The Surfer
Kallis can bowl leggies too
In the third Test against New Zealand at Johannesburg, Jacques Kallis joined Sir Garry Sobers in an exclusive two-member club of players to have scored 8000 Test runs and taken 200 wickets
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
In the third Test against New Zealand at Johannesburg, Jacques Kallis joined Sir Garry Sobers in an exclusive two-member club of players to have scored 8000 Test runs and taken 200 wickets. Read Neil Manthorp's take on the similarities of two completely different cricketers.
Full postLara appointment causes bitter divide
The reappointment of Brian Lara as West Indies captain did not go down well with everyone, and it has now emerged that Ken Gordon, the West Indies cricket Board chairman, made the announcement without the approval of the board .
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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According to caribbeancricket.com, Gordon was summoned to an emergency telephone conference immediately after the announcement where he was asked to explain why he had overstepped his authority.
A source close to Gordon made clear the frustration with the cumbersome committee structure.
"Sometimes, you just have to make a decision and move forward but every asshole has an opinion. They sit around, questioning everything. Sometimes, you need someone to just take the bull by the horns and get the job done. These directors have been there for years and all they did was run the board into bankruptcy."
Durham's little dicky bird spreads his wings
A coveted MBE for a sole Ashes appearence may have resulted in much ribbing from other players, but Paul Collingwood has certainly got even, with his notable performances in the winter tours
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
A coveted MBE for a sole Ashes appearence may have resulted in much ribbing from other players, but Paul Collingwood has certainly got even, with his notable performances in the winter tours. Donald McRae caught up with the Durham batsman on a cloudless spring day in Iveston.
Read the full piece here in The Guardian.
Full postCollingwood ducks his head shyly when asked who he pretended to be when it was his turn to bat in the street behind their house. "My brother. I wanted to be him. I idolised him."
Dish the dirt on cricket's greed
In the Guardian the excellent Frank Keating points out that this week sees the start of Sky Sports’ domination of English cricket coverage
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
In the Guardian the excellent Frank Keating points out that this week sees the start of Sky Sports’ domination of English cricket coverage. But he doesn’t think this is necessarily a bad thing.
“Greedy county club chairmen, a pusillanimous England and Wales Cricket Board and a double-crossing minister of culture are perceived as the collective culprits by cricket lovers. Will Thursday be the day that goads the fans to hit the shits? Or shall we, as ever, just shrug and get on with real life?”
He points out that a Sky subscription is no more expensive than a grandstand ticket for a Test (although many would argue that even that is grossly overpriced). And what about the absence of Richie Benaud, after countless summers of commentating on the English season?
“Oh, and sacrilege I know, but thank heavens the hagiolatry of that Aussie ancient of the muttered monosyllable is now, also, a thing of the distant past. So are romantic ideals of television coverage. Realists should stop moaning, cough up and get dished. There is no going back.”
'I never dreamed of Tendulkar as my first wicket'
On touring India as first Sikh to play for England; Test ambition of beating Steve Harmison at darts; Pleasantly surprised by support from Indian fans; Resisting a beer after Test victory in Bombay, read Matt Gatward's entertaining email
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
On touring India as first Sikh to play for England; Test ambition of beating Steve Harmison at darts; Pleasantly surprised by support from Indian fans; Resisting a beer after Test victory in Bombay, read Matt Gatward's entertaining email conversation with Monty Panesar in The Independent.
Full postICC tinkering could blight club cricket
The ICC's latest initiative on the use of technology, especially the move to allow players to challenge decisions by on-field umpires, was put forward last week by its cricket committee
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The ICC's latest initiative on the use of technology, especially the move to allow players to challenge decisions by on-field umpires, was put forward last week by its cricket committee. But Angus Fraser, who sits on that committee, wrote in his column in The Independent that he had reservations.
"The biggest fear over the proposed system is the effect it will have on "The Spirit of Cricket", the fabric of the game and the role and authority of the on-field umpire. It will undoubtedly encourage players to challenge the decisions of umpires at lower levels of the game."
He raised one other potential issue:
"Disciplining international players for their reaction to a decision will also be hard because the prospect of appealing gives them the opportunity to hang around for a period of time before walking off."
Praise for the floppy-haired farmer
Will
25-Feb-2013
Andrew Strauss heaps praise on his England team-mate Matthew Hoggard who, he feels, doesn't receive the recognition he deserves.
Behind his slightly dopey, 'Farmer Giles' exterior, is a surprisingly sharp mind. He doesn't like people knowing that he has three high-grade A-levels to his name and it is only when he is extremely bored and asks questions like "Is a vacuum really a vacuum?" and "Why is suction called suction?" that you realise that one of those A-levels is in chemistry. I am not sure if it would ruin his street cred up on the Yorkshire moors if he admitted to being clever, but in his intellect, rather like his bowling, he prefers to be under-estimated. In fact, in the England team there is an unwritten rule that none of us should ever talk to Matthew before 10am.
Warne looks to leave a legacy
While Shane Warne's attention may be directed elsewhere , today he announces the launch of a new initiative to find the next generation of legspinners .
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
While Shane Warne's attention may be directed elsewhere, today he announces the launch of a new initiative to find the next generation of legspinners.
"Perhaps I might be biased, but to me spin bowling adds something special to cricket. That is why I’m really pleased to be involved with an initiative being launched by Mitre this morning to find and help young spinners. To anybody who reckons that leg spin is a dying art, I’ll just say this: not on my watch it isn’t."
The initiative will see Warne introducing a summer programme and then, in September, he will be at a coaching day for 100 of the brightest youngsters from across the country.
Full postFlintoff ready for the top job
Richie Benaud, former Australian captain and a commentator, believes Flintoff is ready to become the full-time England captain now.
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
Richie Benaud, former Australian captain and a commentator, believes Flintoff is ready to become the full-time England captain now.
If Michael Vaughan's knee problems are long-term, then I wouldn't muck around — I would make Flintoff skipper straight away. I was made a Test captain out of the blue when I was 28. I didn't expect it — I wasn't even the Australian vice-captain at the time.