Sunday, March 18, 2007
A weekend that cricket won't forget
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
Friday, March 16, 2007
Slow out of the blocks
Today the world forgot her worries and bore her countenance upon England and the Cricket World Cup. Jeez they'd be plenty disappointed. A Nixon/Plunkett rearguard saw England to respectability,* but despite having the upper hand at 19-3 and 70odd-4 England never looked like they were gonna win. The Collingwood/Dalrymple making a 5th bowler idea was blown to bollox, and New Zealand relatively coasted home. Food for thought, but with two supposedly inferior opponents up next England need two convincing victories to finalise a best XI and make a play for the World Cup. I, like you, remain hopeful. Come on England (and Wales)
* Not all doom and gloom, KP looked good today.
Labels: cricket World Cup, England, KP, New Zealand
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
And they're off
So you would think that I'd be disappointed that Chris Gayle, my faovurite cricketer, and "West Indies player to watch" is back in the pavilion already? You'd be right but it could be worse. Although I like Gayle a lot he's not in my Fantasy Cricket Team, Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster, whereas the chap who dismissed him, Umar Gul, is and he's my "Pakistani player to watch." Less thank 5 overs gone and I'm hooked already.Labels: Chris Gayle, cricket World Cup, Umar Gul
