You Can't Have Everything

Hello and welcome back to my blog

International cricket has ended in the southern hemisphere for now and the eyes of cricket fans (true fans) turn to events in England where Bangladesh are playing and eventually Pakistan will play both England and Australia (the latter counted as home games for Pakistan). However attention has been drawn back to Australasia as John Howard faces growing opposition to his appointment to the ICC vice-presidency. This business threatens to open up the sport to some nasty politics between the old cricket powers and the new ones (not to mention latent racism between the subcontinent and Australia similar to the Symonds vs Singh business)
South Africa, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka have voiced concerns over the lack of cricket experience in Mr. Howard's career. This is a kind of facade for real concerns over the fact that Howard is the former Prime Minister of Australia and whose appointment may set an interesting precedent. As many commentators have pointed out there was also the comments made by him about Murali's bowling action several years ago.
Personally, after more thought on this subject, the appointment seems bizarre to me. The lack of cricket experience is a small thing (he did run a successful country for more than a decade) but the idea that a politician can gain this position is no small discussion. What concerns me most are the practical implications of this whole issue, cricket faces uncertain times in the next decade with 2020, tests and ODI cricket fighting for position, not to mention the development of cricket in the USA. As such, is it really wise to appoint a person of such advanced years? There needs to be a distinction between a veteran or a person of wisdom and someone who is just elderly. Australia already made that distinction by voting him out in 2007. Perhaps the position of ICC President requires a little more youth and an ability to relate to the environment in which cricket is now precariously placed
Some might expect me to support him in this case where someone not affiliated with cricket may be employed in it (my best hope in other words) but cricket must come first. Mr. Howard, I can't have everything and neither can you

NEWS
Central Districts player Ewen Thompson has announced his retirement from cricket after struggling to keep bowling in during the summer. At age 30 this comes as a slight shock and also because his team is due to play in the next Champions League
Shoaib Malik's punishments have been drastically reduced (his ban has been removed and his fines lessened)
The New Zealand Herald included an article accusing the NZ team of no improvement under its new leadership. I have two problems with this: first there has hardly been enough time to gauge this (Moles only resigned 10 months ago) second I disagree with the conclusion. The team won a very tight test against Pakistan for a start (the kind that any fan would recognise as an inevitable loss in the past). The main problem is every step forward seems to be derailed by outside forces (retirements of Bond and O'Brien at their best and Jesse Ryder missing most of the season). The author of that article would do well to put away the knife before we wipe out what little depth we have in New Zealand cricket circles - this isn't rugby (although that sport may have issues of depth as well)

RECENT RESULTS

• SA have beaten WI 3-0 in their ODI series although the games were closer (at times) than that scoreline would suggest
• ZIM beat IND in an ODI if you can believe it and not in some desperate last over heroics either; they played convincing cricket throughout. Congratulations

ARTICLE OF INTEREST
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/3279240/Jesse-Ryder-reveals-his-untamed-past
After a source of mine in Wellington alerted me to the fact that Jesse Ryder was out drinking this past weekend I think it an opportune moment to direct people to read this. Any of his critics are doing their own argument a disservice if they're unaware of his complete past

LOOKING BACK
May 27th (1887) - this was the birth date for Frank Woolley, one of the finest players of cricket in the game's history. a left-hander of legendary ability to time the cricket ball and a deadly left-arm-finger-spinner. Although I was aware of this player it was not until this anniversary that I looked at his stats:

• Played for England 1909-1934 in 64 tests
• 3000+ runs, 87 wickets and 64 catches
• Played first class cricket for 32 years
• 978 matches for 58959 runs @ 40 with 145 centuries and 1018 catches (only non-wicket keeper to reach this mark)
• 2066 wickets @ 19.87
• Only Hobbs made more runs and only Grace made 40000 runs and 2000 wickets

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It's good bye for now

Breakfast in America

Hello and welcome back to my blog

The title of this entry may refer to a song by Supertramp (known today in the form of a cheap cover by lesser beings) but breakfast is exactly what the Black Caps and Sri Lankan cricket teams enjoyed this week as they became the first teams to play an international fixture in the 'final frontier' of cricket. Two 2020 games in the good state of Florida (or God's waiting room if you like) and I can happily say that New Zealand claimed a hard fought victory in the the first of these
The concept is an interesting proposition: Cricket in America: could, will or how could it succeed. Ian Chappell believes that the best (only?) way would be the franchise system with 2020 cricket. The problem isn’t attracting fans to the ground for games because there are enough expats from the subcontinent countries to support the games (if only for their old teams), but to establish a base of support among Americans in general would require the franchises.
I agree with this for several of reasons

• first, because 2020 cricket is short enough and filled with enough entertainment to excite people who are new to the concept of cricket, Coming from my own entry to the sport, it just helps to have a bit of boundary hitting and aggression (as I witnessed in ODI cricket long before I enjoyed Test cricket)
• second this allows international players/stars to play and enhance the entertainment. At first the matches will be advertisements and will require the best on show (as opposed to having touring A-teams for the sake of even-contest with American players).
• A third reason would be that a franchise will be a substitute for ‘the local team’ element which has never been a problem with cricket nations before (due to them all being colonies of Britain) but would be a HUGE barrier to getting Americans interested. Teams based in Florida, Los Angeles and New York could have a mix of local players and international pros and suddenly you have a format that could attract new fans.

New Zealand is already trying hard to get in on this potential with the NZC deal with USC whereby New Zealand experience (players, advisers and equipment) will be provided to facilities constructed by the USC. This relationship will be very beneficial if cricket can get off the ground AND even if it doesn’t it still would provide a place for the New Zealand team to play during the winter months
Although, as I write this, New Zealand have slipped to 15-5 on a pitch that was slow yesterday and now adds prodigious swing to its armoury against batsmen. One can't help but feel that the whole exercise will be made redundant by such pitches. I don't mean to say that slow pitches like this are bad, Scott Styris would disagree and to be honest the batsmen have shown a stupidity in the place of the wisdom to change their game to suit it, but a fast track where the ball hits their head rather than dies at their toes may be better in attracting new fans
The last point I want to make is that games in the US would fall perfectly into the international viewing times (afternoon in Britain, evening in Dubai/subcontinent and morning here) thus games featuring international strengthened teams could be broadcast to large audiences

NEWS
The ICC is now officially investigating PAK’s tour of AUS over the summer as concerns that poor performance may have been due to financial incentives not just infighting.
The ICC has also announced concerns over a lack of infrastructure to prevent match-fixing in IPL seasons 1 and 2 (although no evidence has suggested there was any). The recent 3rd season was given a pass
The ICC has announced its intention to have the umpire review system implemented in ALL test matches a.s.a.p. and in next year’s World Cup in the subcontinent

RECENT RESULTS
SA win 2-0 in their 2020 series in WI and then the first ODI (comfortably)
NZ beat SL in the first of their two 2020 matches held in Florida (very low and slow pitch)

ARTICLE OF INTEREST
http://www.cricinfo.com/page2/content/story/452997.html

This I found to be an amusing piece, written a few months ago, about the free-to-air question in the UK

LOOKING BACK
May 23rd is a birthday for two of England’s great batsmen: Denis Compton and Graeme Hick. The first was a colossus of run-scoring in the late 1940s (although his average did drop from 50 to 42 against Australia) and holds the record for most runs (3816) and centuries (18) in a first class season (1947). Hick’s record is more suspect, probably the biggest English disappointment at the international level with an average of just 31. Given that he has become the highest aggregate scorer in cricket history (first class + List-A + domestic 2020) with 64000+ runs, although John Bracewell did once describe him as a flat-track bully

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It's good bye for now

Confusion Thy Name is McCullum

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As part of the usual feeding frenzy that follows a Black Caps tournament exit, the scapegoating and finger pointing has surrounded Brendon McCullum's dual role as keeper and batsman. During the 2020 World Cup in the West Indies the Otago favourite gave the gloves to Hopkins and declared this to be a permanent decision in the shortest form of the game. This makes some sense because McCullum is our best 2020 batsman and the team could afford to have him concentrate on maintaining that except that he didn't have a great tournament and his replacement had a worse one. Then coach Greatbatch let slip on radio that the decision may extend to every form of the game and the critics haven't stopped expressing themselves since
Former keeper Warren Lees (who has worked with Brendon in the past) was surprised at the idea and disappointed at the prospect of one of the world's best keepers retiring from that role. He also suggested that McCullum's attitude towards the role may have changed since he lost the vice-captaincy. I would respectfully disagree and suggest that the problem grew out of the emphasis on his batting. When he was picked in 2003-4 it was for his keeping ability and competent batting (like most keepers) but then a few special innings invited comparisons with Gilchrist and suddenly he had to maintain such standards - at least in the public's eye. The whole thing got overinflated to the point where the vice-captaincy was taken from him so he might improve his BATTING! Overinflated to the point where he thinks he can play as just a batsman. Well time will tell

NEWS

• Shane Warne has predictably come out in support of the IPL despite the accusations surrounding its head man. I don't lend much to this because 1) Warne is not a lawyer and could not speak as any kind of expert on this topic, and 2) he just wants to keep his job
• Speaking of the IPL, if it continues next year, it will be joined by Steve Waugh who is reported to be joining one of the new teams as an advisor
• Graeme Smith has hit back (via twitter) against the criticism levelled at his team after their poor showing in the West Indies claiming a few stones are being thrown from people in glass houses. I would tend to agree and perhaps remind people to not care so much about 2020 cricket
• On the other hand, the India coach Gary Kirsten has been very scathing in his opinions of his own charges with questions over their fitness and drive featuring heavily
• The ICC has announced that day-night test cricket is on its way in 2011
• Finally, Shane Bond has retired from all forms of cricket and finishes with:
• 18 tests for 87 wickets @ 22.09 with 5 5WHs and 1 10WM
• 82 ODIs for 143 wickets @ 20.88 with 4 5WHs
• His strike rates of 38 in tests and 29 in ODIs are among the best in the history of the game. He was easily the best and most threatening NZ bowler since Hadlee and his success is only surpassed by his constant injuries which accounts for such as small record from 9 years of cricket
• Personally he was a favourite of mine mostly because he scared the hell out of cricketers wearing yellow and green

RECENT RESULTS

• England put together their most consistent and convincing effort in a World Cup event since 1992 which culminated in their thrashing of Australia in the final this week. Congratulations although I wouldn't get too carried away with 2020 cricket
• The New Zealand women's team lost narrowly in their final against Australia. I don't know why this is so disappointing to us. They are easily our best international sport team in recent years. Lets get some perspective people

ARTICLE OF INTEREST
http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/458526.html

This piece came out a little while before Bond's retirement but it's quite good all the same. Very honest and made up of some good questions and answers

LOOKING BACK
May 12th (1956) - The anniversary of New Zealand's first test victory in Auckland against the West Indies (a very good team at the time).
However it would be almost two decades before NZ won a test against Australia (1974) when on the same day Glenn Turner completed twin centuries (first kiwi to do this)

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It's good bye for now

The End of the Dream

Hello and welcome back to my blog

This week the 2020 World Cup in the West Indies progressed with Australia, South Africa and England (surprised?) dominating. Their fast bowlers are consistently picking up wickets and their batting is aggressive and convincing (if only certain other teams could say the same). However, while the dreams of some regarding money, spectacle and money are being fulfilled, the dreams of lesser teams to rise in the rankings and finally get Test Status must be all but dead. During New Zealand's thrashing of Zimbabwe early in the current tournament I watched the African team's batting with a sense of despair. Their batsmen had no technique, physical or mental, to the point where Scott Styris and Nathan McCullum had just to bowl the ball to get a wicket. If 2020 cricket is to be the new cash cow and be played in every series and in annual tournaments then this will not improve - there is little incentive to strengthen their technique and even less time during a game to gain experience.
Thus any hope of gaining test status will be extinguished. Some questioned this very situation when 2020 cricket first appeared and now I admit that I fear the same thing. These fears will be realised if 2020 is the dominant form of cricket for the lesser nations

NEWS

• ...And the higher nations best beware as well. Or at least that could be the warning taken from the ECB vs Modi situation. The ECB has all but accused the IPL creator of trying to subvert them by setting up a similar system in England (without ECB knowledge or consent)

RECENT RESULTS

• With all the 2020 going on, this week I will focus on one result - last night's thrilling game between New Zealand and Pakistan. The margin of victory was just 1 run as the Black Caps defended a low total. With all the criticism of 2020 cricket that flies around (much of it from me) this is the kind of entertainment that reminds me why it could be beneficial; not the boundaries but the dog fight down to a last-over finish.
• However news centers would be mistaken to lord the kiwi efforts because they should never have had to defend such a poor total. All the top order batsmen got out to poor shots and stupidity. The bowlers did very well but that will not be enough against the pace of the top teams

ARTICLE OF INTEREST
http://www.cricinfo.com/world-twenty20-2010/content/current/story/458501.html
This article is about the difficulty Ireland faces in retaining players when they cannot achieve Test Status. As I outline above, this cannot improve with mass 2020 infecting every level of the game

LOOKING BACK
May 4th (1957) - Birthday of Australian spinner Peter Sleep who sticks in my memory because of a 12th Man classic:
Ian Chappell "...well this is an unusual situation. Lawson and Hughes have only had a few overs each and the ball's gone to Sleep already"
Mas Walker "Yeeesssss well when your sitting around in the commentary box for any length of time it's not unusual for the balls to go to sleep, get a bit numb from lack of circulation..."
Ian Chappell "Max I didn't mean..."
Max Walker "the best thing to do is slip the hand down the strides and give 'em a bit of a rub..."
Ian Chappell "Max I was talking about Peter Sleep, he's coming into bowl"
Max Walker "(cough) Yeeeessss he's been bowling pretty well lately Peter Sleep..."

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"we apologise for the interruption to our apology"

Hello and welcome back to my blog

Finally I return to my weekly musings about the game of cricket. Four weeks have gone by and, due to extremely limited internet access, I was unable to comment (or even discover much about) the world of cricket. The IPL concluded another season only to be decapitated by the removal of Modi over questions of money laundering and illegal betting. The English domestic season has begun (although most couldn't care less) and all the while the New Zealand team prepared for the 2020 World Cup. Yes it's that tournament that we had not even a year ago in England! Geoffrey Boycott may be dismayed at the lack of interest in the domestic competitions in England at the moment but he had no sympathy for this ridiculous state of affairs on his radio show this week

Personally I'm not too annoyed by THIS instance of cashing-in by the ICC because, having missed most of the IPL, I wouldn't mind a bit of 2020 cricket. Plus the early games have been quite interesting. The pitches in the West Indies are proving difficult to score big totals on and thus NZ were able to defend a very small total in their opening game against Sri Lanka.

I also offer my congratulations to the Afghanistan team for their entry into the top tier of cricket even if it was a harsh examination at the hands of the Indian team

The next week should provide some good entertainment and with the games being staged at 1:30 am and 5:30 am here, I should get to view a few of them. Look out next Sunday for my blog to return to the formulaic presentation I began a few months ago

By the way the heading for this blog entry is a reference to a 12th Man track (by Billy Birmingham) that some may have come across. One of my favourites

Well that's it from here and I hope you join me again
It's good bye for now