David Warner - the Cricketer with Rizz

At the end of 2023, Oxford University Press announced the winner of the public ballot on the Word of the Year, and it was ‘rizz’. Obviously, I had never heard of it. I am 62 and apparently it is short for ‘charisma’ which is too long for anyone under 25 to type on their mobiles. 

So who has rizz? Well, David Warner, for starters. I would suggest that few modern-day sportsmen and women possess an abundance of rizz. Most footballers, tennis players, cricketers and so on seem to be schooled in being as boring as possible. Anything else is deemed ‘unprofessional’. Well, I love seeing a sports professional with a smile on his or her face; it proves they are human with a personality, perhaps human frailties, just like the rest of us.

Maybe that’s why I quite like David Warner. He may be a pantomime villain in the eyes of the English fans and media but he is always watchable. Don’t get me wrong; his cheating at Newlands was disgraceful. However, England can hardly sit comfortably on the moral high ground given the past behaviour of Hussain, Atherton, Pietersen, Stokes et al, although I admit the latter two did also have plenty of rizz! 

This week saw Warner’s retirement from Test cricket, bowing out at his Sydney home ground with a half-century and an Australian 3-0 series victory against Pakistan. Only Cook, Gavaskar and Graeme Smith scored more runs as openers, while 8,786 runs at almost 45 is world-class in anyone’s book. 

It is strange to recall that first-class cricket wasn’t to his liking at all. I first saw him play at Lord’s in June 2010, thanks to my friend Dipesh, then a Middlesex Member, acquiring a ticket to see the county’s T20 clash with Essex. The great Adam Gilchrist was then Middlesex captain for the Blast but I had heard of this exciting young gun from New South Wales, if only because he was renowned for representing Australia in ODIs and T20 internationals without playing a single first-class match. Not one! 

By 2010, he had played a handful in the Sheffield Shield, his debut coming the previous year, batting at six. He made a 48-ball 42 while at the other end, a certain Usman Khawaja compiled a steadier 172 not out. A teenage Mitchell Starc also featured in that drawn fixture, and the two also accompanied Warner in his final Test, and presumably first-class fixture. As for that Friends Provident tie at Lord’s. the pink-clad future legend biffed 25 in 15 balls, although the innings was overshadowed by the opposition’s Ryan Ten Doeschate’s superlative century. 

It was to be another eighteen months before he accepted the call to wear the ‘baggy green’ against New Zealand. He stroked three boundaries in four deliveries to clinch victory, again batting with Khawaja. It was a match boasting a phenomenal line-up of Noughties cricket stars on both sides, including Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, Vettori, Taylor and Brendan McCullum. I think it’s fair to say that David Warner brought ‘Bazball’ to the Test scene long before McCullum the coach did so with England. His cavalier approach to batting didn’t always pay off. Stuart Broad, for one, seemed to have his measure, goading him into rash hooks or pulls. 

In the recent World Cup, Warner again contributed to a triumphant Aussie campaign. He top-scored for his country, yet was eclipsed by two awesome innings by Glen Maxwell and Travis Head. In addition to his runs, there was no ignoring Dave’s energetic scampering around the outfield with an enthusiasm belying his 37 years. He hasn’t quit all cricket, of course. I daresay in future T20 franchises we’ll witness plenty more belligerent batting, attempted run-outs, rueful smiles – washed down with lashings of rizz. 

2019 Review - My Team of the Year

As most years, 2019 experienced a range of cricket-related emotions. David Warner and Steve Smith returned from their bans to mixed reviews. Warner enjoyed some success in the IPLwhile his former Test captain swapped tears for a deaf ear to barracking England fans and almost single-handedly retained the Ashes for Australia. However, possibly the world’s only genuine world-class all-rounder, Shakib al-Hasan, ended this year in disgrace, suspended for at least a year for ‘failing to report corrupt approaches’. He really ought to have known better. 

Ben Stokes escaped a jail sentence and the dial on his luck-ometer remained fixed at eleven throughout the summer. His diving deflection and strokeplay carried England to an extraordinary World Cup Final triumph at Lord’s against a desperately unfortunate New Zealand, followed by a heroic unbeaten century of eight sixes and strike-farming to save the Headingley Test. India consolidated their number one Test ranking by winning all four Test series, including rubbers in Australia and the West Indies. After losing their inaugural Test in 2018, Afghanistan claimed their first wins, against Ireland and, more significantly, Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka struggled again and, despite retaining their T20 top-rank status, Pakistan had a nightmare year in all formats. Their only series success came against Sri Lanka in 50-over cricket in their long-awaited return to home-territory internationals. Let’s hope bringing internationals home after a decade will be the springboard to a change in fortunes.

South Africa were another side in transition. The Test team was slaughtered in India, but whitewashed Sri Lanka in ODIs before a lacklustre World Cup. They also suffered a whole host of international retirements, including Amla, Steyn, Duminy and Imran Tahir. At least they ended the calendar year with a first-class victory over England. Veterans Lasith Malinga and Shoaib Malik also bade farewell to ODIs this year, and Yuvraj Singh won’t be playing at the top level again. I wouldn’t mind betting, though, that they will continue to rake in the dollars and rupees in Twenty 20.

So who makes my team of the year? 

David Warner’s return to the fold reaped immediate rewards. Whilst not playing much 50-over cricket, he nonetheless accumulated more than 2,500 runs in all formats. KL Rahul was in superb white-ball form, nobody scored more List A runs than Aaron Finch and Mayank Agarwal struck some huge scores for India, but my other opener is Rohit Sharma. Outscoring even Virat Kohli in ODIs, he also scored three centuries in six Test innings, including two in the First Test against South Africa. 

His captain Virat Kohli’s place in my end-of-year Eleven is almost guaranteed. Will he ever suffer a loss of form? Skippering the world’s undisputed top Test nation hasn’t hurt him as a batsman, averaging 68 in eight Tests and achieving strike rates of 96 and 145 in ODI and T20 cricket, respectively. However, someone scored more than four times as many first-class runs as the Indian master in 2019. Not Smith, not Root, not Williamson. No, I’m talking about Marnus Labuschagne. I confess to being ignorant of him prior to his string of hundreds for Glamorgan in the early summer, but he proved to be no mere bully of Second Division county attacks. At first deputising for Steve Smith, he went on to out-score him, ending the year with three big Test hundreds in succession against Pakistan and New Zealand advancing him to four in the ICC rankings. Including his performances for Queensland he amassed 2,703 first-class runs in 2019, way ahead of anyone else, and his leg-spin gives him an extra dimension, too.

Faf du Plessis, Ross Taylor and even Dawid Malan had a commendable twelve-month period but for my final middle-order slot I’ve leaned towards Pakistan. Last year I narrowly plumped for Babar Azam in my XI. This time there can be no doubt he deserves his spot. In an under-performing Pakistan outfit he shone strong and bright. Not only was Azam the world’s top scorer in senior T20 cricket (1,607 runs) but he also completed 2019 in a red-ball purple patch, striking three tons and a 97 in four consecutive Tests. Aged just 25, he is young enough to develop into a truly world-class all-round batsman.

My wicketkeeper-batsman is an absolute shoo-in: Quinton de Kock. Carey, Paine, Hope and Buttler each had their moments but the South African left-hander was imperious in all forms of the game. He compiled more than 2,400 runs and 80 dismissals, boasting a three-figure strike rate in ODIs. AB De Villiers may have been missed in the World Cup but De Kock  maturing nicely into a formidable member of the Proteas and T20 gun for hire.

With Shakib al-Hasan in disgrace, genuine all-rounders were in short supply. Jason Holder is a big fish in a desperately diminished Caribbean pond where he contributes a few wickets and the occasional astonishing innings; more than half his 2019 Test runs were scored in that 202 not out against England at Bridgetown. With better team-mates around him, he would be in my team of the year but for sheer personality and big-match temperament I’ve plumped for Ben Stokes. His seam bowling may not have been world-class, and he didn’t really earn his millions for the Rajasthan Royals, but for promoting cricket to the UK front pages for the first time in yonks (probably since Stokes was up in court!) the Durham man gets the nod.

No bowlers were truly outstanding. Even in his mid-thirties, Peter Siddle remained one of the world’s most skilled seamers in the four-day game, Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer led the England attack with brio, India’s Mohammed Shami was a deceptively swift and prolific swing bowler in ODIs and Kabiso Rabada was a consistent paceman for South Africa. The New Zealand seam attack of Boult, Southee, Wagner, Ferguson and Henry were always impressive as a unit, though not necessarily as individuals.

In their place I have selected the Aussie pair of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. At 26, the former is finally fit enough to fire on all cylinders on a regular basis, combining sheer pace with control. He’s not yet Glenn McGrath but he took 59 Test wickets at just over 20 apiece, which is world-class. The left-armer Starc is supposedly weaker in the Test arena but statistically he wasn’t far behind Cummins.

Spin bowling made less impact in 2019 so there were relatively few names in contention. Simon Harmer’s 99 first-class wickets, helping Essex to another County Championship, make him impossible to ignore. Naturally Rashid Khan entered my thinking, bowling Afghanistan to an historic Test victory over Bangladesh and doing his usual thing with the white ball. However, even he took fewer T20 wickets than Imran Tahir. The South African may be almost twice the age of Rashid but his 79 victims, allied to 30 in List A fixtures, established his place at cricket’s top table. And his joyful wheeling sprint celebrations after taking wickets at the World Cup always lifted the spirits. If sport can’t do that, what’s the point?!

In conclusion, here is my 2019 Team of the Year:-

Warner (Aus), R Sharma (Ind), Babar Azam (Pak), Kohli (Ind), Labuschagne (Aus), De Kock (SA +), Stokes (Eng), Starc (Aus), Harmer (SA), Imran Tahir (SA), Cummins (Aus)

My ‘squad replacements’ would be Rahul (Ind), Buttler (Eng), Rabada (SA), Mohammed Shami (Ind)

World Cup woes for South Africa

The 2019 Cricket World Cup has been an inevitable slow-burner. With all ten nations playing each other, it has taken three weeks to reach the stage where big names are facing the certainty of an early plane home, or even possibly an unexpected short-term contract with a county.

It hasn’t helped that so many fixtures have been so one-sided. My three live experiences at Cardiff have been enjoyable but really could have been enhanced by much closer encounters of a cricketing kind. New Zealand made short work of Sri Lanka, Roy, Buttler et al plastered the Bangladesh spinners for an array of sixes then Afghanistan predictably succumbed to South Africa.

Thank goodness for some surprises elsewhere. The West Indians’ pace dealt Pakistan an early blow, Bangladesh creamed an unassailable 330-6 off South Africa then even England’s cruise towards the semis hit a rock as Pakistan bounced back but still an exciting finale was lacking.

Rain caused some disappointing washouts and abandonments, particularly at Bristol, and robbed us of the intriguing India v New Zealand contest. The much-anticipated India-Pakistan fixture was also affected by the wet stuff, as well as the latter’s inability to shackle Rohit Sharma. However, when the British weather improved, so did the tournament, even if the big four threatened to run away with it. In just two days we had some crackers.

On the longest day at Headingley, England’s seemingly infallibility when batting second was severely dented by Sri Lanka. Nice to see Lasith Malinga finding some of his old magic as they triumphed by 20 runs. At Southampton the following day, Afghanistan’s spinners choked India so hard that their target was a distinctly manageable 225. They didn’t quite manage it, of course, thanks largely to the nous of Bumrah and Shami’s final over hat-trick, but we neutrals revelled in the excitement of a near-shock. Meanwhile, some lusty blows by Chris Gayle and an extraordinary century by Carlos Brathwaite so nearly rescued the Windies against the Black Caps, for whom Kane Williamson batted so beautifully.

With teams having just two or three matches left to play, the top four placings are not yet decided. As in the last World Cup, New Zealand have demonstrated their undoubted class slightly beneath the radar. At the time of writing they are unbeaten, as are Virat Kohli’s India and each muct surely reach the semi-finals. I wasn’t sure how Australia would fare in the aftermath of the Warner-Smith bans. However, they have been almost England-esque in their run accumulations, with David Warner and Aaron Finch striking some stunning scores, and are almost home and dry.

So what about England? With the exception of the Sri Lanka debacle, they have been passing 300 with impressive regularity. Sixes have come right down the order, and Eoin Morgan’s blitz against Afghanistan was particularly brutal. Intriguingly their final three games come against their three closest rivals, beginning with the Aussies, followed by India at Edgbaston and then NZ. I reckon they’ll win at least two of them but even so I can’t see the planets aligning so perfectly that one of the other pretenders such as Pakistan or even Bangladesh could disturb the status quo.

What have I learnt so far? Well, batsmen were always likely to be on top, but who would have predicted Shakib al-Hasan would have been top of the run charts? Jofra Archer and Mark Wood have been the most devastating bowling partnership as the short ball has proved the most effective bowling weapon of the tournament. Imran Tahir, Rashid Khan and co may yet have a say in proceedings but for certain neither SA nor Afghanistan will be raising the trophy this year. Faf du Plessis’ men have been out of sorts in most areas. Their batting line-up was already weaker than it’s been for a long time and their one true global star Hashim Amla, has scratched around for runs, even against the Afghans.

I’m sure there’ll be more twists and turns in the coming weeks but it looks likely that the ICC will get the top four it wanted, and that India-England final remains a distinct possibility.

Tom Latham - Carrying his bat

When the statisticians flung out the figures following Tom Latham’s record-breaking 264 not out, I was amazed that he was only the 56^th man to bat throughout a completed Test innings without being dismissed. In a year when  only Mushfiqur Rahim had reached 200 in Tests, it was also remarkable that the New Zealander’s score was the highest ever by a player ‘carrying his bat’.

He eclipsed the previous best, achieved by Alastair Cook only a year ago in Melbourne. However, remarkably, one man has carried his bat twice this year: Dean Elgar. At Jo’burg in January he ran out of partners in a losing chase against India then, two months later, his unbeaten 141 laid the foundation for a thumping victory over Australia, a game unfortunately remembered more for Steve Smith Cameron Bancroft and David Warner coming a cropper for cheating.

Latham is typical of a traditional bat-carrier: an old-school blocker, the guy you need in a Test side to anchor an innings while others make the strokes. He spent more than eleven hours at the crease, facing 489 balls, representing a strike rate not too shabby, even by modern standards. Mind you, he didn’t start to push on until joined by the Black Cap tail, and only 90 of his runs came in boundaries. But of course that doesn’t matter when you have colleagues like Williamson, Taylor and de Grandhomme at the other end upsetting the Sri Lankan attack.

Two players have carried their bat in Tests three times: Elgar and the great West Indian from the '80s and '90s, Desmond Haynes. The latter was no slouch but, when compared with his long-time opening partner Gordon Greenidge and the likes of Viv Richards, Carl Hooper and Brian Lara, he was a stonewaller. These three occasions were in a mixed trio of circumstances, the matches resulting in a draw defeat and victory.

There are some familiar obdurate openers on the list, from Atherton to Lawry, Gavaskar to Dravid, Kirsten to Turner, but also some of the most flamboyant cricketers of modern times. In 2009, Chris Gayle struck 165 out of a second innings 317 at Adelaide which effectively prevented defeat against the Aussies.

One of the most memorable displays of bat-carrying came at Hobart seven years ago. In a very low-scoring game against New Zealand, Australia needed 244 to win. Up to then, only two players had passed 40 and the Aussie batsmen were maintaining that grim record – all except David Warner. While Bracewell was causing carnage at the other end, he produced a brilliant innings of 123 which took his side to within seven of the target before Lyon was bowled.

However, perhaps the greatest effort happened in 2008 at Galle. As all around him lost their wickets at an alarming rate, Virender Sehwag just stuck to his normal game and flayed 201in 231 balls out of a first innings total of 329. He added 50 on his second outing and India went on to win decisively.

I wouldn’t mind betting that Geoff Boycott would have relished carrying his bat. Even if he scored only one not out. But if there was one thing the Yorkshire legend loved even more, it was scoring centuries. Therefore, he must have been fuming when, in Perth almost four decades ago, whilst endeavouring to stave off almost certain defeat, he was left high and dry on 99 not out. Coincidentally, the Aussie Kim Hughes had earlier been dismissed on 99 while Boycott’s 20-ball first innings facing Lillee and Dymock had yielded precisely nothing.

In the end, carrying the bat is a feat nobody aims for. It may boost your average but, more often than not, it’s indicative of a poor team performance overly reliant on one batsman. Tom Latham’s case is an exception: he just kept on going and showed why old-fashioned values of knowing when to play and when to leave can reap dividends in what is likely to be a winning cause.

Ashes 2017-18: Cook and Smith share New Year’s Test Honours

Congratulations to those English cricketers who were rightly represented on the New Year’s Honours List. However, Joe Root, James Anderson and Alastair Cook will have to wait a bit longer for their knighthoods. Heather Knight’s OBE and the ‘M’s for Amy Shrubsole and Tammy Beaumont were dished out for their contributions to England’s World Cup triumph last summer but after Cook’s innings at the MCG this week you’d think the British media were celebrating an even greater success.

Well, the former skipper undoubtedly demonstrated why he has been retained as Test opener. I don’t know when an English batsman last batted not only through a whole day’s play but an entire innings without being dismissed, but this is precisely what the side has been missing. Cook himself admitted his effort was several weeks too late. Nevertheless his 244 not out was just what the doctor ordered following the three successive defeats, not just for England but also his own cricketing health. Since his 241 at Edgbaston in August, he scratched around for just 261 runs in 14 innings before accumulating almost as many in just the one outing at Melbourne. Talk about peaks and troughs!

Root declared himself proud of his team’s response to losing the Ashes and it was certainly a revelation to see Stuart Broad and Anderson turn a poor first day position into a promising one by lunch on day two. Broad’s batting broadside also boosted England’s first innings total to almost 500, sharing a century stand for the ninth wicket and putting severe pressure on Steve Smith.

However, the Aussie captain hasn’t amassed a world-beating Test average of 63 without showing grit and determination on a consistent basis. Despite having 80,000 spectators watching your every twitch, and knowing he had already dropped Cook in the slips, Smith stepped up to the plate and, by the close of the final day’s play, had delivered yet another century, the sixth of 2017, to steer his side to a draw. Even David Warner reined in his natural aggressive instincts, sticking around for a five-hour 86.

Honours even? Maybe, but it was England’s fightback which caught the eye. Like Craig Overton, his replacement Tom Curran made Smith his first ever Test wicket, but nobody else seems able to get him out. Anderson’s handiwork on a dirty ball may have been proved to have been entirely legal and with the blessing of both umpires, but it was Broad’s five wickets which pleased selectors and fans the most. 

So what will change for the Sydney climax? Moeen Ali may well be stood down to give Mason Crane an opportunity, although that would weaken England’s batting. It may also weaken the bowling as for much of last summer, he wasn’t even deemed good enough to play for Hampshire.

Deputising for Starc, Jackson Bird proved to be a turkey for the Aussies, going wicketless for 108 runs, even worse than Moeen. Apparently, Ashton Agar has been called up to the home team’s squad for Sydney, but he certainly won’t be scaring the England’s batsmen. Perhaps this is a ruse to lull them into a false sense of security before another short ball battering. We’ll see. Alastair Cook will presumably return to single-figure scores so maybe this is the stage for Vince and Woakes to show what they’re made of. I sincerely hope so. There may be a few spare MBEs going come the Queen's Birthday....

Smith and Warner lead Aussies to another Pakistan Whitewash

In Test cricket, fortunes can change quickly. Last winter, Australia beat the West Indies and New Zealand before coming a cropper at home to South Africa in November. Meanwhile, Pakistan briefly topped the ICC rankings after the England tour, maintained the momentum with a 2-1 series success over the Windies in the desert but lost it all again in New Zealand.

So there was a lot at stake in the Australia-Pakistan encounters over the past month or so. Would the Aussie pacemen make the most of quick pitches or could the Pakistani veteran batsmen galvanise the tourists? The answer was neither. It was very much a series for the batsmen. In the three matches, there were ten centuries and no fewer than eight individuals averaged more than 50. With the ball, only Josh Hazelwood averaged under 25, while his 15-wicket aggregate took him past the century for his career so far.

The series caught light on the last day of the Brisbane opener. After Steve Smith declared 489 ahead, a crushing defeat for Pakistan was the likely outcome. However, Azhar Ali and Younis Khan weren’t to be cowed, then Asad Shafiq brilliantly shepherded the tail past 300, past 400,… Could a new world record be achieved? Not on this occasion, but the amazing effort took Pakistan to 450, just 39 short.

Only two sides had ever scored more in the fourth innings, and all sorts of records were broken at The Gabba. One which did hold was Australia’s long unbeaten sequence, now extended to 28.

At the MCG, Pakistan again passed 400, helped by an unbeaten 205 from opener Azhar Ali. However, David Warner’s run-a-ball 144, Steve Smith’s third consecutive Boxing Day Test century, Khawaja’s 97 and a late blast from Mitchell Starc established another handsome first innings lead. There was to be no repeat of the Gabba fightback as Starc and spinner Nathan Lyon nabbed seven cheap wickets to pull off an innings victory.

On to Sydney at the start of 2017. And what a star it was for David Warner. His century before lunch on day one was the first in Test cricket for more than 30 years, even outshining Matt Renshaw’s substantial debut hundred and Peter Handscomb’s second in three games. In response, Younis Khan’s 175 not out was his 34th three-figure score, keeping Pakistan in with a shout. A fourth day batting blitz set up another huge target and, despite a series-best 38 from skipper Misbah and a quick 72 not out from Sarfraz, it proved far too much.

And so Australia could enjoy a fourth successive 3-0 whitewash at home to Pakistan. Question marks have been raised against Misbah’s captaincy. Understandable given the series result and his own mediocre form. Nevertheless, he has been magnificent for his country in recent years. If he chooses to retire at 42, nobody would blame him. On the other hand, it would be unfair to hound him out based on one lost series in a land where they haven’t won for decades.

The Aussies can reflect proudly on a great all-round display, with runs down the order and wickets well distributed across the attack. Smith and Warner are at the top of their game, and it was an encouraging series for new boys Renshaw and Handscomb. If they can hang on to their bowlers longer than South Africa, they may yet in the next 18 months challenge India for the ceremonial mace.

Kohli, Ashwin and Bairstow lead the 2016 Team of the Year

2016 ended with no one nation able to claim domination of world cricket. In my mind, that’s a good thing. It means most of the top nations have something to boast about, to aspire to and keep the fans interested. All the above are vital if cricket is to remain a viable professional sport not only for TV viewers but those who shell out good money to support the team or the game they love.

England began the year in good spirit. A new aggressive approach to one-dayers yielded some spectacular performances yet only a modest ODI world ranking of five and T20 position of equal sixth. They even managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the World T20 final at Eden Gardens. This was the scene of probably the most incredible moment in the calendar. Fresh from his daredevil Test double-century, Ben Stokes served up four ‘death’ balls for Carlo Brathwaite to slam four successive sixes to take the trophy back to the West Indies, making a remarkable double to accompany the successful Women’s team.

Pakistan’s prolific press-up pumpers briefly held the ICC mace, but India remained unbeaten in Tests throughout 2016 to lead the rankings comfortably at the end of December. Australia have held off South Africa to top the ODI table while New Zealand are the stars of T20. It’s been a miserable year for Sri Lanka, no higher than sixth in any of the formats and dependant on 38 year-old Rangana Herath for their Test match wickets. His 28 in three summer games against Australia constitute a remarkable solo performance.

So who have been the stars of 2016? In the three international formats, Joe Root, David Warner and Virat Kohli were the leading run scorers while Ravi Ashwin, Adam Zampa and Jasprit Bumrah topped the wickets tables. Across all first-class cricket, Jonny Bairstow was the only man to break the 2,000 run barrier and the ever-dependable Jeetan Patel the sole 100-wicket taker, thanks largely to continued sterling work for Warwickshire. However, he doesn’t make my 2016 Team of the Year.

As opener, David Warner is a no-brainer, accumulating well over 3,000 runs in total, including seven ODI centuries. Alastair Cook had plenty of Tests in which to boost his career aggregate beyond 11,000 runs, but I’ve gone for South Africa’s 50-over opener Quinton de Kock for his consistency and reliable strike rate.

There are plenty of candidates for the middle –order. Azhar Ali, Pujara and Williamson have pressing claims but it’s impossible to leave out Joe Root, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith. The Englishman accumulated more than 2500 first-class and ODI runs, including numerous fifties even if centuries were in short supply. The India captain is in the form of his life, leading his country with distinction whilst averaging 76 in Tests and maintaining a 100+ strike rate across ten ODIs and 147 in his 31 twenty-over fixtures. Steve Smith didn’t quite hit the heights of 2015 but he remained a crucial part of Australia’s teams. Remarkably, his career Test average stands above 60, and his ability to reach three figures when it matters is better than anyone in the world.

Jonny Bairstow may not have taken the gloves in many one-dayers but his 70 Test dismissals easily outnumbered his rivals. Together with his runs, this gives him the edge over the likes of De Kock and Sarfraz Ahmed as my wicketkeeper.

Few genuine all-rounders have shone in the past twelve months. Shakib al- Hasan was as reliable as ever, Chris Woakes had his moments and Dwayne Bravo whacked and bowled with customary relish for his numerous employers in T20. Ben Stokes spat, snarled, swore and occasionally produced breathtaking innings and spells for England and, setting aside that final over in Kolkata, I reluctantly hand him a place at seven in my XI.

Ravichindra Ashwin was easily the star bowler in Test matches throughout 2016, taking 72 wickets in 12 matches at under 24 apiece. His lower-order runs have also elevated him to all-rounder status and, while he is not an obvious choice for ODIs, he remains an extremely economical T20 spinner, too. Young Aussie leggie Adam Zampa has a dreadful first-class record but his limited-overs stats last year were mighty impressive, propelling him into my team of 2016.

For the second consecutive year, Mitchell Starc walks tall into the team. He takes plenty of Test and ODI wickets while conceding few runs, and what else could you ask of a fast bowler in any form of cricket? As a new-ball partner, it’s between England’s Stuart Broad, New Zealander Neil Wagner and 21 year-old Kagiso Rabada. Broad played plenty of Tests but injury rest restricted his appearances elsewhere. Wagner was prolific for Lancashire, Otago and the Black Caps but my selection is right-armer Rabada. With Steyn often missing, the young quick from Jo’burg has been propelled into the frontline with considerable success, especially at home against England and, more recently, in Australia.

So, to sum up, here is my 2016 Team of the Year:-

Warner (Aus), De Kock (SA), Root (Eng), Kohli (Ind *), Smith (Aus), Bairstow (Eng +), Stokes (Eng), Ashwin (Ind), Starc (Aus), Rabada (SA), Zampa (Aus). My ‘squad replacements’ would be Cook, Azhar Ali and Wagner.

Can Smith, Ashwin and Starc make it three in a row this time next year? We’ll see!

Farewell to Mitch, a great bowler amongst run machines

In the two Tests so far, on the pitch it’s been all about the batsmen. Therefore it takes a special bowler to seize the headlines – step forward, Mitchell Johnson! It’s a shame, however, that it was to announce his immediate retirement from international cricket.

I hadn’t realised he was already 34, maybe because of his stop-start career and continuing success in the Baggy Green. 73 Tests aren’t many these days, yet he still managed to capture 313 wickets at 28.4 apiece. His strike rate of only 51 is even more world-class but what Johnson brought to the game was not a welter of impressive stats but charisma.

There was also Mitch’s old left-arm slinger action to set him apart. To dismiss the old tag of wayward paceman, he remodelled it to something more conventional and, complete with Lillee-esque moustache, proceeded to destroy opposition batsmen with undimmed enthusiasm. His demolition of England a few winters ago was absolutely electric. However, it’s interesting to read on ESPN Cricinfo readers’ examples of his greatest hits. It wasn’t just about Brisbane and Adelaide in 2013; there were bursts at Centurion, in India; everywhere, really.

He even signed off with a creditable 2-20 in the final innings, ripping out the New Zealand openers. The pace may have been down a touch on his regular 90+mph boomers of a few seasons ago but, with fellow Mitchell, Starc, breaking the official world record delivery speed, Australia should continue to boast a formidable fast bowling attack at Adelaide and beyond.

In England, Johnson was always a figure of fun, a target for the Barmy Army. That was partly because he would rise to the bait very quickly. On the other hand, he could play along with humour, especially when returning to the boundary having taken a wicket or two! He was also generous to thirsty cricket fans in the stands on a sweltering day, chucking them his supply of cold drinks! We’ll all miss him.

As for the ongoing series, the run rate in both matches played to date have been amongst the top ten in Test history, boundaries flowing faster than the Foster’s. David Warner’s three consecutive centuries, including that 253 at the WACA, were incredible, taking his average above 51. Not bad for a former T20 specialist! And yet Ross Taylor went and trumped him with 290, which I think is the highest Test score ever made by an overseas player in Australia. With the ever-impressive Kane Williamson at the other end, it was also vital to maintain the Black Caps’ interest in the series after their capitulation at Fortress Gabba.

As for the finale, will Trent Boult and Tim Southee finally strike lucky? Boult, in particular, has suffered, with figures of 6-388, and he’s better than that. However, all the Aussie batsmen have looked strong, from Burns and Warner to Smith, Khawaja and Voges. While it’s great for audiences used to Big Bashes to wallow in a Test full of fours, I hope it’s more of an even contest between bat and ball at Adelaide. It’s just sad that it will no longer be Mitchell Johnson with the ball.

3rd Ashes Test: Aussies Tamed and Test Cricket Shamed

A great result for England at Edgbaston but I don’t know which was worse: Australia’s capitulation or the longer-term impact on five-day Test cricket.

In terms of the competition between the Ashes adversaries, I’m not sure what this match means. So far this year, England have been on a recent rollercoaster ride in Tests: four wins but none back-to-back. All three in the current series have been one-sided affairs and none have lasted until the fifth day. Australia may have been seriously damaged by the Birmingham defeat but if the sequence continues, they could perk up at Trent Bridge. Unfortunately for them, that would mean England winning at The Oval and taking the urn 3-2!

Jimmy Anderson was supreme on the first day, nabbing 6-47, then the returning Steve Finn ripped the heart out of Australia’s batting on the second. A great achievement for England’s seamers, but the contribution of Ian Bell cannot be forgotten. His selection was derided by many but, like me, the selectors hoped the home pitch would bring out the old Belly. It did. And he did it not by careful consideration but by counter-attacking.

First time out he struck ten boundaries to make 53 from 56 balls, then on day three he scored an unbeaten 65 from 90. In such a low-scoring contest, two half-centuries must be admired. Ian Bell must also have rescued his Test career, at least for this summer.

Adam Lyth failed twice but, without any obvious replacement, could be given another chance. Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes (second ball) were despatched by snorters from Mitchell Johnson so Jonny at least can’t be written off just yet, especially after his prolific season for Yorkshire. The Durham all-rounder might be more vulnerable but, with Trent Bridge likely to be prepared for another three-day seam-fest, he may be safe.

But what about Australia? Michael Clarke was honest when admitting his batting woes had left his team playing ten against eleven. However, he is unlikely to be jettisoned mid-series. Adam Voges looked poor once more while Chris Rogers (first innings) and David Warner (second) provided more backbone. Steve Smith had an off-week, but Clarke should be thanking his wicketkeeper Peter Nevill and Mitchell Starc for at least taking the fight to the third day.

It wasn’t just England’s bowlers outplaying the opposing batsmen; it was the way the Aussies got out. It looked as if they were playing one-day cricket, not five-day stuff. Mind you, that was what England did at Lord’s! In summary, I would be seriously worried had I bought a ticket for a fourth or fifth day in either of the next Tests. It’s a shame because in the past year the world has witnessed some excellent Test matches, including those played between England and New Zealand a few months ago.

I gather that Ricky Ponting has advocated doing away with the toss and allowing the away side to choose whether to bat or field. I think that could be a good way forward without compromising the integrity of Test matches. I don’t want to see a game of two 600-4 declareds but neither do I want two-and-a-half-day affairs. Batsmen also need to remember how to bat, not merely throw the bat. They could do worse than watch and learn from Joe Root! Taking a T20 approach to the fifty-over format is one thing; applying the same attacking ethos to Tests is frankly ridiculous. David Warner, like the Sehwags and Gayles, can get away with it, but he needs Smith, Clarke and co to provide solid support. That didn’t happen at Edgbaston but it needs to happen at Trent Bridge, or the Ashes are lost.

Warner, Williamson and Watling provide the W Factor

With apologies to the South Africans, their victory over the West Indies barely registered a ripple on cricket's Richter Scale this week. However, cross the ocean to Sydney and Wellington and we have witnessed some memorable performances. Kumar Sangakkara demonstrated once again that he is the premier Test batsman of the past decade, and Virat Kohli is at last showing signs of becoming the top man for the next. However three Ws have stood out for me.

I was biased against David Warner from the start. An apparently aggressive bully off the pitch and similar with the bat on it, the pugnacious plunderer made his name as the first player since the birth of cricket to represent his country in Tests without ever playing first-class cricket. That was six years ago in a T20 contest against the Proteas, and he announced himself by striking 89 in 43 balls to set the MCG crowd alight and win the game. Since then he progressed to become an ODI regular and, since 2011, half the answer to Australia's Test opener problem.

Like Virender Sehwag, he has thrived not by abandoning his attacking but by harnessing them, unleashing the strokes only when the ball is there for hitting and/or the situation demands it. Shane Watson's ability to do just this has waned in recent years but Warner's has grown. I have come to quite like him and, following his mature attitude in the wake of Phil Hughes' death, respect him, too. It hasn't affected his batting either. Two emotional centuries at Adelaide and now another 101 on the square where Hughes received that fatal blow have taken him past the 3,000-run barrier, with an average of 48. In the past nine Tests, Warner has thrashed seven centuries and three fifties, a superb record. in all, he has passed fifty 25 times in 67 innings, a world-class ratio.

Yet in the past few weeks, even Warner has been overshadowed by Kane Williamson. Like the Aussie he was in my overall team of 2014 yet the New Zealander has got 2015 off to an even more impressive start. He top-scored with 69 in a mediocre first innings before Sanga seemed to take the match away from them. Second time around, he turned the tables with a brilliant unbeaten 242. His Test career statistics for runs, average and consistent half-centurymaking are almost Warner-like, and are part of the reason for New Zealand's success against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

That 'double' also formed part of a world-record sixth wicket partnership of 365 with wicketkeeper BJ Watling. Not a renowned batsman he has now been part of two world record stands, the first last year with Brendon McCullum and now this with young Kane. Not being a twinkling T20 expert, Bradley-John has crept up quietly upon the global cricket scene until now, at 29, he is not only a formidable number seven but also an excellent 'keeper. Watling may not feature in the World Cup, where Luke Ronchi will don the gloves, but he could be a regular in Test matches for years to come.

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..!

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....

Passion vs Control

So Ben Stokes will miss the T20 World Cup with a broken hand. Should we feel sorry for him? Not a bit. None of us like getting out first ball but vandalising lockers is not the answer. Putting yourself out of the game in the process for several weeks is sheer madness. Forgiving such actions by an immature two year-old is just about OK but Stokes is a 22 year-old professional sportsman. Definitely NOT OK!

Citing the colour of his hair is not an excuse either. I was a redhead at that age (sadly more sandy grey these days!) and I don't recall smashing anything in a fit of pique, let alone such an important tool of the trade as a wrist. A few expletives, maybe, but no daft acts of violence. Ben Stokes has proved to be a very useful all-rounder for Durham in all forms of cricket and was a rare centurion in the Ashes. Sadly his form with bat and ball deserted him in the Caribbean one-dayers, which may have contributed to that dressing room incident.

Perhaps he will relish the rest after a hectic winter and will come back stronger in the summer. His replacement in Bangladesh, Chris Woakes, is someone I've long advocated for England. But in T20?? No way. He has an excellent first-class record as a genuine all-rounder but I hope his time in the forthcoming tournament doesn't ruin his chances of a future Test career. As for the Twenty20 format, I suppose he has nothing to lose.

But what about Stokes? I daresay his chance will come again, particularly in ODIs. However, his passion for cricket, team and own performances need to be balanced by self-control. It seems to be accepted these days that unless you shout a lot (e.g. in football), pump your fists at every wicket to fall and/or burst into tears at the drop of a hat (e.g. in X Factor)you don't have the requisite passion; you don't 'want it enough'. Rubbish! Those sportsmen who channel their passion for the benefit of the team tend to be more reliable performers. I remember watching a Sunday game at Southend many years ago. Essex captain Ronnie Irani was dismissed for a duck and stormed into the quaint park pavilion from whence I clearly heard what I assume was a bat being flung along with some choice f___words. He was angry with himself for letting his side down but as long as he did no damage to anyone or anything, I just had to smile. Irani was, like Stokes, a bit of a hothead which may have affected his long-term chances with England. A very popular hothead with fans, it has to be said! I d worry about England when an experienced superstar bowler like James Anderson abandons the respect for opposition players and the game itself after takig a wicket. A poor role model indeed, and it didn't do his form any good either!

Nobody should accuse the likes of Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott or James Taylor as being insufficiently passionate to represent England. They just have a calmer temperament, which suits their roles as batting foundations on which substantial innings are built. Sometimes, players prone to losing their temper on and off the field, just need the right coaching or leadership to focus their aggression (or passion) in the most effective way. David Warner could have been cast aside for his stupid actions in a nightclub, just as Stokes was sent home from the Lions tour last year for drinking. Instead Warner was sent home to rebuild his reputation and make some runs, and has since brought personal and team success since. Darren Lehmann appears to have worked wonders for Mitchell Johnson, too. Shane Warne was in his day a bit of a bad boy and it is often forgotten that he served a long ban for his drug abuse and foul-mouthed rants. Fortunately he matured to become an all-time great, assisted by being part of a consistently winning side!

The condensed format of Twenty20 dictates that spectators get whipped into a six-hitting, fanfare-cheering frenzy. In England, that is exacerbated by alcohol. However, unthinking wild swings of the bat and uncontrolled bouncers do not win such matches. Dhoni, Gayle, Malinga, Narine, Buttler, Clarke, Sangakkara et al are masters of their art by patience, thought and keeping a cool head in pressure-cooker atmosphere and situations. Passion AND control. Take heed during your recuperation, Ben Stokes, and I wish you a swift recovery.

At last a trophy for Australia

It was maybe fitting that Shane Watson collected the last Man of the Match award of a long and gruelling Australia tour. For someone so derided, he bore by far the greatest workload of the various different squads, from the Champions Trophy warm-ups through the Ashes Tests, T20s and finally the ODIs. Of 23 games, he played in 20, accumulating over 1000 runs although only eight expensive wickets. Amongst those runs were some pretty special centuries, including that 176 at The Oval and this week's 143 at Southampton. That's one England's spinners Tredwell and Root won't forget in a hurry.

The highest individual score was Michael Clarke's memorable 187 at Old Trafford, and he demonstrated that you don't have to slog your way to thre figures. On the other hand, Aaron Finch produced one of the most incredible batting blitz in history at the Rose Bowl. 156 in 63 balls produced a world record for T20 internationals, but could he temper those instincts to make a Test player? Averaging sub-30 in 33 first-class cricket at the age of 26 suggests otherwise. George Bailey seems to be progressing from T20 specialist to very capable 50-over performer but at 31 his career is limited. Not as limited as Chris Rogers' but the latter proved he can do the business as opener, if only until someone else comes through the system, or Phil Hughes rediscovers the form of five few years ago. Steve Smith's debut hundred at The Oval did his cause no harm either, although his bowling is short of what should be expected of a genuine all-rounder.

Considering the Aussies' 0-3 Ashes defeat, it was remarkable how well their bowlers performed. Graeme Swann was the series' leading wicket-taker but Ryan Harris, just behind him, averaged under 20, a world-class statistic in a major Test series. Unlike Harris, James Faulkner was another very busy man this summer. His left-arm pace was quicker than first appeared and he provided useful late-order runs, too. Clint McKay's hat-trick at Cardiff was the highlight of his tour, Mitchell Starc had his moments and Peter Siddle was his usual reliable self in Tests, although perhaps less incisive than usual. Mitchell Johnson demonstrated in the past week that there are no faster bowlers in world cricket, and in the Southampton finale managed to combine that raw speed with control, menace and economy. The jury's out on Pattinson, Bird and Coulter-Nile but next winter's bowling line-up will probably be determined by who's fit. Nathan Lyon looks to have secured the spinner slot but if teenager Ashton Agar can rip the ball as well as he let rip with it in that record-breaking tail-end 98, he may mature into a rival.

Behind the stumps, Darren Lehmann and his team probably have it right with Brad Haddin playing the Tests and Matthew Wade in the shorter formats. It is probably correct for a selection policy involving watching how all the players perform in the Sheffield Shield. There are still several spots to nail down in the Test side, and it will be interesting to see whether David Warner returns to the fold to do battle - maybe that's not the best choice of phrase! - with all the England team and the Barmy Army can throw at him.

I'll no doubt return to the issue as the Ashes return gets closer....

New hope but no Ashes for the Aussies

It was always going to be a one-sided series and so it has proved. However, but for the good old-fashioned Manchester weather, Australia may well have been going into the Fourth Test only one down and buoyed by a renewed confidence that the gulf between them and the old enemy wasn't so vast after all.

Of course, it did rain. England have an unassailable lead and therefore, as holders of the urn, they get to keep it for at least another six months or so. I'm reading lots of criticisms of Michael Clarke's captaincy, that he should have declared earlier knowing the weather forecast for Sunday. Uh? Maybe he should have let England bat first on a belter? Maybe he should have retired out on 100 so England could have more time at the crease? No, he did what any skipper would have done. Indeed, had the clouds decided to veer off course, a target of 300-odd in a day would suddenly have looked over-generous.

The only captain to have emerged from the game with reputation somewhat sullied is Alastair Cook. I've never seen such a disgraceful display of persistent time-wasting by a team. To bowl your spinner and yet deliver a mere twelve overs an hour is an insult to those who paid huge sums to watch a cricket match. There were more field changes than in an IPL final, more checks for stray grass seeds on Jimmy Anderson's boot than in a whole series of Gardener's World. Even the Windies in their super-quick, 40-pace run-up heyday were no meaner than England on Saturday afternoon. Yes, Cook did what he had to do to maximise his side's chances of saving the match. The rain did it for him and his delaying tactics left a sour taste in my mouth.

On Sunday, three early wickets and Joe Root looking lost in the land of the red rose gave a hint of what might have been, and Australia need to build on that. For the first time in the series, their batsmen scored runs and bowlers took wickets and gave little away. Clarke led from the front, just as his predecessor Ricky Ponting did so often, earning the grudging respect of even the Barmiest of England's army of fans. David Warner was unfazed by the boo-boys and showed that with his own bad behaviour off the pitch, he's just one of them, really. He needs to do better with the bat, though, as does Shane Watson. Such a gifted all-rounder, he seems to be struggling under the weight of expectation heaped on him in all forms of international cricket. Chris Rogers and Steve Smith also made decent scores and it must be encouraging to see Peter Siddle, Mitch Starc and Ryan Harris all causing the experienced English attack a lot of problems. If Nathan Lyon becomes even half as potent as a Warne, or even a Swann, the Aussies could be pressing for a long awaited victory.

Nevertheless, KP is back in the runs, Cook and Trott are due a big score and Jimmy Anderson won't have another nightmare like at Old Trafford. I don't know what the weather as in store for us in the North East next weekend but my forecast is for England to do what Steve Waugh's team would do a few decades ago after been given a fright: come out fighting and beat the hell out of the opposition. I just hope they do it in more style in the next game.

Man of the Moment: David Warner

When I made David Warner my Player of the Week back in October, he was hammering attacks in the T20 Champions League. Since then, he has enjoyed a renaissance in the first-class game and swiftly being promoted to the Test side while another aggressive opener Shane Watson has been injured.

While the likes of Chris Gayle and Luke Wright have enjoyed themselves in the various twenty-over tournaments recently, the 25 year-old from NSW has also been whacking boundaries galore, but in the Third Test at Perth. In the Australians' first innings, he scored more in 159 balls than the entire Indian side had achieved in 362. His 180 was the fourth fastest Test century in history and included 20 fours and five sixes. The opposition bowlers, not exactly the world's worst, were simply taken to pieces, and debutant Vinay Kumar experienced a baptism of fire.

Losing skipper MS Dhoni bravely held up his hand, taking responsibility because of his captaincy. However, the three games so far in this series have smacked of an embarrassing sequence of mismatches, much as the tour of England had been, and that can't be placed only at the door of Dhoni. Do the great batsmen no longer have the vigour and appetite at this level? Tendulkar may not have achieved that hundredth ton but then neither have any of his team-mates so far Down Under. Virat Kohli top-scored in both Indian innings at the WACA, showing the elder statesmen how to do it. When it comes to motivation, captain and coach should be showing the way, but Duncan Fletcher rarely takes the rap. Perhaps he should. Under a year ago, India were the world's number one Test nation and 50-over world champions. Now their reputations are sinking fast.

OK, so India still look a formidable outfit at home but is the increasingly poor record away the product of being unable to cope with foreign conditions, lack of confidence or lack of fight? Now is the time to ring a few changes for the fourth Test. It would help the selectors if, say, VVS Laxman fell on his sword before he is pushed, certainly before the next series. Dravid, Tendulkar and even the slightly younger Gambhir and Sehwag, look vulnerable but still surely have enough to continue for a while yet. Badrinath, Mukund and Raina have so far failed to make the grade but maybe they deserve another go? Also Virender Sehwag must have been concerned to see Warner score his runs in Sehwag-ian style while he himself struggled to accumulate ten runs in 32 balls across two innings.

Poor Dhoni. Not only has his side capitulated in such abject fashion and now he finds himself banned from the final match because of his side's slow over rate at Perth where India played four fast bowlers and no frontline spinner. Meanwhile Michael Clarke and David Warner must be licking their lips at the prospect of a 4-0 whitewash when the sides meet again at Adelaide. Will my next Man of the Moment be another Aussie, or could someone else produce a great performance or two?

Player of the Week: David Warner

OK, so I was wrong. Somerset did not lose in the Champions League final, but they did lose to the eventual winners, Mumbai Indians. In my mind, it was a shame that the top two sides turned out to be IPL franchises. Somerset and New South Wales gave the Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore a good run for their money, but as so often happens in modern sport, the richest teams tend to win the big prizes and thus become richer still.

Bangalore relied heavily on the massive hitting of Chris Gayle, spraying sixes like confetti, especially over the miniscule boundaries of their home ground, and Virat Kohli. Skipper Daniel Vettori's thoughtful slow bowling was also a factor but strike bowler Dirk Nannes was a disappointment until the last match, when he conceded only 14 runs from his four overs. Indeed, the final itself was a big let-down, not just because it was a low-scoring affair. Bangalore's innings never got going as all the Mumbai bowlers had the measure of Gayle, Dilshan et al, who mustered a single six between them.

In this game and the semi-final, Lasith Malinga was simply brilliant. Poor Peter Trego and Nick Compton had probably never encountered bowling like this, but familiarity made no difference in the final as he topped and tailed the innings in great style. His captain, Harbhajan Singh also enjoyed a fine game, taking 3-20.
However, neither player wins my Player of the Week award.

Instead, I've gone for a man who plundered two huge hundreds in successive games, one of which was lost! David Warner maybe almost 25 years old now but he has played a mere nine first-class matches. Given that his batting average is a very healthy 53, this is a mystery. Maybe his reputation as a Twenty20 specialist runs before him like a storm cloud but recent performances for Australia 'A' may put him in the frame for a Test place should injury befall a Watson, Ponting, Hussey or Marsh.

In the Champions League T20, it showed that his short-format reputation is well deserved. Against the Super Kings at Chennai, he thumped 135 not out in 69 balls, making fellow Aussie Doug Bollinger look very awkward indeed. Three days later, there was more of the same, crashing an unbeaten 123 in 68 deliveries, this time including 11 sixes, three more than Gayle managed in the Bangalore reply. Only Kohli's 49-ball 84 deprived him of the Player of the Match prize. Warner easily top-scored in the tournament, with 328 in a mere five innings at a strike rate of 173 per 100 balls. Having accumulated only one century in his previous 110 T20 appearances, he tripled that number in the next two, and adds my Player of the Week award to his collection of honours. I just wish he gets his chance to play in five-day cricket, although I doubt it would happen in partnership with Shane Watson. Maybe at number six? Anyway, he brought the CLT20 to life and gave non-IPL clubs a little glimmer of hope.