The State of Cricket

Eventually cricket fans in this country will get over themselves and stop assuming that we have a birthright as Australians to be the best cricketing nation in the world at all times.

We have had a magnificent run for many years. We are still a good team but not the world beaters of years one by. Lets not forget that there was a time when even Australia was in the shadow of the great West Indies teams of the 80’s and 90’s.

All the comments bagging Australian cricket don’t acknowledge that England is a good team (hard to admit I know). Not a great team yet, otherwise they would lift against nations other than Australia.

This current public attitude craving constant succuss I fear will result in short term team changes in a hope of finding a magic mix that might not even exist. A win will keep a rabid public at bay, a loss and they go in for they kill with even more harsh criticism.

Realistically it was always going to take time to restructure after the loss of Langer, Hayden, Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist. There’s the core of a team, two of the finest ever bowlers, a solid opening pair, and another who revolutionised the keeper/ batsmen positon. All gone in a short period of time. It seems there is no room for realism for those worshipping cricket.

Relax!! We will be the number one cricketing nation again. For now enjoy watching the development of the next generation of Aussie cricket stars

Side Effect of Success

Australia has been the world’s best cricket playing nation for over a decade. In all forms of the game we have been dominant. Now, a lot has been made of the ‘downfall’ of Australian cricket. Yet this was always going to happen sooner or later.

Success needs stability with a solid core of players. Having this will give the best chance for success. Unfortunately, it means that there are few changes made to the team lineup. The fewer the changes the less opportunities for younger players to gain experience. This leads to a lack of depth when the solid core decides to give the game away.

So what happened to Australian Cricket?

Retirements Post Ashes 2007

• #1 Fast bowler – Glen McGrath
• #1 spin bowler – Shane Warne
• Long time opening batsman – Justin Langer
• Middle order batsman – Damien Martyn

More recent retirements

• Revolutionary wicket keeper/batsman – Adam Gilchrist
• Other opening batsmen – Matthew Hayden

There are six of Australia’s finest retiring in the space of 2 years. No wonder our team is struggling at the moment, that’s over half the core players that have helped us be so successful over the past decade. Now we have too many young and/or inexperienced players trying to make it all at the same time.

It was good while it lasted. But supporters should not be downcast. Instead be happy that we experienced Australian cricket at it’s best. Now we get to see the next generation develop before our very eyes.

Although perhaps now Cricket Australia won’t rest on their laurels next time we have an extended period of success. Even a great team needs some rejuvenation.

I Love My Cricket, But…….

I growing tired of Bill “Doctorate of the Bleeding Obvious” Lawry and his thoughtless, uninciteful commentary. You all know what I am referring to, the batting team needs runs and the fielding team needs a wicket. Wow!! Thanks Bill, I didn’t know that a team chasing a run target actually needs runs, now that I’ve been told that there was actually a purpose to the game I am much more excited.

Unfortunately though I feel that if Channel Nine were to get rid of one of the old school commentators then it will quickly mean the demise of the rest, ie Richie, Chappelli and Tony, whom I quite like. Richie has earnt the right to go out whenever he chooses but I couldn’t care less about Bill.

The new boys on the team are leaving Bill behind and have more to say and more interesting things to say.

Twenty20 Cricket #2

I made some comments about the tactics of Twenty20 cricket in January of 2007. Some of my comments have been verified by Cricket Australia, such as:

• Michael Clarke as captain
• Fringe players being given a chance
• The need for free hitters not settlers

Although the tactics seemed to have changed. The slow spinners for New Zealand last night worked well but for Australia it was the blistering pace and accuracy of Brett Lee and Shaun Tait that ripped the NZ batsmen apart. Follow that with the not so fast but highly accurate Nathan Bracken, Ashley Noffke and Mitchell Johnson. They never had a chance to hit them. The only bowler that copped some stick was Andrew Symonds when he came on to throw down his gentle off spinners. Jacob Oram sent him to and over the fence on numerous occassions.

Still a very entertaining and enjoyable form of cricket. I think I still like the 50 over format though.

Where Are They Now?

The England cricket team were full of self-praise at the end of January 2007. They rated themselves very highly even suggesting that they should be number 1 in the world rankings. Who could blame them? They were all on a high after their miraculous 2 – 0 series win in our summer. This was in spite of the 5 – 0 whitewash in the Ashes Test Series and not performing at all well in the One Day series up until the finals.

So where are these world-beaters now?

• Struggling to make the top 4 in the World Cup in the West Indies.
• Got flogged by South Africa in a must win match
• Michael Vaughan fighting to keep the captaincy of one-day side
• Duncan Fletcher is still trying to justify why he is coach
• An inquest is being requested to avoid a third world cup flop

The problem with English Cricket is that they get too far ahead of themselves. It was evident before the Ashes series and it is evident again right now. Two good wins over the world's best does not make a champion team. Rather, playing well consistently over time creates a champion team. The ability to bounce back creates a champion team.

I’m sure that Ricky Ponting and the rest of the team were somewhat embarrassed by their performance at the end of our summer. But what did they do? They did what any champion team would do, they bounced back to the top. Currently they are undefeated in the World Cup and are guaranteed a spot in the semi finals. They are also favourites to win the final.

Who will be their opposition? One this is for sure, it won’t be England.

Twenty 20 Cricket

I have watched the Twenty 20 International with Australia and England. I have also seen some to the action in the domestic Twenty 20 competition, otherwise known as the KFC Big Bash. I’m still unsure where this form of cricket fits in the spectrum of cricketing genres.

It is a completely different game and should be treated as such. Therefore I believe it needs different players and different tactics:

• Accurate medium pacers and spinners seem to be more successful than the quicks. This is because the batter is forced to provide most of the pace to reach the boundary after being forced to go the slog (Steve Waugh would have been well suited as he was accurate with good changes of pace).
• Not all batters can succeed at this game. A lot of batters like to spend time to get settled and even when then they are more inclined to work the ball around for singles. The batters required in this game need to be clean hitters who have no problems clearing the boundary (think Adam Gilchrist & Andrew Symonds).
• On top of all that they need to be expert fielders.

Just like how the Australian Rugby 7’s team doesn’t have any Wallaby test players, I think Australia’s Twenty20 team should comprise of mainly up and comers with maybe someone like Michael Clarke as captain to see if he’s future test captain material. It would be good to see the next generation of Aussie Cricket stars given an opportunity to shine. We have already seen some success of injecting some new blood in players like Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Johnson.

So will it eventually take over from the current one-day series? I don’t think so. I suspect it will run as it is for a long time, if not forever. It is hard to take the game seriously but it is still of worth due to the entertainment factor.

No Sympathy

Sympathy for the English Cricket team? NO WAY!!!

They considered themselves the best team in the world after one Ashes series win over an underperforming Australian team. Talk about coming back down to earth with a thud. They got what the deserved after thinking they were 'all that'. They didn't look realistically at the previous Ashes win. They came here with big expectations without the skill, game plan or state of mind to even come close to beating Australia. For some reason they underestimated Australia. They didn’t bring their 'A game' and not one player could say that they came to play for the entire series. There have been a few one off stand outs but they quickly disappeared into hibernation once their moment in the sunshine had finished.

I am hoping for a 5 – 0 whitewash as it is what England deserve this summer. Next time, they better come to play.

No Dad’s Army

If Australia is Dad’s Army (i.e. too old) then England must be The Dunce Army. That should include the selectors as well. They have a supposed strike bowler coming into the attack at first change. That is when he’s not bowling to 2nd slip. Also, their spinner (Giles) and wicket keeper (Jones) were selected for their apparent superior batting than their teammates vying for the position. So far they haven’t scored anything of note with the bat and the spinner Giles has only got wickets rarely from miscued slogs.

Only one team believed they could win the second ashes test, the other went completely defensive in the hope of salvaging a draw and ended up getting rolled. England got what they deserved, and know they are copping it from their own country’s media and rightfully so.

England seem to think that it will all just happen for them as it did in the last series, that just doesn’t happen, no matter how good you are. You need to work hard to win the ashes, and even harder to retain them, England are quickly figuring that out. But it might be all too late.

Cricket In Full Swing

The Footy season is well and truly over. So too is that annoying limbo period where we get nothing but horse racing. That only means one thing, that Cricket season is back and better than ever with the promotion of what will surely be a slightly more competitive Ashes series. So why not blog about it. There are a few things that have been getting up my goat lately.

The Barmy Army
So many people are saying how good it is to have the Barmy Army at the cricket. Kochie on Sunrise even started a campaign to let the trumpet player into the ground because it’s “good for cricket.” In the end the people in charge of the Adelaide Oval sensibly refused to let him in, as it would set a precedent for following events. The Barmy Army are continually dancing and chanting. How can a distraction from watching the cricket be good for cricket? They only good thing about them is that they are helping Australian venues sell-out for all 5 days of a test. A bit of clever and witty sledging from the crowd is good, I rate that. The occasional song or chant is good as well. But carrying on all day is ridiculous. People should go to the cricket primarily to watch the cricket, secondarily to enjoy the atmosphere. For me the Barmy Army would create too much atmosphere and hence hinder the primary purpose.

Bill Lawry’s Commentary
I have disliked Bill Lawry’s commentary for a long time now. It’s like he has no idea of how the game is played anymore. What he says doesn’t seem to relate to what we see on the screen. His favourite line, “It’s all happening here!” comes more often than not when absolutely nothing is happening. I am enjoying the commentary team as a whole and the new additions to the commentary team, such as Michael Slater, are fantastic and are contributing more to the commentary than Lawry ever has. Richie Benaud is the only original member of the commentary team that should dictate on his terms when he will finish. As for Lawry, it’s time to trim the fat.

Ashes Just For Cricket

Ever noticed how sports other than Cricket are trying to reap rewards from Australia and England’s long history of Cricket rivalry. With any contest involving Australia and England, if it is not coming from the organising parties, then it is usually from the media or just keen punters in the outer. They call their contest "The Ashes", just because Australia and England are playing, and they think that refers to their sport. I don't think the Rugby League did it in their most recent contest but I know they have in the past.

The ashes are very historical and relate to a specific event in Cricket’s history. Here is the story in brief:

"In affectionate remembrance of English cricket which died at The Oval, 29th August, 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances, RIP. NB The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia."

Australia’s first victory on English soil over the full strength of England, on August 29, 1882, inspired a young London journalist, Reginald Shirley Brooks, to write this mock “obituary’’. It appeared in the Sporting Times.

Before England’s defeat at The Oval, by seven runs, arrangements had already been made for the Hon. Ivo Bligh, afterwards Lord Darnley, to lead a team to Australia. Three weeks later they set out, now with the popular objective of recovering the Ashes. In the event, Australia won the first Test by nine wickets, but with England winning the next two it became generally accepted that they brought back the Ashes.

It was long believed that the real Ashes – a small urn thought to contain the ashes of a bail used in the third match – were presented to Bligh by a group of Melbourne women. In 1998, Lord Darnley’s 82-year-old daughter-in-law said they were the remains of her mother-in-law’s veil, not a bail. Other evidence suggests a ball. The certain origin of the Ashes, therefore, is the subject of some dispute.

After Lord Darnley’s death in 1927, the urn was given to MCC by Lord Darnley’s Australian born widow, Florence. It can be seen in the cricket museum at Lord’s, together with a red and gold velvet bag, made specially for it, and the scorecard of the 1882 match.

So I think other sports should be a bit more creative and leave Cricket’s rivalry to Cricket. Let’s face it, an Ashes contest in a sport other than cricket just doesn’t feel right anyway.