http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/ en Copyright 2007 Mon, 08 Jan 2007 07:56:37 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss "Looking back on the series, I think that ruthless edge was missing...and for one reason or another, this time we just didn't stand up." "The Executives, the coach, the captain, the players and the support staff have to be held accountable for this disaster." "We have to have a new captain." "We are going to take a deep breath without panicking. We're all disappointed and certainly some of our players under-performed." "He's a waste of time because he can't coach cricket." Harsh words indeed, but perhaps when you lose so badly people need to vent their frustrations. Except these comments were not made about England after they lost the final test of the the 2006/7 Ashes series. They all concerned Australia's 2005 loss, in England. The four quotes above were made respectively by Ricky Ponting, Dennis Lillee, Trevor Hohns (Chairman of Cricket Australia) and Ian Chappell (about Australian coach John Buchanan), but they could quite easily have been made about England's recent performance. Such is the nature of international sport, where winners are grinners and the loser stands to be abused mercilessly for failing. Without wanting to be seen as an apologist for England's woes in Australia - and having spent a small fortune following each morale-sapping match I'm not exactly inclined to do so - I do believe there are a number of factors which ultimately conspired to make anything England did irrelevant to the outcome of the series. Put simply, the Australian desire to right the wrongs of 2005 - which bordered on obsession - when allied to the class in the Australian team, was always going to be too much for Andrew Flintoff's young, inexperienced England side. In 2005, Australia arrived in England aware that the home team were a much improved outfit but secure in the knowledge that despite their better recent showings, England's hopes would end in regulation defeat, as per the last 8 Ashes series. This view was further reinforced when Australia thumped England in the first test at Lord's by the massive margin of 233 runs. So, like a champion boxer who has dominated the first round of a title fight against a demoralised opponent, the Australian team understandably expected the 2005 Ashes would proceed true to form. This complacent attitude proved to be their undoing, and instead of submitting meekly, England rocked their opponents with an early punch in round two - the legendary Edgbaston test - which so surprised the Australians that, despite their desperate efforts to get back into the fight, they were never able to match the intensity of their opposition. The criticism levelled at the returning Australians and in particular, their captain Ricky Ponting was unprecedented. 'How could you lose the Ashes, you're supposed to be the best side ever and you go and lose to a country who we thrash as a matter of course? You're not fit to wear the baggy green.' That was the kind of vitriol levelled at the Australian team - especially their leader Ponting - and therein lies the reason for England's annihilation in 2006/7. As captain, Ricky Ponting felt personally responsible for letting his country down, and when you consider that wearing the baggy green cap of Australia holds the same aura as being an All Black in New Zealand, the motivation for him to put things right was incredibly powerful. This motivation increased during the series, when the retirements of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer were announced. For the other players and the retiring three, the idea that they should call time on their magnificent test careers on the back of successive Ashes losses to England was simply unthinkable - it could not be allowed to happen. The desire to regain the Ashes was clear for all to see during the series. What was also quite obvious was the difference in class and experience between the two teams, which grew wider as the series went on. Before the first test, it appeared that the two sides were fairly close in ability but what was essential was for the young England team to make the most of any chances that came their way. And from the very first ball of the series, every opportunity England had to make a statement of intent was squandered: Steve Harmison's opening wide, Captain Andrew Flintoff making 0 in his first innings, the back up seam bowlers wayward spells. The key to winning is the belief that you can win. With every missed opportunity, the England players belief that they could beat Australia gradually ebbed away. It's been said before, and I hate to pin the blame on one person, but the seminal moment in the series - in terms of it being a genuine contest - was Ashley Giles' drop of Ricky Ponting in Adelaide. With England having made 551 in their first innings, that catch would have left Australia 78 for 4 and staring down the barrel of defeat. It was the ultimate 'Oh no...' moment, and with it went the chance for England to get back in the series. When England went on to lose the Adelaide test from a seemingly impregnable position, it ripped the heart out of their team and left them devasted beyond repair. Much has been made of the selection errors of picking Ashley Giles and Geraint Jones, two players who contributed solidly to the 2005 win. It's true to say that Monty Panesar might have helped England to win at Adelaide and certainly, it's highly unlikely that they would have lost with him playing. But that said, you only have to look at the two teams in the cold light of day to see that England never really had a chance. Australia realised their 2005 deficiencies and subsequently ditched Simon Katich, Jason Gillespie and Mike Kasprowicz. Their replacements, Mike Hussey and Stuart Clark, not only equalled the best that the previous playes had to offer, they became the form players in world cricket. Hussey, with his immaculate technique and superb composure under pressure added more spine to the Australian middle order whilst Clark has bowled like a cross between Glenn McGrath and Richard Hadlee, moving the ball both ways from a relentless off-stump line with his zippy fast-medium. Despite the ageing of their senior players, the 2006/7 Australian side was undoubtedly stronger than the 2005 one. Contrast this with the England team from the previous series and it becomes apparent that theirs was much weaker. Their two most experienced batsman, Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick, were both absent and this removed the capacity of the England top order to really hurt the Australian bowlers by scoring quickly since their replacements in the order, Ian Bell and Alastair Cook, could only really accumulate runs against the superb Australian attack. England also lost arguably the best old ball bowler in the world in Simon Jones, and his replacements James Anderson and Sajid Mahmood simply did not cut the mustard. The 2005 victory owed everything to Australia's batsmen being under constant pressure from England's excellent four-pronged pace attack but in 2006/7, this didn't happen. The absence of Vaughan's leadership was another crucial factor. In 2005, he clearly out-thought Ricky Ponting and, as Mike Brearley did with Ian Botham in 1981, managed to get the best out of the awesomely talented Andrew Flintoff. Flintoff's contribution to the 2005 win was the difference between the two teams, and the Australians were happy to acknowledge it. 15 months later, perhaps suffering from injury and a lack of form, the world's best all rounder could not reproduce the sensational performances of 2005 and his captaincy was at times poor. That said, even if England had been able to put their ideal XI out at Brisbane, I still don't think the series' result would have been different against a now stronger Australian side hell-bent on revenge. The score may not have been 5-0 but Australia would still have won because they had better players. What would be interesting, as one supporter asked me recently, is what would happen if the Ashes started now, without the influence of McGrath and Warne. England's last win in Australia was at Sydney in 2003 when neither McGrath or Warne played and in the 2005 series, the Edgbaston and Trent Bridge tests went England's way with McGrath absent through injury. The amount of tests Australia have lost with these two all-time great bowlers in their side can be counted on two hands, such has been their influence. Whatever players Australia bring into their team to replace them, and with the likely loss of Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist over the next few years to accompany Justin Langer and Damien Martyn, they surely can't sustain their all-conquering form of recent years. This is the light at the end of a very dark tunnel for English cricket, and the rest of the world too. The battle hardened Australian unit of the last decade is undergoing rapid transition whilst the current England team, though currently beaten into submission, will only get stronger for the next Ashes series. Young players like Bell, Cook, Anderson and Panesar will be far more experienced in 2009 whilst the older crowd of Collingwood, Flintoff, Strauss and Hoggard will still be around. There is still a problem with the keeping position because Chris Read, for all his immaculate glovework, is clearly not a test No.7. If he is to play, he can bat no higher than No.8 and England should therefore take a leaf out of Australia's book and realise that if you have a top-class spinner - Monty Panesar for example - you don't need to play 4 other specialist bowlers, since any captain will want to turn to him before his 4th choice quick. Australia did this for years by having a front line top order batsman who could also bowl useful seam - Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Greg Blewett etc. New Zealand do that now with Scott Styris and England, instead of picking a bits and pieces cricketer, need to scour county cricket for a test quality batsman who can be their 5th bowler too. Despite the awful last two months, and with more pain to come in the one-day series, the future is still bright for English cricket. They will grow stronger whilst Australia will, as ex-captain Mark Taylor puts it, 'move back nearer the pack' as their star players call time on their international careers. The inquests have already started, and fingers are being pointed at Andrew Flintoff and coach Duncan Fletcher by many people. Before they completely vilify England's greatest current cricketer and its best ever coach, it's sensible to offer the explanation that nothing was going to stop Australia from regaining the Ashes and that come 2009, in the absence of so many of the players that have made Australia arguably the best side in test cricket history, things might be very, very different. Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2007/01/the_ashes_20067_wellos_review.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2007/01/the_ashes_20067_wellos_review.html Mon, 08 Jan 2007 07:56:37 +0000 So the 2006/7 Ashes series came to its conclusion with only the second ever 5-0 whitewash to a rampant Australian side, and the passing into history of the careers of three legends of the game: Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer and Shane Warne. Any slight chance of a contested final day was extinguished with the immediate dismissal of England's premier player, Kevin Pietersen, caught behind playing defensively to a beautifully pitched Glenn McGrath leg-cutter. England's tail came and went in traditional fashion allowing Justin Langer to accompany his great mate Matthew Hayden to the wicket for the final time with the task of knocking off the required 46 runs. When the winning runs came, the Australians at the SCG cheered as one in celebration of their champion team, who had restored what Aussies consider the natural order in thrashing an ultimately out-gunned England side. In amongst all the congratulations, there was a definite feeling of sadness around the Sydney cricket ground. For Australians, the end of an era had been reached with the loss of three all-time great cricketers. For England fans, the pain of a series that promised so much but delivered nothing but hurt and disappointment was reflected on the face of England's captain Andrew Flintoff, who nonetheless spoke eloquently in praise of his opponents and their captain, Ricky Ponting. To be an English cricket fan in Australia over these past six weeks has been what could best be described as a character building experience. The optimism with which the team and their hordes of supporters came out to Australia gradually faded away to be replaced by despondency and occasional despair. It was a privilege to witness the passing of the old guard of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, who surely demand to be placed at the top of the list of any bowling combination in test cricket history. Being able to call on their skills, particularly when bowling together, is the single biggest factor in Australia's dominance of world cricket for the last 12 years. However good Australian domestic cricket is at unearthing test cricketers of the future, I simply cannot believe that it will ever produce two better bowlers in my lifetime. Since the series began on November 23rd, there have been thousands of England fans who have saved their money to travel to Australia in the hope of watching an Ashes test or two downunder, but only a dedicated few who have done every day of every test. Having experienced the humiliation of a 5-0 defeat in a country that revels in beating its former colonial masters, I have asked myself the question of whether if I'd have known what the result was going to be, would I still have put myself through the 22 days of torment the 2006/7 Ashes series turned out to be. Despite giving it much thought, I really can't offer a definitive answer. What I can do though is offer some advice to anyone thinking of repeating my efforts in 2010/11. If lying on sunkissed beaches, eating great food and meeting new people are as important to you as the cricket, then Australia is just the job. If however, the cricket, and in particular the performance of your team is the primary factor in you making the trip, I suggest Bangladesh in 2012 is an eminently more sensible option. Yours in cricket, Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2007/01/5th_test_sydney_day_4_memories.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2007/01/5th_test_sydney_day_4_memories.html Fri, 05 Jan 2007 07:36:41 +0000 For those of you with a penchant for good films, The Shawshank Redemption will feature quite highly and the line from Morgan Freeman's character 'Red' to Andy Dufrane will resonate strongly amongst England cricket fans....."Hope...you want to forget about hope, hope can kill you." And so it is with the last test of this one-sided series drawing to its inevitable conclusion as England closed the day only 12 runs ahead of Australia with five of their best batsmen gone. Perhaps naively, there was a sense amongst the large British contingent here that with Australia still 100 runs behind at the start of the day, this might be the test that England finally stop the rot. That thought was strengthened when Mike Hussey edged James Anderson behind without adding to his overnight score early on, to leave the Aussies 190 for 5. However, there the optimism faded and Andrew Symonds with the help of the brilliant Adam Gilchrist wrested the initiative away from some profligate England bowling before the incredibly annoying but amazingly effective Shane Warne came to the party - his party - and top scored with a bludgeoning 74. Stuart Clark joined in the fun with a rustic 35 and Australia lead by 102 on first innings, and the writing was very much on the wall unless the England top order could produce something special. The England 2nd innings was a perfect example of why Australia have won this series, with the England batsmen having to fight tooth and nail for every run against the remorseless accuracy of the Australian attack. Those of you who watch cricket on tv will be aware of the 'grouping' showing how consistently each bowler gets the ball in the business area. For Australia, and Glenn McGrath and Stuart Clark in particular, the grouping today was about the size of a dinner plate whereas for England, and especially the hapless Sajid Mahmood, a snooker table would be more appropriate. Put simply, it is so much harder for England's batsmen to score runs against Australia than the other way round, and that inevitably leads to mistakes and the loss of wickets. Andrew Strauss is a fantastic player but he has had a tough time of it for one reason or another and the sickening blow he took on the side of the head from a Brett Lee bouncer was the second time the Australian speedster has hit him. He bravely carried on his innings but fell soon after, LBW to Clark's inswing before heading to hospital for a scan and it is to be hoped that his injury is not too serious. Going into the fourth day, England's hopes (there I go again) lie with the near-genius of Pietersen, who remains 29 not out, and the new England nightwatchman, Monty Panesar. Thus the torture that has been the 2006/7 Ashes series - for an England supporter at least - will reach its end tomorrow and we can all look forward to a better showing in the one day stuff. I hope..... Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2007/01/5th_test_sydney_day_3_the_end.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2007/01/5th_test_sydney_day_3_the_end.html Thu, 04 Jan 2007 07:45:27 +0000 An intriguing days cricket at the SCG has left Australia still 104 runs behind England's first innings of 291 with 6 wickets in hand. Resuming at 234 for 4, England lost Paul Collingwood quickly to the probing seam of Glenn McGrath, leaving the job of getting England up to a competitive total on the broad shoulders of Andrew Flintoff. Despite falling 11 runs short of a deserved century, Flintoff at last showed the kind of batting form he demonstrated in 2005 when he single-handedly galvanised the England team to a sensational series win over the all-powerful Australians. Sadly, and not unexpectedly, his was a lone battle and the remaining tail end batsmen folded meekly, although Steve Harmison did his best to try and accompany his best mate Freddie. It's hard to escape the thought that all of England's batsmen from Flintoff down are batting one place too high in the order for their talent and style of play, and this has helped the Australians all series since they know that even if England secure a decent platform for themselves, it only takes a couple of wickets and the whole innings will collapse in a heap. What was refreshing was England's bowling, which was disciplined and penetrative. James Anderson bowled his best spell of the series and Steve Harmison was a real handful, dismissing Michael Clarke caught behind with a quick, bouncing delivery as he looked to cut. Anderson was also on target with his throwing and his excellent fielding ran out Ricky Ponting as the Aussie captain tried to run a cheeky single to mid-on. Michael Hussey and Andrew Symonds saw Australia trhough to the close in a fascinating evening session cut short by more Sydney rain. Both players had an excellent tussle with Monty Panesar's slow left arm and with Sumonds opting for the positive approach whilst Hussey plays the anchor role, tomorrow promises to be another absorbing days cricket. Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2007/01/5th_test_sydney_day_2_in_the_b.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2007/01/5th_test_sydney_day_2_in_the_b.html Wed, 03 Jan 2007 08:34:48 +0000 The new year's test at Sydney has become the place to be in Australia in early January, when old friends from around the country meet to watch their omnipotent cricket team whilst quenching their thirst with a few cold ones. Or, to be more accurate, an enormous amount of Victoria Bitter, commonly known as 'VB'. Which can be tough when you're the Englishman meeting your old cricket team for the first time in years and your national team is copping a pasting. Thus my 2nd of January was spent dodging the frequent Sydney rain showers whilst being force-fed lager from a bunch of jokingly abusive Australians who really knew how to make the phrase 'How are you you bloody pom?' sound almost endearing. Thankfully, England's performance on the field was competitive, and that above all else is what cricket fans of both sides want to see in this last test - a real, hard fought match. Freddie's decision to bat first after winning the toss could have backfired again, as low cloud and damp conditions made life difficult for the England openers. Despite their relatively low personal scores, Strauss and Cook did at least establish a solid platform which was further built upon by Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen. Bell's 71 was his fourth 50 of the series and although he hasn't as yet got the game to hurt the Australians, he has demonstrated a sound technique and willingness to apply himself which augurs well for his test career. KP was in a rather more carefree mood, and caused much mirth in the crowd by his frequent decisions to walk down the wicket at the fast-medium of Stuart Clark and Glenn McGrath, who, in his last test match before retiring after a superb career, took great exception to this show of disrespect from the new England No.4. It proved his undoing when he flap hooked a bouncer from the veteran paceman to be caught at midwicket, to McGrath's obvious delight. Some composed batting from Paul Collingwood and Flintoff took England to 233 for 4 when bad light stopped play and the England captain at last looked in real Freddie form, playing the good deliveries solidly, leaving the unthreatening stuff and clonking the occasional bad ball for 4 or 6. Australians in the crowd thought England batted too slowly and that if Flintoff is out early next morning, Austalia will roll England for 300. Having endured such a tough tour so far, all England fans are hoping that Freddie will enjoy whatever good fortune is on offer and go on to make his first substantial score of the series. Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2007/01/5th_test_sydney_day_1_solid_bu.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2007/01/5th_test_sydney_day_1_solid_bu.html Tue, 02 Jan 2007 22:38:49 +0000 After the early competitive exchanges in this series, the games between Australia and England are now taking on a very familiar feel. The 3 days of the Melbourne test, resulting in a win for Australia by an innings and 99 runs, had a bizarre feel, almost to the extent that it was a non-event. Some truly awful bowling to Shane Warne saw England fans patience tested to the limits, as he relished the opportunity to demonstrate his favoured stay leg side of the ball method to the plethora of short, wide long hops proferred to him by the erratic Sajid Mahmood. A deficit of over 250 runs on 1st innings was an almost impossible burden to cope with for the England batsmen and for the first time in this series, they batted like players who knew they could not win. Where they go from here is anybody's guess, but with a one day series lasting until the middle of February after the final test at the SCG, this tour is shaping up to be about as much fun for the England cricket team as the Battle of Stalingrad was for the German 6th Army. It isn't much better for the suffering supporter too, and the envy on show when informing friends and family of my intention to watch the whole series in Australia is now being replaced by stunned looks and repeated comments of 'My God, I don't know how you've put up with this.' Things will get better. England are a young, developing team and the bulk of their current side will be there as better players in 2009 whilst Australia will lose at least half of their world beating team, including the irreplaceable Warne and McGrath. That said, it doesn't make for a better mood on December 28th 2006 when defeat is the only thing on show. Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/4th_test_melbourne_day_3_capit.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/4th_test_melbourne_day_3_capit.html Thu, 28 Dec 2006 22:33:56 +0000 It is hard work being an English cricket fan in Australia. On my 17th consecutive day of hoping against hope that perhaps finally, England could get themselves into a position to beat the old enemy, my prayers seemed to be answered as Australia slumped to 84 for 5 against some excellent England seam bowling. Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and the 'undismissable' Mike Hussey were all back in the pavilion during a morning session when England bowled with great purpose and control. A first innings lead, you sensed, was on the cards, particularly as the previously unconvincing Andrew Symonds was next in. 'If Symonds gets 50, I'll eat my hat' was reported to be the comment from the always forthright Geoffrey Boycott, sitting in the back of the BBC radio commentary box. I'm not sure what white straw boaters taste like, but I imagine the Yorkshire legend could be suffering from a severe case of indigestion this evening, after Symonds made his first ever test century in front of an ecstatic MCG crowd. A superb player in one day cricket, Symonds had failed to convince in tests so far, and with a batting average of 18, there was talk that if he disappointed again here, it could be curtains for his test career. After a nervy start, he decided to play the way he knows best and in conjunction with Matthew Hayden, began to pummell a shell shocked England attack. The mid-nineties can be a fretful time for any cricketer contemplating his maiden test century but Symonds decided to follow his instincts by clubbing Paul Collingwood's medium pace over the long-on boundary to reach a hundred rich in character and notable for its fearsome power. Hayden did the same to Monty Panesar's spin to bring up his century, and their 279 run partnership for the 6th wicket has put Australia in a very formidable position. The late dismissals of Hayden and Adam Gilchrist to a deserving Sajid Mahmood gave England a slight lift, but they must know that they are staring at another morale-sapping defeat here unless their batsmen can produce something special in their 2nd innings. So a third day of more pain looms both for England's players and their long suffering fans. Keeping your chin up is a very British thing but it can prove increasingly difficult to do when your team is playing Australia away from home. Must keep going though.... Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/4th_test_melbourne_day_2_austr.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/4th_test_melbourne_day_2_austr.html Wed, 27 Dec 2006 08:15:12 +0000 Australians will tell you that Melbourne's climate can give you four seasons in one day, but even the most imaginative weather forecaster could not have predicted temperatures below freezing in parts of Victoria yesterday. Bizarre newspaper front pages showing Christmas day snowball fights in the hill regions reminded homesick England fans what might have been, if only they had not decided to spend their hard earned wages watching their nation's cricket team get a good humping down under this winter. Thus with temperatures hovering around 12 degrees centigrade, cloudy skies and a damp pitch, a crucial toss loomed in conditions ideal for bowling. Spontaneous cheering erupted from the thousands of England fans when Mark Nicholas announced that Andrew Flintoff had won the toss. 'Yes' we thought. 'We'll have a bat I think Mark' said big Fred. 'No Fred, change your mind' came the cry. Too late. The rest was sadly predictable. With the ball zipping around off the spicy Melbourne pitch, England did well to get to 101 for 2 with Strauss and Collingwood playing well against some impressive Australian seam bowling. However, Australia have one cricketer who has influenced the outcome of more Ashes battles than anyone in living memory, and standing on a total of 699 test wickets, it was time for Shane Keith Warne to enter the fray. Warne refers to Andrew Strauss as 'Daryl', after Daryl Cullinan, the South African batsman who simply could not play the master leg spinner. Strauss had played well to reach 50 in difficult circumstances but could only stand in amazement as the beautifully flighted, dipping spinner beat his intended clip to leg and spun into his middle stump, and he has now been dismissed 8 times in tests by the blonde wizard. 700 test wickets is a quite astonishing tally and when he does retire, Australia will feel Warne's loss very deeply. The whole of the MCG, numbering nearly 90,000 spectators, stood to applaud this once in a lifetime cricketer. England lost their last 8 wickets for 58 runs in depressingly familiar pattern to finish their 1st innings 159 all out. Two late strikes by a rejuvenated Flintoff at least got England back into the game but the real talking point amongst England fans was Rudi Koertzen's failure to give Matthew Hayden out to Matthew Hoggard when to all eyes he looked stone dead LBW not once but twice. If he goes on to get a big score tomorrow, there will be some unpleasant comments directed his way. Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/4th_test_melbourne_day_1_festi.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/4th_test_melbourne_day_1_festi.html Wed, 27 Dec 2006 07:40:36 +0000 As any Brit who has celebrated the birth of Christ in the southern hemisphere will know, the prospect of having a white Christmas is small indeed, unless you include the sandy beaches of Cottesloe, on the Perth coastline.The traditional routine of wrapping up warm whilst delivering family presents is a rarity here. Instead, suncream laden and scantily clad, people drop gifts off at various friends houses before heading to the beach to cool down. The relaxed and easy going lifestyle of West Australia is distinctly unhurried, apart from the times you take your shoes off and make the journey from your car to the waters edge. The 45 metre journey from 'Cott' car park to the sea is akin to walking on a fully operational radiator, and is generally made to the sounds of 'ahh', 'bloody hell' or 'ohh-ohh-ohh' from the multitude of bathers performing their own version of walking on hot coals. Such is life in Australia, a place that some decidedly short-sighted politician decided would be an ideal place to send Britain's criminals in the late 18th century. 200 or so years later, Brits in their thousands pay enormous sums of money to follow in the footsteps of their misbehaving ancestors, enjoying all that this vast country has to offer. That is unless you're following your national team in your favourite sport. As expected, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath have announced they will retire at the end of this series and Australia are now on a mission to provide England with a morale-destroying 5-0 whitewash, which would be the first in Ashes history. If England lose the toss for the last 2 tests, the unthinkable may happen but with any sort of luck, there's a decent chance England might sneak a win at either Melbourne or Sydney. For a selection shock, there might be a debut for Jamie Dalrymple at the MCG - his combination of off-spin and useful lower order batting could be just the present England need. A merry Christmas to all, Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/christmas_greetings_from_downu.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/christmas_greetings_from_downu.html Sun, 24 Dec 2006 06:21:41 +0000 The rumours that began to circulate in Australia yesterday have proved to be true: leg-spinning genius Shane Warne is to retire at the end of this Ashes series. Shocked Aussie cricket fans are still digesting the news here, after Warne gave a very candid press conference at his beloved MCG today, explaining that he wanted to call time on his international career whilst still at the top. It's hard to put into words the effect Warne has had on Australian cricket, and the worldwide game in general. In a recent poll, Warne came second only to Don Bradman himself as the most influential Australian cricketer ever and his contribution to the 15 or so years of domination enjoyed by the Australian cricket team has been simply immense. He revolutionised test cricket by re-inventing spin bowling as an attacking, match-winning art. All England fans, and most England players come to think of it, will be breathing a huge sigh of relief that the fizzing, dipping, spinning deliveries Warne has produced against them since his Ashes debut in 1993 will not exert such huge influence on another series. The irony of Warne's decision is that he is arguably bowling as well as ever whilst scoring crucial lower order runs and catching almost everything that comes to him at 1st slip. Though some people will say he should have continued to play test cricket due to his skills and fitness levels being as good as ever, he has done what England rugby captain Martin Johnson did and retired at the very peak of the game. To listen to Warne's admission that he would have liked to retire at the end of the 2005 Ashes series but couldn't due to there being 'unfinished business' gives a clear insight into why Australia have regained the Ashes after 3 tests down here. Ricky Ponting, and the Australian team felt they had let their country down by losing Australia's grip on the prized urn. The pain of the 2005 defeat has manifested itself in an unstoppable determination to win the Ashes back - and Warne has been a key factor in this, knowing full well that he could never retire on the back of a losing series, especially to England. Warne's behaviour on the pitch has not always endeared him to opposition cricket fans and his off-field antics have sometimes strained his relationship with the Australian cricket authorities and public alike. Despite this, he commands a respect from both team mates and adversaries that is without parallel in the world game, for his ability to influence the outcome of any match he plays in. Without Warne, England would arguably be only 1-0 down in this series and might have beaten Australia 3 or 4-1 in the 2005 series. His combination of supreme skill, razor sharp cricket brain, and astonishing competitiveness created the greatest bowler the world has ever seen, and he fulfilled the one category that determines all true sporting greats - produce your best when it's needed most. If you want an example of that, take a look at the 1999 World Cup semi-final between Australia and South Africa. Chasing just over 200 to win, South Africa had rocketed to 48 without loss after only 10 overs and seemed certain to win easily. The introduction of Warne to the attack changed everything, and in his 10 overs he dismissed Herschelle Gibbs, Gary Kirsten, Hansie Cronje and Jacques Kallis for just 29 runs. The match was eventually tied, and Australia won by virtue of beating S.A in the round robin stage. Without Warne, their 1999 World cup win would never have happened. The last two Ashes tests promise to be historic even though the series has already been decided. One senses the end of an era for Australian cricket with Glenn McGrath likely to end his test career at Sydney too. For Shane Warne, his legacy will be not only the massive contribution he made in making Australia the pre-eminent cricket team of the last decade, but also the thousands of youngsters throughout the world now bowling leg-spin after being inspired to do so by the finest bowler the world has ever seen. Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/warne_calls_it_a_day.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/warne_calls_it_a_day.html Thu, 21 Dec 2006 07:25:20 +0000 The dream of retaining the Ashes is over for the England team and their loyal hordes of supporters, who came in their thousands today in the hope of a cricketing miracle. When England's last wicket fell, the Australian team hugged each other like long lost brothers giving a true indication of how badly they wanted to regain what they forfeited in England last year. The first 90 minutes of the morning session saw a rather different mood amongst the Australian fielders, as Kevin Pietersen progressed in untroubled fashion and Andrew Flintoff launched into a gutsy attack on their bowlers, hitting Stuart Clark for 12 in one over and smiting Brett Lee over midwicket for a mighty 6. With 17 overs of the day gone and with England needing another 220 to win with 5 wickets left, the optimists in the Barmy Army started to talk of history in the making. Shane Warne - who else? - had other ideas, and a beautifully flighted leg break deceived the England captain's flicked drive and spun into his off stump. Out came Geraint Jones, disrespectfully nicknamed 'The Club Pro' out here, under what could be described as a bit of pressure, having made 0 in the first innings and 0 against Western Australia a few days before that. Cricket being the game it is, he survived half a dozen or so balls before attempting to sweep a Shane Warne delivery which prompted the usual theatrical appeal from the crafty spinner. 'Shut up Warne you ----' (use your imagination) cried the Barmy Army only for the alert Ricky Ponting to notice that Jones's back foot had slid forward during the shot. His underarm flick at the stumps left the Kent keeper short of his ground and so he ends this game, probably the series, and quite possibly his England career, on an ignominious pair having previously set the world test record for going the greatest number of matches before recording a test duck. The England tail fell quickly, allowing Australia to record a thoroughly well deserved 206 run victory. Though they have been tested at times this series, when the crucial sessions were there to be won, Australia's class and experience has seen them through. Their top 3 of Langer, Hayden and Ponting have over 80 test centuries between them and the bowling stalwarts McGrath and Warne have dismissed a combined total of 1250 test batsmen. Such experience cannot be bought, and when combined with the intense desire to regain the Ashes after the pain the Australian team felt at losing them in 2005, it makes for a very formidable opponent. A last word for the Barmy Army of England supporters who cheered their team to the end and beyond in true British style. An hour and a half after the game had finished, nearly 1000 England fans continued to show real Dunkirk spirit, singing their songs and applauding the England team who came over to say thank you. The Australians, who have no real singing culture in their sport, were simply astonished that fans of a team that had suffered such a heavy defeat, could carry on cheering so passionately. This show of defiance won them huge admiration at the ground today, and the sight of police officers and security men taking pictures of the army on their mobile phones and cameras is really the ultimate compliment. Well done Australia, they played the better cricket and deserve to have the Ashes back...for a couple more years at least. Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/3rd_test_perth_day_5_australia.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/3rd_test_perth_day_5_australia.html Mon, 18 Dec 2006 08:42:10 +0000 Arriving in hope rather than expectation, the massive British contingent at the WACA were given a demonstration of real grit and determination from England's two youngest batsmen, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell. England only lost 4 wickets for the whole day, and it was a great shame to see 2 of those go in the last 15 minutes when on another day, they might have been offered the chance to go off due to the increasingly bad light. England closed at 265 for 5 requiring another 292 to win this 3rd test, or more realistically, to bat out the final day. After the despondency of Saturday, it was a joy to see the best of England's batting youth display such application. Ian Bell fell for a lovely 87, which is considered the devil's number in Australia due to it being 13 short of 100. He had an excellent battle with Shane Warne, who refers to Bell as 'The Sherminator' because of his resemblance to the character in the American Pie movies. His willingness to use his feet against Warne resulted in him hitting the wily leg spinner for two straight 6's in addition to some neatly clipped onside 4's. Bell has a lovely balance at the crease in addition to a flowing drive which unfortunately contributed to his dismissal, caught on the drive after Warne had deceived him in the flight. As for Alastair Cook, he has work to do on his technique against quick bowlers outside the off stump but there is no doubting his temperament or courage. His first Ashes hundred was Athertonesque in style, and for a 21 year old to resist a rampant Australian attack for more than 6 hours is rare indeed. Glenn McGrath's late wickets with the second new ball have probably sealed England's fate, and the chances of them getting any positive result tomorrow are all but gone now. That won't prevent thousands of England fans turning up at the WACA tomorrow morning to witness what might be the last rites, but at least they now know that with Bell, Cook and Pietersen, the future is not as bleak for English batting as it might have appeared. Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/3rd_test_perth_day_4_spirited.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/3rd_test_perth_day_4_spirited.html Sun, 17 Dec 2006 10:45:19 +0000 Today was the day Australia gave England their punishment for having the temerity to unexpectedly win the Ashes last year. The evening session, in which Australia scored at over 7 an over, saw Adam Gilchrist unleash a form of batting carnage upon the hapless England bowlers, who had hitherto bowled quite respectably. The England attack was occasionally able to control the areas of the WACA ground Gilchrist hit the ball, but unfortunately not the distance. All of them were treated to some spectacular clean hitting from the under pressure wicket keeper, and his three 6's in an over off Monty Panesar caused mayhem in the crowd at deep midwicket. To growing realisation that he might break the world record for the fastest test century in history, held by Viv Richards for his 56 ball destruction of - guess who - England, in 1985, he failed by 1 ball to accomplish the amazing feat. 'Mr Cricket' Mike Hussey also made an excellent hundred along with Michael Clarke, who has clearly become a better player after being dropped from the Australian team last year. England did create some opportunities when they bowled and were on the wrong side of several close umpiring decisions which might have changed the course of the day. But, when all is said and done, there can be no argument that Australia are a better cricket side than this current England team, and they are determined, to the point of obsession, to win back the coveted Ashes urn. England have been hit hard by the absence of Marcus Trescothick, Simon Jones and Michael Vaughan. Asking Andrew Flintoff to be captain, though supported by many learned observers, has proved to be the wrong decision and the similarities between his forlorn position and that of Ian Botham in 1981 are striking. Both players are natural, instinctive cricketers with good cricket brains but to ask a man to be the key all-rounder with its batting, bowling and fielding roles as well as being the biggest personality in the team is too much. Big Fred has the weight of the world on his shoulders at the moment, and all true cricket fans, even those of Australian descent, are probably feeling a little sorry for the loveable Lancastrian at present. So tomorrow looks like being the day Australia regain the Ashes. Chasing 557 or more realistically, with 2 days to bat to save the game, England have the chance to show some pride and character with the bat before the inevitable comes. When it does, don't be too hard on them - they have been out-matched by a superior force whose motivation to undo the heartbreak of last year has been too much for this young England team. Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/3rd_test_perth_day_3_england_p.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/3rd_test_perth_day_3_england_p.html Sat, 16 Dec 2006 11:11:19 +0000 After the euphoria of the opening day, England now face the prospect of losing their grip on the coveted urn as Australia closed nearly 150 runs ahead in their 2nd innings with the loss of only Justin Langer, bowled first ball by a peach of an inswinger from Matthew Hoggard. A terrible opening hour saw them lose Paul Collingwood to a loose back foot shot and Andrew Strauss to another questionable decision from Rudi Koertzen after seeming in fine touch. Worse was to follow as Andrew Flintoff, looking hesitant with the bat and unsure whether to occupy the crease or attack his way back into form, edged a routine delivery from Andrew Symonds to Shane Warne at 1st slip. Geraint Jones came and went immediately, out to a weak off side drive for the third innings in a row. England's biggest problem in this series has been an over reliance on a few players for each test, with no significant contribution from others with bat or ball. Kevin Pietersen does not fall into this category of under achievement and as usual, he decided attack was the best way of getting England somewhere near the Australian total. A series of spectacular drives, pulls and rustic whacks followed, enabling England to attain a respectable total from the perilous position of 120 for 7. Some good old fashioned tail wagging assisted KP - Hoggard with his stout defence, Harmison with his long handle and Panesar, with a touch of class in making 16 not out at no.11. Harmison and Monty had a last wicket partnership of 40, the highest of the England innings and the ability the Sikh of Tweak showed surely means he is destined for true all-rounder status sooner rather than later. Ok so that may be a trifle optimistic but Monty is definitely worth a punt on making a test 50 within the next 12 months. Matthew Hayden showed great mental fortitude in making 57 not out at stumps and in conjunction with the assured Ricky Ponting, seems to have put Australia in a position of dominance going into day 3. Unless England can produce something exceptional with the ball tomorrow morning, the Ashes appear to be heading back down under. Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/3rd_test_perth_day_2_ashes_sli.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/3rd_test_perth_day_2_ashes_sli.html Fri, 15 Dec 2006 11:45:59 +0000 At 51 for 2 in reply to Australia's 244 all out, England probably have a slight advantage after a thoroughly gripping opening day in Perth. The eagerly awaited announcement of the England team was greeted with cheers from all around the packed WACA ground, when big Freddie confirmed what all England fans had hoped for - our beloved Monty was indeed playing. Sajid Mahmood also came in for James Anderson and in conjunction with the selection of Panesar, the England attack had a much more potent look about it. Still, Australia had first use of a good looking WACA pitch and there was considerable concern that they might accumulate a formidable total. That they failed to do that can be attributed to England bowling as a unit for the first real time in this series, maintaining pressure on all the Australian batsmen. Steve Harmison found the Perth conditions much more to his liking and he posed a threat thoughout the three spells he bowled today. His dismissal of Ricky Ponting, LBW playing around a full ball after an over of lively paced off stump channel deliveries, was greeted with a massive roar from the huge British contingent. After two desperately disappointing matches, it was a delight to see the Durham paceman back to something like his best and he thoroughly deserved his 4 wicket haul today. As for Monty Panesar, any praise he receives for his magnificent performance today is probably not fulsome enough. Despite the attempts of the Australian batsmen to get on top of him, his Ashes debut was nothing short of sensational. His 5 wickets included 3 batsmen defeated whilst playing defensively - the sign of real class in a slow bowler. He caused problems for all the batsmen and whilst they will be ecstatic with the performance of the Northants spinner, the England management will secretly be thinking what might have been if only they had had the courage to play Monty previously. A word too for Mike Hussey, who must surely be one of the top 5 batters in world cricket. He combines a superb, compact technique with the mental toughness of Michael Bevan at his one day best. He appears to have no identifiable weaknesses in his game and has the priceless ability of playing exactly the right stroke for each ball bowled to him which, simple as it sounds, is beyond the scope of almost any current player you might think of. He is truly a very special batsman and his test average of 85 is no fluke. Tomorrow promises to be another absorbing day. England are roughly 190 runs behind Australia meaning that if they can bat till tea, they will be close to level if not ahead of their first innings total. Warne's drop of Collingwood, who nicked a fast leg-cutter from the excellent Stuart Clark at catchable height to 1st slip with 3 overs to go, may prove to be crucial. Andrew Strauss looked in good touch and perhaps tomorrow will be the day he registers his first sizeable score of the series. Wish him luck.. Wello http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/3rd_test_perth_day_1_arise_sir.html http://www.coachingcricketexcellence.co.uk/blog/2006/12/3rd_test_perth_day_1_arise_sir.html Thu, 14 Dec 2006 12:37:43 +0000