Barry's Beef

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

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

So I managed to get home without hearing any other daft bets, but on the way home I thought it might be a good idea to stay up and listen to the cricket. Sadly, no Sky chez Beef but Radio 5 Sports Extra is a passable alternative, even if too long of Jonathan Agnew commentating does induce certain psychotic trends.
And what a day. KP gets 158 (for the third time) and Paul Collingwood hits 206, the first time England have had a double centurion in Australia in 70 years and the first double century of Colly's test career. Then there was the coup de grace from Ashley Giles and Freddie with Freddie putting the icing on the cake by removing Justin Langer for 4. Obviously, Geraint Jones' 1 was a clear determination that he is the superior batsman to Chris Read. The tit.
And to make it all the sweeter? Those two talismen of years and Ashes gone by, Messrs Warne and McGrath had mares. Warne's 1-167 was his most expensive return in test cricket, the poker-mad Warney will be familiar with the term 'a busted flush'. Warne's impotency neatly coincided with that of Glenn 'I think we'll win 5-0' McGrath who went wicketless and shipped 100 runs for the first time in his test match career. Excellent, couldn't happen to a nicer chap and I look forward keenly to the second occasion.
I didn't stay up for yesterday's action but with Oz finishing on 312-5, with Matthew Hoggard getting all the four wickets to fall, a draw looks the most predictable result. Unless, of course, England produce something majestic. Fingers, toes etc crossed. Come on England

Labels: busted flush, England, Freddie, Glenn McGrath, KP, Paul Collingwood, Shane Warne

I did my best not to mention the calamity that was the First Test of the Ashes. As anyone with eyes could have seen Australia (if you only have ears you could have heard, or fingers brail...) totally outplayed England and England's bowling and first innings batting were, well in the spirit of national unity I'll just say not out of the top drawer.
And things looked set to get no better as an unchanged England team were put on the rack before showing the right attitude and some little skill and desire to put England in control (just. Well kind of anyway.) of the Second Test. England will rarely experience many such morning sessions as today as the combined efforts of Strauss, Cook, Bell and Collingwood scored a meagre 58 at a shade over 2 an over. With Strauss and Cook back in the pavilion the only two boundaries had been hit by the Essex opener.
The rest of the day was assuredly better with England losing only one further wicket (bell horribly mistiming a hook) and ended on 266-3 with Collingwood looking set for his first Ashes century (after looking set for this accolade in the previous Test before losing his composure - and bails - and getting stumped by yards of bowling Warney) and KP making an imperious 60*.
Encouraging that England went the whole day without McGrath or Warne getting a wicket. In conclusion, so far so good. Hopefully, England can post a total of just over 400 and then bowl well. You gotta reckon Monty is very unlucky not to be in this team. However, if Vaughan gets match fit (I think the Academy have another match this week) he could come in at 3 with Bell or Collingwood in at 4 with the other dropping down to 6 maintain KP at 5. This would allow Freddie to come in at 7 and Jones, hopefully by then replaced by Chris Read, at 8 with the bowlers, form permitting, being Harmison, Hoggard and Monty. That'd give England a pace attack spearheaded by Harmi, Hoggy and Freddie supplemented by Bell and Collingwood and a spin attack of Monty backed up by KP and Michael Vaughan. Big if obviously on Vaughan getting fit, but this line up would hint at the best balance available.

Labels: Freddie, Ian Bell, KP, Monty, Paul Collingwood, the Ashes