While the current England captain and his likely successor were piling on the runs this morning, up in the Sky commentary box, one former England captain was crippling another, while a third chuckled away in amusement.
"Lord Gower hobbles away..."
Showing posts with label Ashes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ashes. Show all posts
Sunday, 28 November 2010
Monday, 22 November 2010
Graeme Swann and the sprinkler
Yesterday I wrote 100 words on the Times website on why a digital description is worthwhile. Why? Well, partly because I wanted the chance to win a free iPad, but partly because I really think it is. This morning, Uncle Murdoch sent me a karmic reward, in the form of a great column by Athers revealing the answer to my question - England's response to Douggie B's moves? The sprinkler...
Skip back to the start of the video to watch more of Swanny's capers. Team England look pretty relaxed, it has to be said. Fingers crossed they get the chance to crack out their victory dance at the Gabbattoir later this week.
Skip back to the start of the video to watch more of Swanny's capers. Team England look pretty relaxed, it has to be said. Fingers crossed they get the chance to crack out their victory dance at the Gabbattoir later this week.
Gladiators versus the Rat Pack
I have to say I've not had much time to keep abreast of all the Ashes hype, so I thought I'd check out YouTube to see whether I could find any ads like the IPL3 ones to get me in the mood. Based on what I found, I'm inclined to believe the series will be a bit of a mis-match.
England, exhorted by Centurion Botham and led by a roaring Wing Commander Strauss, are preparing for gladiatorial combat. Watch the ad closely and you will notice a cameo by Simon Hughes as an ogre who sharpens Strauss' bat.
While England are getting psyched up, the Aussies are making Facebook friends and singing songs for some guy called Damo from Perth.
What is Douggie Bollinger up to? The man is just inspired. How are on earth are England going to deal with moves like that?
England, exhorted by Centurion Botham and led by a roaring Wing Commander Strauss, are preparing for gladiatorial combat. Watch the ad closely and you will notice a cameo by Simon Hughes as an ogre who sharpens Strauss' bat.
While England are getting psyched up, the Aussies are making Facebook friends and singing songs for some guy called Damo from Perth.
What is Douggie Bollinger up to? The man is just inspired. How are on earth are England going to deal with moves like that?
Sunday, 21 November 2010
A real treat
First the IPL and now a nightly Ashes highlights programme. I'm becoming a fan of ITV4.
The show is going to be fronted by cricket's undisputed Hyperbolizer-in-Chief. I'm willing to lay odds of 1000-1 for anyone who wants to bet that Mark Nicholas won't use the words "tremendous," "fabulous" and "magnificent" during the first show on Thursday. Any takers...?
I thought not. As the H-in-C would I'm sure agree, we're in for a real treat.
The show is going to be fronted by cricket's undisputed Hyperbolizer-in-Chief. I'm willing to lay odds of 1000-1 for anyone who wants to bet that Mark Nicholas won't use the words "tremendous," "fabulous" and "magnificent" during the first show on Thursday. Any takers...?
I thought not. As the H-in-C would I'm sure agree, we're in for a real treat.
Saturday, 29 August 2009
Settlers and sons: Roebuck, get a grip!
(A version of this article appeared on Cricinfo's "Inbox" blog in September 2009)
I’m a regular follower of Peter Roebuck’s columns for Cricinfo and the Sydney Morning Herald. The former Somerset captain is certainly one of the most eloquent and thought-provoking cricket writers around today. His most recent opinion piece for Cricinfo Magazine, however, a warning to English cricket that it’s “no time for back-slapping,” strikes me as faintly ridiculous, and some of the comments in it regarding English-born Asian cricketers I find really rather disconcerting.
The Sydney-based Roebuck has long maintained that Aussie dominance in the Ashes is a fitting reflection of the contrast between (what he perceives to be) the vibrant and competitive “prevailing culture” in his adopted home and a chronic national malaise back in the old country. It seems the Australian team’s sudden fall from grace has upset his worldview. Convinced that “English culture” still lacks “vim and vigour,” he looks elsewhere for an explanation for England’s recent success.
I’m a regular follower of Peter Roebuck’s columns for Cricinfo and the Sydney Morning Herald. The former Somerset captain is certainly one of the most eloquent and thought-provoking cricket writers around today. His most recent opinion piece for Cricinfo Magazine, however, a warning to English cricket that it’s “no time for back-slapping,” strikes me as faintly ridiculous, and some of the comments in it regarding English-born Asian cricketers I find really rather disconcerting.
The Sydney-based Roebuck has long maintained that Aussie dominance in the Ashes is a fitting reflection of the contrast between (what he perceives to be) the vibrant and competitive “prevailing culture” in his adopted home and a chronic national malaise back in the old country. It seems the Australian team’s sudden fall from grace has upset his worldview. Convinced that “English culture” still lacks “vim and vigour,” he looks elsewhere for an explanation for England’s recent success.
Friday, 14 August 2009
Would Rashid be a rash choice for the Oval Test?
As far as I’m concerned, however, England’s real problem lies elsewhere. None of the four first class matches played at the Oval so far this year have yielded a positive result, with rain interruptions to blame on only one of those occasions. Surrey Chief Executive Paul Sheldon has declared that his groundsman Bill Gordon will not be “cooking the books” to help England and intends to produce a traditional hard, flat Oval wicket. England’s real problem, then, is how to take twenty wickets; the composition of the bowling attack should be the chief topic of discussion when the selectors convene.
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Raking over those Ashes
(A version of this article appeared in Varsity in June 2009)
The wait is almost over. In just a few weeks’ time, Andrew Strauss and Ricky Ponting will walk out for the toss at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, and we’ll finally be able to tuck into the main course of this summer’s extravagant feast of cricket – the Ashes. This time around, there are some unfamiliar items on the Aussie side of the menu. While the tourists are confident that these fresh ingredients will spice up their team, the home side are aware that the likes of Hughes, Haddin and Siddle clearly lack the seasoning of the men they have replaced. As a brand new chapter of Ashes history begins, England will fancy their chances of regaining the urn.
Flip through earlier chapters of that history and you notice that a number of Cambridge men figure prominently. Mike Atherton (Downing 1986-89), the most recent CUCC Captain to go on to skipper England, took part in some epic Ashes battles but sadly never tasted success. Mike Brearley (St John’s 1960-68) had better luck, famously masterminding a Botham-inspired comeback in 1981. To find Cambridge’s most significant contributor to Ashes history, however, you have to turn to the very first volume, dated 1882. Therein lies the tale of the very blighter who first brought the urn back to Old Blighty – the Honourable Ivo Bligh (Trinity 1877-81). After England’s first defeat on home soil had prompted the Sporting Times to print its now famous mock obituary of English cricket, it was Bligh who led the touring team that set sail for Australia, declaring that he intended “to recover those Ashes.” And recover them he jolly well did. His personal contribution? Just 33 runs in 3 Tests, but plenty of damned fine after-dinner speeches, no doubt.
Flip through earlier chapters of that history and you notice that a number of Cambridge men figure prominently. Mike Atherton (Downing 1986-89), the most recent CUCC Captain to go on to skipper England, took part in some epic Ashes battles but sadly never tasted success. Mike Brearley (St John’s 1960-68) had better luck, famously masterminding a Botham-inspired comeback in 1981. To find Cambridge’s most significant contributor to Ashes history, however, you have to turn to the very first volume, dated 1882. Therein lies the tale of the very blighter who first brought the urn back to Old Blighty – the Honourable Ivo Bligh (Trinity 1877-81). After England’s first defeat on home soil had prompted the Sporting Times to print its now famous mock obituary of English cricket, it was Bligh who led the touring team that set sail for Australia, declaring that he intended “to recover those Ashes.” And recover them he jolly well did. His personal contribution? Just 33 runs in 3 Tests, but plenty of damned fine after-dinner speeches, no doubt.
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