The Surfer
In for a chaotic summer
There used to be a rhythm to the cricketing summer in England which has now been disrupted by the chaotic schedule for this year's Ashes, writes Matthew Engel in the Times .
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
There used to be a rhythm to the cricketing summer in England which has now been disrupted by the chaotic schedule for this year's Ashes, writes Matthew Engel in the Times.
There are three separate elements to the unholy trinity that will mark the start of the Ashes: Cardiff-Wednesday-July
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However, starting Tests on Thursdays was an unbroken tradition in England for half a century from 1955 to 2005. The Thursday start maximises revenue because it offers two strong weekdays to the corporate hospitality classes while still retaining an excellent probability of a full weekend. And the tradition became ingrained in the minds of all English cricket followers. Whatever other association Thursday might have in their lives — pay day, dustbin day, double maths, meet the lads at the pub night — they also knew that in summer it would very likely mean the start of a Test match: take the radio; check the web; switch on the telly. Only four of this summer’s seven Tests have Thursday starts. There will be utter confusion.
The strange case of a captain picked by mistake
Nigel Harvie Bennett, who died on July 26, 2008, aged 95, was an unwitting entrant into cricket folklore
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
Nigel Harvie Bennett, who died on July 26, 2008, aged 95, was an unwitting entrant into cricket folklore. He was appointed as Surrey's captain by mistake, after being confused with his namesake, and led the county to little success in 1946. The Times reveals more.
While the search was on for Major Leo, Major Nigel Bennett popped in to renew his membership. Alf Gover, in his autobiography, wrote that the pavilion clerk took the papers in to the secretary, who happened to have the chairman with him: they offered the captaincy to this Major Bennett, who accepted.
Gambhir top of the class
The New Zealand tour ended in anti-climax, with the Wellington weather denying India a 2-0 series victory and making them wait a few more months for their 100th Test win
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
The New Zealand tour ended in anti-climax, with the Wellington weather denying India a 2-0 series victory and making them wait a few more months for their 100th Test win. Dileep Premachandran in his blog on the Times website gives the players marks out of 10 for their efforts.
Full postThe Claude with a silver lining
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
Claude Henderson grew up in Worcester in the Cape winelands, had a fine schoolboy career and went straight into first-class cricket for Boland, first under Bob Woolmer, before transferring to Western Province, where Duncan Fletcher was coach. He was picked for South Africa and played seven Tests, but his place was never secure.
Disillusioned, he turned his back on his country, falling into the arms of the East Midlands. A six-month contract with Leicestershire became a long-term year-round one, and he and his wife Nicci put down roots. The lanky left-arm spinner, the first Kolpak, talks about the journey so far in the Times.
Full postTaking up England's lead role
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
Andrew Strauss must feel that he is suddenly in with a chance of securing the captaincy in all three forms of the game, after the way he batted in the fourth ODI in Barbados. With the announcement of England's World Twenty20 squad imminent, one can't write him off, especially as there's no obvious captaincy candidate to replace him, writes former England coach Duncan Fletcher in his blog on the Guardian website.
Strauss is an intelligent cricketer who isn't scared to move out of his comfort zone...any captain can perform in easy conditions, but it takes the best to go out there and do it when it counts. Strauss has done a very good job all tour.
Question marks from Sri Lanka
The Oxford Dictionary says 'interim' means ‘intended to last for only a short time until a more permanent solution is found.’ Ironically, politicians in Sri Lanka have used this word to explain the formation of ad-hoc committees to run Sri Lanka
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
The Oxford Dictionary says 'interim' means ‘intended to last for only a short time until a more permanent solution is found.’ Ironically, politicians in Sri Lanka have used this word to explain the formation of ad-hoc committees to run Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) whenever they find a ‘hard nut’ who is exploiting the situation and they have no control over it. SR Pathiravitana expresses his concerns in his column in the Sunday Times, the Sri Lankan daily.
...We are not concerned about anyone’s personal credentials or individual capabilities. What we are really concerned about is that by an unsuitable person occupying a hot seat at SLC what bad effects it could have on the general well being of cricket on either side of the boundary line and what repercussions it would bring to our national cricket in the long run.
In his column in the same paper, Roshan Abeysinghe believes that domestic cricket in Sri Lanka is not being taken seriously enough.
Full postParnell starts to purr
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Peter Roebuck has followed the rise of South Africa over the past five months and continues to like what he sees. In the Sydney Morning Herald he says Wayne Parnell, who took four wickets in the second ODI in Centurion, is the latest member of the growing band of promising cricketers breaking through.
Briefly glimpsed in Australia sending down a handful of overs, the lanky left-armer belongs to the old school of swing bowling. Those scanning the card might imagine he produced an unplayable succession of deliveries that behaved along the lines of an escaping mosquito. In fact, he merely followed in the footsteps of the fine curl and cut bowlers of the past ...
Boxing day deserves the Basin
On the first day of the third Test between New Zealand and India, the bleachers and embankment were all but full, and it was only on the second day that a packed crowd was visible
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
On the first day of the third Test between New Zealand and India, the bleachers and embankment were all but full, and it was only on the second day that a packed crowd was visible. Throw in the fine weather and it has been two days of Test match atmosphere that the Basin reserves for the Wellington faithful, who must surely pine for the return of the Boxing Day test. Mark Richardson in the New Zealand Herald has more.
It's hard to call the Boxing Day test traditional, having only started in this country in 1998 and been played five times.
However, in that time for no other reason than it fell on Boxing Day, it quickly earned the "traditional" tag and so when taken away got the expected cries of foul play. The "tradition" was broken by the ever-growing threat to test cricket in general - known as commercial realities.
Plenty of positives
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
England return home finally with something to show for eleven-and-a-half weeks in the Caribbean. Both Andrews, Strauss and Flower, had a massive task in just bringing some stability to a squad that would have taken sides in the dispute, been factional, and low in morale after the upheaval and a tough time in India, writes Mike Selvey in his blog on the Observer website.
Together, two understated but extremely tough individuals have left their mark, making hard decisions in pursuit of an ethic that involved less mollycoddling and more personal responsibility. None of this change would happen overnight, but the evidence is there that the cosy culture has been supplanted.
Claire Taylor hits history for six
After 120 years a woman is named in Wisden's cricketers of the year – heralding a new era for the women's game
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
After 120 years a woman is named in Wisden's cricketers of the year – heralding a new era for the women's game. Finally the fact that these ladies can play a bit has been recognised, writes Carrie Dunn in the Guardian.
Full postWisden has been naming cricketers of the year since 1889, and Claire Taylor is the first woman to be included on that roll of honour – even though the women's team has been playing Tests since 1934. One can attribute today's award to Taylor's brilliance – obviously – but also to the England women's raised media profile.