When I sat amongst 10,000+ India fans at Sophia Gardens for the 2013 Champions Trophy opener against South Africa, I realised what a joyous occasion an international cricket match can be. Watching highlights of the World Cup encounter between the same nations at the MCG I can barely imagine what it must have felt like amongst an exuberant and victorious crowd of 84,000.
As in that game in Cardiff, India batted first, Shikhar Dhawan struck a wonderful hundred and SA's run chase fell short. However, this time, the result was rarely in doubt. While Sharma fell early, the Delhi left-hander contributed two century partnerships, with Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, with Wayne Parnell suffering a real pounding. Even Dale Steyn could only scratch his head and offer a rueful smile as his best efforts were met by some outrageous shot-making all around the wicket.
A target of 300 is invariably too much for any side batting second at the MCG but with the likes of AB De Villiers, Hashim Amla, David Miller and Faf Du Plessis anything is possible, especially against an Indian attack associated with ordinariness. Nevertheless MS Dhoni and his masters have forged a new-found togetherness and for once the bowlers delivered. Shami and Mohit Sharma never let the frontline batsmen get going, then the spinners ensured that there was to be no mid-innings acceleration.
The bowlers were supported by some magnificent fielding, with De Villiers and Miller beaten to the crease by two superb throws. The long tail failed to wag and India wrapped things up almost ten overs early. Now not only India but the rest of the cricket world can begin to believe that Dhoni's men can defend their crown.
Meanwhile, England gained their first win of the campaign but an easy victory over the might of Scotland merely papers over the cracks. Moeen Ali's 128 showed what the Worcestershire star can do but Ian Bell's fifty was too slow against such an attack. Much as I have been an admirer of Bell for the decade, he needs to up the strike rate when England meet the big boys. Still, at least he did score more than Root, Balance, Buttler and Taylor put together. Morgan produced six much-needed boundaries but the big winners were England's seamers. Finn's economy rate was under 3, a vast improvement on the 24.5 in the NZ humiliation.
So while England and India now look set to reach the knockout stage, what will this defeat do for South Africa. It doesn't mean they can't chase a good total, but it will give Pakistan, the West Indies and even Ireland extra hope, particularly if they win the toss.
Showing posts with label Dale Steyn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dale Steyn. Show all posts
Monday, 23 February 2015
Saturday, 3 January 2015
2014 Overall Team of the Year
To complete my review of the year, I'll examine the performances across all three formats, and not restrict myself to international cricket.
have not been the most successful batsmen outside Twenty20 but David Warner has played himself into my good books. Having played for Australia in T20 before even playing a single first-class match, he has since become a vital cog in the Green Baggie wheel. With Chris Rogers playing the anchor role, Warner has been given free rein to play his strokes and in 2014 collated more than 2,000 runs, averaging over 63 in Tests and a T20 strike rate of 142. He has been paired with Hashim Amla of South Africa. He just oozes class and unflappability whatever the format, and made more than 2500 runs in total. He doesn't seem to have many weak points. Even in T20 his strike rate in 2014 was on a par with McCullum and Finch, superior even to that of Chris Gayle.
Kumar Sangakkara may now be 37 years old, but his batting just seems to improve with age. Top scorer in Tests and ODIs, who cares about T20? His Test average last year was 71, pushing his career figure to a mighty 58, ahead of Ponting, Lara and Tendulkar. A shoo-in at number three, and did I mention he keeps wicket better than Dhoni, too?
Virat Kohli is also starting to carry his 50-over talents across to proper cricket, even on the hard pitches of Australia. He was another of the 2,500-run select few, whose most noteworthy statistic was his ODI strike rate of 99.62! Somewhat less of a global phenomenon, Kane Williamson has shone in what was an excellent year for New Zealand. He averaged 62 in Tests and, with his county cricket exploits included, scored 1,558 first-class runs. Add his List A and T20 figures and the run tally extends towards 3,000. I really hope he shines at the World Cup.
Angelo Mathews also had a fantastic year, converting fifties into hundreds in Test matches, averaging 88 alongside 62 in ODIs. He has grown as a captain for Sri Lanka, too, a great example of a man who has not just fulfilled expectations but exceeded them. Steve Smith has perhaps enjoyed an even steeper rise to the top. With Michael Clarke sidelined by injury, Mike Hussey retired and the rest of the middle-order inconsistent, Smith has rescued Australia for much of the year. Five centuries and an average of 82 in Tests and a good record in ODIs, and by December he had also assumed the captaincy. A wonderful year for him!
While Warner, Williamson, Smith and Mathews have all bowled at international level, surely the best all-rounder in 2014 was Shakib-al-Hasan. Admittedly Bangladesh didn't always face the big boys but as a bowler who also averaged 47 with the bat in Tests he was again a class act. Narine (T20), Herath (Tests) and Mendis (ODIs) may have taken more wickets but in limited overs, few were consistently more economical than Shakib.
Mitch Johnson and Dale Steyn comprise my pace attack. The Aussie's main contribution was in Tests, the highlights coming in the 2013/14 Ashes series. He wasn't a prolific ODI wicket-taker but was surprisingly mean when it came to economy. Steyn is an amazingly consistent trouper over many years. 2014 may not have been his best year but his 39 Test scalps came at just 19.56 apiece and there were 22 ODI wickets at 26.54, too. A fearsome death bowler in T20, too, but not at the top of the tables. My last bowler is Jeetan Patel. The evergreen Kiwi has been a fantastic spinner for Warwickshire in recent years and his 2014 featured 133 wickets all told. His rare talent is to appear equally good in all three forms of cricket. Statistically maybe his best last year came in T20; in 28 games he took 35 wickets at a mere 15, and an economy rate of 5.86, better even than Saeed Ajmal and Malinga.
Just missing the cut were Joe Root, Brendon McCullum, Saeed Ajmal and AB de Villiers.
So my Eleven of 2014 stands as follows:-
Warner (Aust), Amla (SA), Sangakkara (SL, +), Kohli (Ind), Williamson (NZ), Smith (Aust), Mathews (SL *), Shakib al Hasan (Ban), Patel (War/NZ), Johnson (Aust), Steyn (SA).
Roll on 2015..!
have not been the most successful batsmen outside Twenty20 but David Warner has played himself into my good books. Having played for Australia in T20 before even playing a single first-class match, he has since become a vital cog in the Green Baggie wheel. With Chris Rogers playing the anchor role, Warner has been given free rein to play his strokes and in 2014 collated more than 2,000 runs, averaging over 63 in Tests and a T20 strike rate of 142. He has been paired with Hashim Amla of South Africa. He just oozes class and unflappability whatever the format, and made more than 2500 runs in total. He doesn't seem to have many weak points. Even in T20 his strike rate in 2014 was on a par with McCullum and Finch, superior even to that of Chris Gayle.
Kumar Sangakkara may now be 37 years old, but his batting just seems to improve with age. Top scorer in Tests and ODIs, who cares about T20? His Test average last year was 71, pushing his career figure to a mighty 58, ahead of Ponting, Lara and Tendulkar. A shoo-in at number three, and did I mention he keeps wicket better than Dhoni, too?
Virat Kohli is also starting to carry his 50-over talents across to proper cricket, even on the hard pitches of Australia. He was another of the 2,500-run select few, whose most noteworthy statistic was his ODI strike rate of 99.62! Somewhat less of a global phenomenon, Kane Williamson has shone in what was an excellent year for New Zealand. He averaged 62 in Tests and, with his county cricket exploits included, scored 1,558 first-class runs. Add his List A and T20 figures and the run tally extends towards 3,000. I really hope he shines at the World Cup.
Angelo Mathews also had a fantastic year, converting fifties into hundreds in Test matches, averaging 88 alongside 62 in ODIs. He has grown as a captain for Sri Lanka, too, a great example of a man who has not just fulfilled expectations but exceeded them. Steve Smith has perhaps enjoyed an even steeper rise to the top. With Michael Clarke sidelined by injury, Mike Hussey retired and the rest of the middle-order inconsistent, Smith has rescued Australia for much of the year. Five centuries and an average of 82 in Tests and a good record in ODIs, and by December he had also assumed the captaincy. A wonderful year for him!
While Warner, Williamson, Smith and Mathews have all bowled at international level, surely the best all-rounder in 2014 was Shakib-al-Hasan. Admittedly Bangladesh didn't always face the big boys but as a bowler who also averaged 47 with the bat in Tests he was again a class act. Narine (T20), Herath (Tests) and Mendis (ODIs) may have taken more wickets but in limited overs, few were consistently more economical than Shakib.
Mitch Johnson and Dale Steyn comprise my pace attack. The Aussie's main contribution was in Tests, the highlights coming in the 2013/14 Ashes series. He wasn't a prolific ODI wicket-taker but was surprisingly mean when it came to economy. Steyn is an amazingly consistent trouper over many years. 2014 may not have been his best year but his 39 Test scalps came at just 19.56 apiece and there were 22 ODI wickets at 26.54, too. A fearsome death bowler in T20, too, but not at the top of the tables. My last bowler is Jeetan Patel. The evergreen Kiwi has been a fantastic spinner for Warwickshire in recent years and his 2014 featured 133 wickets all told. His rare talent is to appear equally good in all three forms of cricket. Statistically maybe his best last year came in T20; in 28 games he took 35 wickets at a mere 15, and an economy rate of 5.86, better even than Saeed Ajmal and Malinga.
Just missing the cut were Joe Root, Brendon McCullum, Saeed Ajmal and AB de Villiers.
So my Eleven of 2014 stands as follows:-
Warner (Aust), Amla (SA), Sangakkara (SL, +), Kohli (Ind), Williamson (NZ), Smith (Aust), Mathews (SL *), Shakib al Hasan (Ban), Patel (War/NZ), Johnson (Aust), Steyn (SA).
Roll on 2015..!
Wednesday, 31 December 2014
2014 Cricket Review: Tests
In 2014, Test cricket has been a roller coaster ride. England went from Ashes meltdown to redemption of sorts at home to India, the only top Test nation not to win a single series all year. Australia also defeated India and South Africa but, even without Smith and Kallis, the latter remained number one in the ICC rankings. New Zealand have won a record five Tests but now need to prove their new-found winning formula against the top three. All credit, though to the Aussies for coming through the grieving period after Phil Hughes' tragic death.
So who were the individual stars of 2014? In all first-class cricket, Chris Rogers was the only batsman to aggregate more than 2,000 runs and the world's top wicket-takers were Bangladeshi spinner Taijul Islam (89) and ever-reliable Michael Hogan (88). However, at the highest level, my pick of the openers were David Warner and young West Indian Kraigg Brathwaite. The abrasive Aussie smashed six centuries and 1,136 runs while Brathwaite's average in five matches is an excellent 77.88.
The middle-order is typically competitive. Brendon McCullum, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson enjoyed great years but for consistency, my next batsmen are Kumar Sangakkara and Younus Khan. The Sri Lankan out scored all other Test players with 1,493 runs at more than 71. The Pakistan veteran finished with a similar average and produced a purple patch this autumn, grabbing more than 700 runs in four matches against Australia and New Zealand in the UAE.
Next up are Joe Root and Angelo Mathews. In a topsy-turvy year for England, the Yorkshireman demonstrated his value many times and the batting line-up will surely be built around him for many years to come. His average for 2014 was a stupendous 97. With the Sri Lanka big three looking shaky, Mathews has stepped up to the mark, not only as captain but also as someone who can deliver big scores, not just useful 50 not outs. Only team-mate Sanga scored more Test runs and Angelo's average of 87.80 is mighty impressive. He also gets the captaincy.
MS Dhoni retires from Tests with loads of plaudits but Pakistan's Sarfraz Ahmed edges him and Brad Haddin to the wicketkeeper berth. A better batsman than Akmal, he is also improving his glovework.
My team boasts four specialist bowlers alongside part-timers Mathews and Root. Rangana Herath's tally of 60 wickets was easily the most in 2014, claiming no fewer than six five-fors. Apart from his problems with the arm inspectors, Saeed Ajmal took only 17 at 44 apiece, so three pacemen complete my XI. Dale Steyn continued to take wickets (39) and with a sub-20 average. James Anderson boasted one more scalp, averaging an impressive 22 but star 'quick' has to be Mitch Johnson. His year ended in a bout of daft 'verbals' with Kohli but it began with such pace, bounce and venom that England didn't just suffer an Ashes whitewash but also lost two of their three finest players of recent times, Swann, Pietersen and Trott.
So, to sum up, here is my Test Eleven for 2014:-
Warner (Aust), Brathwaite (WI), Younis Khan (Pak), Sangakkara (SL), Root (Eng), Mathews (SL, *), Sarfraz Ahmed (Pak,+), Johnson (Aust), Steyn (SA), Anderson (Eng), Herath (SL).
ODIS and T20s to follow....
So who were the individual stars of 2014? In all first-class cricket, Chris Rogers was the only batsman to aggregate more than 2,000 runs and the world's top wicket-takers were Bangladeshi spinner Taijul Islam (89) and ever-reliable Michael Hogan (88). However, at the highest level, my pick of the openers were David Warner and young West Indian Kraigg Brathwaite. The abrasive Aussie smashed six centuries and 1,136 runs while Brathwaite's average in five matches is an excellent 77.88.
The middle-order is typically competitive. Brendon McCullum, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson enjoyed great years but for consistency, my next batsmen are Kumar Sangakkara and Younus Khan. The Sri Lankan out scored all other Test players with 1,493 runs at more than 71. The Pakistan veteran finished with a similar average and produced a purple patch this autumn, grabbing more than 700 runs in four matches against Australia and New Zealand in the UAE.
Next up are Joe Root and Angelo Mathews. In a topsy-turvy year for England, the Yorkshireman demonstrated his value many times and the batting line-up will surely be built around him for many years to come. His average for 2014 was a stupendous 97. With the Sri Lanka big three looking shaky, Mathews has stepped up to the mark, not only as captain but also as someone who can deliver big scores, not just useful 50 not outs. Only team-mate Sanga scored more Test runs and Angelo's average of 87.80 is mighty impressive. He also gets the captaincy.
MS Dhoni retires from Tests with loads of plaudits but Pakistan's Sarfraz Ahmed edges him and Brad Haddin to the wicketkeeper berth. A better batsman than Akmal, he is also improving his glovework.
My team boasts four specialist bowlers alongside part-timers Mathews and Root. Rangana Herath's tally of 60 wickets was easily the most in 2014, claiming no fewer than six five-fors. Apart from his problems with the arm inspectors, Saeed Ajmal took only 17 at 44 apiece, so three pacemen complete my XI. Dale Steyn continued to take wickets (39) and with a sub-20 average. James Anderson boasted one more scalp, averaging an impressive 22 but star 'quick' has to be Mitch Johnson. His year ended in a bout of daft 'verbals' with Kohli but it began with such pace, bounce and venom that England didn't just suffer an Ashes whitewash but also lost two of their three finest players of recent times, Swann, Pietersen and Trott.
So, to sum up, here is my Test Eleven for 2014:-
Warner (Aust), Brathwaite (WI), Younis Khan (Pak), Sangakkara (SL), Root (Eng), Mathews (SL, *), Sarfraz Ahmed (Pak,+), Johnson (Aust), Steyn (SA), Anderson (Eng), Herath (SL).
ODIS and T20s to follow....
Saturday, 20 December 2014
Smith and Steyn Supreme
Two Contrasting Test matches ended in victories for the current big two, Australia and South Africa, but the stars were a veteran fast bowler and a debut captain.
At Centurion, the West Indies were thoroughly outplayed in all departments. Their only success was winning the toss, but that merely formed the prelude to a big innings for the home side. Ramdin's men enjoyed some moments when three successive wicket-maidens must have lifted their spirits. Enter AB de Villiers, he and the magnificent Hasham Amla produced a triple-century partnership and that was that.
When AB fell for 152, debutant Stiaan van Zyl came to the crease and contributed a brisk unbeaten hundred of his own. Brathwaite and Smith made a solid start but then the wickets began to tumble at regular intervals. Vernon Philander pitched in with four wickets and no batsman reached 40 as the visitors were bowled out for 201.
Following on, West Indies fared little better and once Leon Johnson was caught behind, that great warrior Dale Steyn produced one of those spells which few can cope with. He claimed 6-34 and the Proteas cruised to an innings victory.
Meanwhile there was another successful debutant at Brisbane. India looked good value, with Murali Vijay (144) and Ajinkya Rahane (81) building a promising score. However, 23 year-old Josh Hazelwood took five wickets to keep the Aussies in the mix. With Clarke injured again, in-form Steve Smith was given the captaincy but the pressure didn't show. He stroked his sixth Test century then the tail wagged vigorously. Mitch Johnson and Mitch Starc scored half-centuries to enjoy a 97-run lead.
Johnson proceeded to rip out the Indian middle-order and only Shikhtar Dhawan - in two instalments either side of an injury break - showed any resilience. Needing only 128 to win in four sessions, Ishant Sharma silenced the Gabba crowd early on but Chris Rogers crunched ten boundaries for his second 55 of the match. There were a few more flutters but an extra cover drive from Mitch Marsh ended proceedings to win by four wickets.
The cracked pitch probably contributed to a preponderance of catches. All of India's first innings victims were caught, six by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. He added three more in the second keeping to the pacemen.
So another encouraging display by Australia, and young Steve Smith's conversion from dodgy all-rounder to world-class batsman looks complete. Let's also hope that Hazelwood is now free of the stress fracture hoodoo that has affected so many young Aussie fast bowlers in recent years.
At Centurion, the West Indies were thoroughly outplayed in all departments. Their only success was winning the toss, but that merely formed the prelude to a big innings for the home side. Ramdin's men enjoyed some moments when three successive wicket-maidens must have lifted their spirits. Enter AB de Villiers, he and the magnificent Hasham Amla produced a triple-century partnership and that was that.
When AB fell for 152, debutant Stiaan van Zyl came to the crease and contributed a brisk unbeaten hundred of his own. Brathwaite and Smith made a solid start but then the wickets began to tumble at regular intervals. Vernon Philander pitched in with four wickets and no batsman reached 40 as the visitors were bowled out for 201.
Following on, West Indies fared little better and once Leon Johnson was caught behind, that great warrior Dale Steyn produced one of those spells which few can cope with. He claimed 6-34 and the Proteas cruised to an innings victory.
Meanwhile there was another successful debutant at Brisbane. India looked good value, with Murali Vijay (144) and Ajinkya Rahane (81) building a promising score. However, 23 year-old Josh Hazelwood took five wickets to keep the Aussies in the mix. With Clarke injured again, in-form Steve Smith was given the captaincy but the pressure didn't show. He stroked his sixth Test century then the tail wagged vigorously. Mitch Johnson and Mitch Starc scored half-centuries to enjoy a 97-run lead.
Johnson proceeded to rip out the Indian middle-order and only Shikhtar Dhawan - in two instalments either side of an injury break - showed any resilience. Needing only 128 to win in four sessions, Ishant Sharma silenced the Gabba crowd early on but Chris Rogers crunched ten boundaries for his second 55 of the match. There were a few more flutters but an extra cover drive from Mitch Marsh ended proceedings to win by four wickets.
The cracked pitch probably contributed to a preponderance of catches. All of India's first innings victims were caught, six by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. He added three more in the second keeping to the pacemen.
So another encouraging display by Australia, and young Steve Smith's conversion from dodgy all-rounder to world-class batsman looks complete. Let's also hope that Hazelwood is now free of the stress fracture hoodoo that has affected so many young Aussie fast bowlers in recent years.
Friday, 15 August 2014
Team of the Week: Steyn and Sangakkara steam ahead
Some difficult choices this week after a relatively weak pool from which to select last time. Test matches, 'A' internationals, the CPL and the last of an intensive few weeks of Royal London county fixtures were all vying for attention.
For some reason, 111 was a popular score. The late umpire David Shepherd would have been hopping around like a demented flamingo but only one of these batsmen make my team of the week ending 15th August 2014. That's Essex opener Tom Westley, who shared a double-century partnership with Ryan Ten Doeschate in a run chase against Yorkshire, before weighing in with 74 versus Hampshire. Jacques Rudolph, Lendl Simmons and Wes Durston were all in the frame, but Alex Hales' 141 in Nottinghamshire's thumping of Middlesex earns him the other opener spot.
He put on 217 with Michael Lumb yet his colleague and skipper James Taylor produced an even better 100 not out in 55 balls in that match to accompany another unbeaten hundred for the Lions against Sri Lanka 'A'. Worcestershire's 20 year-old Tom Fell delivered three innings each of at least 70 in the past week, although his side struggled a bit. He edges my decision ahead of Pakistan's Younis Khan but I simply can't ignore Kumar Sangakkara. His prolific year continued with 221 in Sri Lanka's victory over Pakistan. Majestic! However, his score was eclipsed by the South African 'A' man Rilee Roussouw, whose 231 helped deflate an Aussie attack in the triangular tournament.
Messrs Dhoni, Buttler and De Kock all made some runs but Hampshire's Adam Wheater steals the wicketkeeper gloves with a 97-ball 135. A shame that it was in vain as his side's run chase fell five runs short of the Essex total.
Paul Collingwood and Notts transfer target Will Gidman each produced a notable all-rund county performance but my remaining four places all go to specialist bowlers. Yasir Arafat claimed 5-36 and 4-49 against Somerset and Kent, respectively, and who can forget Stuart Broad's India-shattering 6-25 in the Fourth Test? A pity his nose took a shattering soon afterwards....
Rangana Herath didn't need to bowl as many overs this week as last but he added another nine wickets to his tally for Sri Lanka. His first-class aggregate now stands at 870, which surely few if any current players can match. His Test average has also dropped below 30, a sign of a top-class bowler. Finally, that man Dale Steyn was at it again, taking 5-46 and 3-38, although his latest eight victims were Zimbabweans. Herath's record is improving but he has a long way to go before emulating the South Afican maestro's 383 Test wickets at 22.56.
Summing up: Hales (Lions/Not), Westley (Ess), Sangakkara (SL), Fell (Wor), Taylor (Lions/Not *), Rossouw (SA 'A'), Wheater (Ham +), Yasir Arafat (Sus), Broad (Eng), Steyn (SA), Herath (SL).
For some reason, 111 was a popular score. The late umpire David Shepherd would have been hopping around like a demented flamingo but only one of these batsmen make my team of the week ending 15th August 2014. That's Essex opener Tom Westley, who shared a double-century partnership with Ryan Ten Doeschate in a run chase against Yorkshire, before weighing in with 74 versus Hampshire. Jacques Rudolph, Lendl Simmons and Wes Durston were all in the frame, but Alex Hales' 141 in Nottinghamshire's thumping of Middlesex earns him the other opener spot.
He put on 217 with Michael Lumb yet his colleague and skipper James Taylor produced an even better 100 not out in 55 balls in that match to accompany another unbeaten hundred for the Lions against Sri Lanka 'A'. Worcestershire's 20 year-old Tom Fell delivered three innings each of at least 70 in the past week, although his side struggled a bit. He edges my decision ahead of Pakistan's Younis Khan but I simply can't ignore Kumar Sangakkara. His prolific year continued with 221 in Sri Lanka's victory over Pakistan. Majestic! However, his score was eclipsed by the South African 'A' man Rilee Roussouw, whose 231 helped deflate an Aussie attack in the triangular tournament.
Messrs Dhoni, Buttler and De Kock all made some runs but Hampshire's Adam Wheater steals the wicketkeeper gloves with a 97-ball 135. A shame that it was in vain as his side's run chase fell five runs short of the Essex total.
Paul Collingwood and Notts transfer target Will Gidman each produced a notable all-rund county performance but my remaining four places all go to specialist bowlers. Yasir Arafat claimed 5-36 and 4-49 against Somerset and Kent, respectively, and who can forget Stuart Broad's India-shattering 6-25 in the Fourth Test? A pity his nose took a shattering soon afterwards....
Rangana Herath didn't need to bowl as many overs this week as last but he added another nine wickets to his tally for Sri Lanka. His first-class aggregate now stands at 870, which surely few if any current players can match. His Test average has also dropped below 30, a sign of a top-class bowler. Finally, that man Dale Steyn was at it again, taking 5-46 and 3-38, although his latest eight victims were Zimbabweans. Herath's record is improving but he has a long way to go before emulating the South Afican maestro's 383 Test wickets at 22.56.
Summing up: Hales (Lions/Not), Westley (Ess), Sangakkara (SL), Fell (Wor), Taylor (Lions/Not *), Rossouw (SA 'A'), Wheater (Ham +), Yasir Arafat (Sus), Broad (Eng), Steyn (SA), Herath (SL).
Saturday, 26 July 2014
Team of the Week: Big Hitters and Bouncers
Daryl Mitchell is having a great season to match that of his county, Worcestershire. This week he carried his bat for 167 in the defeat of Gloucestershire, his fifth century of the Championship summer, and struck a brisk 36 against Derbyshir ein the Twenty20. Dwayne Smith didn't hang around, either, in thumping 110 not out for Barbados against St Lucia in the CPL. He also recorded a duck but I'll politely forget that ever happened....
My number three did nothing spectacular but credit to Jonathan Trott for reaching three figures for the first time since his traumatic withdrawal from the Ashes tour and early season relapse. His successor in the England middle-order Gary Ballance also weighed in with 110 in the otherwise embarrassing loss at Lord's to India. He enters my team of the week thanks to his graft which put most team-mates to shame.
There were lots of rapid 80s and 90s in the Caribbean and the final Blast group fixtures. Ramdin, Samuels, Hastings, Westley, Whiteley and Finch peppered boundaries but they were totally outdone by Luke Wright. With Sussex facing a target of 220+ by table-toppers Essex, the ex-England T20 all-rounder refused to give in and went onto smash 12 fours and 11 sixes in an unbeaten 153. It was not only the fourth highest T20 score ever but it won the match - even if Sussex failed to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Darren Stevens is no stranger to my team of the week, and in he comes again. A 38-ball 67 for Kent in the Blast victory over Sussex and nine wickets in the surprising Championship win over Surrey made him one of the top all-rounders. John Simpson rarely makes the headlines in his own county let alone the cricketing world. However the Middlesex wicketkeeper top-scored in each Championship innings, aggregating 171 runs in a losing cause against Yorkshire's very useful attack.
Dale Steyn looked back to his best for South Africa against Sri Lanka last week, with match figures of 9-99, while that man Bhuvneshwar Kumar again frustrated England with both bat and ball. His seam and swing netted 6-82 in the first innings, giving Anderson, Plunkett and Broad a lesson in how to bowl in helpful seam conditions. Kumar notched another half-century, too. In the second innings it was Ishant Sharma who proved to be the star performer. His 7-74 wasn't statistically as impressive as Ryan Sidebottom's 7-74 for Yorkshire but in the context of Test cricket, it was superb.
Finally I've gone for another quick, Stuart Meaker. He had a great start for Surrey this Spring before injury and competition for places kept him out of the team. This week he was back with a vengeance, claiming eleven wickets against Essex in the Championship and 4-30 in the T20 win over Middlesex. Sunil Narine and James Tredwell came close (the latter playing for both Kent and Sussex!) but no spinner this week.
My number three did nothing spectacular but credit to Jonathan Trott for reaching three figures for the first time since his traumatic withdrawal from the Ashes tour and early season relapse. His successor in the England middle-order Gary Ballance also weighed in with 110 in the otherwise embarrassing loss at Lord's to India. He enters my team of the week thanks to his graft which put most team-mates to shame.
There were lots of rapid 80s and 90s in the Caribbean and the final Blast group fixtures. Ramdin, Samuels, Hastings, Westley, Whiteley and Finch peppered boundaries but they were totally outdone by Luke Wright. With Sussex facing a target of 220+ by table-toppers Essex, the ex-England T20 all-rounder refused to give in and went onto smash 12 fours and 11 sixes in an unbeaten 153. It was not only the fourth highest T20 score ever but it won the match - even if Sussex failed to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Darren Stevens is no stranger to my team of the week, and in he comes again. A 38-ball 67 for Kent in the Blast victory over Sussex and nine wickets in the surprising Championship win over Surrey made him one of the top all-rounders. John Simpson rarely makes the headlines in his own county let alone the cricketing world. However the Middlesex wicketkeeper top-scored in each Championship innings, aggregating 171 runs in a losing cause against Yorkshire's very useful attack.
Dale Steyn looked back to his best for South Africa against Sri Lanka last week, with match figures of 9-99, while that man Bhuvneshwar Kumar again frustrated England with both bat and ball. His seam and swing netted 6-82 in the first innings, giving Anderson, Plunkett and Broad a lesson in how to bowl in helpful seam conditions. Kumar notched another half-century, too. In the second innings it was Ishant Sharma who proved to be the star performer. His 7-74 wasn't statistically as impressive as Ryan Sidebottom's 7-74 for Yorkshire but in the context of Test cricket, it was superb.
Finally I've gone for another quick, Stuart Meaker. He had a great start for Surrey this Spring before injury and competition for places kept him out of the team. This week he was back with a vengeance, claiming eleven wickets against Essex in the Championship and 4-30 in the T20 win over Middlesex. Sunil Narine and James Tredwell came close (the latter playing for both Kent and Sussex!) but no spinner this week.
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
2013 Cricketers of the Year
Following my selection of Test and ODI teams of the Year, it's now time to pick out the players who proved to be the best and most consistent performers across 2013 in all forms of cricket. It's not just about the internationals; there have been some notable achievements by those knocking on the door of national selectors as well as those for whom that door is probably closed for good.
That was the situation thought to be facing Chris Rogers at the start of the year. A one-Test wonder for Australia but a solid run-scorer in first-class cricket, he had been made Middlesex captain for the summer. However, David Warner's attitude and form, together with the sudden change of coach during the tour of England, led to his reinstatement as opener at the ripe old age of 36. While he didn't exactly set the world alight, he restored some reliability to the top order and rounded off the year perfectly with an Ashes century at the MCG. In all, he made more than 2,500 first-class runs during 2013, a marvellous achievement.
Kaushal Silva was elevated to Sri Lanka's team for the last Test match of 2013 and his domestic record explains why. IN only sixteen previous first-class matches, he scored 1,753 runs at an average of almost 80, and nobody claimed more than his nine centuries all year. He is a wicket-keeper, too, so has been sidelined by the combination of Sangakkara and Prasanna Jayawardene. Maybe not for too much longer.
IN addition to Rogers, two other 30-something Aussies batsmen made their presence felt in the county game this summer. Michael Klinger was the main bright spot for Gloucestershire and, taken together with his efforts for South Australia, he scored well over 1,000 runs in each of the first-class and List A formats. Michael Hogan also sprinkled some fairy dust onto Glamorgan wih his long-striding, high action seam bowling. This was followed by more success with Western Australia in the Shield, making him the only man to take more than 100 first-class wickets in 2013.
Graeme Onions once more out-bowled just about everyone else in county cricket yet was left out of the Ashes party presumably because he wasn't tall enough. Apparently, England like their drinks waiters to be at least six feet six, like Finn and Rankin, or ginger, like Bairstow, so the big Durham man was left to watch and laugh/cry as his elders and betters failed so miserably Down Under.
The West Indies are not best known for spinners, but while Sunil Narine continues to shine in T20, Shane Shillingford blitzed all and sundry for much of the year in first-class cricket. He claimed 88 wickets in all, at more than seven a match and an average of 16.37. That's phenomenal. Like most bowlers, he had to toil against India's talented array of batsmen and then in mid-December, not for the first time, his bowling action was adjudged to be illegal and requiring further remodelling. Time will tell whether he will be the same bowler again. Caribbean cricket can ill lose any reasonably talented cricketer these days.
Mohammad Hafeez is also past the age of 30 and has also had his critics. An opening batsman who can't score runs quickly enough and a spinner who can't take wickets. Yet somehow he was one of the most consistent all-rounders in limited-over cricket in 2013. IN 30 ODIs he accumulated 1,300 runs at a strike rate comparable with Amla and Dilshan and also contributed more than 600 T20 runs in all competitions. His spin option brought him 22 T20 wickets, too, at an excellent economy rate of 6.46 an over.
In addition to the players above, of course the top international stars of the year have already been mentioned in my previous blogs but they deserve a repeat mention in my review of the overall players of 2013. AB De Villiers is caurrently unrivalled as a batsman in all forms of cricket. Not only does he score shedloads of runs but he does so at a rate which puts most contemporaries to shame. His SR of 154 in all T20 games out-guns even Gayle, Pollard, Warner and Ten Doeschate. Add in his wicket-keeping and one-day captaincy duties and AB must be the outstanding all-round cricketer in the world game.
His South Africa team-mate, Dale Steyn, likewise must be the top bowler for his wickets, strike and economy rates spanning the formats in 2013. Final credits go to the 25 year-old Indian batting duo of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara. The former has been one of the foremost one-day batsmen and fielders of recent years and, if his exploits in the recent first Test in South Africa are anything to go by, he seems to be adding patience and sensible decision-making to his repertoire. Pujara was the only man apart from Rogers to score more than 2000 first-class runs, and did so without county cricket. Unencumbered by T20 fripperies, his record since the start of October includes a triple, double and three other hundreds in only twelve innings. His FC average for the year is just shy of 100. I hope he goes on to consolidate his position as India's Test number three in 2014.
A happy New Year to them and all readers, too!
That was the situation thought to be facing Chris Rogers at the start of the year. A one-Test wonder for Australia but a solid run-scorer in first-class cricket, he had been made Middlesex captain for the summer. However, David Warner's attitude and form, together with the sudden change of coach during the tour of England, led to his reinstatement as opener at the ripe old age of 36. While he didn't exactly set the world alight, he restored some reliability to the top order and rounded off the year perfectly with an Ashes century at the MCG. In all, he made more than 2,500 first-class runs during 2013, a marvellous achievement.
Kaushal Silva was elevated to Sri Lanka's team for the last Test match of 2013 and his domestic record explains why. IN only sixteen previous first-class matches, he scored 1,753 runs at an average of almost 80, and nobody claimed more than his nine centuries all year. He is a wicket-keeper, too, so has been sidelined by the combination of Sangakkara and Prasanna Jayawardene. Maybe not for too much longer.
IN addition to Rogers, two other 30-something Aussies batsmen made their presence felt in the county game this summer. Michael Klinger was the main bright spot for Gloucestershire and, taken together with his efforts for South Australia, he scored well over 1,000 runs in each of the first-class and List A formats. Michael Hogan also sprinkled some fairy dust onto Glamorgan wih his long-striding, high action seam bowling. This was followed by more success with Western Australia in the Shield, making him the only man to take more than 100 first-class wickets in 2013.
Graeme Onions once more out-bowled just about everyone else in county cricket yet was left out of the Ashes party presumably because he wasn't tall enough. Apparently, England like their drinks waiters to be at least six feet six, like Finn and Rankin, or ginger, like Bairstow, so the big Durham man was left to watch and laugh/cry as his elders and betters failed so miserably Down Under.
The West Indies are not best known for spinners, but while Sunil Narine continues to shine in T20, Shane Shillingford blitzed all and sundry for much of the year in first-class cricket. He claimed 88 wickets in all, at more than seven a match and an average of 16.37. That's phenomenal. Like most bowlers, he had to toil against India's talented array of batsmen and then in mid-December, not for the first time, his bowling action was adjudged to be illegal and requiring further remodelling. Time will tell whether he will be the same bowler again. Caribbean cricket can ill lose any reasonably talented cricketer these days.
Mohammad Hafeez is also past the age of 30 and has also had his critics. An opening batsman who can't score runs quickly enough and a spinner who can't take wickets. Yet somehow he was one of the most consistent all-rounders in limited-over cricket in 2013. IN 30 ODIs he accumulated 1,300 runs at a strike rate comparable with Amla and Dilshan and also contributed more than 600 T20 runs in all competitions. His spin option brought him 22 T20 wickets, too, at an excellent economy rate of 6.46 an over.
In addition to the players above, of course the top international stars of the year have already been mentioned in my previous blogs but they deserve a repeat mention in my review of the overall players of 2013. AB De Villiers is caurrently unrivalled as a batsman in all forms of cricket. Not only does he score shedloads of runs but he does so at a rate which puts most contemporaries to shame. His SR of 154 in all T20 games out-guns even Gayle, Pollard, Warner and Ten Doeschate. Add in his wicket-keeping and one-day captaincy duties and AB must be the outstanding all-round cricketer in the world game.
His South Africa team-mate, Dale Steyn, likewise must be the top bowler for his wickets, strike and economy rates spanning the formats in 2013. Final credits go to the 25 year-old Indian batting duo of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara. The former has been one of the foremost one-day batsmen and fielders of recent years and, if his exploits in the recent first Test in South Africa are anything to go by, he seems to be adding patience and sensible decision-making to his repertoire. Pujara was the only man apart from Rogers to score more than 2000 first-class runs, and did so without county cricket. Unencumbered by T20 fripperies, his record since the start of October includes a triple, double and three other hundreds in only twelve innings. His FC average for the year is just shy of 100. I hope he goes on to consolidate his position as India's Test number three in 2014.
A happy New Year to them and all readers, too!
Sunday, 29 December 2013
2013 Test Cricket Players of the Year
For many, 2013 was about two all-time greats: Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis. Both took their bows from Test cricket, albeit in very different circumstances. The Little Master's departure was choreographed along the lines of a British royal wedding while, typically, the South African all-rounder signed off with much less fuss, a sedate century, his 200th catch and plaudits of cricket fans worldwide. But because neither really took the eye on the pitch, neither make my Test XI of the year. Indeed, it's not necessarily the best eleven players, either, and doesn't follow the ICC rankings. After all, Sri Lanka played virtually no Test matches at all. But for me the team are those who produced the most consistent run-scoring, wicket-taking, etc at the top level during 2013.
It wasn't a great year for openers. David Warner and Alastair Cook probably scored more runs than anybody else in this position but both had very mixed years. I have therefore plumped for two men currently in opposition and who played relatively few matches. Graeme Smith continues to be a successful skipper and run maker for the world's number one ranked team, South Africa, while Murali Vijay has made some decent scores against boh Australia and South Africa. He can also bowl a few overs to keep the attack leaders fresh.
Candidates for the middle-order are much thicker on the ground. Dhawan and Rutherford made sensational debuts last winter, Ian Bell had a superb home Ashes series, Virat Kohli finally demonstrated the maturity to excel at the most demanding form of cricket and Hashim Amla also averaged more than 50. However, none manage to squeeze into my team of the year. Instead, I have included India's number three, Cheteshwar Pujara. Besides amassing huge innings in domestic cricket, he contributed more than 800 runs and, at the time of writing, three hundreds for the national cause. First defeated, then victorious Ashes captain Michael Clarke was one of only two batsmen to compile more than 1000 Test runs in the calendar year (Bell being the other) whilst coping with the considerable mental pressures of leading his side in the most gruelling of series. New Zealand's Ross Taylor marked his return to the fold with centuries in three successive Tests against the West Indies. Then there's the incomparable AB De Villiers. Officially the best Test and ODI batsman in the world, AB has delivered almost a thousand runs at an average of 90+, whilst taking the gloves. He's hardly ever off the field of play!
Nevertheless, I want a specialist wicketkeeper in my team and Brad Haddin's combination of glovework and vital lower-order runs throughout the year, at the age of 36, fit the bill superbly.
The retirement of Kallis hits home the dearth of international all-rounders in the modern game. I can think of nobody in Tests capable of delivering match-winnng batting and bowling on any consistent scale. Vernon Philander may have the potential and Ravi Ashwin hit 124 against the Windies at Kolkata a few months ago. However, Ashwin earns his place for his spin demolition of Australia and the Windies. Will he be able to reproduce such form on away pitches, I wonder?
Watching him and his hapless team-mates struggling in Australia in the past few weeks, it is har to remember the impact Stuart Broad made earlier in 2013. He has by far the most Test wickets in the year (62), including five five-fors, and all atr an average of 25.80. When he's poor, he looks very average but when the modd and fancy takes him, he is almost unplayable. Even Jimmy Anderson was knocked from his pedestal as England's best bowler. The contrast with Mitchell Johnson is stark. His career having hit the doldrums after previous Ashes horrors, he stormed back with a vengeance to destroy English hopes and batting with a twirl of a new moustache and a renewed line in aggression. He claimed 34 wickets in only six Tests at under 18 apiece. His colleague Ryan Harris would have joined him but for a certain Mr Dale Steyn. He may have been displaced at the top of the ICC tree by Philander but he continued to exude skill and venom on the friendliest of batting pitches, amassing 48 wickets (with a day to go). Like Johnson, his average sits below 18 and his economy rate of 2.49 is one of the best around of the major wicket-takers.
If my Team of the Year has to play on a pitch requiring five front-line bowlers, then I'd drop Haddin for New Zealand's left-arm seamer Trent Boult, who took 46 wickets at 25 against a range of opposition, home and away. No Pakistanis make the XI but I hope their dominance of my ODI side of the year is adequate compensation!
To summarise, here is the Test Team of 2013: Smith (SA), Vijay (Ind), Pujara (Ind), Clarke (* Aus), Taylor (NZ), De Villiers (SA), Haddin (+ Aus), Ashwin (Ind), Broad (Eng), Johnson (Aus), Steyn (SA).
My overall players of the year, taking in all senior cricket, will be revealed shortly....
It wasn't a great year for openers. David Warner and Alastair Cook probably scored more runs than anybody else in this position but both had very mixed years. I have therefore plumped for two men currently in opposition and who played relatively few matches. Graeme Smith continues to be a successful skipper and run maker for the world's number one ranked team, South Africa, while Murali Vijay has made some decent scores against boh Australia and South Africa. He can also bowl a few overs to keep the attack leaders fresh.
Candidates for the middle-order are much thicker on the ground. Dhawan and Rutherford made sensational debuts last winter, Ian Bell had a superb home Ashes series, Virat Kohli finally demonstrated the maturity to excel at the most demanding form of cricket and Hashim Amla also averaged more than 50. However, none manage to squeeze into my team of the year. Instead, I have included India's number three, Cheteshwar Pujara. Besides amassing huge innings in domestic cricket, he contributed more than 800 runs and, at the time of writing, three hundreds for the national cause. First defeated, then victorious Ashes captain Michael Clarke was one of only two batsmen to compile more than 1000 Test runs in the calendar year (Bell being the other) whilst coping with the considerable mental pressures of leading his side in the most gruelling of series. New Zealand's Ross Taylor marked his return to the fold with centuries in three successive Tests against the West Indies. Then there's the incomparable AB De Villiers. Officially the best Test and ODI batsman in the world, AB has delivered almost a thousand runs at an average of 90+, whilst taking the gloves. He's hardly ever off the field of play!
Nevertheless, I want a specialist wicketkeeper in my team and Brad Haddin's combination of glovework and vital lower-order runs throughout the year, at the age of 36, fit the bill superbly.
The retirement of Kallis hits home the dearth of international all-rounders in the modern game. I can think of nobody in Tests capable of delivering match-winnng batting and bowling on any consistent scale. Vernon Philander may have the potential and Ravi Ashwin hit 124 against the Windies at Kolkata a few months ago. However, Ashwin earns his place for his spin demolition of Australia and the Windies. Will he be able to reproduce such form on away pitches, I wonder?
Watching him and his hapless team-mates struggling in Australia in the past few weeks, it is har to remember the impact Stuart Broad made earlier in 2013. He has by far the most Test wickets in the year (62), including five five-fors, and all atr an average of 25.80. When he's poor, he looks very average but when the modd and fancy takes him, he is almost unplayable. Even Jimmy Anderson was knocked from his pedestal as England's best bowler. The contrast with Mitchell Johnson is stark. His career having hit the doldrums after previous Ashes horrors, he stormed back with a vengeance to destroy English hopes and batting with a twirl of a new moustache and a renewed line in aggression. He claimed 34 wickets in only six Tests at under 18 apiece. His colleague Ryan Harris would have joined him but for a certain Mr Dale Steyn. He may have been displaced at the top of the ICC tree by Philander but he continued to exude skill and venom on the friendliest of batting pitches, amassing 48 wickets (with a day to go). Like Johnson, his average sits below 18 and his economy rate of 2.49 is one of the best around of the major wicket-takers.
If my Team of the Year has to play on a pitch requiring five front-line bowlers, then I'd drop Haddin for New Zealand's left-arm seamer Trent Boult, who took 46 wickets at 25 against a range of opposition, home and away. No Pakistanis make the XI but I hope their dominance of my ODI side of the year is adequate compensation!
To summarise, here is the Test Team of 2013: Smith (SA), Vijay (Ind), Pujara (Ind), Clarke (* Aus), Taylor (NZ), De Villiers (SA), Haddin (+ Aus), Ashwin (Ind), Broad (Eng), Johnson (Aus), Steyn (SA).
My overall players of the year, taking in all senior cricket, will be revealed shortly....
Friday, 27 December 2013
2013 One-day Players of the Year
With just a few days to go in 2013, here's the first of my reviews of the past calendar year. South Africa are firmly esconced as the leading Test nation in the ICC rankings, while India's dominance in the Champions Trophy helped them to top spot in the ODI table, albeit closely followed by Australia, England and the Proteas. The West Indies have looked sadly meek and Sri Lanka have a tired reliance on Sangakkara, Dilshan and Jayawardene, even if it were Chandimal and Malinga who helped them to a consolation victory over Pakistan today. But who would make my ODI Team of 2013?
This was the year which brought two very different opening batsmen to global attention. Shikhar Dhawan announced himself on the Test scene with a blistering 187 on debut, very different from the two-ball duck he suffered on his first ODI appearance three years earlier. In 2013, he built on that record-breaking innnigs against the Aussies by outscoring every other batsman in the 50-over format and all bar four in ODIs, notching five centuries in the process. I watched his silky hundred in that Champions Trophy opener at Cardiff with particular pleasure. Accompanying him at the crease should be South Africa's new kid on the block, Quinton de Kock. As well as relieving AB of some of the 'keeping pressure, he has produced some superb innings, highlighted by three successive three-figure scores in the recent series against India. He keeps out Dhawan's usual partner Rohit Sharma from the team, but only just.
Virat Kohli and Misbah-ul-Haq each represented their contries 34 times during 2013. The Pakistani captain may be, at 39, nearing the end of his career but nobody in world cricket was more consistent at scoring valuable half-centuries. Incredibly, he has never reached three figures in ODIs but this year alone he reached 50 fifteen times! Not a big hitter he has carefully kept the scoreboard ticking over while others have gone for their strokes. At 1,373 runs, nobody scored more in ODIs. Not even Kohli who, aged 25, may not yet be in his prime, an ominous thought for opposing bowlers. Scoring at almost a run a ball, and also a brilliant fielder, Kohli is an obvious choice for my middle-order.
So is AB De Villiers, who edges out Sangakkara from my team this year. Topping both Test and ODI rankings, he is simply the best batsman in world cricket right now, despite his wicketkeeping duties in most games. Mohammad Hafeez's late burst of runs for Pakistan and Shahid Afridi's occasional all-round fireworks have pushed for selection but I've gone for Australia's promoted captain George Bailey as another specialist batsman. In 22 matches, he produced more than a thousand runs at exactly a run a ball, including some impressive scores in India a few months ago. Somehow I can't find room for MS Dhoni. Maybe next year....
Hafeez and Sharma offer the option of fill-in spin bowling but India's Ravindra Jadeja was the outstanding ODI all-rounder of 2013. 52 wickets at 25 and almost 500 runs at a respectable lick bring him in to my side as left-armer. Topping the ICC ODI rankings as well as the wicket table for 2013 is Saeed Ajmal, once again the most successful off-spinner in world cricket.
Junaid Khan of Pakistan has developed in to a very useful one-day swing and seam merchant and his 52 victims and average of 21 propel him into my XI of the year, if not yet the ICC top ten. Aged 24, he has the young legs which Umar Gul no longer possesses, and hopefully he has a long future ahead of him. England's Finn and Anderson both sit in the official top ten but that relies on past glories. Two Mitchells, McClenaghan and Johnson each enjoyed great years but the sheer brilliance of Dale Steyn makes him a definite new-ball man. He played only 13 ODIs yet took 27 wickets at just 16 apiece, conceding fewer than four an over. End of argument. My final choice is another Pakistani late developer, Mohammad Irfan. Not just a giant fast bowler, he took cheap wickets all around the world throughout 2013.
Therefore, at risk of being a batsman short (make Rohit Sharma or Afridi the twelfth man), my ODI XI is as follows:-
Shikhar Dhawan (Ind), Quinton de Kock (SA), Virat Kohli (Ind), George Bailey (Aust), AB De Villiers (SA +), Misbah-ul-Haq (Pak*), Ravi Jadeja (Ind), Dale Steyn (SA), Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Mohammed Irfan (all Pak).
So what about Twenty20 in 2013? Best summarised thus: Brisbane Heat, Mumbai Indians, Northamptonshire and Chris Gayle. Special mentions to veterans Azhar Mahmood (top wicket-taker), Brad Hodge and Alfonso Thomas, Sunil Narine (whose 54 wickets came while conceding barely five an over) and Aaron Finch, who plundered that world record 156, including 14 sixes, for Australia against England last summer.
This was the year which brought two very different opening batsmen to global attention. Shikhar Dhawan announced himself on the Test scene with a blistering 187 on debut, very different from the two-ball duck he suffered on his first ODI appearance three years earlier. In 2013, he built on that record-breaking innnigs against the Aussies by outscoring every other batsman in the 50-over format and all bar four in ODIs, notching five centuries in the process. I watched his silky hundred in that Champions Trophy opener at Cardiff with particular pleasure. Accompanying him at the crease should be South Africa's new kid on the block, Quinton de Kock. As well as relieving AB of some of the 'keeping pressure, he has produced some superb innings, highlighted by three successive three-figure scores in the recent series against India. He keeps out Dhawan's usual partner Rohit Sharma from the team, but only just.
Virat Kohli and Misbah-ul-Haq each represented their contries 34 times during 2013. The Pakistani captain may be, at 39, nearing the end of his career but nobody in world cricket was more consistent at scoring valuable half-centuries. Incredibly, he has never reached three figures in ODIs but this year alone he reached 50 fifteen times! Not a big hitter he has carefully kept the scoreboard ticking over while others have gone for their strokes. At 1,373 runs, nobody scored more in ODIs. Not even Kohli who, aged 25, may not yet be in his prime, an ominous thought for opposing bowlers. Scoring at almost a run a ball, and also a brilliant fielder, Kohli is an obvious choice for my middle-order.
So is AB De Villiers, who edges out Sangakkara from my team this year. Topping both Test and ODI rankings, he is simply the best batsman in world cricket right now, despite his wicketkeeping duties in most games. Mohammad Hafeez's late burst of runs for Pakistan and Shahid Afridi's occasional all-round fireworks have pushed for selection but I've gone for Australia's promoted captain George Bailey as another specialist batsman. In 22 matches, he produced more than a thousand runs at exactly a run a ball, including some impressive scores in India a few months ago. Somehow I can't find room for MS Dhoni. Maybe next year....
Hafeez and Sharma offer the option of fill-in spin bowling but India's Ravindra Jadeja was the outstanding ODI all-rounder of 2013. 52 wickets at 25 and almost 500 runs at a respectable lick bring him in to my side as left-armer. Topping the ICC ODI rankings as well as the wicket table for 2013 is Saeed Ajmal, once again the most successful off-spinner in world cricket.
Junaid Khan of Pakistan has developed in to a very useful one-day swing and seam merchant and his 52 victims and average of 21 propel him into my XI of the year, if not yet the ICC top ten. Aged 24, he has the young legs which Umar Gul no longer possesses, and hopefully he has a long future ahead of him. England's Finn and Anderson both sit in the official top ten but that relies on past glories. Two Mitchells, McClenaghan and Johnson each enjoyed great years but the sheer brilliance of Dale Steyn makes him a definite new-ball man. He played only 13 ODIs yet took 27 wickets at just 16 apiece, conceding fewer than four an over. End of argument. My final choice is another Pakistani late developer, Mohammad Irfan. Not just a giant fast bowler, he took cheap wickets all around the world throughout 2013.
Therefore, at risk of being a batsman short (make Rohit Sharma or Afridi the twelfth man), my ODI XI is as follows:-
Shikhar Dhawan (Ind), Quinton de Kock (SA), Virat Kohli (Ind), George Bailey (Aust), AB De Villiers (SA +), Misbah-ul-Haq (Pak*), Ravi Jadeja (Ind), Dale Steyn (SA), Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Mohammed Irfan (all Pak).
So what about Twenty20 in 2013? Best summarised thus: Brisbane Heat, Mumbai Indians, Northamptonshire and Chris Gayle. Special mentions to veterans Azhar Mahmood (top wicket-taker), Brad Hodge and Alfonso Thomas, Sunil Narine (whose 54 wickets came while conceding barely five an over) and Aaron Finch, who plundered that world record 156, including 14 sixes, for Australia against England last summer.
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
Was draw a win for Dhoni or Steyn?
After 4.99 days of blistering Test cricket, it's a shame that the Wanderers Test opener may be remembered by one of the most negative cricketing displays since Trevor Chappell's underarm daisy cutter thirty-odd years ago. Having switched on the TV after spotting the imminent world record online, I was bitterly disappointed to witness such a pathetic capitulation to 'safety-first'. From the expressions of the home fans in the stands, I was clearly not alone. With South Africa needing about a run a ball from three overs with three wickets remaining and a decent batsman in Vernon Philander still at the crease, history was theirs for the taking. Perhaps more important for the hard-nosed management, it was a victory that would have maintained SA's margin ahead of India in the ICC rankings. Yet it didn't happen.
So whose fault was it? I can't criticise MS Dhoni's tactics at all. Once Faf du Plessis had taken his side to the verge of the highest fourth innings winning total in Test cricket before being run out by a direct hit, it was reasonable to expect Dale Steyn to be less comfortable against Zaheer Khan and Shami than Vernon Philander. Therefore to keep him on strike and deliver some unplayable balls was a good move. What was astonishing was Steyn's refusal to contemplate any risk at all, and Philander's lack of adventure in either taking the offered singles or taking the attack to the bowlers.
I can understand the negativity from Alastair Cook and it was argued that fear of defeat outweighed the temptation of going for the win. But they were eight runs from a world record, for heaven's sake!! The last-ball six put the tin lid on it!! Calm down, Mike. Take a breather and reflect on the preceding 430-odd overs. It was a match which pitched the top two Test sides against one another, and it lived up to the billing. There were wickets for Philander and the returning Zaheer Khan, grown-up batting from Virat Kohli, a masterful century from Pujara and last-day heroics from AB de Villiers which so nearly turned the tide in the home side's favour. In response to my question in the title, I guess Dhoni can take the greater pleasure from the result as his side didn't really deserve to lose.
As for Dale Steyn, it wasn't his greatest hour with the ball, either. However, everything is relative. Having led the Test ICC rankings for more than four years he finally ceded the top spot to team-mate Philander. Don't forget the older man's versatility; he is also number two in the ODI rankings. Speaking of versatility, AB de Villiers tops the table for batting in both formats, just ahead of Amla and, in ODIs, Kohli. That just speaks volumes for SA's strength in depth. Maybe Jacques Kallis won't be so badly missed when he retires after all, and his first-ball LBW didn't help!
Now for the Durban re-match on Boxing Day. With interest in the MCG action diminished by England's early Ashes wipe-out, South Africa and India can be expected to serve up more exciting fare. After the incredibly tight opener, I'm sure Steyn will be keen to get at Dhawan, Vijay et al. With Morkel injured, more weight will fall on his shoulders (and those of Philander and Kallis) but it remains a mouth-watering contest. Such a shame there are so few fixtures in this series. How many times have we said that in the past few years. Cricket needs more showdowns between the top sides. It was great to see these two in the Champions Trophy in the summer and I, for one, would prefer to see SA v India with the trurkey leftovers than yet another over-hyped Ashes clash. Bring it on...
So whose fault was it? I can't criticise MS Dhoni's tactics at all. Once Faf du Plessis had taken his side to the verge of the highest fourth innings winning total in Test cricket before being run out by a direct hit, it was reasonable to expect Dale Steyn to be less comfortable against Zaheer Khan and Shami than Vernon Philander. Therefore to keep him on strike and deliver some unplayable balls was a good move. What was astonishing was Steyn's refusal to contemplate any risk at all, and Philander's lack of adventure in either taking the offered singles or taking the attack to the bowlers.
I can understand the negativity from Alastair Cook and it was argued that fear of defeat outweighed the temptation of going for the win. But they were eight runs from a world record, for heaven's sake!! The last-ball six put the tin lid on it!! Calm down, Mike. Take a breather and reflect on the preceding 430-odd overs. It was a match which pitched the top two Test sides against one another, and it lived up to the billing. There were wickets for Philander and the returning Zaheer Khan, grown-up batting from Virat Kohli, a masterful century from Pujara and last-day heroics from AB de Villiers which so nearly turned the tide in the home side's favour. In response to my question in the title, I guess Dhoni can take the greater pleasure from the result as his side didn't really deserve to lose.
As for Dale Steyn, it wasn't his greatest hour with the ball, either. However, everything is relative. Having led the Test ICC rankings for more than four years he finally ceded the top spot to team-mate Philander. Don't forget the older man's versatility; he is also number two in the ODI rankings. Speaking of versatility, AB de Villiers tops the table for batting in both formats, just ahead of Amla and, in ODIs, Kohli. That just speaks volumes for SA's strength in depth. Maybe Jacques Kallis won't be so badly missed when he retires after all, and his first-ball LBW didn't help!
Now for the Durban re-match on Boxing Day. With interest in the MCG action diminished by England's early Ashes wipe-out, South Africa and India can be expected to serve up more exciting fare. After the incredibly tight opener, I'm sure Steyn will be keen to get at Dhawan, Vijay et al. With Morkel injured, more weight will fall on his shoulders (and those of Philander and Kallis) but it remains a mouth-watering contest. Such a shame there are so few fixtures in this series. How many times have we said that in the past few years. Cricket needs more showdowns between the top sides. It was great to see these two in the Champions Trophy in the summer and I, for one, would prefer to see SA v India with the trurkey leftovers than yet another over-hyped Ashes clash. Bring it on...
Friday, 17 May 2013
James Anderson - 300 Up
It's quite extraordinary in these days of endless (if short) Test series that it's taken almost thirty years for a fourth Englishmen to reach 300 wickets in the top form of cricket. Since Fred Trueman in the mid-'60s and Bob Willis and Ian Botham in the '80s, no homegrown bowler has maintained form and fitness long enough to get anywhere near this milestone. In the same period, we were entertained by the prolific spin trio Warne, Muralitharan and Kumble, plus the fab fast men Ambrose, Walsh and McGrath, who all sailed past 400 and, in Murali's case the stratospheric figure of 800!
Even now, only three other men still playing have broken the triple-century barrier and two - Harbajhan SIngh and Daniel Vettori - may never get the opportunity to add to their respective tallies of 413 and 360. The other is Dale Steyn, whose 332 victim have come at an average of just 22.65, extraordinarily low in this batting-friendly era. The South African and James Anderson are surely the most consistent exponents of seam and swing in the world at the moment and, both aged around 30, could keep going for another four to five years.
The fact that Steyn has played only 65 Tests to Anderson's 81 owes much to South Africa's less rigorous schedule than England's. However, the Burnley man's international looked to have stalled between 2004 and 2006 when first he lost the knack then suffered a stress fracture. He thus missed out on a role in England's once-fearsome pace attack which did for the Aussies in 2005. That bowling line-up had all but vanished from the scene in 2007, and fortunately Anderson rediscovered the art of great bowling to reclaim his place in the Test and ODI line-up which led to both England's and his own surge up the rankings.
It is almost ten years to the day since the 20 year-old 'Jimmy' Anderson made his Test debut with a five-for, albeit against Zimbabwe. He had been getting rave reviews for Lancashire the previous summer, and won a place in England's one-day squad. Promotion to the Test XI was almost inevitable, and his Zimbabwe warm-up was followed by a full series at home to South Africa. However, apart from three out of the four West Indies games in the summer of 2004, he became a peripheral figure for a few years, participating in only the odd Test here or there. He therefore missed Steyn's debut in Potr Elizabeth in December 2004, when Harmison, Hoggard, Jones and Flintoff were flexing their combined muscles on the world stage.
It was in 2008, coincidentally against New Zealand, that James Anderson really announced he was back with a vengeance. He took 5-73 in Wellington but his devastating 7-43 at Trent Bridge later that year gave him what remains his career best innings figures. Two years later, he demolished Pakistan, in Nottingham again, then enhjoyed a superlative tour of Australia. Alastair Cook won most of the plaudits but it was Anderson's bowling which arguably played a greater role in the Ashes triumph. Since then he has done little wrong, finding the consistence that has eluded so many other England fast bowlers. Like Steyn he has a wonderful rhythm to his run-up and delivery, so crucial in avoiding serious injury and also in deceiving batsmen into misreading the swing he produces so effectively. Not only that but he is also an excellent fielder in the slips or the outfield.
Perhaps surprisingly given his frequent supporting roles to late-order partnerships, his highest Test innings is a paltry 34. Indeed, he hasn't a single half-cebntury to his name in senior cricket. Never mind. His swing bowling at pace has yielded 900 wickets and almost 140 catches in all formats and he has cemented a place in the ICC top ten for Tests in the last three or four years, reaching number two when England were at their peak. So his average of 30-odd is nothing to write home about, but batsmen fear him, and that's what counts in international cricket. Botham's Test tally of 383 must surely be at risk in the next two or three years, and Clarke and co need to be at their best ove rthe next twelve months to halt his march into England's record books.
Even now, only three other men still playing have broken the triple-century barrier and two - Harbajhan SIngh and Daniel Vettori - may never get the opportunity to add to their respective tallies of 413 and 360. The other is Dale Steyn, whose 332 victim have come at an average of just 22.65, extraordinarily low in this batting-friendly era. The South African and James Anderson are surely the most consistent exponents of seam and swing in the world at the moment and, both aged around 30, could keep going for another four to five years.
The fact that Steyn has played only 65 Tests to Anderson's 81 owes much to South Africa's less rigorous schedule than England's. However, the Burnley man's international looked to have stalled between 2004 and 2006 when first he lost the knack then suffered a stress fracture. He thus missed out on a role in England's once-fearsome pace attack which did for the Aussies in 2005. That bowling line-up had all but vanished from the scene in 2007, and fortunately Anderson rediscovered the art of great bowling to reclaim his place in the Test and ODI line-up which led to both England's and his own surge up the rankings.
It is almost ten years to the day since the 20 year-old 'Jimmy' Anderson made his Test debut with a five-for, albeit against Zimbabwe. He had been getting rave reviews for Lancashire the previous summer, and won a place in England's one-day squad. Promotion to the Test XI was almost inevitable, and his Zimbabwe warm-up was followed by a full series at home to South Africa. However, apart from three out of the four West Indies games in the summer of 2004, he became a peripheral figure for a few years, participating in only the odd Test here or there. He therefore missed Steyn's debut in Potr Elizabeth in December 2004, when Harmison, Hoggard, Jones and Flintoff were flexing their combined muscles on the world stage.
It was in 2008, coincidentally against New Zealand, that James Anderson really announced he was back with a vengeance. He took 5-73 in Wellington but his devastating 7-43 at Trent Bridge later that year gave him what remains his career best innings figures. Two years later, he demolished Pakistan, in Nottingham again, then enhjoyed a superlative tour of Australia. Alastair Cook won most of the plaudits but it was Anderson's bowling which arguably played a greater role in the Ashes triumph. Since then he has done little wrong, finding the consistence that has eluded so many other England fast bowlers. Like Steyn he has a wonderful rhythm to his run-up and delivery, so crucial in avoiding serious injury and also in deceiving batsmen into misreading the swing he produces so effectively. Not only that but he is also an excellent fielder in the slips or the outfield.
Perhaps surprisingly given his frequent supporting roles to late-order partnerships, his highest Test innings is a paltry 34. Indeed, he hasn't a single half-cebntury to his name in senior cricket. Never mind. His swing bowling at pace has yielded 900 wickets and almost 140 catches in all formats and he has cemented a place in the ICC top ten for Tests in the last three or four years, reaching number two when England were at their peak. So his average of 30-odd is nothing to write home about, but batsmen fear him, and that's what counts in international cricket. Botham's Test tally of 383 must surely be at risk in the next two or three years, and Clarke and co need to be at their best ove rthe next twelve months to halt his march into England's record books.
Thursday, 11 April 2013
Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year
It may seem odd for everyone to want their say on the musings of one book but Wisden is an annual above all others. 150 not out says it all. Cricket's annual yellow bible traditionally selects five stars of the sport in the past year but differs from most other lists in that it excludes players who haven't previously been chosen.
The 2013 quintet are all deserving but the shock is that Jacques Kallis hadn't appeared before. Is it because of his previous failures in England? Is it because the selections tend to focus on the English domestic season? I suspect there is a bit of both but also the Saffer all-rounder's consistency over the years. He has career statistics few can match - ever - but while he has enjoyed many good years, there may often have been two or three other batsmen who have had a great one, and that is all that's needed to win the vote.
His partner in crime on the 2012 tour of these shores, Hashim Amla, certainly could be ignored no longer. He is a colossus of cricket across all formats, with only Michael Clarke (a 2010 choice) rivalling him on the international stage. The third South African on the list, Dale Steyn also somehow evaded Wisden's panel over the past decade but as the undisputed king of fast bowling, his achievements last year made him a shoo-in. Maybe Saeed Ajmal can count himself unlucky for a second year in succession, but the next time Pakistan come to England, a big haul of wickets will surely earn him a place amongst the five.
Marlon Samuels also benefited from a consistent run of high scores against England, along with a 260 against Bangladesh in November, and became the fourth overseas player in the list. Since 1997, the Wisden Five has featured a West Indian only once, when Ottis Gibson and Shiv Chanderpaul broke the drought in 2008, so congratulations to Marlon for flying the Caribbean flag.
The only English-qualified man this time is Nick Compton, whose prolific start to the 2012 summer also earned him an England call-up and Somerset fans like me a headache for the coming county campaign. The top bowler in the Championship, Graeme Onions didn't qualify because he was included three years ago, and the superb Alastair Cook appeared in 2012, his 'annus memorabilis'.
Are there any genuine world stars never to have been amongst Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year? Well, there is no Ganguly, no Sehwag and
neither Hussey brother (despite some prolific summers in the county game). On the other hand there have been some solid county pros whose runs and wickets in a particular season have delivered the Wisden vote if not a lengthy international career. Last year's Alan Richardson, Ian Austin (1999), Nigel Briers (1993) and Tim Munton (1995) spring to mind.
Three months into 2013, are there any obvious candidates for the 2014 Wisden? The Champions Trophy and Ashes will probably produce the leading candidates but Messrs Ashwin, De Villiers and Pujara must be in with a shout. On the basis of two days of the County Championship, maybe James Vince and Chris Jordan should also be dusting off their suits ready for next Spring!
The 2013 quintet are all deserving but the shock is that Jacques Kallis hadn't appeared before. Is it because of his previous failures in England? Is it because the selections tend to focus on the English domestic season? I suspect there is a bit of both but also the Saffer all-rounder's consistency over the years. He has career statistics few can match - ever - but while he has enjoyed many good years, there may often have been two or three other batsmen who have had a great one, and that is all that's needed to win the vote.
His partner in crime on the 2012 tour of these shores, Hashim Amla, certainly could be ignored no longer. He is a colossus of cricket across all formats, with only Michael Clarke (a 2010 choice) rivalling him on the international stage. The third South African on the list, Dale Steyn also somehow evaded Wisden's panel over the past decade but as the undisputed king of fast bowling, his achievements last year made him a shoo-in. Maybe Saeed Ajmal can count himself unlucky for a second year in succession, but the next time Pakistan come to England, a big haul of wickets will surely earn him a place amongst the five.
Marlon Samuels also benefited from a consistent run of high scores against England, along with a 260 against Bangladesh in November, and became the fourth overseas player in the list. Since 1997, the Wisden Five has featured a West Indian only once, when Ottis Gibson and Shiv Chanderpaul broke the drought in 2008, so congratulations to Marlon for flying the Caribbean flag.
The only English-qualified man this time is Nick Compton, whose prolific start to the 2012 summer also earned him an England call-up and Somerset fans like me a headache for the coming county campaign. The top bowler in the Championship, Graeme Onions didn't qualify because he was included three years ago, and the superb Alastair Cook appeared in 2012, his 'annus memorabilis'.
Are there any genuine world stars never to have been amongst Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year? Well, there is no Ganguly, no Sehwag and
neither Hussey brother (despite some prolific summers in the county game). On the other hand there have been some solid county pros whose runs and wickets in a particular season have delivered the Wisden vote if not a lengthy international career. Last year's Alan Richardson, Ian Austin (1999), Nigel Briers (1993) and Tim Munton (1995) spring to mind.
Three months into 2013, are there any obvious candidates for the 2014 Wisden? The Champions Trophy and Ashes will probably produce the leading candidates but Messrs Ashwin, De Villiers and Pujara must be in with a shout. On the basis of two days of the County Championship, maybe James Vince and Chris Jordan should also be dusting off their suits ready for next Spring!
Sunday, 3 February 2013
Pakistan avoid a double low
In their 61-year cricketing history, Pakistan have been bowled out for under 100 only 14 times. Six of them have occurred in the past three years, culminating in that embarrassing dismissal for 49 yesterday. I wrote a few days ago that the South African pacemen could be spurred to do their worst but I couldn't have predicted figures of 6-8 for the sensational Steyn! Nevertheless, Graeme Smith chose not to enforce a follow-on and risk the match ending inside two days. That has had the benefit of treating the crowd to some typically entertaining innings from Amla and centurion AB De Villiers and the opportunity for Pakistan to set a more positive record by achieving the record fourth innings run chase.
I'm being generous here! Of course Pakistan were never going to knock off 480 to win, especially when Younis Khan's wicket left them gloomy on 82-4. Steyn, Philander et al could have blown them away inside an hour so hats off to skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq for battling their way to a century partnership and take the game into a fourth day. For all their recent batting collapses, the nation stands at a creditable fourth in the ICC rankings so they must be doing something right.
However, let's hope they avoid any more frightful failures in this series. On the controversial tour of England in 2010, which left half the team in jail, Pakitan were bowled out for 80, 72 and 74 in the First, Third and Fourth Tests, respectively. Needless to say they lost all these games heavily. For Steyn and Kallis, read Anderson and Swann! Only once have they been dismissed for a double-figure score and won. Fast forward to Dubai in 2012, and Pakistan were 2-0 up when Anderson, Broad and Panesar left them reeling at 99 all out on day one. Abdur Rehman's 5-30 kept them in the game, but when Younis and Azhar Ali blazed a double-century third-wicket stand to set England 324 to win, it was Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal who did the damage and completed an impressive victory from the jaws of defeat.
The Middle East was the scene of possibly Pakistan's nadir back in 2002. In the Second Test at Sharjah against Australia, Waqar Younis' men were skittled for 50-something not once but twice! Younis and Misbah were both playing that day so yesterday's disaster must have stirred memories best left forgotten. At that time, the Aussie line-up was pretty much as strong as any we've witnessed in my lifetime: Langer, Hayden, Ponting, both Waughs, Martyn, Gilchrist, Warne, Lee, Bichel, McGrath. About the only thing that went right was Waqar winning the toss.
Both openers were back in the pavilion after 7 balls. It went from bad to worse. After McGrath and Lee came Bichel and the maestro Warne. Pity Abdul Razzaq, the only man to reach double figures as Pakistan plummeted to 59 all out. The second highest contribution came from extras (14). The performance was put into context by Australia's response. In particular, Matthew Hayden doubled Pakistan's score all on his own! However, Saqlain and Razzaq did well to restrict the Aussies' lead to about 250 but come the second innings, it was groundhog day for Waqar et al. This time, poor Taufeeq Umar's 'pair' was completed without facing a single ball (run out by Ponting)! A Lee lifter meant Razzaq retired hurt, then the highest partnership was shared by opener Imran Nazir and Misbah - a mighty 19 runs. The whole sorry sage was over in two hours. Australia had won by an innings, Pakistan had scraped a pathetic 112 runs in two innings and Warne's match figures were 17.5-6-24-8.
As for 2013, best write off the Jo'burg opener and re-gather strength for Cape Town.
I'm being generous here! Of course Pakistan were never going to knock off 480 to win, especially when Younis Khan's wicket left them gloomy on 82-4. Steyn, Philander et al could have blown them away inside an hour so hats off to skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq for battling their way to a century partnership and take the game into a fourth day. For all their recent batting collapses, the nation stands at a creditable fourth in the ICC rankings so they must be doing something right.
However, let's hope they avoid any more frightful failures in this series. On the controversial tour of England in 2010, which left half the team in jail, Pakitan were bowled out for 80, 72 and 74 in the First, Third and Fourth Tests, respectively. Needless to say they lost all these games heavily. For Steyn and Kallis, read Anderson and Swann! Only once have they been dismissed for a double-figure score and won. Fast forward to Dubai in 2012, and Pakistan were 2-0 up when Anderson, Broad and Panesar left them reeling at 99 all out on day one. Abdur Rehman's 5-30 kept them in the game, but when Younis and Azhar Ali blazed a double-century third-wicket stand to set England 324 to win, it was Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal who did the damage and completed an impressive victory from the jaws of defeat.
The Middle East was the scene of possibly Pakistan's nadir back in 2002. In the Second Test at Sharjah against Australia, Waqar Younis' men were skittled for 50-something not once but twice! Younis and Misbah were both playing that day so yesterday's disaster must have stirred memories best left forgotten. At that time, the Aussie line-up was pretty much as strong as any we've witnessed in my lifetime: Langer, Hayden, Ponting, both Waughs, Martyn, Gilchrist, Warne, Lee, Bichel, McGrath. About the only thing that went right was Waqar winning the toss.
Both openers were back in the pavilion after 7 balls. It went from bad to worse. After McGrath and Lee came Bichel and the maestro Warne. Pity Abdul Razzaq, the only man to reach double figures as Pakistan plummeted to 59 all out. The second highest contribution came from extras (14). The performance was put into context by Australia's response. In particular, Matthew Hayden doubled Pakistan's score all on his own! However, Saqlain and Razzaq did well to restrict the Aussies' lead to about 250 but come the second innings, it was groundhog day for Waqar et al. This time, poor Taufeeq Umar's 'pair' was completed without facing a single ball (run out by Ponting)! A Lee lifter meant Razzaq retired hurt, then the highest partnership was shared by opener Imran Nazir and Misbah - a mighty 19 runs. The whole sorry sage was over in two hours. Australia had won by an innings, Pakistan had scraped a pathetic 112 runs in two innings and Warne's match figures were 17.5-6-24-8.
As for 2013, best write off the Jo'burg opener and re-gather strength for Cape Town.
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
South Africa in Australia
Since South Africa came in from the cold in 1992, they have won only three of the fifteen Tests played in Australia. The first was a classic at the SCG in January 1994. Shane Warne took 7-56 and Michael Slater struck 92 to give the home side a healthy first-innings lead. Only Jonty Rhodes defied Warney in the second, but the Aussies needed only 117 to win with more than a day remaining. The crowd were allowed in for free but the home supporters were in for a nasty shock as Fanie de Villiers (6-43) and Allan Donald (3-34) bowled the Proteas to victory by just five runs.
It was nearly fifteen years before they enjoyed another success Down Under. In the mean time they were destroyed 3-0 by Steve Waugh's team in their pomp in 2001-2, then 2-0 four years later. It should have been tighter had Ricky Ponting not accepted the second innings challenge made by Graeme Smith. Declaring just before lunch on the final day, SA set the visitors 287 to win. Matthew Hayden and Ponting shared a second wicket partnership of 182 at almost a run a ball, and the latter secured victory with 143 not out in 159 balls.
Forward to Perth in December 2008, and Mitch Johnson's 8-61 set up a 94-run lead. The Aussies topped 300 again, leaving South Africa 414 to win, something only one team had achieved before in Test history. Plenty of time remained, however, although Graeme Smith was in belligerent mood, striking a brisk 108. Amla and Kallis chipped in with 50s but it was AB De Villiers and debutant JP Duminy who embarrassed the Aussie attack by claiming victory by a massive six wickets.
The Boxing Day Test started well for the home side, as the MCG crowd enjoyed a Ponting hundred on day one. A day later, SA were struggling on 198-7 but then that man JP stepped up to the plate. He put on 180 with Dale Steyn for the ninth wicket and now the Aussies were on the back foot. Steyn steamed in with the ball and took 5-67, while only 'Punter' provided stern resistance, eventually dismissed by Morkel for 99. The target of 183 was a piece of cake for Smith, McKenzie and Amla, and South Africa had their first series success in Australia for decades. The home team achieved a consolation victory in Sydney thanks largely to Michael Clarke's runs and Peter Siddle's wickets, but this signalled the start of Australia's slide from the pinnacle.
Now at the end of 2012, it's South Africa who stand proud at the top of the Test rankings, although Clarke's side have advanced to third and could displace Smith's men in the next month or so. This time last year they shared the spoils in SA but now, on paper, it's the Saffers who look so strong throughout the team, while the Aussies are suffering from injuries to some key men like Shane Watson and just about all their promising young pace bowlers. If only they could field a settled side, they might just have a fighting chance and not have to resort to psychological warfare (i.e. sledging) to wrest back control.
With De Villiers keeping wicket, it may mean that there is space at seven for that man Duminy to reprise his heroics of four years ago. That is, assuming he gets a bat with Smith, Amla, Kallis, AB et al ahead of him. The Proteas' attack of Steyn, Philander, Morkel, Kallis and Imran Tahir just looks too good and too consistent for the Aussies to dominate. They seem to have a knack for sharing out the workload and wickets so it's the team rather than individuals that has carried South Africa to the top of the mountain just as it did for Australia ten years ago.
It was nearly fifteen years before they enjoyed another success Down Under. In the mean time they were destroyed 3-0 by Steve Waugh's team in their pomp in 2001-2, then 2-0 four years later. It should have been tighter had Ricky Ponting not accepted the second innings challenge made by Graeme Smith. Declaring just before lunch on the final day, SA set the visitors 287 to win. Matthew Hayden and Ponting shared a second wicket partnership of 182 at almost a run a ball, and the latter secured victory with 143 not out in 159 balls.
Forward to Perth in December 2008, and Mitch Johnson's 8-61 set up a 94-run lead. The Aussies topped 300 again, leaving South Africa 414 to win, something only one team had achieved before in Test history. Plenty of time remained, however, although Graeme Smith was in belligerent mood, striking a brisk 108. Amla and Kallis chipped in with 50s but it was AB De Villiers and debutant JP Duminy who embarrassed the Aussie attack by claiming victory by a massive six wickets.
The Boxing Day Test started well for the home side, as the MCG crowd enjoyed a Ponting hundred on day one. A day later, SA were struggling on 198-7 but then that man JP stepped up to the plate. He put on 180 with Dale Steyn for the ninth wicket and now the Aussies were on the back foot. Steyn steamed in with the ball and took 5-67, while only 'Punter' provided stern resistance, eventually dismissed by Morkel for 99. The target of 183 was a piece of cake for Smith, McKenzie and Amla, and South Africa had their first series success in Australia for decades. The home team achieved a consolation victory in Sydney thanks largely to Michael Clarke's runs and Peter Siddle's wickets, but this signalled the start of Australia's slide from the pinnacle.
Now at the end of 2012, it's South Africa who stand proud at the top of the Test rankings, although Clarke's side have advanced to third and could displace Smith's men in the next month or so. This time last year they shared the spoils in SA but now, on paper, it's the Saffers who look so strong throughout the team, while the Aussies are suffering from injuries to some key men like Shane Watson and just about all their promising young pace bowlers. If only they could field a settled side, they might just have a fighting chance and not have to resort to psychological warfare (i.e. sledging) to wrest back control.
With De Villiers keeping wicket, it may mean that there is space at seven for that man Duminy to reprise his heroics of four years ago. That is, assuming he gets a bat with Smith, Amla, Kallis, AB et al ahead of him. The Proteas' attack of Steyn, Philander, Morkel, Kallis and Imran Tahir just looks too good and too consistent for the Aussies to dominate. They seem to have a knack for sharing out the workload and wickets so it's the team rather than individuals that has carried South Africa to the top of the mountain just as it did for Australia ten years ago.
Thursday, 29 December 2011
Team of the Year: Test Cricket
Last week, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year programme named the 'England Cricket Team' as the Team of the Year. These days, of course, there is no one international side and what they really meant was the Test squad. The ODI and T20 lot have been inconsistent but in the five-day game England have undoubtedly reigned supreme, beating Australia away and Sri Lanka and India at home on their way to becoming world number one. When compiling my multinational team of 2011, it is therefore no surprise that for once England have more members than any other country. There aren's even any Australians! Here is my selection.
Opening batsmen have not fared well this year. Is it because they are so used to going for their shots in one-day Powerplays that they forget how to build an innings? Is it the result of more teams opening their bowling with a mix of seam and spin? For whatever reason, only one genuine opener deserves his place and that is Alastair Cook. In only eight Tests across the year he nevertheless notched up 927 runs at an average of 84 and nobody can touch him. While so much attention was directed at Sachin Tendulkar and his quest for that 100th hundred, it is his old partner Rahul Dravid who has scored more Test runs than anyone else in 2011. Because of his previous credentials and unflappability, I'm promoting himto open with Cook!
There were lots of candidates for the middle order. Darren Bravo made a late bid with centuries against Bangladesh and India, while fellow West Indian Chanderpaul, Pietersen and Laxman all had reasonable years. However, at number three I have gone for Kumar Sangakkara, the only other batsman to pass 1000 runs, finishing the year with his fifth century. At four, Pakistan's Younis Khan is recognised for his consistency, although his unbeaten 200 came against Bangladesh in December. Ian Bell has to be there. After all, nobody else finished the year with a three-figure batting average, outscoring even Cook.
I have opted for a traditional all-rounder rather than an extra batting specialist, and he comes in the form of Bangladeshi Shakib al Hasan. His ability as a left arm slow bowler has never been in doubt but his recent batting against Pakistan and the Windies on Asian pitches not known for being particularly kind to batsmen gives him the nod. There are no other obvious star Test all-rounders in world cricket at the moment.
For wicketkeeper, I have plumped for Matt Prior of England. If Sanga wore the gloves at Test level, he'd walk into the team but as he doesn't, the enthusiastic Sussex man deserves his place. Ever tidy behind the stumps, if not when near dressing room windows (!), his late-order strokeplay produced a 2011 average of almost 65, reaching three figures three times, and that's world-class.
Top wicket-taker this year (with 50) has been Pakistan's off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. Although he hasn't had the opportunity to test himself against the top ranked teams, his sheer volume of wickets just edges out Rangana Herath and colleague Abdur Rehaman for the second spinner spot. Seamers have also enjoyed a fine 2011. Later on, a raft of young quicks have enjoyed instant success. Think Pattinson, Cummins, Philander and now de Lange. However, I have picked three who performed well over a greater number of games this year. James Anderson has had a rollercoaster career which is now as high as it has ever been. He is probably the finest exponent of swing at pace in the game. Ravi Rampaul took fewer wickets (31) than Broad, Edwards or Umar Gul but his average (25) and economy rate were excellent and the Trinidadian proved his worth against Pakistan and India (home and away), whie also showing he can bat a bit, too.
Standing head and shoulders above all other Test bowlers is Dale Steyn. South Africa played few matches this year but whenever he had the opportunity he demonstrated his value to his country. He just never seems to have a bad game and ended the year with another 'five for' against Sri Lanka. Regularly claiming around five wickets per match at around only 20 apiece he is truly remarkable and is an automatic choice to round off my Test XI of 2011.
Cook (Eng), Dravid (Ind), Sangakkara (Sri L), Younis Khan (Pak), Bell (Eng), Shakib (Bang), Prior (Eng), Rampaul (WI), Steyn (SA), Anderson (Eng), Saeed Ajmal (Pak).
Now look out for my one-day team of the year, coming shortly!
Opening batsmen have not fared well this year. Is it because they are so used to going for their shots in one-day Powerplays that they forget how to build an innings? Is it the result of more teams opening their bowling with a mix of seam and spin? For whatever reason, only one genuine opener deserves his place and that is Alastair Cook. In only eight Tests across the year he nevertheless notched up 927 runs at an average of 84 and nobody can touch him. While so much attention was directed at Sachin Tendulkar and his quest for that 100th hundred, it is his old partner Rahul Dravid who has scored more Test runs than anyone else in 2011. Because of his previous credentials and unflappability, I'm promoting himto open with Cook!
There were lots of candidates for the middle order. Darren Bravo made a late bid with centuries against Bangladesh and India, while fellow West Indian Chanderpaul, Pietersen and Laxman all had reasonable years. However, at number three I have gone for Kumar Sangakkara, the only other batsman to pass 1000 runs, finishing the year with his fifth century. At four, Pakistan's Younis Khan is recognised for his consistency, although his unbeaten 200 came against Bangladesh in December. Ian Bell has to be there. After all, nobody else finished the year with a three-figure batting average, outscoring even Cook.
I have opted for a traditional all-rounder rather than an extra batting specialist, and he comes in the form of Bangladeshi Shakib al Hasan. His ability as a left arm slow bowler has never been in doubt but his recent batting against Pakistan and the Windies on Asian pitches not known for being particularly kind to batsmen gives him the nod. There are no other obvious star Test all-rounders in world cricket at the moment.
For wicketkeeper, I have plumped for Matt Prior of England. If Sanga wore the gloves at Test level, he'd walk into the team but as he doesn't, the enthusiastic Sussex man deserves his place. Ever tidy behind the stumps, if not when near dressing room windows (!), his late-order strokeplay produced a 2011 average of almost 65, reaching three figures three times, and that's world-class.
Top wicket-taker this year (with 50) has been Pakistan's off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. Although he hasn't had the opportunity to test himself against the top ranked teams, his sheer volume of wickets just edges out Rangana Herath and colleague Abdur Rehaman for the second spinner spot. Seamers have also enjoyed a fine 2011. Later on, a raft of young quicks have enjoyed instant success. Think Pattinson, Cummins, Philander and now de Lange. However, I have picked three who performed well over a greater number of games this year. James Anderson has had a rollercoaster career which is now as high as it has ever been. He is probably the finest exponent of swing at pace in the game. Ravi Rampaul took fewer wickets (31) than Broad, Edwards or Umar Gul but his average (25) and economy rate were excellent and the Trinidadian proved his worth against Pakistan and India (home and away), whie also showing he can bat a bit, too.
Standing head and shoulders above all other Test bowlers is Dale Steyn. South Africa played few matches this year but whenever he had the opportunity he demonstrated his value to his country. He just never seems to have a bad game and ended the year with another 'five for' against Sri Lanka. Regularly claiming around five wickets per match at around only 20 apiece he is truly remarkable and is an automatic choice to round off my Test XI of 2011.
Cook (Eng), Dravid (Ind), Sangakkara (Sri L), Younis Khan (Pak), Bell (Eng), Shakib (Bang), Prior (Eng), Rampaul (WI), Steyn (SA), Anderson (Eng), Saeed Ajmal (Pak).
Now look out for my one-day team of the year, coming shortly!
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
South African pace - from Donald to Steyn
For a nation which can't quite reach number one in any world cricket rankings, South Africa seem to have their fair share of world-beating individual players. In Tests and ODIs, they hog all the top positions, from Kallis to Amla and Morkel to Steyn but somehow they have struggled to topple the likes of Australia, India and now England. In the almost twenty years since ending their spell in the wilderness, they have won 38 and lost only 14 Test series. However, half of those losses came against Australia, definitely their bogey team. Only five of their series failures have occurred on home territory, against the Aussies four times and once versus Michael Vaughan's England in 2004-5.
While the nation has boasted some great batsmen in Kirsten, Cronje, Smith, Kallis, Gibbs, Cullinan et al, that great record in the five-day game owes a huge amount to a continuous line of brilliant fast bowlers. Allan Donald led the line superbly in 72 Tests from that 1992 comeback match against West Indies through to another severe beaten at Jo'burg against an Aussie side pumped up by Gilchrist and McGrath ten years later. It's not just the 330 wickets which were so remarkable but the career average of just 22.25. His one-day record was similar and he captured an amazing 1,216 first-class wickets, including hundreds for his adopted home at Warwickshire. I saw him play only once in the flesh, steaming in at Ilford in a 40-over game against Essex, with 'keeper Keith Piper seemingly standing half way to the boundary. He sprinted to the crease at first change, and was virtually unplayable! In the early nineties, he was the only truly fast seamer outside the Caribbean, earning him the rather dodgy epithet of 'White Lightning' an dthat had nothing to do with his trademark strip of sunblock! Fortunately for cricket, he has remained heavily involved in the game as bowling coach.
When Shaun Pollock joined the first team, Donald found a wonderful foil. With a name synonymous with South African cricket, the young redhead would bound up to the wicket with easy rhythm and high action which made him appear less quick than he really was. He went on to play more than 100 Tests and 300 ODIs, breaking national records for wickets in each. On top of that, he contributed over 7000 international runs to the cause, boasting an average of more than 32 in Tests. However, like Donald, his bowling average was sub-24, and his economy rate was a mere 2.39 an over. That's better than Glenn McGrath's career figure! Of course he was unusually mean for a paceman in T20, too.
Two years after Allan Donald retired from Test cricket, 21 year-old Dale Steyn stepped up to the plate bowling at three or four behind Pollock and Ntini. Like Donald, his debut was a losing one but once he began to establish himself in the side as the spearhead a few years later, he developed a reputation as a bowler who combined sheer speed with metronomic accuracy, the perfect ingredients. Although not tall by modern standards (six foot dead) he has taken 238 wickets in only 46 Tests. Perhaps his relatively slight frame has cost him many games because of injury but his strike rate is one of the best in history and his Test average is comparable with the aforementioned illustrious predecessors, at 23.21. Steyn hasn't played a five-day game since January, when he enjoyed a good old battle against Tendulkar, Gambhir, Dravid and co, since when his ICC rating has been frozen at 899, miles above anyone else in the world game. Indeed, he has topped the table for 2 1/2 years now, and only a poor performance in the next several series could give those chasing him - like Anderson, Swann and team-mate Morne Morkel a hope of overhauling him.
Whereas most of the wicket-taking records belong to spinners like Murali, Warne and Kumble, South Africa's all-time list in Tests is headed by Pollock, Ntini, Donald, Kallis and now Steyn. Few players can claim to average more than five wickets a match, not even Shane Warne, but if Steyn can remain fit and firing those bullets he could be one of the all-time greats. At 28 he could reach the 400 milestone but I fear the demands of ODIs and lure of IPL money could steer him away from legendary status but that would be a shame. Consistently accurate and genuinely fast bowlers are becoming a rare breed and we need to hang on to the likes of Dale so that he, Pollock and Donald aren't consigned to the history books as relics of a forgotten age.
While the nation has boasted some great batsmen in Kirsten, Cronje, Smith, Kallis, Gibbs, Cullinan et al, that great record in the five-day game owes a huge amount to a continuous line of brilliant fast bowlers. Allan Donald led the line superbly in 72 Tests from that 1992 comeback match against West Indies through to another severe beaten at Jo'burg against an Aussie side pumped up by Gilchrist and McGrath ten years later. It's not just the 330 wickets which were so remarkable but the career average of just 22.25. His one-day record was similar and he captured an amazing 1,216 first-class wickets, including hundreds for his adopted home at Warwickshire. I saw him play only once in the flesh, steaming in at Ilford in a 40-over game against Essex, with 'keeper Keith Piper seemingly standing half way to the boundary. He sprinted to the crease at first change, and was virtually unplayable! In the early nineties, he was the only truly fast seamer outside the Caribbean, earning him the rather dodgy epithet of 'White Lightning' an dthat had nothing to do with his trademark strip of sunblock! Fortunately for cricket, he has remained heavily involved in the game as bowling coach.
When Shaun Pollock joined the first team, Donald found a wonderful foil. With a name synonymous with South African cricket, the young redhead would bound up to the wicket with easy rhythm and high action which made him appear less quick than he really was. He went on to play more than 100 Tests and 300 ODIs, breaking national records for wickets in each. On top of that, he contributed over 7000 international runs to the cause, boasting an average of more than 32 in Tests. However, like Donald, his bowling average was sub-24, and his economy rate was a mere 2.39 an over. That's better than Glenn McGrath's career figure! Of course he was unusually mean for a paceman in T20, too.
Two years after Allan Donald retired from Test cricket, 21 year-old Dale Steyn stepped up to the plate bowling at three or four behind Pollock and Ntini. Like Donald, his debut was a losing one but once he began to establish himself in the side as the spearhead a few years later, he developed a reputation as a bowler who combined sheer speed with metronomic accuracy, the perfect ingredients. Although not tall by modern standards (six foot dead) he has taken 238 wickets in only 46 Tests. Perhaps his relatively slight frame has cost him many games because of injury but his strike rate is one of the best in history and his Test average is comparable with the aforementioned illustrious predecessors, at 23.21. Steyn hasn't played a five-day game since January, when he enjoyed a good old battle against Tendulkar, Gambhir, Dravid and co, since when his ICC rating has been frozen at 899, miles above anyone else in the world game. Indeed, he has topped the table for 2 1/2 years now, and only a poor performance in the next several series could give those chasing him - like Anderson, Swann and team-mate Morne Morkel a hope of overhauling him.
Whereas most of the wicket-taking records belong to spinners like Murali, Warne and Kumble, South Africa's all-time list in Tests is headed by Pollock, Ntini, Donald, Kallis and now Steyn. Few players can claim to average more than five wickets a match, not even Shane Warne, but if Steyn can remain fit and firing those bullets he could be one of the all-time greats. At 28 he could reach the 400 milestone but I fear the demands of ODIs and lure of IPL money could steer him away from legendary status but that would be a shame. Consistently accurate and genuinely fast bowlers are becoming a rare breed and we need to hang on to the likes of Dale so that he, Pollock and Donald aren't consigned to the history books as relics of a forgotten age.
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