OK, I give in. Not a quote from Alastair Cook – not in public, anyway – but recognition of my ridiculous-looking prediction of a drawn series between India and England.
My insistence a few weeks ago that there wasn’t much between the two sides is also looking a bit lame, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Cook can point to dropped chances here and there but the innings defeat of England at Mumbai demonstrates that India undoubtedly had the greater strength in depth on their home pitches.
It all started so well. New South African import Keaton Jennings maintained his incredible rise in form this year by scoring a century on the first day of his Test debut. Jos Buttler also chipped in with a rare first-class 50 to take England to 400. Never before had they lost in Asia after making such a total. Of course, all records are made to be broken. Indeed, only two Test sides had ever lost by an innings after scoring 400 in the first innings.
In the event, India’s top four aggregated more than 400 between them, with three century partnerships. Two featured opener Murali Vijay but the star performer was captain Virat Kohli. His 235 from 340 balls was sheer class, not bad for a player who was, just three or four years ago written off as a one-day specialist. This effort, his third ‘double’ of 2016, took his Test batting average above the significant 50 mark. Not only that, but Kohli now boasts an unparalleled 50+ average in all three international formats. Not even AB De Villiers comes close (his T20 performance lets him down badly) and Kohli currently sits in the top three of all the ICC’s individual player rankings.
We shouldn’t ignore the contribution to India’s mammoth 631 all out. They were shambling along at 364-7 when spinner Jayant Yadav came to the crease to join his captain. 59 overs later, he became the first Indian Test number nine to reach three figures, putting in a mighty 241 for the eighth wicket. England would now have to bat a day and a half to avoid defeat, a target which is becoming all too familiar!
There was to be no fairytale ending for Jennings; he fell first ball! Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow did their best but the rest failed miserably, choosing a policy of attacking Ashwin and Jadeja. Huh? When trying to survive 120+ overs?!
Kohli duly collected the Man of the Match award but Ravi Ashwin’s twelve wickets were also eye-catching. Facing this situation, he proved far too wily for England’s stroke-making batsmen. He is also the bowler in form: in the seven Tests against New Zealand and England, he has now snaffled 54 wickets at not much over 20 apiece. For the second year running, he has claimed more than 60. And he has improved his batting somewhat, too.
India made it seventeen Tests unbeaten and five consecutive series victories but I wouldn’t quite place them on the same platform as Clive Lloyd’s West Indians or Steve Waugh’s Aussies. I’d first like to see Kohli’s side replicate their home successes overseas.
As for England, it’s too simplistic to say they picked the wrong bowlers and didn’t “know their best team”. Sometimes you don’t know how series will play out, or anticipate injuries. However, a reliance on the venerable Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad has proved to be a flawed strategy. Even when Anderson played, he only took four wickets, and none at all in Mumbai. No wonder he was so ungraciously prickly.
It’s stating the bleedin’ obvious to claim that Ashwin, Jadeja and Yadav were superior to Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Zafar Ansari and Gareth Batty. Indeed, I presume Ansari only went on tour because of his Asian antecedents and Batty because he also plays for Surrey. I don’t know which other twirlers England could have selected.
Anyway, there’s one more Test to come and – who knows? – England may stage a comeback at Chennai. However, the series is lost and the knives are out for Cook. Unfair. England are pretty dominant at home, and sit second in the Test rankings. It’s quite eve at the top, really. South Africa smash Australia, New Zealand beat Pakistan, Australia wallop NZ in ODIs. It’s good that international cricket is so competitive, and I wouldn’t be astonished if England beat both South Africa and West Indies next summer.
Let’s sit back and enjoy England giving it a go in the deep south or, alternatively, more fabulous displays by Kohli, Ashwin et al.
Showing posts with label Murali Vijay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Murali Vijay. Show all posts
Monday, 12 December 2016
Wednesday, 23 July 2014
Sharma the charmer cooks the hookers
There was a time back in the '80s and '90s when England's opposition always seemed to raise their game at Lord's and come away with victory, even if they got hammered elsewhere. India did it in 1986 when a combination of Dilip Venhsarkar's unbeaten century, Kapil Dev and a mean spin spell from Maninder Singh secured a five-wicket win.
However, until this week's encounter, the home team had turned things around and contrived to lose only once in sixteen attempts, since the heady days of McGrath, Lee and Warne. Is it the pitch, England getting better or a greater familiarity with HQ making it less of an event? I don't know, but after all the criticism of the Trent Bridge groundsmen preparing a five-day batting paradise, the greentop seemed ready-made for Anderson, Broad, Plunkett and Stokes. A shame that quartet didn't fulfil the roles set out for them!
On the first morning, they were pilloried for bowling too short instead of going fuller to invite the edged drive. Four days later, it was short-pitched stuff which won the match - for India. Delicious irony there, I feel. Nevertheless, without Ajinkya Rahane's excellent 103 - ended just as magnificently by Anderson's caught-and-bowled - things may have panned out rather differently. He helped add 150 crucial runs for the last three wickets. On Friday and Saturday, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was supreme, yet Yorkshire duo Ballance and Plunkett somehow earned England a slender first-innings lead.
Three partnerships dominated India's second outing: 78 for the sesond wicket (Murali Vijay and Pujara), 79 for the fifth (Vijay again and Jadeja) and 99 for the eighth (Jadeja and Kumar). The only real triumphs for England came when Plunkett bowled Kohli for a golden duck, but that Jadeja-Kumar effort really kicked Cook and co in the teeth.
The 319-run target would, if successful, have been England's best ever at home. They had four sessions in which to achieve it but, remember, the Lord's pitch was not prepared for a fifth day runfest. This was surely the stage for Alastair Cook to demonstrate why he has been, until recently, one of the world's best Test batsmen. Could he, Ian Bell and Matt Prior, with that wise head on young shoulders, Joe Root, play sensibly and marshal the less experienced players and sneak that much-needed triumph?
Sam Robson fell early but Cook and Ballance seemed to be sticking to the script. Then came the first horror show, as they and Bell were each despatched for just two runs. Root and Moeen Ali proceeded to steady the ship and even contributed a three-figure partnership. Then came arguably Ishant Sharma's greatest spell of his career. In terms of numbers, anyway. That he ended up with a remarkable 7-74 owed more to cretinous playing of bouncers by batsmen who frankly should have known better.
After being softened up by Mitch Johnson last winter, you'd have thought the array of coaches would have ensured England had practised against the short ball in the intervening period. Perhaps they could be forgiven for thinking Shami, Kumar and Sharma offered little danger in that area but this was not the time to put on your Twenty20 brain and swing the bat instead of ducking or swaying away from the ball.
The Jadeja-Anderson 'handbags' sideshow delivered an appropriate denouement as the Indian fielder ran out the England number eleven to wrap up a 95-run win and hammer another nail into the captaincy of Cook. Prior was so shell-shocked by his own performance that he made himself unavailable for the Third Test. A genuine injury or a touch of the Swanns? To their credit, Cook and Peter Moores stood their ground and declared their faith in the squad (Kerrigan apart). The opener has endured poor sequences before and was very nearly dropped for the Ashes series which ultimately made his name. That he is now the skipper makes him a little more secure, and axing him mid-series would surely signal a white flag to MS Dhoni.
I can't imagine Cook's future and the series result resting on Jos Buttler's call-up. He may be an aggressive batsman but then so is Prior. There's no evidence from Lancashire that Buttler's keeping has noticeably improved either. However, the media are playing up his talismanic qualities although if Cook and Bell play it cool and do what they have done so many times before, the turnaround will come. If India go 3-0 up by next month, or two up with one to play, that will probably be the time to sign the death warrant of Cook's leadership, but not before.
Instead of Anderson and Broad it has so far been all about Kumar and Sharma, and Dhoni must be laughing. Something tells me he won't be quite so celebratory by the end of next week.
However, until this week's encounter, the home team had turned things around and contrived to lose only once in sixteen attempts, since the heady days of McGrath, Lee and Warne. Is it the pitch, England getting better or a greater familiarity with HQ making it less of an event? I don't know, but after all the criticism of the Trent Bridge groundsmen preparing a five-day batting paradise, the greentop seemed ready-made for Anderson, Broad, Plunkett and Stokes. A shame that quartet didn't fulfil the roles set out for them!
On the first morning, they were pilloried for bowling too short instead of going fuller to invite the edged drive. Four days later, it was short-pitched stuff which won the match - for India. Delicious irony there, I feel. Nevertheless, without Ajinkya Rahane's excellent 103 - ended just as magnificently by Anderson's caught-and-bowled - things may have panned out rather differently. He helped add 150 crucial runs for the last three wickets. On Friday and Saturday, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was supreme, yet Yorkshire duo Ballance and Plunkett somehow earned England a slender first-innings lead.
Three partnerships dominated India's second outing: 78 for the sesond wicket (Murali Vijay and Pujara), 79 for the fifth (Vijay again and Jadeja) and 99 for the eighth (Jadeja and Kumar). The only real triumphs for England came when Plunkett bowled Kohli for a golden duck, but that Jadeja-Kumar effort really kicked Cook and co in the teeth.
The 319-run target would, if successful, have been England's best ever at home. They had four sessions in which to achieve it but, remember, the Lord's pitch was not prepared for a fifth day runfest. This was surely the stage for Alastair Cook to demonstrate why he has been, until recently, one of the world's best Test batsmen. Could he, Ian Bell and Matt Prior, with that wise head on young shoulders, Joe Root, play sensibly and marshal the less experienced players and sneak that much-needed triumph?
Sam Robson fell early but Cook and Ballance seemed to be sticking to the script. Then came the first horror show, as they and Bell were each despatched for just two runs. Root and Moeen Ali proceeded to steady the ship and even contributed a three-figure partnership. Then came arguably Ishant Sharma's greatest spell of his career. In terms of numbers, anyway. That he ended up with a remarkable 7-74 owed more to cretinous playing of bouncers by batsmen who frankly should have known better.
After being softened up by Mitch Johnson last winter, you'd have thought the array of coaches would have ensured England had practised against the short ball in the intervening period. Perhaps they could be forgiven for thinking Shami, Kumar and Sharma offered little danger in that area but this was not the time to put on your Twenty20 brain and swing the bat instead of ducking or swaying away from the ball.
The Jadeja-Anderson 'handbags' sideshow delivered an appropriate denouement as the Indian fielder ran out the England number eleven to wrap up a 95-run win and hammer another nail into the captaincy of Cook. Prior was so shell-shocked by his own performance that he made himself unavailable for the Third Test. A genuine injury or a touch of the Swanns? To their credit, Cook and Peter Moores stood their ground and declared their faith in the squad (Kerrigan apart). The opener has endured poor sequences before and was very nearly dropped for the Ashes series which ultimately made his name. That he is now the skipper makes him a little more secure, and axing him mid-series would surely signal a white flag to MS Dhoni.
I can't imagine Cook's future and the series result resting on Jos Buttler's call-up. He may be an aggressive batsman but then so is Prior. There's no evidence from Lancashire that Buttler's keeping has noticeably improved either. However, the media are playing up his talismanic qualities although if Cook and Bell play it cool and do what they have done so many times before, the turnaround will come. If India go 3-0 up by next month, or two up with one to play, that will probably be the time to sign the death warrant of Cook's leadership, but not before.
Instead of Anderson and Broad it has so far been all about Kumar and Sharma, and Dhoni must be laughing. Something tells me he won't be quite so celebratory by the end of next week.
Sunday, 20 July 2014
Team of the Week: Bhuvi and Jesse Ryding high
For the week ending 18th July, there were some difficult choices, with the First Test at Trent Bridge, Championship and the two major T20 tourneys in full swing. Marcus Trescothick struck another first-class century but his T20 woes continued. Good on him for adding wicketkeeping duties to everything else given Kieswetter's nasty facial injury. Will Tavare of Gloucestershire's first innings 135 was balanced by a duck so my openers are Murali Vijay and Chris Gayle. The former showed Alastair Cook how to build an innings while Gayle was in fine form for Jamaica, including a 63-ball 111 against St Lucia.
Joe Root's ability to score heavily in Tests was demonstrated once more, keeping out teenagers Sam Hain (109* for Warwickshire) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (99 for Worcestershire). Essex team-mates Ravi Bopara and Jesse Ryder were also extremely consistent. The former England Test batsman top-scored in each Essex innnigs in the win againast Hampshire, then made useful T20 runs. Ryder also enjoyed a good all-round Championship match before combining a five-for and half-century in the two biff-bang fixtures.
Gloucestershire's Will Gidman aggregated 164 runs against Derbyshire and also bowled tidily to earn a spot as my number six, just ahead of Tom Smith, who added another six to his impressive wicket tally for Lancashire. Top 'keeper is Alex Wheater who produced a 107 in adversity for Hampshire.
Luke Gregory stepped up to the plate magnificently for Somerset. His 6-47 helped create a healthy first innings lead against Northants then, with te bottom side threatening to create an upset, who delivered another five-for. Bhuvneshwar Kumar simply has to hold down the number nine spot, scoring a pair of 50s and taking 5-82 for India. Jimmy Anderson may have won the Man of the Match award but for me his bowling wasn't good enough to make my team of the week. Instead I've finished off with two spinners. Jeetan Patel claimed 7-77 in total in Warwickshire's defeat of Durham, followed by 4-19 in the T20 versus Yorkshire.
To end with, Saeed Ajmal has signed off his fabulous spell with Worcestershire with seven more wickets and 73 runs. Where on earth is the county going to get the necessary wickets without him? At least his departure means a space for someone else in my celebratory Elevens!
My team: Vijay (Ind), Gayle (Jam), Root (Eng), Bopara (Ess), Ryder (Ess), Gidman (Glo), Wheater (+, Ham), Gregory (Som), Kumar (Ind), Patel (War), Ajmal (Wor)
Joe Root's ability to score heavily in Tests was demonstrated once more, keeping out teenagers Sam Hain (109* for Warwickshire) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (99 for Worcestershire). Essex team-mates Ravi Bopara and Jesse Ryder were also extremely consistent. The former England Test batsman top-scored in each Essex innnigs in the win againast Hampshire, then made useful T20 runs. Ryder also enjoyed a good all-round Championship match before combining a five-for and half-century in the two biff-bang fixtures.
Gloucestershire's Will Gidman aggregated 164 runs against Derbyshire and also bowled tidily to earn a spot as my number six, just ahead of Tom Smith, who added another six to his impressive wicket tally for Lancashire. Top 'keeper is Alex Wheater who produced a 107 in adversity for Hampshire.
Luke Gregory stepped up to the plate magnificently for Somerset. His 6-47 helped create a healthy first innings lead against Northants then, with te bottom side threatening to create an upset, who delivered another five-for. Bhuvneshwar Kumar simply has to hold down the number nine spot, scoring a pair of 50s and taking 5-82 for India. Jimmy Anderson may have won the Man of the Match award but for me his bowling wasn't good enough to make my team of the week. Instead I've finished off with two spinners. Jeetan Patel claimed 7-77 in total in Warwickshire's defeat of Durham, followed by 4-19 in the T20 versus Yorkshire.
To end with, Saeed Ajmal has signed off his fabulous spell with Worcestershire with seven more wickets and 73 runs. Where on earth is the county going to get the necessary wickets without him? At least his departure means a space for someone else in my celebratory Elevens!
My team: Vijay (Ind), Gayle (Jam), Root (Eng), Bopara (Ess), Ryder (Ess), Gidman (Glo), Wheater (+, Ham), Gregory (Som), Kumar (Ind), Patel (War), Ajmal (Wor)
Monday, 14 July 2014
Enfgland v India 1st Test: Is Cook the new Willis and Kumar the new Kohli?!
Alastair Cook described the Trent Bridge pitch as 'unique'. I bet that's not the word he and his bowling team-mates called it behind closed doors! Three incomplete innings, no rain and rather scorecards made for a 'unique' Test match, but it failed to provide any real idea of who might win this much-anticipated series.
On the first day, Jimmy Anderson was moaning about the pitch and, when he bowls almost 60 overs for four wickets and spends almost four hours at the crease as a number eleven batsman, he had justification. Not only did he play his part in a world record tenth wicket partnership (with Joe Root) but Bhuvneshwar Kumar became only the second number nine to score two fifties in a match and himself shared a century final wicket stand with another number eleven half-centurion, Mohammed Shami (previous first class battig average of around nine!).
Then there was the debutant Stuart Binny, batting at eight, whose 78 effectively ensured the series opener would fizzle out into a draw and its comical climax.
Speaking of which, those final few minutes provided the amusing spectacle of Alastair Cook bowling an over of donkey dropper spin and then slow-motion Bob Willis impressions before bemusing Ishant Sharma into glancing him into Prior's gloves and giving the England captain his first Test wicket! Match batting averages 5 and 82, bowling averages 6 and 42.5. Which is the number eleven and which the opener?!
It wasn't all about the lower order batting heroes. Anderson may have won the Man of the Match award but we should remember the skill and patience of genuine willow wielders like Murali Vijay and Joe Root. The Indian number one delivered the runs such a low and slow pitch cried out for, starting with 146 and then 52 on the fourth day. The Yorkshireman demonstrated his trademark resilience in England's first innings, leading to that 198-run stand with Anderson and an undefeated 154. Dhoni, Ballance, Pujara and Robson each passed fifty once, but only Vijay and Kumar did so twice.
Cook wasn't the only one floundering for runs. The last-session shenanigans contained time-wasting at least as comical as his bowling, and made sure that England would not need to bat again. He could ill afford to don pads, emerge to face MSD or Dhawan and face the ignominy of being LBW for a duck! Pity poor Virat Kohli. The new Indian superstar did bat twice, and on such a benign pitch, was able to scrape together a paltry nine runs from 37 balls. Of course he is better than that, as is Cook. They will surely score runs later in the series, possibly even Lord's, although it's Root who has the best pedigree at HQ.
I'm glad Simon Kerrigan has been recalled to the squad and has the chance to redeem himself after a poor spell at The Oval last summer. Ironically he has done little to merit inclusion on 2014 stats but, with Panesar giving Luis Suarez a run for his money for sporting pariah, I don't know who else the selectors could turn to for left arm spin. Moeen Ali claimed four victims but was painfully profligate at times. As for the seamers, Anderson got the MOTM but Stuart Broad's economy rate of under two was remarkable on a bat-friendly track, and Kumar turned up the only five-for.
Whether or not Anderson opens with Robson and Kumar with Vijay, the ECB will be desperate not to repeat the Nottngham-style pitch preparation so it'll probably be wrapped up inside three days with Kerrigan and Ali taking twelve wickets between them. And Cook finishing things off with eight wickets in the guise of Swann, Murali and Shane Warne.
On the first day, Jimmy Anderson was moaning about the pitch and, when he bowls almost 60 overs for four wickets and spends almost four hours at the crease as a number eleven batsman, he had justification. Not only did he play his part in a world record tenth wicket partnership (with Joe Root) but Bhuvneshwar Kumar became only the second number nine to score two fifties in a match and himself shared a century final wicket stand with another number eleven half-centurion, Mohammed Shami (previous first class battig average of around nine!).
Then there was the debutant Stuart Binny, batting at eight, whose 78 effectively ensured the series opener would fizzle out into a draw and its comical climax.
Speaking of which, those final few minutes provided the amusing spectacle of Alastair Cook bowling an over of donkey dropper spin and then slow-motion Bob Willis impressions before bemusing Ishant Sharma into glancing him into Prior's gloves and giving the England captain his first Test wicket! Match batting averages 5 and 82, bowling averages 6 and 42.5. Which is the number eleven and which the opener?!
It wasn't all about the lower order batting heroes. Anderson may have won the Man of the Match award but we should remember the skill and patience of genuine willow wielders like Murali Vijay and Joe Root. The Indian number one delivered the runs such a low and slow pitch cried out for, starting with 146 and then 52 on the fourth day. The Yorkshireman demonstrated his trademark resilience in England's first innings, leading to that 198-run stand with Anderson and an undefeated 154. Dhoni, Ballance, Pujara and Robson each passed fifty once, but only Vijay and Kumar did so twice.
Cook wasn't the only one floundering for runs. The last-session shenanigans contained time-wasting at least as comical as his bowling, and made sure that England would not need to bat again. He could ill afford to don pads, emerge to face MSD or Dhawan and face the ignominy of being LBW for a duck! Pity poor Virat Kohli. The new Indian superstar did bat twice, and on such a benign pitch, was able to scrape together a paltry nine runs from 37 balls. Of course he is better than that, as is Cook. They will surely score runs later in the series, possibly even Lord's, although it's Root who has the best pedigree at HQ.
I'm glad Simon Kerrigan has been recalled to the squad and has the chance to redeem himself after a poor spell at The Oval last summer. Ironically he has done little to merit inclusion on 2014 stats but, with Panesar giving Luis Suarez a run for his money for sporting pariah, I don't know who else the selectors could turn to for left arm spin. Moeen Ali claimed four victims but was painfully profligate at times. As for the seamers, Anderson got the MOTM but Stuart Broad's economy rate of under two was remarkable on a bat-friendly track, and Kumar turned up the only five-for.
Whether or not Anderson opens with Robson and Kumar with Vijay, the ECB will be desperate not to repeat the Nottngham-style pitch preparation so it'll probably be wrapped up inside three days with Kerrigan and Ali taking twelve wickets between them. And Cook finishing things off with eight wickets in the guise of Swann, Murali and Shane Warne.
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....
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