Barry's Beef

We have all had our own experiences but, to my mind, there is no more a fickle mistress than the English cricket team. Today sees the start of the Second Test Match against the West Indies and after the First Test only two things emerged: English weather is still shit a characteristic shared by the bowling attack, Monty aside.
When Hoggard pulled up early doors, things looked glum for England. Paul Collingwood bowling second change? Hmmmmmm...maybe this attack is going to struggle to get 20 wickets. As it transpired they toiled away to get the 10 wickets they managed. With Hoggard out, you would have expected, ok crossed your fingers and hoped, that Steve Harmison and Liam Plunkett would step up to the plate, which to be fair they did. They just weren't successful. Between the two of them over both innings they bowled a combined 77 overs conceding 293 runs and taking 3 wickets. In the words of the greats, let's break it down: that's 77 overs at 3.8 runs per over, getting a wicket for every 97.66 runs conceded with a strike rate of one wickets every 154 balls, or 25.66 overs if you prefer metric.
Freddie is missed for sure, but without Monty we would have been in so much trouble against, well, it's not the most inspiring West Indies batting line-up. Yes, they boast Gayle, Sarwan and Chanderpaul but it's a long way short of Haynes, Greenidge, Richards, Richardson, Hooper, Lara and all those others who I have seen pulverise England in my formative years.
So what to do? Here's the tricky bit. Rumours that 'White Lightning' Allan Donald is to be the next England bowling coach are encouraging and show that the bowling is in desperate need of a shake-up. The age-old quest to find a bowler who can bat at number 8 (in England you'd be more likely to find the Holy Grail) has been ditched to finding bowlers who can 'bowl in the right places', 'in the corridor of uncertainty' or basically fast and straight.
The inclusion of Ryan Sidebottom, belatedly making his second English appearance, offers England someone who can bowl straight and is consistent, he is also a left-hander who will add variety to a samey attack and has experience of Headingley having come up through the Yorkshire youth system and into their first XI.
However, these problems are not only found in England. With Warne and McGrath retired along with the, as yet, last greats of world bowling: Ambrose and Walsh; Wasim and Waqar and Donald, there is only Murali, Shane Bond and probably Mohammed Asif left (Pollock, Kumble and Harbajhan aren't what they used to be). Batsmen should be filling their boots and they have: look at England. We have Strauss (test average 42.66), Cook (46.42), Vaughan (42.94), KP (50.50), Collingwood (44.58), Bell (45.52) with Trescothick at a measly 43.79 hopefully to return. I would play five batsmen with Freddie (32 with both bat and ball) at 6 and Matt Prior (147...really, ok after just one Test but still) at 7. Let's be modest then and say that the five batsmen will score 40 each (conservative estimation given that they all average higher than 40) and Freddie and Prior score 30 each. That'll give you 260 and hope that the last four can nurgle 40-odd. So this should be the bare minimmum an England side batting first should score. For the non-batting bowlers you'd have Hoggard and Monty and then who? How long does Harmison stay in the team on reputation? Will Plunkett and Mahmood ever be anything more than worryingly inconsistent? Will James Anderson ever be as wicked as he was when he first emerged on the scene? Will Sidebottom take his chance and stake his claim to a permanent spot? Is Stuart Broad as good as he looks? Will Simon Jones ever be fully fit again?
Basically, it is time for the batsmen to carry the bowlers: we need five bowlers so the batsmen have got to knuckle down and do their job. The bowling attacks are more playable than for the whole on the 1990s so come on England, score loads.

Labels: cricket, England, West Indies

So Stevie Mac doesn't care what people write? Well that's handy. Another woefully, inept performance last night. Even after having my senses dulled by alcohol and fish goujons, this sucked. Macca do the right thing, put your hand up and say you are not doing a very good job. Then consider very carefully whether you, in your heart of hearts, think you're up to the job. If you are, then please demonstrate it soon. At your own convenience, of course. If, on the other hand, you feel incapable of doing the job, feel you are not cut out for it, out of your depth and totally clueless (perish the thought) then go. Resign. And go back to some poor unsuspecting team. Seriously, you're making me feel all nostalgic for Sven, I have never heard so many people say that they don't care about England. This is down to you. And the players naturally, but mostly you. How have you managed to get Rooney playing quite so shockingly? Why on Earth, do you think England might be a better team with Phil Neville around (even Sven had the sense to drop him)? Now that you saw Stevie G boss the show from the middle will, you please not put him back on the wing? Finally, if we don't have quality strikers, why do you continue to play 4-4-2? If you want to play Frank and Stevie G (which you so obviously do) why don't you play a five-man midfield? God's sake, I'm just a jobbing blogger but there are loads of us who really think you're crap and you're dragging our country down with you.

Labels: England, Steve McClaren

Good news! Tactical genius and all-round superb choice as national manager, Steve McLaren has had his midfield selection dilemma solved by Frank Lampard pulling out of tonight's match with a...fractured wrist, please no jokes. I think this will mean I'll watch the match tonight. come on England.

p.s Genius Lampard pic was lifted from an old Guardian gallery.

Labels: England, Frank Lampard, Steve McClaren

Despite not having the greatest weekend, I was blessed to have missed the vast majority of England's 0-0 draw against Israel. I am waiting for an England player to now announce that "Andorra are one of the world's top teams." So let's have a quick look at what England's problems are: we can't score, the midfield's not producing that much and the defence looks a bit shaky. Our keeper is also out of form.
So who needs to be dropped? And more importantly who should be called up to the team? Andrew Johnson is the obvious patsy here, but if he gets decent service he'll score. Drop Rooney? Ermmm, no. So it's back to my favourite hobby-horse, see you later Frank. Hargeaves in centre mid with Stevie G. That's Stevie G, playmaker and midfield dynamo, not Stevie G rent-a-day right winger. Lennon on the right and bang Dyer on the left until Joe Cole is fit, i.e. physically - his large head and habit of sticking out his tongue when being good making the more urban meaning an improbability. That means Lamps on the bench.
Drop Rio for a game or two. He's a classy player for sure, but looks like a man secure in the knowledge that he could do practically anything and not be dropped. Put Carragher or Woodgate in central defence. Give Phil Neville his P-45. Ashley Cole will be in after suspension on Wednesday with Micah Richards fitting in at right back. Robinson should also be put on the bench. I imagine Foster will get the nod, I mean he does play for Manchester United (sort of); although Scott Carson is the best English keeper around.
I'd probably drop the lad McClaren too. God knows who'd replace him though, what about Beckham? As ever, come on England.

Labels: England

Things started off very strange, India beaten comfortably by Bangladesh and then Ireland celebrated St Patrick's Day by pulling off one of the biggest shocks of all time by beating Pakistan by 3 wickets, having already lost to the West Indies in the tournament's opening match it meant the end for Pakistan. India should still progress. And then England stuttered into action, as Australia were thrashing Holland, England sealed a convincing, if not all that encouraging, win against the plucky Canadians. England's performance was over-shadowed by five of the squad going on the piss and Freddie falling off a pedallo. Pissed. Freddie was dropped for Essex's Ravi Bopara who performed pretty decently. Perhaps for the must-win match against Kenya, England will perservere with Bopara and drop Dalrymple who's not having the greatest of tournmaents as of to date. Sweetstuff likes the idea of bringing Strauss in for either Bell or Joyce. Personally, it is getting frustrating to watch Ian Bell hit another classy 20/30 without making more and Joyce looks good but I am not 100% sold. So, yes I would bring Strauss back in.
And then Googly sent me a text to tell me that Bob Woolmer, the Pakistani coach, had been found unconscious in his hotel room and pronounced dead at a local hospital. I am really at a loss as what to say, apart from to pay tribute to a man who achieved a lot in his career as a player, and perhaps more so as a coach. He was rumoured to be one of the favourites to succeed Duncan Fletcher as England coach. And this news was compounded by Inzi's decision to stand-down as test captain and retire from One Day Internationals.

Labels: Andrew Strauss, Bob Woolmer, cricket World Cup, Ed Joyce, England, Freddie, Ian Bell, Inziman Ul-Haq, Pakistan, Ravi Bopara

Labels: cricket World Cup, England, KP, New Zealand

Not long to go now. The Cricket World Cup is a just around the corner. It's so exciting that even England losing 3 quick wickets and Paul Allott doing commentary can't get me down. As someone who is notoriously rubbish at predictions, I thought I'd pick out the players to watch. This should serve as the proverbial kiss of death.

Bermuda - Well there can only be one man to watch. Probably because you can't miss him, it's the Big Guy: Dwayne Leverock. When not spinning out England's best, he eats.

Canada - John Davison's century against the Windies in the '03 World Cup was sensational (as was the catch to dismiss him). Also the only Candian player I have heard of.

Scotland - It's all about Gavin Hamilton. A former England international with the kind of test match figures that make Raul Lewis look like Murali - in his only test match Hamilton bagged a pair and didn't take a wicket. Now he doesn't bowl much after a debilitating bout of the yips. Bats well for Scotland though.

Ireland - Opening bat, William Porterfield has had a Hussey-esque start to his career, averaging something daft like 75. No more Ed Joyce for the Irish, so Porterfield looks the most capable of filling the void.

Australia - Hard to pick just one, but it must be Ricky Ponting. Words fail me, this guy is just plain brilliant.

South Africa - Speaking of brilliant, how about Shaun Pollock? Economical, takes wickets and scores runs too, normally quickly with plenty of boundaries.

England - If he stays fit and bats like he did today, it's time for Michael Vaughan. Captain, classy bat and Sheffield Wednesday supporter Michael Vaughan, my lord Michael Vaughan...

West Indies - Is there a cool man in the building? Enter Chris Gayle, a man so cool it's unreal. Also my favourite contemporary cricketer, expect Gayle to give some poor bastards a real battering

India - Yuvraj Singh is that most valued of one-day commodities - a finisher, and like Ronsil he does exactly what it says on the tin. Now recovered from injuries and chuck in his handy left-arm spin and he's a good bet.

Pakistan - With Mohammed Asif and Shoaib Akhtar injured and/or high (allegedly) the Pakistani attack will need Umar Gul to be at his best. His best is very, very good.

New Zealand - Having injured his finger, Jacob Oram considered having it amputated so as not to miss the World Cup - that kind of dedication combined with hitting the balls miles and being a top notch first change bowler makes Jacob Oram my Kiwi to watch.

Sri Lanka - I remember Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana battering everyone in the 1996 World Cup. 11 years on and Jayasuriya is still doing it and taking quite a few wickets with his innocuous looking spin.

Bangladesh - Aftab Ahmed. Can't get too excited about Bangladeshi cricket.

Zimbabwe - Prosper Utseya stands out as having a quite remarkable economy rate in ODIs, especially considering that the team he plays for are little better than hopeless. He's about 21, captain and has a good name. I do miss the Zimbabwe team of the late 90s: Murray Goodwin, Neil Johnson, Andy and Grant Flower, Heath Streak...now look at them. So bad, I think Mugabe's in the squad.

Kenya - Christ on a bike, how many team are in this competition? At least Kenya are good value to watch and always likely to surprise - remember Cameron Cuffy being clean bowled to give Kenya a famous win over the Windies in WC 96? Anyway, Steve Tikolo has been playing for decades, so he must be doing something right.

Holland - They're not going to do much, I fear but at least among their ranks the Dutch have Ryan ten Doeschete: a good all-rounder and particularly explosive bat. He also play County Cricket for Essex. What a man.

Labels: Australia, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Canada, England, Holland, India, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Zimbabwe

Down the years, England have had a disturbing habit of playing spin with as much confidence as a frustrated virgin in a swingers bar. Shane Warne might as well be bowling an invisible ball and then there's Murali, Harbajhan, Mushie, Saqlain and Kumble. Bloody hell, I even remember New Zealand's Matthew Hart deceiving England back in the 1990s. But Bermuda's Dwayne Leverock? Well quite. This guy is on the burly side of burly. He's a big lad but he's just finished with figures of 2-32 off 10 overs - the wickets of KP and Collingwood quenching his appetite. According to the gospel of all things cricket, Cricinfo Leverock is not the "fleetest of foot in the outfield".
Mind if Leverock can turn it wildly, you got to think that monty is going to rip this lot out in quick order. Here's hoping anyway.

Labels: Bermuda, Dwayne Leverock, England, KP, Paul Collingwood

Last night I had a fine old time debating cricket with the oracle of all things cricket Googly. Now this man is a true one-off, a phenomenon with an immense knowledge of cricket, we immediately set to discussing what has the potential to be the most exciting development in English cricket since the 2005 Ashes victory. For years and years, England fans have decried the misfortune of not having a world class spinner: Tuffers had his moments but the 90s and 2000s were a barren period. As Australia produced Warne and Macgill, Pakistan boasted Saqlain, Mushtaq (bowling Mushie) and Kaneira, India had Harbajhan and Kumble, Sri Lanka delivered the maestro Murali and even New Zealand turned out Daniel Vettori; England toiled away with such bowlers as Croft; Such; Dawson; Giles; Schofield; Udal; Blackwell; Illingworth and Salisbury. Even John Childs, then aged 123 got his debut in 1988 (or '87 - Googly?)
And then came Monty. And behold he was good. Very good. It's refreshing but the news that caught my attention was that the aforementioned Saqlain has receovered from a career-threatening knee injury, married an English woman and got a contract to play for sussex. Basically put he should be eligible to play for England in 2008 when he will be, a relatively sprightly, 31. Saqlain was the pioneer of the 'doosra' - the one that goes the other way with the identical action to his stock delivery. He was the youngest player ever to reach 100, 150, 200 and 250 One Day International wickets - and reached these milestones in less matches than any other player. He has also scored a test match century. And no less of an authority than Michael Atherton held him to be top, top drawer.
The notion of Monty and Saqlain in tandem (just think of the beards and fingers twirling in unision) with a pace attack of any of Freddie, Broad, Anderson, Harmison, Hoggard or Jones. Oh yes.

On a side note, we also attempted to compile our best ever England and World test XIs (within our living memory). It soon became clear we wouldn't agree on the World XI. Even withstanding Googly's irrational dislike of Jacques Kallis, how can you fit Steve Waugh, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Rahul Dravid in a batting line up? Similarly how can you pick a bowling attack out of Wasim, Waqar, Curtley Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Murali, Donald and Pollock?

Anyway we sort of agreed on an England team:

Michael Atherton
Marcus Trescothick
Graham Gooch
Robin Smith
Graham Thorpe
Alec Stewart
Andrew Flintoff
Darren Gough
Andrew Caddick
Monty Panesar
Angus Fraser

Stewart as keeper and probably Gooch (maybe Athers) as captain. This post has made me happy.

Labels: cricket, England, Monty, Saqlain Mushtaq

After England beat Australia in the ODIs, I got a text message from A Source Formerly Close to the PM who was quite excited by Jamie Dalrymple's catch to dismiss Shane Watson. Well, here it is for you to enjoy in all it's glory. You got to love Freddie sliding in to congratulate him and Mark Nicholas, always prone to hyperbole even at his calmest, going with "a phenomenal grab...[some noises indicating that he's just seen one of the world's great marvels]...one of the great catches."

Labels: Australia, England, Jamie Dalrymple, Shane Watson

After a 5-0 mauling in the Ashes, England somehow turned things around and won the Tri-Series. In the final, you will recall that, England won 2-0 and, therefore, with the result already determined the third match didn't happen. And then to compound things for our Antipodean cousins, our other Antipodean cousins have also beaten them 2-0 in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy. Yet New Zealand will have the chance to get another morale pumping victory, and the Aussies get the chance to win and regain some confidence. Bloody conspiracy, I tell you.

Labels: Australia, England, New Zealand

In with the new and out with the old was the key phase for England's World Cup squad. Mal Loye, the explosive opening bat, has lost out to Essex all-rounder, Ravi Bopara for the last spot in the England squad. Loye (36)* has long since been the scourge of County attacks on the domestic front, but despite several bright starts has failed to go on and score a big score for England. Bopara (21)** offers a lot of what England need: an intelligent, elegant batsman who can bowl a fair bit - his first international wicket (which he is celebrating in the photo) was none other than 'Mr Cricket' Mike Hussey. He also gives the squad a better balance as England already have sufficent top order batsmen in the XV. It's unlucky for Loye but given captain Michael Vaughan's (32)*** tendency to get injured he may well yet appear.
On the bowling front it is as expected with Saj Mahmood (25)**** getting the nod over Stuart Broad (20)***** Personally, I would have gone the other way with Mahmood being a bit expensive for my taste and Broad is a type of quick that we don't have in the squad. What it does mean is the end of Darren Gough's international career. As England flopped from disgraceful performance to abysmal surrender to abject attempt of cricket, Gough was again touted as the saviour. However, as England turned things around and eventually prevailed against the Convict Scum ******, it became clear that England could win without Gough (36)*******. I think we can now expect Gough not to renew his contract and Essex and to announce his retirement imminently. I hope this isn't the case, Essex needs you Dazzler!

* including their age in brackets clearly denotes journalistic talent and research
** ditto
*** ditto
**** God, I'm good
***** So good
****** No, they really are.
******* You get the drill now?

Labels: Darren Gough, England, Mal Loye, Michael Vaughan, Ravi Bopara, Saj Mahmood, Stuart Broad, World Cup

Back in the team after over a month after his coach, Fabio Cappello wrote him off and said he'd never play for Real Madrid again. Beckham found himself, thanks to injuries, back in the Real starting XI and equalised with a trademark free kick in Real's 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad. I have always been a fan of Beckham and reckon he's still got much to offer. I'm not saying he'd answer all of England's woes, but he might make a better fist of it than some who are currently getting a chance.

Labels: David Beckham, England, Real Madrid

2-0. Didn't even need the third final. Bring our brave boys home. Hahahaha.

Labels: Australia, cricket, England, whitewash

I said he was out of form. I said I would have taken Bopara to the World Cup instead of him. And what the f*ck do I know? 2 games, 2 centuries. Collingwood's back. England win. England win. Come on England.

Labels: England, Paul Collingwood

I was supposed to miss the latest debacle served up by Macca and the boys, I was supposed to go to Leytonstone to a meeting with speakers including Harry Cohen, John McDonnell and Katy Clark. However, when Gutbuster pulled out I didn't fancy it on my own and, somewhat strangely, I felt a calling, a duty if you will, to watch England.
Well it's a case of what might have been. That was a pretty piss England performance. England didn't turn up and looked toothless. Big Boy up front on his own didn't do anything. Macca did, however, solve the eternal problem of England's left flank. He literally didn't play anyone there. Thank goodness Macca wasn't a General at Waterloo. Nominally it was Lampard but in reality Lamps was about as left as the current Labour heirachy. With Barry and Downing in the squad, Macca decided to start with Phil Neville. That's a good omen.
I know we were lacking a number of players, but the lot who turned out were proper poor. This is a combination of the players and the tactics. It just seems that whatever formation Macca goes for, he doesn't seem to tell the team until mid-way through the anthem. Just play 4-4-2 mate. If you can play left-footed players at left-back and left-midfield and stop trying to fit Lamps and Gerrard into centre midfield we might even turn in a performance worthy of the name. This is no slight on Lamps purported weight, but Gerrard is far and away the better player.
What Macca needs to recognise, and pretty damn soon, is that you pick a formation and then pick the players to fit into that system. You do not, sorry you really really should not, pick 11 players and put them into a formation. Lamps/Gerrard is a case in point. Macca, and Svennis before him, seems besotted with putting them in the same midfield. I am not sure how many more times they have got to fail to click not to get picked. I mean look at Spain, they had Alonso and Fabregas on the bench and, for my money, they're better than Lamps; hell Alonso didn't even get on at all. This means that you drop Lampard and play Hargreaves. If Hargreaves is injured again, you pick someone who can play the holding role, whether that is Carrick, Barton or Butt or anyone frankly. You don't put Lampard there and hope he'll play in a way that is totally alien to his instinct.
Equally, you pick someone who can play on the left of midfield and don't just put the odd one out of the centre midfield there as if you were, in effect, sending them to Coventry. For goodness sake, it's not rocket science. The idea continues: you play strikers who can score, have pace and compliment each other (not in a "oooh Wayne I do like that shirt" way, although it's quite an amusing concept.) Crouch on his own? Now I know the big-lad-with-a-good-touch is a bit of a freak, but he's alright. Yet, playing on his own he's about as effective as the Liberal Democrat party. We have loads of young, quality strikers so if Macca is hell-bent, as it seems, on not giving Defoe a proper chance he could call up, say, Leroy Lita or David Nugent or Gabriel Agbonlahor or Ashley Young. Just take the plunge Macca.
The current team and the current management are treading water. Next up Israel and, sadly, they're not the mickey mouse outfit they were a few years ago. I'd even go so far as to say if it wasn't for a rather heated second-half debate on who's better Sharpe or Jack Bauer (it's Sharpe by light-years) this would have been one of the most deflating 90 minutes of my life.
Mind due, it could always be worse, I could be Barry O'Beef and I could be Irish and could have just watched my team scrape a 2-1 win over San Marino, a team with all the class and talent of the Queen's Head 3rd XI.

Labels: England, Frank Lampard, Mclaren, proper tactics, Steven Gerrard

Next up to Australia. Come on England, you can do it. Perhaps.

Labels: Australia, England

Ok so he has had what some would call a chequered past (he's only 24), but Joey Barton sure can play. Yes he's stubbed a cigar out in the face of a youth team player, beaten up some kid in Thailand and bared his arse against Everton back in September but Barton's high point must surely be his response to England players releasing their autobiographies after the World Cup. His exact quote is as accurate as it is blunt: "Why were they bringing books out? It’s like 'we got beat in the quarter-finals, I played like s***, Here’s my book.' Who wants to read that?" I don't think you can argue with that.
So what if this has put the noses of such literary luminaries as Gerrard and Lampard out of joint, frankly their performances during the World Cup did the same to a large portion of the country's football fans. Barton is set to remain unrepentant and fair play to him.
Also included are Kieron Dyer and Jonathan Woodgate after their injury woes and recalled after 4 years is Gareth Barry. These are all plusses, so I'll put my hand up and say 'Well done Steve McLaren'. The squad doesn't quite score an A* though. I would have had Matt Taylor in as left-back cover and wouldn't have included either John Terry or Andrew Johnson. It's only a friendly and as neither of these players are fit yet, wouldn't it make more sense to brave it with kids? Any one of Agbonlahor, Young, Lita, Nugent, Walcott or Derbyshire (all in the U-21 squad) may have been worth a go. And at the back you got to think Sol Campbell's renaissance at Portsmouth has been mighty impressive.
Out goes Kieran Richardson (back to the U-21 squad) but sadly there is no call-up for Scott Carson and Jenas is still in the squad. I would have liked to see Kevin Nolan or, as an outside shout, Tom Huddlestone.
All in all though, it's the most encouraged I have been during the McLaren era. Now we got to see who he actually plays. As ever, come on England.

Labels: England, Frank Lampard, Joey Barton, Sol Campbell, Steven Gerrard, young strikers

If there's one thing we can learn from the factual fly-on-wall documentary, Party Animals it is that bag-carriers not only aspire to, but also can grow into roles of immense power. But it shouldn't take some pseudo-political, sexually charged BBC farrago to prove this, just look at the improbable looking Steve McLaren, head honcho of England but better known as bag-carrier in chief to Svennis and Fergie.
And after doing the bare minimum to prove his worth, he pitches up as England coach. If there is one man who could possibly induce a feeling of enthused nostalgia for Svennis, it is McLaren. Results have gone down the pan.
Today, he should redeem himself by recalling such players as Kieron Dyer and Jonathan Woodgate to the squad. With Ashley Cole now out surely Matty Taylor of Portsmouth should get the call as back up for Wayne Bridge? I would also like to see Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton in the squad together with Scott Carson - for my money the best English keeper in the Premiership.
However, Macca's day got off to a sluggish start as another Macca stole the limelight: Massimo Maccarone, the former U-21 Italian international incredibly improbably signed for a whopping £8.15 million by none other than...Steve McLaren during his tenure as Middlesbrough chief. Massimo Maccarone was never really given a fair crack of the whip at Boro, I mean if you splurge over £8 million, it's probably worth giving the lad a run in the team? Pah! What do I know? I'm not the England manager. I'll let the hot blooded Italian's comment stand alone, I don't think there's a lot to add, but I do reckon there's something rotten in the state of Steve McLaren.

"The ever-smiling Steve 'The Magnificent' McClaren is the most two-faced and false person I've had the misfortune to meet in football. He disgusted me by leaving me on the bench for the 2004 League Cup final after having told everyone I was his number one and he was counting on me. At the end all he could do was mutter 'I know, I know'."


Rumours abound that he has been misquoted, or rather mis-translated but he can't have been mistranslated that inaccurately, can he? McLaren seems to be gutless, tactically naive (or inept) without demanding the respect of his players.

Labels: England, Massimo Maccarone, Steve McLaren

You read it rght. England absolutely clobber the Aussies with a 92 run victory. Oh happy days, or perhaps oh happy day. Ed Joyce making a maiden One Day International century, a half centruy from Ian Bell and important contribtions from Loye, Strauss and Dalrymple took England to an impressive 292. For an out of form team reported to be struggling for morale it is a phenomenal performance.
Personally, I was overjoyed to see Ravi Bopara makes his debut. Ok so I am an Essex fan, but Essex players in the team just makes sense. Like the England selectors I really am not sure who to play as the first XI in ODIs (unlike the selectors, however, I am not paid for the honour) so instead I'll plump for some security and go for the squad of 15:

Ed Joyce
Mal Loye
Kevin Pietersen
Andrew Flintoff
Andrew Strauss
Ravi Bopara
Jamie Dalrymple
Chris Read/James Foster
Liam Plunkett
Monty Panesar
James Anderson
Ian Bell
Michael Vaughan
Stuart Broad
Jon Lewis

I know there's no Collingwood and no Nixon, but them be my choices. However, rumours have emerged today in no less an authoirty than the Daily Mail that the selectors are going to make a panic call for Darren Gough (other names netioned in the mix have been James Kirtley and Ryan Sidebottom).. I don't think this would be a progressive move at all and would give Plunkett, Broad, Chris Tremlett or Saj Mahmood a prolonged run in the team.
And just in case anybody has forgotten: we rammed it up 'em today!

Labels: Australia, England, One Day Internationals