With Bangladesh heading back to the subcontinent all attention now turns to the upcoming tour by the Green&Gold machine that is the Australian cricket team. Any suggestions (and there were plenty) that Ponting's side would be nothing without the great players that retired in 2007-2008, have proven to be wishful thinking by fools - the kind of people who wish the best team to get worse than the weak teams to get better. Victories over Pakistan and West Indies this season have shown not just the skill of the remaining players but also the depth of Australian cricket with names like Bollinger, Watson, Hauritz and Harris cemented in the side
The tour of this renewed force begins in Wellington this Friday with the first of 2 2020 games (before 5 ODIs and 2 Tests) and the New Zealand side will be hard up to compete. Our own commentators have added little constructive analysis so far with several fingers pointing at the Black Cap bowlers - accusations of a lack of penetration - in the end no one really knows what to expect. Scott Styris has expressed confidence in our chances and suggests that the likes of Tait, Johnson and Bollinger are not to be feared with their 145-150 kph deliveries. I respectfully disagree, my biggest concern is our batting withstanding such a barrage over our bowling being too weak. Our batsmen had plenty of trouble against Aamer before Christmas and Australia have at least 4 bowlers who are as quick or quicker than he was
From the press this week I would like to note two things:
- The talk of the Haddin Incident involving his gloves from last time is neither interesting nor helpful and will only distract our attention from the hard work required to beat them; I hope this is not just setting things up for another 'blame the Aussies' excuse
- Adam Parore, famous for opening his mouth perhaps too often, produced a fine piece in the paper which is linked there
NEWS
- Shane Watson was awarded the Allan Border Medal last week after a prolific summer which has seen his bowling left to the wayside and his batting improve its consistency and ferocity. I won't take back my criticism of his technique (he is still susceptible to swing and LBWs) but his stroke-making has expanded nicely
- Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are options for a relocated 2011 World Cup if the security situation in India does not improve soon. interestingly if we are to co-host the event it will mean two World Cups in the New Zealand that year (including the IRB one) which should prove entertaining
RECENT RESULTS
- India fought back to beat South Africa by an innings, but only just as Amla scored his second century of the match and almost secured a draw
- A great partnership between McCullum and Guptill set up victory for New Zealand over Bangladesh in the test staged in Hamilton this week. One could not help but notice the inability to remove set batsmen by the bowlers though
- Australia wrapped up an impressive 4-0 series victory over West Indies
- Northern Districts won the Domestic One Day final in Auckland after a century from B.J. Watling and 5 wickets to Williamson
ARTICLE OF INTEREST
Geoffrey Boycott and Tony Greig both commented about the inclusion of 2020 cricket in the 2020 Summer Olympics on their respective radio shows this week. They felt that the Olympics is for more individual sports like swimming and athletics and that the inclusion of cricket was unnecessary not too mention a scheduling nightmare for the ICC.
I would tend to agree with both points and would stress that 2020 is hardly the best form of cricket when it comes to personal, athletic achievement; where in one stadium you have someone completing the 100 yards at a new record and in another stadium you have some person slogging across the line. 2020 is entertainment and thus does not belong
LOOKING BACK
FEB 19th 1980
Ian Botham reached the height of his powers with 114 (144 balls) as well as taking 6-58 & 7-48 against India in the Golden Jubilee Test. This was the first occasion on which someone made a century AND took ten wickets. This kind of performance is why I think Botham, at his peak was the best ALLROUNDER of the four 1980s players
Well that's it from here and I hope you join me again
It's good bye for now
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