England v India at Cardiff: A 99 on a hot day!

Earlier this year, an email newsletter from Glamorgan CCC notified me that Sophia Gardens had secured one of England’s summer ODIs against India. It had been seven years since my previous live cricket experience so, despite personal health concerns, I thought, what the hell, and bought a ticket. To be honest, I doubted I would be successful, but the response was immediate: I was in! 

My lengthy hiatus was nothing to do with a lack of enthusiasm or any beef with the venue, more a shift in priorities. Maybe a lack of inspiration with the cricketing fare on offer, too, regular readers will now, I am not a Glammy supporter. Another deterring factor is the vagaries of the Welsh weather but I certainly need not have worried on that score. The extensive July heatwave has turned Cardiff into the Costa del Taff; the sky was clear blue, the sun almost overhead and so hot that even I went jacket-free. 

I won’t record here an over-by-over account of the match itself. You can read that elsewhere. The atmosphere was fizzing, largely thanks to the generous contingent decked out in blue and orange. I love being surrounded by India fans; unlike many young Brits, they are there mainly to enjoy the sport. Yes, they will cheer their heroes to the rafters but it’s the cricket that counts, no booze, no post-match recriminations, no demands for the head coach’s sacking. I sat in the Family enclosure, the quaintly named Jellyfish Stand, situate at cow corner at the River End almost below the Indian dressing room balcony. Great surroundings, with the added benefit on such a scorcher of being in the shade for the second half of proceedings.   

However, any match experience is bound to be affected by what pans out on the pitch. As things transpired, it wasn’t an exciting contest. India’s dismissal for a mediocre 233 meant England could play it nice and easy, take singles and the occasional boundary to maintain a steady 4.7 an over. This they achieved with metronomic efficiency, for which they had, not for the first time, a certain Joe Root to thank. 

Since I last sat in the Sophia Gardens crowd watching these two nations, in a T20, so much has changed. I think the only players to have remained were Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Adil Rashid and Jos Buttler. Now aged 65, I was thrilled like a young boy admiring a vintage Kohli one-day innings and Root’s unshowy accumulation. There was a typical straight six out of the ground from Buttler, crisp drives from Shubman Gill and some glorious pulls from Sam Curran. Probably the noisiest cheers came when Bumrah clipped Mahmood’s last over for eighteen, including a delightful flick through midwicket to the boundary near me and a pull for six over fine leg. 

233 was never going to be enough but when Bumrah, his ludicrous stuttering walk-up and straight-armed delivery a wild wonder to behold, induced Duckett to edge the first ball to Kishan, we thought: “Oh, hello….” Bethell didn’t last long either, but when you have Root and captain Brook in harness, England fans needn’t fret. Brook’s clownish attempt to repeat an earlier ramped six cost him his wicket but his Yorkshire mentor nudged, cut, flicked and drove to see the game out. 

Root was on 97 with twenty still needed and Gus Atkinson at the other end. My neighbours and I jokingly mused on the unlikely scenario of the Surrey bowler’s boundaries or wides or yet another no-ball from Bumrah depriving the batting genius of his deserved ton. No illegal deliveries but – blow me! – the improbably duly happened, and his partner duly pulled Prasidh through a gaping leg-side gap to clinch the much-needed victory. I winder what Joe was saying to Gus as they shuffled together back to the pavilion where a jubilant Brook was waiting… 

So what are the abiding memories of the day? Two all-time greats in Kohli and Bumrah chatting behind me on their balcony? The queues for the water-refilling stations? The towering trees of Bute Park as a backdrop? Jofra Archer working Rohit over? One of the Indian sub fielders handing his (much-needed) shades to a boy in the crowd? The call-response cries of “Boom-Boom – Bumrah!” whenever the bowler started another brief spell? All of the above! Seven years away, and it felt as if it was yesterday.

England v India: One of THE Classic Test series

These days, the people who effectively control cricket are being ushered away from the traditional formats and into the media-friendly white-ball world where TV cameras can capture all the drama rom start to finish in a matter of hours. Kids at grounds can be entertained without boredom sets in, and the all-important bars and fast-food franchises can make a hefty profit. 

But sometimes, more often than you’re led to think, the long-form stuff can be as thrilling as any T20 contest, spread over not only the five days of a single match but twenty-five days spanning a whole series. This summer’s clash between England and India epitomised the exhilaration of sport; two closely-matched sides, plenty of highs and lows, at times feisty but with mutual respect, and no little skill on show from both teams. I may no longer have the motivation or opportunity to watch everything on screen but this has been as good a home series to follow as any I can recall for decades. With two- or three-Test rubbers becoming the norm, squeezed into an ever-expanding schedule of global franchise leagues, ODIs and T20 international, how gratifying was it to witness a rare five-fixture competition that eclipsed any round of meaningless biff-bash events. 

What set it apart from, say, the epic Ashes encounters of yore, was the boorish behaviour of spectators. The atmosphere benefited from crowds supporting both teams, not just the partisan St George’s flag-waving, beer-swilling xenophobic crowds I tend to associate with England’s Barmy Army. Having attended a neutral ODI involving a side led by Dhoni, Kohli et al, I can appreciate the passion of the good-natured, cricket-loving Indian fans who, in the past month, lifted the atmosphere even whilst losing. Had it been India needing only 35 runs on the final morning, I doubt many England supporters would have bothered turning up. The thousands of fans in blue or green, white and orange were certainly rewarded with one of the most sensational and surprising finales to any Test match between the two nations. From Jamie Overton’s pulled boundary, via Woakes’ one-armed entrance to Siraj’s devastating yorker to Atkinson, it was extraordinary stuff. 

A 2-2 series result was a fair one. Each nation enjoyed a comfortable victory, each edged a nailbiter, with a drawn run-fest in between, so not even Ben Stokes or, if he was being honest (as if!) Nigel Farage, could resent the equal role played by India. Remember, this was a touring party shorn of the retired Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and with the world’s premier bowler Jasprit Bumrah to be employed only sparingly.

Curiously, India won both games in which Bumrah was rested, and it was the 31-year-old Mohammed Siraj who rose to the occasion brilliantly, finishing with 23 wickets. Shubman Gill was the inexperienced captain but he covered himself with glory all round, particularly with the bat. His extraordinary, record-breaking innings of 269 and 161 at Edgbaston were the highlights of a magnificent series, while Jaiswal, Jadeja and Pant were usually entertaining at the crease. 

England had their heroes, too. Joe Root was as solid and unfussy as ever, scoring three centuries on his way to second on the all-time list of Test match run scorers. Fitness permitting, Tendulkar’s seemingly unassailable record will on a few years surely fall to the Yorkshireman. Harry Brook is a captain in waiting, although Ben Stokes’ capacity to pull out performances on the biggest stage is undimmed. His 141/5-72 combo at Old Trafford was terrific. Atkinson Tongue and the fit-again Jofra Archer also had their moments, and Jamie Smith’s unbeaten 184 at Old Trafford demonstrated what he is capable of when he applies himself. 

The pundits predicted that the Lord’s line-up, perhaps with Wood and Atkinson for Woakes and Tongue, should start the Ashes campaign this winter. Personally, I would favour Rehan Ahmed as the frontline spinner, and for his superior batting. However, England selectors appear reluctant to pick players based on inconsequential niceties like form and experience! 

But, for now, let’s not waste time banging on about the forthcoming tour to Australia. Instead, we should celebrate the Indian summer of 2025 and hope that there will be plenty more five-Test challenges, home and away, in the future. 

Team of the Series: Jaiswal (Ind), Duckett (Eng), Gill (Ind), Root (Eng), Brook (Eng), Pant (Ind +), Stokes (Eng), Jadeja (Ind), Tongue (Eng), Bumrah (Ind), Siraj (Ind)

My World Cricket Team of 2024

It has been a strange year for men’s cricket. No side truly dominated, although that has to be considered a plus. India began the year by demolishing England 4-1 at home, yet were unexpectedly turned over 3-0 by New Zealand’s spinners. The Black Caps also dismissed South Africa yet were themselves turned over by spin against Sri Lanka and, last month, by England’s pace attack, although they had the last laugh at Hamilton. 

In the summer, England predictably cruised to a whitewash of West Indies but again showed vulnerability in the final Test against Sri Lanka. This continued in Pakistan where, following the record-breaking scoring by Joe Root and Harry Brook at Multan, the home nation recalled veteran left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who responded by taking twenty wickets in the two remaining games! 

Australia are looking set to face South Africa in next summer’s World Test Championship Final after series victories against Pakistan, New Zealand and, while still incomplete, India. Their only Test hiccup came in last January’s day-nighter at Brisbane where Shamar Joseph’s pace saw the Aussies capitulate on the final afternoon and hand the West Indies a rare victory by just eight runs. 

In limited-overs formats, India eased to the T20 World Cup final, having pricked England’s balloon of bragging in the semis. Afghanistan were amazing, reaching the same stage thanks to shock wins against the Aussies and NZ. Despite his side being blown away by South Africa, Rahmanullah Gurbaz ended the tournament as top scorer, but it was India who lifted the trophy courtesy of fine bowling and a man-of-the-match-winning 76 by Virat Kohli. 

However, the Indian legend was less successful in Tests. Astonishingly, he ended the year averaging less than 25, although this was superior to that of Pakistan star Babar Azam. At least the latter had his T20 performances to redeem his year. Kane Williamson looked back to his best after injury but Australia’s batting looked lacklustre in the wake of David Warner’s retirement. Their Test successes were achieved on the shoulders of veteran bowlers like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon. 

South Africa played few Tests, but David Bedingham top-scored for them, building upon his prolific season for Durham in the County Championship. Nobody notched more first-class runs than Joe Root, who overtook Alastair Cook as England’s top Test run-scorer, yet even he was eclipsed by fellow Yorkshireman Harry Brook. Fully embracing the principles pf Bazball, he has raced past 2,000 runs at an average of 58 and strike rate of a phenomenal 88.

In that first Test in Pakistan, he amassed 317 at almost a run a ball, sharing a new England record partnership with Root of 454. Brook is now 25, but England seem keen to blood a raft of players with no real track record in the domestic game. Shoaib Bashir must have bowled more balls for England than Somerset, with mixed results and now Jacob Bethell has been encouraged to take his one-day county form into the Test arena with not a single first-class century to his name. James Anderson may have been dragged kicking and screaming into retirement at 41 but Gus Atkinson looked a useful replacement, taking 52 wickets in 11 Tests. 

Travis Head was the outstanding Aussie across all formats, especially with the white ball, and West Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Nic Pooran accumulated more than 2,300 Twenty20 runs around the globe. Participating in just about every franchise competition in existence, the 29-year-old must have racked up the highest hotel bills, too. Wanindu Hasaranga also has little Test pedigree but, of the top-ranked nations, proved one of the most consistent spinners in the 50- and 20-over game, surpassing the likes of Rashid Khan and Adam Zampa. 

Fellow Sri Lankan Kamindu Mendis bounced back onto the Test scene with some splendid batting, topping 1,000 runs in a mere nine appearances, while the ropey form of Sharma and Kohli was eased by the assured top-order strokeplay of Yashavsi Jaiswal. He was absolutely rampant against England at the start of the year, thumping not one but two double-centuries. 

However, star ma of the year must be Jasprit Bumrah. He is just irrepressible and, whilst not bewildering batsmen with his pace, movement and unique action, actually makes playing cricket look fun. It’s not just his 71 Test wickets at a ludicrously low average of under 15. He has also brilliant in defeat to Australia and weas a commanding presence for India in the T20 World Cup. In the final, Kohli may have scooped the MOTM prize but it was Bumrah’s 2-18 from four overs in the face of South Africa’s run chase which probably deserved the award. He is 31 now, so won’t take as many career wickets as his retiring team-mate Ashwin but I hope he is around for many seasons to come. 

So here is my 2024 Team of the Year:

Jaiswal (Ind), Head (Aus), Root (Eng), Brook (Eng), K Mendis (SL), Poonan (WI +), Jadeja (Ind), Atkinson (Eng), Hasaranga (SL), Cummins (Aus), Bumrah (Ind)

England Success: Should Tests Rebrand as Cricket 5*?

What an extraordinary game of cricket the First Test in Rawalpindi was. Since BazBall was launched earlier this year, not only have England’s first-class cricket fortunes been refreshed and revitalised but also it seems that another new format has been introduced by the back-door. 

It has been coming. Setting aside the hideous Hundred, cricket records have been tumbling as fast as global temperatures in recent years. No UN conferences will be able to turn back the clock on the man-made shift to longer hitting and swifter scoring rates. 

When England’s tourists unveiled their starting XI last week, we knew what to expect. So soon after the Twenty20 World Cup was added to the 50-over title, it was inevitable that, should players learn not to get out early to silly shots, the limited-overs ethos could also be applied to the Test arena. With six-hitting all-rounders Stokes, Jacks and Livingstone batting down to eight, this match was never going to resemble a Boycott-Amiss-Tavare defensive masterclass from the mid-1970s. 

I never thought I’d see the day when a Test side racked up more than 500 runs on the first day, with four centurions contributing to a total of 657 compiled at more than 6.5 an over. Even Zak Crawley was at it, equalling Chris Gayle’s record of 14 runs from the opening over. His century partnerships with Ben Duckett in each innings were both in the all-time top ten of fastest ever. Overall, England’s two-innings total of 921 runs in just 136.5 overs demolished the previous run-rate record set by the same side at Trent Bridge only this summer. Harry Brook may have been the star, but even Ollie Robinson struck one ball over the ropes. 

Of course, we have witnessed some superlative Test innings in recent years but they don’t all result in victories. Whatever the declaration – if made – there is often insufficient time to fashion a result. However, if you plunder 900+ runs at such extraordinary rapidity, and you have a few decent proven Test bowlers amidst the T20 specialists, then there is always a chance. Seventeen years after his last appearance on this ground, a 40-year-old James Anderson was again on hand to take 4-36 and bowl 12 maidens to hasten Pakistan’s demise on the final day. 

The home nation should take some credit for making a fist of the response and restricting the margin of defeat to two figures. With skipper Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Imam ul-Haq in the batting line-up, they were able to score 579 in their own first innings. And yet they lost the match. 

It goes without saying that the pitch was ridiculously benign, offering little to seamers or spinners alike, but nonetheless England managed to take twenty wickets and emerge victorious. Personally, I feel a bit queasy. It was hardly the Test cricket that I have loved for six decades. However, can I really complain about a game which produced so many runs whilst maintaining the excitement of a potential close finish? That is the essence of entertaining sport and if it helps to retain the Test format amongst all the other micro-formats then it has to be applauded. 

Ever since the days of Packer’s World Series Cricket, Test matches and first-class cricket generally have been on a downhill slide but, given this massive injection of pace and sustained stroke-making pyrotechnics, perhaps all it needs is a tweak in branding. Goodbye, the 5-day Test Match, hello ‘Cricket 5*’!

County Cricket: Bears Blast Off

While England’s Test squad signed off from their counties, including virtually any seam bowler able to run unaided, we experienced the first week of Twenty20 in 2022. With most sides completing three fixtures, Birmingham Bears, Middlesex and – after I confidently ruled them out of any success – Somerset so far boast a 100% record. 

In the North division, the Birmingham Bears lead the way. Their 125-run demolition of Northants contrasted with a tight three-run margin against Derbyshire. In the former game, Irish opener Paul Stirling slammed 119 off 51 balls, including five consecutive sixes from James Sales. Surprisingly it was only his second T20 century in his long career. 

Yorkshire’s Harry Brook, having earned an international call-up after a stellar start to the Championship, proved he can score runs with the white ball, too. His 48-ball 72 at Old Trafford looked to have steered the White Roses to a last-gasp victory over the Reds only for Richard Gleeson to trap him LBW with the very last ball for an unlikely tie. In a fruitful week, Gleeson also took 5-33 against Worcestershire, while globe-trotting all-rounder Liam Livingstone contributed in all three Lancashire matches. 

The highest team score of the week was Northamptonshire’s 223-4 against Durham. Australian Chris Lynn marked his Steelbacks Blast debut with a 46-ball 83, sharing a rapid opening stand of 149 with Ben Curran. Durham’s Ben Raine suffered the ignominy of being forced out of the attack as punishment for bowling three deliveries over shoulder height. Harsh but fair…. 

In the South, Somerset established a super start, including two crushing defeats of Hampshire and Kent. The latter, champions in 2021, lost all three contests this week, despite the efforts of skipper Sam Billings. Somerset’s most successful performers were batter Riley Roussouw and pace bowler Josh Davey. Middlesex also have an unblemished record, with Max Holden and Toby Roland-Jones in consistently fine form. 

Essex haven’t enjoyed the best of weeks, but special credit should go to Matt Critchley. Transferred from Derbyshire in the close season, the 25 year-old leg-spinner demonstrated again why he is such a dangerous all-rounder in this form of cricket. Michael Hogan is much, much older and not normally associated with the Blast, but the Glamorgan seamer turned in the best bowling analysis of the past seven days. A shame that his 5-18 wasn’t quite enough to deny Surrey victory. The two players now meet on Thursday. 

Team of the Week: Stirling (War/Bears), M Rizwan (Sus +), Holden (Mid), Rossouw (Som), Brook (Yor), Livingstone (Lan), Critchley (Ess), Roland-Jones (Mid), Gleeson (Lan), Hogan (Gla), Davey (Som)