The Surfer

Fletcher may be the root of dropped catches

Why did England drop as many as nine catches in the Lord's Test

25-Feb-2013

Why did England drop as many as nine catches in the Lord's Test? Derek Pringle shares a few interesting theories in the The Telegraph, one of which says that Duncan Fletcher being left handed could be the cause.

The tricky problem is not so much beating Sri Lanka after the unexpected draw at Lord’s, but who should captain England in Australia if Vaughan cannot make the trip, writes Christopher Martin-Jenkins in The Times.

Mike Selvey writes in The Guardian that "It is further possible, although equally hypothetical, that England would have fared better with the in-form Jon Lewis as the fourth seamer rather than Sajid Mahmood."

Lionhearted Sri Lanka complete great escape

Seven Sri Lankan batsmen passed fifty and one of them, captain Mahela Jayawardene, went on to make a hundred as they infuriated England by stubbornly defending their way to a draw

Seven Sri Lankan batsmen passed fifty and one of them, captain Mahela Jayawardene, went on to make a hundred as they infuriated England by stubbornly defending their way to a draw. Here's what the papers had to say about an escape Houdini would have been proud of.

25-Feb-2013

"Stranger things have happened," said Kumar Sangakkara after Sri Lanka had lost two wickets in the second innings, "but if we get out of this it will be one of the great escapes in Test history." They did, and it was. Read David Hopps' account of events in The Guardian

Hope metamorphosed into an extremely rare sort of triumph for Sri Lanka yesterday as mounting embarrassment turned into something of a cricketing debacle for England, writes Christopher Martin-Jenkins in The Times.

England dropped nine catches in the match, three on the fifth day. Steve James says in The Guardian that Duncan Fletcher, though he showed no outward sign, must have been seething inside.

Rocket Man

If even Elton John comments on player burnouts, who else wouldn't, one would have to wonder

If even Elton John comments on player burnouts, who else wouldn't, one would have to wonder. With his penchant for flamboyant costumes and riotous parties, it may surprise some to learn that prefers Test matches to one-day pyjama cricket. Read the full piece in BBC Sport.

25-Feb-2013

"I was on tour when we won by two runs at Edgbaston. I was in the south of France and on the phone to Michael Caine - who is a big cricket fan. I was saying 'For God's sake' and he was saying 'I can't look'."

Does ruckus shows Read has Test spirit?

In his weekly column in the Sunday Telegraph , Steve James argues that Chris Read's much-publicised spat with Mushtaq Ahmed shows he has the right attitude for Test cricket and that it won't have done his chances of an England recall any harm

Martin Williamson

25-Feb-2013

In his weekly column in the Sunday Telegraph, Steve James argues that Chris Read's much-publicised spat with Mushtaq Ahmed shows he has the right attitude for Test cricket and that it won't have done his chances of an England recall any harm. Otherwise might argue that all it shows is that he's a stroppy bugger!

"Of course, last week Read allowed his aggression to manifest itself in the wrong manner and I am not condoning his behaviour, but I still cannot deny that my first reaction upon hearing of the ruckus was 'good on him'."

Save our umps!

The cry “Kill the umpire”, used to ring out only in football and baseball stadiums but now it has a presence in the field of cricket, albeit in a metaphorical sense, writes Ian Chappell

The cry “Kill the umpire”, used to ring out only in football and baseball stadiums but now it has a presence in the field of cricket, albeit in a metaphorical sense, writes Ian Chappell. Read the full article in Mid-Day.

25-Feb-2013

"An umpire is getting 96% of his decisions right, while on the other hand Hawk-Eye is guaranteed 90% correct. So, why do we need technology to protect the umpires?"

Sri Lanka's class gives England a real lesson

Sri Lanka had all but lost the first Test at Lord's at the start of the fourth day

Sri Lanka had all but lost the first Test at Lord's at the start of the fourth day. With some more stodgy batting and helpful weather, they now have a sliver of a chance to save it. Here's what the papers had to say about England's slip-up.

25-Feb-2013

On Saturday morning, England were going to win the first Test by Saturday evening. Yesterday morning, they were going to win it by teatime. Today, they will need luck with the weather if they are to win it at all, writes Christopher Martin-Jenkins in The Times.

Mahela Jayawardene denied England resolutely during his 14th Test century. David Hopps writes in The Guardian that this was a hundred to stir hopes that the Sri Lankan captaincy might finally bring fulfilment to a Test career that has never quite scaled its expected heights.

Monty Panesar has bowled just 21 overs in the match but he's given the crowd far more to cheer about than the two Sri Lankan wickets he's taken. But Lawrence Booth warns that Panesar will have to spruce up his act to avoid several earfuls in Australia.

Failing the UWTBB exams

It's report card time for New Zealand's international season and Mark Richardson plays professor

It's report card time for New Zealand's international season and Mark Richardson plays professor. The Kiwis may have passed the overall season, but failed the all important Up With The Big Boys (UWTTB) Exams. Read on in the New Zealand Herald.

25-Feb-2013

John Bracewell has an unfancied job arresting New Zealand's Test decline and the results seem unfair, given his passion and commitment to his job, writes Paul Lewis in the New Zealand Herald.

"He just can't win no matter what he does, you might say. It's true, as ever, that the blokes who trot out on the paddock have a fair bit to do with things."

Calypso magic

"I hope Dravid's men play wonderfully when they tour the Caribbean

25-Feb-2013

"I hope Dravid's men play wonderfully when they tour the Caribbean. But if Lara's West Indians play better and take the series, somewhere inside me, a boy's ghost might stir to grin and cheer as cricket's world turns right-side up again." Read Mukul Kesavan's stirring article in the The Hindu to find out why he feels that way about a team that captured the imagination and so much more.

It's rather crowded at the top

Paul Lewis asks why New Zealand perenially struggles to find quality openers, with those since 2000 enough in number to form a 13-man squad

Paul Lewis asks why New Zealand perenially struggles to find quality openers, with those since 2000 enough in number to form a 13-man squad. Read on in the New Zealand Herald.

25-Feb-2013

To say that New Zealand has not replaced Richardson is like saying that the Amazon is a bit of scrub. We haven't even replaced the guy at the other end from Richardson.

Also, read Richard Boock's views on the same topic in the New Zealand Herald.