Archive for November, 2009
Brad Hodge Announces He is to Retire
Aussie batsman Brad Hodge has decided to call time on his first-class cricket career after losing hope of a Test recall.
He told PA Sport today:
“I feel the time is right to step down from first-class cricket. It’s been a wonderful journey, which hopefully has more to go at limited-overs and Twenty20 level. I’ve loved every time I’ve pulled on the navy blue cap and it was a dream come true to swap it for a baggy green for the times I did. Playing Test cricket for Australia was an incredible experience and I feel proud and blessed to have had that opportunity. Hopefully this decision will allow me to continue playing good cricket and also spend more time with my young family.”
A wonderful batsman, if Hodge had been from any other country or been around at any time other than the past 10 years, when Australia were blessed with a plethora of world-class players, he could have been a real force in the Test game.
Hodge averages more than 55 from six Tests – including a double-hundred – but has found it difficult to hold down a place in the competitive Aussie middle-order.
Having plundered 17,000 first-class runs in Australia and England, Hodge, unfortunately, retires as the nearly man of Australian cricket.
Superb England Put the Frighteners on Proteas
England produced one of their finest one-day performances to hammer South Africa at Port Elizabeth today, and Jimmy Anderson provided the star turn once again.
Anderson had his finest hour in the blue of England as the tourists rolled Graeme Smith’s men over 119, their lowest ever total in ODIs in South Africa, before Jonathan Trott’s unbeaten half century saw England home by seven wickets.
The spearhead of England’s attack, Anderson has emerged as a world-beater over the past two years and must now be considered as one of the finest fast bowlers in the game. His efforts today, bowling a full length and extracting uneven bounce from a pitch with a St John’s pitch with a grassy top, were as good as anything Brett Lee or Dale Steyn have produced.
The defeat leaves South Africa with no chance of victory in the one-day series and puts them firmly on the back foot heading into the Test leg of the tour.
England, awful against Australia at the end of the summer, now look like a real force in ODI cricket. Trott has brought assurance to the top of the order and the return of Kevin Pietersen brings quality to the top order.
In Collingwood and Morgan, England have players in extraordinary form who bring balance to the side. And, in Tim Bresnan, they seem to have found a bowler who compliments the qualities of Anderson, Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad.
Most importantly they have the edge in the series and have installed in South Africa something which is not easy to shake – fear.
Sreesanth Back With a Bang, Bang
An enigma of the modern Test game, Sreesanth, the India quick, returned to form on day three of the second Test with Sri Lanka.
Struggles with injury, form and a spat with Harbhajan Singh – Harbhajan slapped him after an IPL game – seemed to have curtailed his progress.
But he hit back in style with five wickets, tearing through the Sri Lankan middle-order to put India in firm control.
Highlights of the 2nd ODI: SA v Eng
Click here to watch highlights of the second ODI between South Africa and England, at Centurion.
Collingwood Enjoys Day in the Sun
Paul Collingwood played the innings of his England career as England eased to a seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the second ODI at Centurion yesterday.
Playing in a record 171st ODI, Collingwood stole the show for a well-drilled England side - who delivered a near-perfect performance to take a 1-0 lead in the series – hitting his fifth one-day hundred. He also picking-up two key wickets and claimed a magnificent catch in a true man-of-the-match effort.
Elsewhere, Jonathan Trott impressed once again, hitting 87 as opener and bowling seven overs of tight medium-pace. James Anderson, while a little expensive, picked-up three wickets and Eoin Morgan delivered another example of his prowess as a finisher with a brisk, unbeaten 27.
The only negatives for England were three uncharacteristic dropped catched from skipper Andrew Strauss and some unconvincing bowling from Adil Rashid and Sajid Mahmood.
Next up, the third ODI at Cape Town on Friday.
SA v Eng First ODI Preview: Weather Set to Ruin First ODI
England’s first ODI against South Africa at the Wanderers today (12.30pm GMT) seems destined to be ruined by the weather.
The outlook from BBC Weather looks pretty glum for Johannesburg.
James Anderson said on Twitter this morning:
JimmyAnderson9 Raining again today. Not looking good for game later
If the teams do see some action, Kent spinner James Tredwell looks set to make his England debut, less than 24 hours after being drafted in as cover for the injured Graeme Swann.
Stuart Broad has also been ruled out for the first two ODIs so Tim Bresnan is likely to play.
Paul Collingwood is set to make his 171st ODI appearance, making him England’s most capped player in the format, surpassing Alec Stewart’s record.
England (possible): Strauss, Denly, Trott, Pietersen, Collingwood, Morgan, Prior, Wright, Bresnan, Tredwell, Anderson.
Best bet: Top England batsman – Paul Collingwood at 9/2 with www.Coral.co.uk
Cricketers Wanted, Village Cup
The Wisden Cricketer magazine are looking for cricketers to help with an equipment review in London in January, for their pre-season supplement.
It involves spending the day in the nets testing all the gear for the new season – new bats, pads, gloves and so on.
It was good fun last year and you get the opportunity to dig through the new kit and decide what you’re going to spend your cash on in the off-season.
Cricketing CVs should be sent to twc@wisdencricketer.com.
Click here to see last years guide.
Application forms are now available for the 2010 Npower Village Cup, won last season by Sussex-based Lynde & Beddingham.
The deadline for entries is 1 January 2010. Click here to download your application form.
Trott Stars as England Win in Final Warm-up
England, missing a handful of first-choice players, beat South Africa ‘A’ in their final warm-up match before the first ODI on Friday.
Jonathan Trott was once again the star, stroking 78 from 89 balls as England chased down a tough total.
Graham Onions, playing his first match on tour, and Luke Wright took two wickets apiece as a strong South African second-choice – skippered by Hashim Amla and including Herschelle Gibbs and Morne Morkel – made 279-8 batting first.
Andrew Strauss got England’s reply off to a flier, hitting 65, while Trott took over in the middle overs.
Matt Prior (54) and Luke Wright (25no) then finished the job for the tourists with 11 balls remaining, a timely confidence boost ahead of the ODI series.
Warne the Greatest Sporting Icon of the Noughties
Fellow sports blogger Josh Pettitt this week posed a debate for the greatest sporting icon of the noughties.
In cricket, we have been lucky enough to witness the greatest of cricket teams in action over the last decade and, for all the brilliance of Brian Lara, the outstanding cricketer of the era must be an Australian.
Of the Australians who spearheaded this great side, many have brushed greatness on more than one occasion.
Adam Gilchrist redefined the role of the wicketkeeper-batsman, Matthew Hayden has tormented bowling attacks the world over, Ricky Ponting has ruthlessly racked up the runs and Glenn MacGrath’s meticulous accuracy was too good for most.
Best of the bunch
But it is Shane Warne who stands shoulders above his peers as a man who rarely slipped below the tag of greatness. Warne would be the first pick in anyone’s all-time XI and single-handedly made spin bowling sexy again.
From the turn of the century to his retirement at the end of the 2006/07 Ashes, Warne took an unprecedented 357 wickets at an average a little above 25.
And all this after being named as one of Wisden’s cricketers of the twentieth century. To achieve true greatness across in two centuries is a truly remarkable feat.
Ball of the century
When Warne bowled that magical ball to Mike Gatting on his Ashes debut in 1992, the cricketing world knew they had a special talent on their hands.
People feared he would struggle to generate such devastating spin after shoulder surgery in 2000 and 2002 and some even feared his career may be over. But Warne came back stronger, adding excruciating accuracy to his devastating spin.
And he finished his career in the greatest possible way – as the star of the Australia side who whitewashed England in the 2006-07 Ashes.
The sheer consistency with which Warne not just brushed greatness, but maintained it over seven years of the past decade – and fifteen in all - make him the greatest sporting icon of the noughties.
Check out the other contenders here;
Will Gilgrass on David Beckham
Rob Goodman on Zinedene Zidane
