the match for his country.

Much more talented players than Nel would have blown their chances (as South Africa know better than most) but today was his. A win and a PotD for the pantomime villain.

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image: Getty]

Video: SA vs NZ Twenty20 highlights

This game went right to the wire as South Africa and New Zealand both went for victory in the only Twenty20 of the current Kiwi tour.

Performance of the Day - Dale Steyn

Two Test series are most unsatisfactory: you're just settling into the rhythm of Test match cricket and assessing the players' form then, all of a sudden, there's a board full of sponsors logos with one captain explaining how he can take some positives from the series and the other saying that his young side are at the start of something quite special. But such series are not without heroes and the recently completed South African rout of New Zealand produced one old one and two new(ish) ones.

Jacques Kallis was at his imperious best scoring 346 runs at 115, which surprised nobody. What did make cricket watchers sit up and take notice was the form of two 24 year-olds who made their debuts prematurely some three years ago and have struggled to establish themselves in the team: batsman Hashim Amla and bowler Dale Steyn.

Amla was the rock on which Kallis constructed match winning positions, anchoring the order with 291 runs at 145, while Steyn was the rapier who delivered the kill with 20 wickets at 9.2 shared evenly across the two Tests. Either are admirable candidates for Performance of the Day, but Steyn shades it with his consecutive ten wicket hauls. Ten wickets for a speedster is rare - Steyn has chalked up two such feats in 15 tests, or one more than Brett Lee and Stephen Harmison have managed in their 114.#

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image:Getty]

England's 2008 fixtures announced

For anyone that doesn't know, England will host New Zealand and South Africa next summer.  Here are the fixtures.  These, plus all the County fixtures for the 2008 season are here.

New Zealand
Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 1st Test; Lord's
Friday, May 23, 2008 - 2nd Test; Old Trafford
Thursday, June 05, 2008 - 3rd Test; Trent Bridge

More after the jump..

Friday, June 13, 2008 - Twenty20; Old Trafford
Sunday, June 15, 2008  - ODI; Riverside   
Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - ODI; Edgbaston
Saturday, June 21, 2008 - ODI; Bristol
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - ODI; Brit Oval
Saturday, June 28, 2008 - ODI; Lord's

South Africa
Thursday, July 10, 2008 - 1st Test; Lord's
Friday, July 18, 2008 - 2nd Test; Headingley Carnegie
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 3rd Test; Edgbaston
Thursday, August 07, 2008 - 4th Test; Brit Oval
Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - Twenty20; Riverside
Friday, August 22, 2008 - ODI; Headingley Carnegie
Tuesday, August 26, 2008 - ODI; Trent Bridge
Friday, August 29, 2008 - ODI; Brit Oval
Sunday, August 31, 2008 - ODI; Lord's
Wednesday, September 03, 2008 - ODI; Cardiff

In Praise of... Jacques Kallis

Jacques Kallis can be easily stereotyped as a bull-necked, insular son of the Voortrekker, who is no "team man" and therefore played in teams that seldom won when it mattered. He has been accused, not least by the Trumpet, of playing in a bubble as a kind of latter-day Geoffrey Boycott, convinced that what the match situation needs is that which improves his batting average. Clearly stung by being left out of the Saffers' T20 squad, his reaction would say a lot about Kallis as a man.

We now have his answer. Pak vs SA First Test SA win, (Kallis 155, 1-21, 100*, 0-4); Second Test Drawn (Kallis 59, 1-7, 107*, 1-48). Pak vs SA ODI series SA win 2-3 (Kallis 8 and 2-47; 1-37and 0; 13 and 0-30; 1-15 and 6*; and 86 and 0-15). Back on home soil and in Test cricket vs New Zealand, Kallis shared a third wicket stand of 330 with Hashim Amla (both pictured right) in the First Test, a match in which the other 31 wickets mustered just 608 between them. It may just be that Kallis is taking on a mentoring role for Amla, whose talent is blossoming under his wing - now that would be quite something!

Having just turned 32, Kallis may be at his peak as a batsman: with over 9000 Test runs at nearly 58 already banked (to go with 219 wickets). What his stats might look like on retirement is anyone's guess, but we're probably safe in saying that an All-Time Great walks amongst us, and yet, we still doubt him. Funny old game...

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image: Getty]

Performance of the Day - Sky Sports

There is more than one way in which Rupert Murdoch (right) cuts an unattractive figure, but, using that unattractive cliche, he does what it says on the tin. Sky subscribers could start their Thursday (as I did) watching Phil Jaques scrape around trying to find a run, before retiring to bed (The Trumpet, not the Aussie) only to wake and discover that Phil had his ton and the Aussies were (surprise, surprise) well placed at the end of Day One. What was Jayawardene thinking of with his insertion?

To the day's viewing, with Sky offering a red button choice between a nip and tuck first day's Test cricket between the evenly matched Saffers and Kiwis or a pyrotechnic India - Pakistan ODI cliffhanger in Mohali, eventually won by Younus Khan's class and Boom Boom Afridi's clout.

The only problem? I missed the lot. I was at work earning the money to be able to pay for the subscription!

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image: Getty]

Performance of the Day - Cricket South Africa

Cricket is played in many of the more troubled parts of the world - England's forthcoming tour to the beautiful island of Sri Lanka is just one example.

Yesterday's horrific bombings in Karachi with their horrendous death toll has shaken all Pakistan. It would have been very easy for the touring South Africans to get on the first plane out of the country and fight any breach of contract cases from a sunbed in Cape Town.

They didn't. They stayed. They are willing to show that cricket's family can stand together and play this wonderful game anywhere there is a desire to do so. Who knows what will happen in the ferment of the next few days, but the Trumpet knows that today's decision by Cricket South Africa and its players and officials took real guts and that to do otherwise would have damaged world cricket. The Trumpet sends his condolences to the families of the dead and injured, and his heartfelt thanks to Cricket South Africa.

[The Tooting Trumpet]

Battle of the six sixers!

It's some feat hitting the maximum in an over.  Here are three of the best, which one is your favourite?

1.  Sir Garfield Sobers vs Glamorgan,

More after the jump.

2.  Herchelle Gibbs vs Netherlands, 2007

3.  Yuvraj Singh vs England, 2007

Cricket Snapshot: Down and out

AB de Villiers looks up, perhaps for some divine help, after being run out in the second Test in Lahore.  [Image: Getty]

Performance of the Day - Jacques Kallis

The photograph rather sums up Jacques Kallis - impenetrable, frowning, aloof, not really pleased to be there at all. Over the years, Kallis has built himself a reputation as a choker, a reluctant bowler and a selfish batsman, and there's more than a grain of truth in all those accusations.

But South Africa needed a lift after their dismal World T20 showing and the prospect of taking on Pakistan in Karachi over five hot days was unlikley to have filled the most enthusiastic cricketers with breathless anticipation. But the Saffers rolled up their sleeves, got on with the job and won today by 160 runs. To their enormous credit, there were contributions from every one of the XI, but none more so than Jacques Kallis' two centuries - a tremendous achievement away from home, well worthy of a PotD to go alongside his Man of the Match award. Moreover, it was the work of a man defiantly not sulking after the slight of being left out of his country's T20 squad.

Whilst everyone expects Tendulkar to push Lara's aggregate Test runs well beyond 12000 and then Ricky Ponting to overhaul it, Kallis is just 685 runs shy of Punter and 10 months younger. He may yet forge ahead of the Tasmanian Devil. Incredibly, Kallis also has 214 Test wickets. It's seldom pretty to watch, but the man can play.

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image: Getty] 

Cricket Snap of the Day: South Africa coaching

Arthur: "Things haven't gone well for you in your early Test career, Hashim."
Amla: "I know boss"
Arthur: "Do you think it could be anything to do with you head being on the wrong way up?"

Cricket Snap of the Day: He's behind you!

Dinesh Karthik athletically, and excitedly, whips off the bails to send Johan van der Wath on his way to the dugout and defeat.

ICC World Twenty20 - Villain of the day: Graeme Smith: Alpha Male

At the fall of an Indian wicket, television showed Graeme Smith barking at his team as they gathered on the outer. His team-mates looked like schoolboys being berated by a bad-tempered games teacher. It wasn't good to see men of the experience of Boucher and Pollock so meek in demeanour, nor big men with big talents like the Morkel brothers, crouching to hear the skipper's ire. When catches went down later (as they will do under lights in the T20 format) the senior players didn't bother to conceal their contempt for Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander.

Under pressure, batting against some wonderfully aggressive deliveries between the dross and against a suddenly dynamic Indian fielding unit, the Saffers choked yet again, failing even to get the 126 they needed to progress to the semi-finals. Smith will be angry with his team, but he should consider why his charges consistently react so poorly to pressure and whether constantly projecting his alpha male personality (like Hansie before him) is in the best interest of the team.

[The Tooting Trumpet] [Image: Getty]

ICC World Twenty20 - Hero of the day: Jonathan Agnew

Maybe it's just me, but I found it hard to be set on fire by the tournament today. Fortunately other engagements prevented me following the first match of the day - a dreadful mis-match between Australia and Sri Lanka. A fine report of that match can be found a bit below here on this site. For figures alone, Stuart Clark (four for 20) gets a mention here tonight, but he wasn't really tested.

Pakistan tops the group after their win against Bangladesh, but I found little to tickle my fancy there either. Afridi, naturally, was fun for his 39 off 15 balls (five fours and two sixes), but he wasn't in long enough to really charm this viewer today. Bangladesh's Junaid Siddique was top-scorer in the match - 71 including six fours and three sixes, but his colleagues were not up to the job.

This left us with the final match of the day: India versus South Africa, and a match full of meaning. A result that would determine not only the progression of these teams but also that of New Zealand. India losing meant SA and NZ through, India winning, and all down to net run-rate.

At one point with Harbhajan Singh claiming three for 11, it looked as though India were cruising to a victory. But then the Saffers stabilised the innings and we had a tense last five overs. South Africa needing 126 to go through, India needing the last five wickets. The scoreboard gave up - not for the first time in this or any tournament.

Tension was high but India got over the line and South Africa were out.

So why, you may well wonder, after this sterling performance from the Indian bowlers and Karthick behind the wicket (an emergency takeover as Mahendra Dhoni suffered some injury to his back in the first couple of overs), have I not picked one of the Indians as my Hero?

It's simple - I needed a laugh and Jonathan Agnew gave me several today, but his best was:

"I've just congratulated ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed for organising a brilliant tournament here, and he nearly fell off his chair." This on Test Match Special.

Anyone who can discombobulate a lawyer is a hero in my book, and to come close to causing injury to M. Speed ain't bad neither.

[Image: Getty] [mimitig]

ICC World Twenty20 video: South Africa vs Bangladesh highlights

Some big hits in this game, and more wickets for Albie Morkel.

ICC World Twenty20 : England lose to South Africa highlights

ICC World Twenty20: England are rubbish, again

England have lost by 19 runs to South Africa, bringing to an end a truly miserable weekend for the national teams in cricket and another sport.  Credit to South Africa is due, they bowled with great control and sense, but the questions for England are many and depressing.

England were feeble in defeat, letting a decent start with the ball slip away and allowing a poor start with the bat to inhibit their abilities so much that they staggered to a pitiful end.  Much talk with revolve around the dismissal of Kevin Pietersen, who is slowly becoming the cricketing equivalent of Michael J. Fox's Teen Wolf, so critical is he to this team's success. But, the fact is, we can moan all we like about such superfluous nonsense but it does not escape the key issue: England's inability to either press home an advantage, or to turn a poor situation around in limited overs cricket.

There was a flash that this was being addressed when Bopara and Broad took us home famously against India in the Summer; but too often we cower, rather than triumph when pressure is applied. Let us not forget that England are the team with the longest experience of this form of the game.  Added to this, the squad was picked specifically to contain grizzled specialists who could call on their form and nous when the chips are down.

Most upsetting is the realisation that this change of selection policy has produced exactly the same results: a loss in the most embarrassing of circumstances.  [Image: Getty]