Obsession alert. I’m surprised they didn’t chop the picture to erase him from the back right of the team photo.
Easy how you forget, isn’t it?
OK, enough of that and onto the upcoming series. A spectacular Best of 4 (I mean, really, you can’t poke fun at that, can you?) series to be played in front of better crowds and day night cricket. The first game is tomorrow in Abu Dhabi. England’s line-up is a matter for speculation, especially as the key cog in the middle order, Ben Stokes, who bowls of course, is out with injury. The selectors have resisted the temptation to call up Ravi Bopara, and the early indications that the opening pair of Hales and Roy will keep their spots, with Moeen coming in down the order after Taylor, Root and Morgan. The fear here is that if Buttler is six, we have the plain five bowlers, and Root, who has not bowled much recently (with the guess being the back is a bit more worrisome than we thought).
Pakistan are looking to the future, with Azhar Ali leading the team but also Younus Khan recalled. Interesting messages! Wahab Riaz will be the danger man up front, the giant Mohammad Irfan will desperately sought to be in the same frame as James Taylor, Yasir Shah is in the squad, and an array of names largely new to us will display their skills and talents. Yes, I’m admitting that the names Aamer Yamin (three ODIs), Babar Azam (three ODIs), Anwar Ali (17 ODIs), Bilal Asif (two ODIs) and Zafar Gohar (no internationals) are not familiar to me. It’s good to see what is coming through.
I would like, at some point this winter, to see England give a run to Sam Billings. We need to see what he is capable of, and we got a sniff in that partnership with Bairstow that clinched the New Zealand series. I wonder too, how Adil Rashid will go, given he’ll be targetted by the nominal home side. The effectiveness of Willey or Topley will also be very interesting, because I’m not sure there’s a lot more to learn about Woakes or Jordan, for instance.
This should be a decent series of ODIs and then T20s. The four game series is a nonsense – make it five or three – or make it overall a best of 7 for the two formats and have a trophy after that. Of course, we have a T20 practice match with UAE in between, and we can have our debate all over again….
Comments on the game below.
While I am at it, I thought I’d say a few quick words on the Hong Kong Ding Dong. I’m glad it’s over.
Good night.
Being Outside Cricket 
When Pakistan experiment, they picks guys from nowhere….Engl;and picks the dregs of the county championship for no easily intuitable reason. Pakistan’s record at picking winners is demonstrably better than England’s. Discuss.
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Englands players all have to go through a professional structured system. In theory they should have become battle hardened in the White hot heat of County cricket. (Snark) In reality, individulaism and flair have all been knocked out out of them. It s long been argued that England lose players at the age of 19/20 when they have to decide if they want to commit to a carrer in Coumty cricket which will last only 10 years or so and be badly paid. Or instead go into banking or law or whatever else they may have become qualified for.
Also England tend to pick players who are older. 24/26 range. Pakistan tend to throw in much younger players with much less experience. It’s worth remembering both David Gower and Sir Ian Botham were much younger than the average when they made their England debuts.
Don’t ask me what the answer is, I haven’t a clue.
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Some interesting stuff here about how baseball has helped Hales and Billings in particular generate more bat speed.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/11987031/Baseball-helps-Alex-Hales-and-Sam-Billings-become-Englands-kings-of-the-swingers.html
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Sorry but I’m going to be boring with the same old chestnut. Kevin should be still be playing for England. End of.
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Heard the latest one?
It’s his fielding…..
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It’s in a press release for a show on ITV next week. Being Kevin Pietersen. Says he doesn’t like fielding. Latched on to, of course.
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I think that ship has sailed. Maybe T20 but there is no way that’s happening. The main reason I want him back is to see people lose their shit. That would be the funniest part about it.
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And they WOULD lose their shit if he came back. You only have to see the mass collective panic on Fleet streets finest cricket writers when he made 300 for Surrey after Graves said he needed to score some runs.
Certain writers nearly self combusted.
No, that ship has sailed, and in some ways Iam glad, because if the geniuses of the ECB had been smart they would have gone on picking him and then dropped him as he lost form. They could have avoided all this bitterness. But they were too stupid to do that. Instead it will always been known that he was thrown out for non cricket reasons. And the media were exposed for the complicit role they have played.
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I posted this at the bottom of the thread but it’s more appropriate here. Forgive the double posting:
A reminder of what we’re missing. Worth watching for the fawning commentary and the crowd’s reaction as much as anything else: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY2KQpMAxvI
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Pakistan’s last ODI series in the UAE may (or may not) give some guide what to expect. Pakistan lost 3-2 to NZ (without McCullum, Boult, Southee and Guptill) this time last year.
Winning scores were 250, 255, 364, 299 and 275. This was before the recent rule changes. The lowest score was in Dubai, the highest in Sharjah (which also saw the second lowest). The team batting second won the first two games then lost the last three.
The best and worst figures were recorded by the seamers (Matt Henry took a five-for but Corey Anderson went for 1/96). Spinners tended to be more economical but didn’t take a stack of wickets (Yasir Shah wasn’t playing – his ODI record is quite modest though and he is quite inexperienced in the format).
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England win toss and bat…….
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Both Roy and Root out for ducks in the first 2 overs.
It’s not going very well.
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Hales out now. 19/3
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50 quid for the first spotted “bring back Cook” comment*.
* Not legally binding.
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Not exactly off to a flier!! The likes of Roy, Hales, Morgan etc. might be a bit undercooked?
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SimonH,
I am already anxiously waiting for Cook to publicly demand to be selected again, since he has so much experience leading a shell-shocked team …
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A good recovery by Morgan and Taylor sees England at 143-3 after 29 overs. Perhaps a score of 270-280 is on if they can bat for a significant period more.
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As usual, all the significant action can be seen at cricingif on Twitter. Here’s the Hales’ wicket:
https://twitter.com/cricingif/status/664403041374887936
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Remember Giles Clarke:
“Stuart Lancaster has done a fantastic job. In a very short space of time, he has sorted out English rugby. He’s talked the language of teams which Paul Downton [managing director of the ECB] and I like very much”.
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/cricket/giles-clarke-utter-nonsense-to-say-england-are-at-some-sort-of-massive-low-ebb-9199032.html
One of them still has a job.
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The funniest moment of the rugby World Cup for me was when they announced that Andrew Strauss was on the touch line for the big England game. Either Wales or Australia. Can’t remember which one. Doesn’t mater because England lost both.
A giant orgy of self congratulation between the ECB and the RFU.
Meanwhile, the fallout from the Sam Burgess affair rumbles on with Bath players now moaning about his return to Rugby League. Brewery’s and piss ups come to mind
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Good recovery by England 142/3 …….Morgan 74 and Taylor 54
A good chance for all the usual suspects to replay the KP said he is too short meme.
While quietly forgetting how many of them demanded the sacking of Morgan after the World Cup.
Pakistan have said they intend to target England’s spinners. Could be interesting!
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Magnificent comedy drop of Taylor from a skier followed by Morgan caught behind by the first one that’s turned.
Terrific innings by Morgan. Gone past Hick to 9th highest England ODI run-scorer (Lamby next).
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As England collapses go, this is a good one. 4/21 off last six overs.
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Simon, I not watching at the moment, but is it because it’s started spinning? Englands usual weakness.
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Difficult to say – possibly the pitch has changed under lights and become more ‘grabby’ (both Taylor and Rashid have chipped catches to in-fielders). However there’s also been a run out and a brilliant catch.
We’ll see how it looks when England bowl!
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Quote from Director, Comma who is doing a Q and A session during the interval (they’re risking it aren’t they?), When asked about England’s performance in the Ashes:
“The fact the guys performed so well under pressure and grabbed games by the scruff of the neck is a great testament. It’s testament to the team spirit they have built up over 18 months. They savoured that victory, they worked really hard for it.”
At least he didn’t mention environment and culture, or any other ‘C’ words.
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Q&A ….with Nick Knight.
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Afterwards:
“I just want to say the start he’s made, Andrew Strauss has been absolutely brilliant”.
Nasser, oh Nasser.
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“The T20 competitions like the IPL and Big Bash, especially as an overseas player, put you under pressure. You are expected to stand up, deliver and win the game for your team. That’s a great experience for a player.”
But not if you’re a treacherous mercenary eh?
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It’s a bit different when you are playing on pitches where you can bowl sides out for 150. They didn’t grab the game by the scruff of the neck when they played in London.
“It’s testament to the team spirit they have built up over 18 months.”
THERE IS SO MUCH WRONG WITH THAT STATEMENT.
TRANSLATION…..”the 18 months since we dumped you know who.”
But you failed to beat Sri Lanka, New Zealand, WI, and Pakistan. Where was the spirit last month? And when are England going to worry about talent instead of spirit and trust?
It’s such bullshit.
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“The fact the guys performed so well under pressure and grabbed games by the scruff of the neck is a great testament. It’s testament to the team spirit they have built up over 18 months. They savoured that victory, they worked really hard for it.”
Cricinfo:
My goodness. Stunning start to this Test. One over. 10 for 2. Jeepers. Shaun Marsh at No. 4, but he won’t be on strike
Is Clarke even ready? Here he comes. No. 5 and in for the second over. Chin: “Doesn’t matter if Pup comes in at 4 or 5. The score is still only 10 !!”
Stokes was horizontal when he took that. Over to Peter Nevill. (Apologies for the lack of feedback being used, it’s a bit hectic at the moment)
Etc etc.
Yep, they worked really hard for that.
England did what they had to do to win the Ashes, but Australia completely sold themselves short. They blew it.
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England scored 56 off the last 15 overs of their innings with one boundary.
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The latest junk from Ed Smith…..
https://intelligentlifemagazine.com/reading-the-game/from-playing-to-punditry
It’s all about how what makes you a great player does not make you a good pundit. Unless your name is Ritchie. He doesn’t mention you know who by name, but it seems like a thinly veiled rebuke of anyone listening too much to ex great players. It all about their certainty or something.
In other night follows day news Simon Huges is moaning about the size of the crowd. I think it is time he suggested some solutions. Does he want players travelling to Pakistan at this time? Where should these matches be played?
I haven’t got a clue what the solution is, but he needs to come up with some alternatives. you can’t play every match at Lords Simon.
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Pakistan 41-3 in the 11th, All three to Topley. Bowling resources look a bit thin though.
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“A transmutation of uncertain probability….”. Huh?
That FICJAM piece is essentially “I hate Geoffrey” over and over again. For some reason, it made me think of –
Pity Shelley Duvall had a baseball bat rather than a cricket bat!
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From the article…….” Playing sport demands conviction, clarity of purpose, even blind faith. In contrast, describing sport rests on detachment, impartiality and openness to being wrong.”
Well Ed Smith, you were not a great player, so what is your excuse for the lack of detachment, impartiality, and openness to being wrong in your punditry?
Me thinks the Lady doth protest too much?
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Detachment, objectivity and openness to being wrong, eh?
Mmmmm, sounds just like the cricket punditry I’ve been reading and hearing since 2012.
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Ed Smith? Wrong? Surely not.
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Boycott, 10 times the player, 10 times the pundit. The most important quality isn’t detachment et al, it is the maintenance of critical faculties at all times.
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“In other night follows day news Simon Huges is moaning about the size of the crowd. I think it is time he suggested some solutions. Does he want players travelling to Pakistan at this time? Where should these matches be played?”
Well I’ll do some analysis.
It’s a work week.
It’s also Diwali. Pakistanis might be covering for Indian workers in companies who have taken the time off.
Simon actually reckons there is several million Pakistanis in UAE? No there’s 1.2m. Most live in the Dubai and Sharjah conurbation. Probably 200,000 max live in Abu Dhabi. Let’s say 160,000 of those are men.
Let’s say 100,000 can’t afford it or can’t get to it.
We can diminish further and further, but I’m guessing you get my point. SImon Hughes and FICJAM are bloody morons.
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Well its true. But being an average player doesn’t make you a good pundit either. A case in point.
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Mohammed Hafeez’s century is Pakistan’s first in ODIs against England since Younis Khan in 2006. It’s also only their 8th ever:
http://goo.gl/qUUDPS
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England in away ODIs against Test nations since the last time they were in UAE:
P33 W11 L22
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Scores at 30 overs (England first): 145/3 played 139/4.
Next ten overs: 33/4 played 49/0.
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Lancaster has been sacked. Cough cough….. sorry resigned. Yea right!
Paging The ECB, Paging the ECB, will Giles Clarke or Andrew Strauss please pick up the White telephone please.
Trust wins you f..k all. It’s all about talent and how best to manage it.
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So the cheif executive who hired Lancaster is not resigning. Even though he claimed he would be held responsible for his choice.
The RFU is like the ECB ,run by elite incompetents.
English sport is run by a bunch of people who know nothing of what they are doing. It’s all a Pall Mall club of face fitting and the right sort of tie. What a joke.
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It’s not cricket, but as an example of when you’re in a hole (for backing Lancaster all along the way) keep digging all the way to China journalism, it takes some beating:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/11989974/Stuart-Lancasters-reign-is-a-commendable-story-of-nearly-making-England-great.html
It gives a safe indication how much worth can be attached to ‘The Plan’.
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A ludicrous defence of the culture of “sing the national anthem louder” model of sport. Lists of buzz words, endless speeches from ex players about what it means to play. And ignore the elephant in the room. Namely we don’t have enough great players.
I’m sure Clive Woodward created a great enviroment in 2003 but the reason we won was not because we sang the anthem with more passion, but because we had a team of many great/ good players. It’s the lesson we never learn, because we want quick fixes, and we think leadership from a guru figure can fix everything. We have this same thing with English football every 4 years. We were told we must have a forigen coach. So we had 2 in a row. Both failed to win. Because we didn’t have enough great players.
But creating great players is bloody difficult, and long term. It needs lots of good coaches down at youth level. It requires time to bring them through, and it requires a shit load of luck. Alex Ferguson only ever produced one class of 92. It’s not an exact science that can be done with some pithy mission statement. So instead we hope we can turn cart horses into race horses at the last minute by filling their heads with Mumbo jumbo and trust.
Whenever England has had success, it is because by luck or judgememt we happen to have enough good/ great players at that time. And yet we always give the credit to the man who played no role in creating them. Namely the head coach.
Now having said all that, England could have done better if the coach had spent more time on simplicity and less time on culture. Play players in their right positions. Have some sort of game plan. It’s basic stuff, but combined with good players will get you along way.
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English society is run by a Pall Mall club of face fitting and the right sort of tie. It is a joke, one in poor taste.
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Younis Khan announces his retirement from ODI, just after being recalled? Well, of course he does. It’s the Pakistani way.
Look forward to seeing him in the fourth ODI.
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The England bowling attack looked very toothless apart from a spell of about 6 overs at the start of the Pakistan innings. I thought bowling the left-armers in tandem was bizarre. Why didn’t the quickest bowler, Woakes, get a spell up front? On these pitches, Willey looks like cannon foder.
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MIAB, you’re right that Woakes was the quickest bowler (nearly 5mph quicker than Willey on average, according to Hawk-eye).
However, I think it’s fair to point out that in his last five ODIs Willey has taken 10-1-69-3, 10-0-89-2, 10-0-50-2, 8-0-51-3, 6-3-13-1. Woakes, on the other hand, has 9.2-0-72-0, 10-0-64-0, 9-0-57-0, 8-1-37-0 and 4-0-22-0. So Willey has 11 wickets to Woakes’ none.
I thought the problem was more that Willey didn’t get any swing – which looked even worse because Topley at the other end was swinging it. However, more fundamentally, I feel the team is unbalanced and one bowler light. Plunkett or Jordan need to come in for a batsman which currently ought to be Hales (Root, Ali or even Willey could move to open).
It still looks a weak attack, but at least one with more options.
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Interesting listening to Aggers on 5 live last night doing his match report. He sounded genuinely pissed off with England’s performance. Pointed out the Strauss is there telling everyone that we take ODI cricket seriously. But as Aggers said, in that case how can you have just one warm up match against Hong Kong before taking on a Pakistan team in their back yard?
Dmitri on Twitter feed has a link to an Aussie fan complaining about the rise in prices at matches. A very small crowd for the final day of the Brisbane match. Aus and England going down the same model of exploitation of dwindling fans.
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Although I obviously agree with the gist of what the Aussie fan was saying, it is worth pointing out there were about 5000 at the Gabba on the last day which isn’t a bad last day crowd when play could be over in a session (as it was) and there was a dodgy weather forecast. Large Australian grounds often make it look more empty than it is.
On Strauss and prioritising ODIs, i’ve been trying to work out what this means in concrete terms. It has to mean that players are going to miss Tests to be rested for ODIs or to play in one-day tournaments (specifically the IPL). Otherwise, it’s just waffle. That means that some multi-format players (Root, Stokes, Finn; possibly Ali, Buttler and Broad) will miss Tests. I can’t see what else it can mean.
Some purists will throw up their hands at this. I’m not necessarily against it in principle (although a less ridiculous schedule is obviously the desirable long-term solution). At least, two issues arise though. One concerns ticket prices. Are they going to come down if the full-strength team isn’t playing? Secondly, which Tests do they miss? Would England allow players to miss the tour of India to play in the BBL? Or is it the tour of NZ and the early season Tests against Pakistan in 2018 that would suffer? The whole issue has the potential to open even further the emerging wedge between ‘marquee’ and ’boutique’ Tests.
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No way they will pull players out of Test matches for ODIs especially at home. The only exception might be if it’s a World Cup year. So that one is off the table.
As for a less ridiculous schedule that means less revenue. That also is off the table. So who knows what Strauss means? It sounds like public relations. I think the only thing they may do now is not have so many of the Test team involved. Particulary the top order batsman who have failed at ODI cricket for so long. Strauss himself, Nasser, Vaughn have all said they as captain of the both the test and ODI team were not top ODI players.
We do now have a non test playing ODI captain.
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Here’s the Strauss interview shown during the between innings’ break yesterday:
http://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12173/10063858/andrew-strauss-england-must-prioritise-odis-in-future
He says that it’s “almost inevitable” that players will be rested from Tests for ODIs. There’s trouble a-coming down the line….
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Strauss can’t really tell this squad to take ODIs seriously. Lacks the moral authority and dynamism to go with it after being an ODI dud most of his career and having focused on test matches. Not that this is needed in his role for pep talk by management, but really, can he add anything to these guys on how to play ODIs? Get Tresco around for the batsmen or you know who.
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A reminder of what we’re missing. Worth watching for the fawning commentary and the crowd’s reaction as much as anything else: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY2KQpMAxvI
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Thanks Strauss, Flower, Cook and Clarke for depriving me of that enjoyment.
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5:55 – “I do hope people do’nt ever take him for granted…and I do wonder how many people realise just how special he is…”
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I could watch cricket 24/7 with ease but I do wonder what is the point of all these ODI’s when we seem to treat them as a boring way to spend a day. Or am I being unfair? Spinelss display by most of the team
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Good article by Simon Jenkins at the Guardian about corruption in sport.
I posted a comment about Guardian sports’ reporting being too close to some governing bodies and coaches. It was relatively even-tempered and didn’t name any individuals (although the main example I gave wasn’t too difficult to identify if you know the backstory).
Moderated in under an hour. ‘Comment is Free’ my ****.
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Pricelss!
The Guardian had some advert/ piece up the other day by some pompus jounalist entitled……..
“how to hold powerful people to account”. BWAAAAAHHHHAAAAAAAAA
Then they take down your post in 1 hour.
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You’ve been moderated twice out of two!
No wonder they never open comments on anything to do with cricket governance, is it?
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Number one. .. are all the comments coming up ok because there is some funky stuff going on with my notification page?
Two. Not seen any of the ODI. Taped the highlights. Worth watching?
Three. Loads of stuff coming my way about press, governance etc. The blog got on the HK issue and we heard all sides I’ve since had another take on it!
There’s not much of a chance I’ll write something meaningful tonight. Just received the KP book so will give that a whirl. Frankly, work is so bloody exhausting at the moment that I could probably do without the attentions of some because I need to relax. This isn’t relaxing! !!!!!
But you know I can’t resist.
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Highlights are worth a watch for some of Hafeez’s shots alone. Pure timing on a slow pitch with ball sticking a bit. Some are nothing more than semi-defensive pushes. Also a blinding catch from the newbie Babar.
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That’s it. I’m fed up with losing against Pakistan.
When does the easy series against South Africa start? We have 6 out of 4 to win.
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Philander out of India tour after twisting ankle. He’s out for an estimated 8 weeks which makes it doubtful he’ll make the first test against England.
Steyn is also a doubt for the 2nd Test against India. Morkel is at least fit again.
LCL, on the watchability of the ODI, Pakistan in the field are always worth watching!
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The Pakistan innings is well-worth watching, just for Hafeez and Babar. The latter looks like an exciting talent. I wonder if he will be replacing Shoaib in the Test team.
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-3315800/Alastair-Cook-hoping-end-turbulent-year-success-South-Africa-not-s-headed-farming-life.html
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Etihaf Airways. … blah blah blah. Another sponsored interview.
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“Cook is clearly rueful of particular aspects of the game he felt his team could have done better with. ”
So it was the missed chances (Bell), the pesky middle order:
“so next time those middle order guys can recognise that and be able to soak up that pressure. If they do, then you think, ‘that’s what they learned’.”
Just not me guv.
‘You come here to win games, you don’t turn up just to survive and do OK, that’s not how I’ve ever operated” …Having been England’s most consistent performer in the UAE, batting for 836 minutes in the First Test – the third-longest innings in Test history – and hitting three sizable totals in the subsequent Tests, he more than deserves his rest…
He survived the innings. He did not win the games.
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Can’t see much wrong with anything he said there but I appreciate I’m probably in a minority on this blog with that view.
Anyway, Australia batting first at the WACA and Warner, Burns picking up where they left off. 83-0 off 17 currently. Could easily see another century for Warner the way he is going at the moment.
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Warner has managed that OK, 244* at stumps.
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Apparently that’s the highest ever first day score by an opener. Bloody hell! Bet he’s not batting on a doctored green-top;-)
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