The Surfer
The young challengers
The Challenger Trophy in Chennai will see a host of youngsters making their debut on the big scene
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
The Challenger Trophy in Chennai will see a host of youngsters making their debut on the big scene. In the Kolkata-based daily Telegraph, Mohandas Menon gives a brief summary of their careers.
Full postInzamam's conscience clear ahead of Judgement day
Amid his fraught preparations for the hearings, Inzamam-ul-Haq talks to the Guardian about life, religion and Shoaib Akhtar.
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
Amid his fraught preparations for the hearings, Inzamam-ul-Haq talks to the Guardian about life, religion and Shoaib Akhtar.
Inzamam and a majority of the Pakistan team are the most visible adherents of the Tablighi Jama'at, a south Asian Islamic movement related to the austere and uncompromising Deobandi sect. Its latest recruit is the batsman Mohammad Yousuf, formerly Yousuf Youhana, who converted from Christianity. Yousuf now regularly leads the team in prayer.
"Over the past four years, there has been a change in the Pakistan team," Inzamam says. "If you look at the team, its entire reputation has changed. In the past, before my captaincy, we used to be routinely accused of match-fixing and other scandals. Now, all the boys pray together, collectively, five times a day. There is greater unity in the team. And we are widely respected as a team with integrity."
Full postNothing to declare but little urn
The Sydney Morning Herald reports how the precious Ashes urn is set to make only its second visit to Australia since it was handed to the Hon Ivo Bligh, the England captain, by a group of ladies in 1882
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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The case containing them will have its own separate business class seat on the flight from London. It will not leave the wrist of Mr Chadwick, the MCC museum curator, who will be the only person to handle the urn during its four-month stay in Australia. Arrangements are being made to clear it through customs, including paperwork covering materials, value and provenance, a 24 hour acclimatisation period at the museum and a detailed examination. Every scratch, stain and mark is noted and photographed.The urn’s only previous visit was for Australia’s bicentenary celebrations in 1988. It was due to return in 2002 but x-rays detected cracks in the ancient terracotta pot and cricket’s most symbolic trophy had to undergo major renovation.
Warne in the news again
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
Hardly a week goes by when Shane Warne doesn't find himself in the news for all the wrong reasons and it will come as no surprise to learn that the past 48 hours have been no different, writes Richard Boock in The New Zealand Herald.
His latest circus act came during the final round of the English County Championship on Saturday when he vented his spleen at Lancashire for not declaring their second innings closed in the interests of creating an exciting finish.The Hampshire import was so incensed that he began bowling donkey-drops and other apparently ridiculous deliveries; at one point sending down a stream of bouncers and being no-balled for throwing.
Why must it always rain on Lancashire
Over the last few weeks it seemed as if Lancashire’s 72-year wait for a Championship title might be nearing an end, but once gain they just failed to do enough and the crown instead headed down to Hove.
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Over the last few weeks it seemed as if Lancashire’s 72-year wait for a Championship title might be nearing an end, but once gain they just failed to do enough and the crown instead headed down to Hove.
In The Guardian, Colin Shindler, who watches more Lancashire games than most, looked back at the season and its unsatisfactory end.
It was somehow appropriate that Lancashire's season expired at the Rose Bowl in circumstances of pure farce. It was symbolic of a season that promised so much and delivered, again, so little. On Friday we had stared mournfully as the rainwater collected in gloomy puddles on the covers. On Saturday we had the unedifying spectacle of Hampshire bowling virtually unplayable "moon" balls at Lancashire batsmen who were too embarrassed to acknowledge the conventional landmarks of their innings.
No grey in White
Will
25-Feb-2013
Opinion remains divided surrounding Cameron White. A superb summer at Somerset, whom he captained in place of the injured Ian Blackwell, he retained captaincy of his Victoria for the forthcoming season. But while his captaincy credentials are not in doubt, his allround game is; of his two facets, it is his batting which has most developed, argues Lyall Johnson in The Age
White's season with Somerset also confused the argument as to where he should bat in the order. White himself is happy to bat wherever is best for team balance, but clearly enjoyed coming in at No. 5 for Somerset and No. 3 in the limited-overs matches. He has batted mainly at No. 6 and No. 7 in four-day cricket in Victoria and numerous spots in one-day matches. Last season, he batted at No. 6 in the Pura Cup, with Jon Moss shifted back to No. 7. White's numbers with the ball for Somerset weren't quite as impressive. He grabbed only 15 wickets at an average of 48.20 in the four-day format and eight wickets at 28.50 in one-day games.
World Cup 'no' to sex workers
The build-up to the World Cup continues to throw up issues … will the grounds be ready, will the infrastructure cope
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The build-up to the World Cup continues to throw up issues … will the grounds be ready, will the infrastructure cope? But a row has broken out in Antigua over a proposal to license sex workers in the region in time for the tournament.
If people thought that being accosted by one of the ICC’s zealous anti-branding rottweilers was an issue, the Antigua Sun put them straight.
Under the Immigration and Passport Act, if an immigration officer suspects that a person is coming into the country to behave in the manner of a prostitute the officer has the authority to refuse entry.
Moves are being floated to recriminalise prostitution in time for the event – although surely the ICC should investigate the apparent links between cricket and sex – but Clyde Walker, Antigua’s chief immigration officer, had a serious warning that security officials had enough to cope with trying to "keep out terrorists, deportees, travelling criminals, and undesirables".
Full postBarmy Army beware the Aussie Posse
The Barmy Army have been entertaining supporting England for a number of years, through the dark depression of the nineties and out into the altogether brighter 2000s
Will
25-Feb-2013
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The Barmy Army have been entertaining supporting England for a number of years, through the dark depression of the nineties and out into the altogether brighter 2000s. But with the Ashes a mere 59 days, 13 hours, and 28 minutes (ish) away comes the news that Australia are urging their public not only to turn up at the cricket, but beat the Barmies at their own game. Further proof in video format here and here - two commercials airing on Australian TV at the moment.
Never mind the cricket; this winter's real contest could be in the stands.
Full postKeeping it simple
Bob Woolmer's recent suggestions to legalise ball-tampering in order to even things out between batsmen and bowlers may not be in the best interests of the game, writes Bob Simpson in Sportstar
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
Bob Woolmer's recent suggestions to legalise ball-tampering in order to even things out between batsmen and bowlers may not be in the best interests of the game, writes Bob Simpson in Sportstar. The trend of batsmen leaking runs at will has coincided with the decline in bowling standards.
But why, after 100 years plus and in an era which is claimed to be the most scientific and professional ever, do bowlers need outside aid and changes to the law when, for over a century, Test bowlers have used guile, skill, hard work and the mastery of line and length to obtain results? Is it that the modern bowlers have lost all these abilities?
The way forward is for bowlers to keep it simple, like Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, who've each fetched over 500 Test wickets by just sticking to the basics.
Full postThe writer in Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell may have been a hard taskmaster during his Australian captaincy days, but as Will Swanton of The Sun Herald observed, meeting Chappell now would 'dispel every ill-conceived notion you had of him'
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
Ian Chappell may have been a hard taskmaster during his Australian captaincy days, but as Will Swanton of The Sun Herald observed, meeting Chappell now would 'dispel every ill-conceived notion you had of him'. Chappell's contributions as a cricket writer is as significant as his insightful commentary and he recounts his early days as a writer, and what it takes to succeed in the field.
"There was a quote from Red Smith's son which said the thing he remembered most about his dad's writing was that he used to pore over a word. He just wanted to get the right word. That's always stuck in my mind. I get like that. I think, 'Shit, there's a better word for this'. You find the right word and it lifts the sentence so much."
On the topic of the Ashes, Chappell rates England's chances, and he strongly feels that Andrew Flintoff's appointment as captain is an aggressive move which should serve England well.
Read the full piece here.
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