Sehwag The Great

'Verandah' Sehwag

I logged onto cricinfo to check on the days events and saw that Virender Sehwag had scored 284*. I thought ‘bloody ‘ell, that’s pretty good!’, so I went and watched the highlights and, yes it was good. It was amazing.

Sehwag dispatched every bowler to every corner of the ground, he didn’t care who it was; Muttiah Murali and even Uda Walawwe Mahim Bandaralage Chanaka Asanga Welegedara were sent to all corners of the ground. It is clear to him that all that matters is the next ball.

I then went on to discover that this was his 12th knock in excess of 150, and now has five of the 10 fastest double-centuries in history, including three of the first four.

It is also a realistic possibility that Sehwag will beat Brian Lara’s 400 runs in single test innings record – he is 116 runs short of the magical 400 mark.

I must admit, I am no expert on Indian cricket, nor am I interested in their players, but after today, Virender Sehwag is certainly a stand-out name. Even so, it still isn’t standing out as far as Uda Walawwe Mahim Bandaralage Chanaka Asanga Welegedara is.

Neil Hannon in SPIN ’special podcast’.

On the official website of SPIN cricket magazine there is a very exciting ’special podcast’ where Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy is interviewed.

I have previously mentioned on this blog how simply brilliant the cricket themed album ‘The Duckworth Lewis Method’ is, also by Hannon and co.

In this interview he talks about the meanings of his songs, cricket when and where he was growing up in Ireland and various other stuff and it is thoroughly worth a listen!

You will find the podcast here.

I’m back!

I’ve been a while but please excuse me, it’s all rather busy during the ’silly season’ over at www.anf1blog.com – another blog I run.

So, while I have been gone, what have I missed out on?

• Shep – I had to mention it, the ‘legend’ David Shepherd passed away. I won’t blabber on about ‘the spirit of cricket’ Shep had or whatever-we have all read that, but what a great umpire, and great man who will be missed.
• West Indies in Australia – Well, only one test has been played but clearly Gayle and his men are back to their ‘can’t be bothered’ attitude as after the one test which has been played so far, the Aussies thrashed them.
• Sri Lanka in India – I thought when I clicked on to this series’ page on Cricinfo, “Hmm, this could be an interesting one?” Wrong. First test drawn, SL outclassed by India in the second. 3rd test on December 2-6.

• Pakistan in New Zealand - When I saw I had missed the first test in this series (which New Zealand narrowly won) I didn’t really take any notice. I looked for the Pakistani controversies. Lets do an entire subsection on the PCB controversies, because that is one thing I am sure to have missed.

Controversies involving the PCB

• News agencies boycott New Zealand/Pakistan series – Cricinfo

International news agencies have boycotted the first Test between Pakistan and New Zealand in Dunedin because of problems with the PCB’s newly-implemented terms and conditions for media. The deadlock shows few signs of ending even as the first Test drew to a close.

• Khan resigns over match fixing allegations - Wikipedia

Khan resigned as captain on October 13, 2009 due to an parliamentary investigation into match fixing that was alleged to have taken place during his reign. Despite being cleared in the investigation, Khan said “Yes I have submitted my resignation because I am disgusted by these match-fixing allegations made against me and the team.”

Ahh, can’t beat a bit of PCB controversy to make you feel right back at home in the world of cricket.

• England in South Africa - Prior to this series I didn’t have a clue who was going to win. This is what is so depressing about English cricket. Well, I still haven’t the foggiest as we drew the T20 series 1-1 and 3 ODI’s in it is 1-1. Test series is yet to begin.

Johan Chucka?

Today South African spinner Johan Botha has been reported for having an illegal action, but is it?

According to Wikipedia:

In the sport of cricket, throwing, commonly referred to as chucking, is an illegal bowling action which occurs when a bowler straightens their arm by more than 15 degrees when delivering the ball.

Now in the video above it seems Johan Botha straightens his arm by more than 15 degrees to me. Going on that video, in my opinion he is undoubtedly a ‘chucker’. Will be interesting to see what happens from now onwards, because this could well spell the end of Botha’s international career if he fails to rectify the problem, if his action is judged to be illegal. If the player is reported and suspended a second time within two years of his last report, he is automatically suspended for a period of one year before he can apply for a reassessment of his action.

Moment of brilliance in a not so brilliant series.

So, the clash of the titans series is over and it was a series that ended Zimbabwe 4 Kenya 1. It hardly sounds like the most exciting series ever does it. Can’t have been worse than the England vs Australia series though.

Anyway, in today’s last game of the series there was a moment of brilliance from Zimbabwe opener Hamilton Masakadza. He went in to bat today and scored 178* off 167, the 11th highest ODI score ever. The joint holder of the highest ODI score ever 194*, Charles Coventry (who’s name sounds like it should be somewhere in a Victorian novel) was also playing for the hosts Zimbabwe, though ironically he only made 25.

So congrats Hamilton Masa…somethingorother on your big total and would you like a British passport?

Pavilion View Hotel: Margate, Kent.

Whenever I type ‘a view from the pavilion’ in to Google in an attempt to reach my blog, it is annoyingly always the second in the list behind the ‘Pavilion View Hotel’ in Margate, Kent.

Pure luxury!

Out of pure boredom I have today clicked on the Pavilion View Hotel’s website, and it seems it is no Hilton. The rooms have hot & cold water, gas central heating, fitted carpets, divan beds, colour T.V. (that look as if they have been plucked straight out of the 1960’s) fridges, intercom and tea/coffee making facilities, as well as an armchair which I am sure I have seen in my Grandma’s house.

The build quality, as with everything else sounds fantastic!

“Pane of glass missing from the window, curtains hanging off of the rail, headboard not attached to the bed – generally shabby and poor finish. Very noisy at night as there was no double glazing and our room was at pavement level – we felt very exposed and had to keep the curtains drawn (after fixing them back up!)”

was one comment. The breakfast sounds remarkably appetizing also:

“Bathroom was that discustingly dirty I wouldn’t even take a shower and there was only toilet roll on the first day of stopping there. I didn’t go for breakfast because the smell made me feel ill, it smelt vile”.

More glowing visitor reviews here!

So, that is my plea for you to never visit the Pavilion View Hotel in Margate, Kent so my blog can be top when you type its name into Google and therefore more people can enjoy and marvel at daft articles like this which have nothing merely to do with the subject of cricket! Oh, and I would advise the Premier Inn Margate if you are looking to stay there.

Disclaimer: I have never visited the Pavilion View Hotel in Margate, Kent and I am certain you would have a lovely time if you stayed there. Honest!

Thanks for your years of service Matthew.

'Now then, now then'

I know this is hardly breaking news or anything, but just now was the first time I thought about it. Why has Matthew Hoggard been let go of by Yorkshire? I may support the white roses county but unfortunately I can’t see their logic here. He is still one of the best bowlers in the county championship and was playing for England not a long time ago and his first class record is good. He is not even 33 yet either. Yorkshire say that Hoggard rejected a ‘lucrative’ contract. Hoggard said he didn’t. I believe Matthew. I have no idea what has gone on but we have lost our best wicket taker, arguably our best player and we will miss him through stupidity at YCCC. Thanks for your years of service Matthew.

Why doesn’t Trescothick retur…maybe not.

I was just thinking why doesn’t Marcus Trescothick make a return to the England international side even if it was just for the ODI games or T20’s, we could really do with him and he really would bring class to line up, as well as him not being as old as you think – 33. I was thinking I was all really clever, with him having got over his fear of this illness and all (well he must have if he was playing in India in the CLT20 I thought) and only one look at his ODI and List A records show what a bloody brilliant batsman he is in the shortened forms of the game, when suddenly this news broke in The Guardian;

Marcus Trescothick’s return to England is a blow to Somerset’s chances of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League. It is also a setback in his recuperation from the stress-related illness that prompted his premature retirement from international cricket. But it is not the end of the world for Somerset or for Trescothick.

As Brian Rose, Somerset’s director of cricket, pointed out in his statement it required “a great effort” from Trescothick to undertake this trip. Given his experiences on his last visit to India, which culminated in nights of torment in a Baroda hotel room, it was a brave decision by Trescothick to participate in the Champions League. There was always the risk that he would not last the course. Such bravery will surely enhance the respect of his colleagues. Rose’s remarks that his team-mates “have fully appreciated his effort and personal commitment” are heartfelt.

It was always going to be a difficult fortnight for Trescothick. Even if he had breezed through the tournament, dispatching bowlers to all corners of Hyderabad and Bangalore in carefree manner, the critics might well have concluded that he should be doing the same for England. As it happens the outcome is a dignified retreat to Taunton.

Since his illness Trescothick has established some ground rules about how to react when he senses his torment, which is triggered by separation anxiety, is returning. No longer will he try to battle with the demons, which is what he attempted both in Pakistan in 2005 when he felt obliged to stay on since he had suddenly been landed with the England captaincy, and in India in 2006. Instead, when he sees the signs, he is minded to withdraw immediately. Yesterday there was no question of Rose or Justin Langer, the Somerset captain, or Andy Hurry, the first-team coach, trying to persuade Trescothick to hang on for another game.

So this is a setback, but not a calamity. Trescothick has been appointed Somerset’s captain for 2010 and the expectation is that he will be perfectly capable of fulfilling that post. However, if he leads the team to another domestic Twenty20 final, which acts as a qualification for the Champions League, it seems unlikely that he will attempt to play abroad again. Moreover it is certain now that any talk of Trescothick renouncing his decision to retire from international cricket is banished for good.

In Trescothick’s absence Craig Kieswetter, the highly rated wicketkeeper-batsman, who qualifies for England this spring, will open the batting alongside Langer when Somerset take on the Diamond Eagles from South Africa tomorrow. The Eagles, who scraped through to this round after a tie with Sussex, which led to a melodramatic one-over shoot-out, lack many superstars but are efficient and disciplined under Boeta Dippenaar’s captaincy. In all probability Somerset will have to beat both the Eagles and the unbeaten New South Wales Blues, whom they play on Sunday, to qualify for a semi-final berth, which would guarantee another $500,000 (£308,000).

Despite Trescothick’s departure, Rose reports that the team is buzzing at the prospect. “The tournament has been exciting and well run”, he said “and the boys have responded exceptionally well. In that first game [against the Deccan Chargers] with all the noise, the fireworks, the dancing girls and a crowd of 25,000-plus we could easily have been overawed against the IPL champions. But in the field we hardly fumbled a ball; we caught everything and kept our nerve superbly after their flying start.”

In that match Somerset scrambled home by one wicket via an Alfonso Thomas boundary from the last ball. It was an amazing experience for Somerset’s rookie wrist-spinner, Max Waller, who must have contributed the most valuable golden duck in the history of the game. He hit his first ball sufficiently high in the air for the batsmen to cross before the catch was taken. So Thomas was on strike to deliver the final blow to the Chargers.

The team were almost as impressive in the field against Trinidad & Tobago, but the batsmen faltered. Rose readily acknowledges, “We haven’t batted well yet; we haven’t been able to make good use of the first six overs” – a task that is all the more difficult without Trescothick. However, Somerset approach the rest of the tournament in a dangerous mood. They now feel they have nothing to lose.

It really is such a shame. He has tried but clearly he is still having trouble with his illness. A great batsman, cricketer and most importantly man has been reduced to a nervous wreck. As for the England selectors they will have to continue to watch Trescothick play his brilliant cricket in domestically down in Taunton but agonizingly for Trescothick and England he seemingly will never be able to play cricket for us again.

A hugely exciting ODI series for those not interested in the CLT20, really.

For those not interested in the Champions League Twenty20 which is happening in India in the minute, there is possibly one of the biggest ODI series ever going on at the moment which should really be drawing in the crowds, especially after the first game in which Zimbabwe 313 for 4 (Masakadza 156) beat Kenya 222 (Tikolo 49, Utseya 3-36) by 91 runs. What a thrilling series. No, really.

The Ashes are coming home!

Everyone without Sky (including me)should have a terrific excuse to get fat and watch some free cricket when the England-Australia Ashes series returns to terrestrial TV in 2013, according to this article from The Observer:

Live coverage of the next Ashes cricket series in the UK is set to return to free-to-air television, it has been revealed.

Cricket’s greatest showpiece, which this summer was only shown live on paid-for broadcaster Sky, will return to terrestrial television when the England-Australia series returns to the UK in 2013.

The move follows a review of leading sporting events led by David Davies, the former Football Association executive. Ministers are expected to fully back its recommendations on the Ashes, it is claimed.

A senior government source told the Sunday Telegraph: “It’s a no-brainer. This is one thing we can do that chimes in with the wishes of millions of voters.”

A peak of just two million viewers watched this summer’s deciding Test at the Oval when it was broadcast on Sky. By contrast, more than 7 million viewers watched the conclusion of the previous home Ashes series on Channel 4 in 2005.

Despite the welcome move for England cricket fans, the ruling is likely to anger Sky executives, who acquired the rights to screen the next home Ashes series as part of a £300m deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last year.

Tensions between the government and Rupert Murdoch, the owner of Sky and newspaper group News International, are already high following the Sun newspaper’s decision to withdraw its support for Labour and back David Cameron’s Conservatives at the coming election.