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I think England will probably win two of the five Tests, but I also think Australia will probably pick up two. I reckon it will be a two-all draw, Australia retaining the Ashes.
– Rick Eyre, BBC Radio Five Live, 21.6.05
I said it on radio last month and I’ll stick with it now. The England-Australia Test series will finish in a 2-2 draw, which means Australia will retain the Ashes.
Continue reading “My prediction for the Ashes”
I haven’t ranted much about Surrey on these pages for a while. Their performances in their last seven days – played over ever-decreasing durations – do not leave me with any great feelings of joy.
Continue reading “Dee-fence Surrey, dee-fence!”
The 2005 ICC Trophy is almost run and won, but the final still to be played on Wednesday, the five berths for the 2007 World Cup have been filled. Congratulations to Bermuda and Ireland, who have qualified for their first World Cup. Congratulations also to Canada and Holland, who remain in World Cup play, and to Scotland, who return after taking part in 1999. Continue reading “Oh Asia where art thou?”
I don’t know what I would have done if I had tickets to Lord’s today.
I’m pleased, nonetheless, to see that the two remaining England v Australia ODIs at Lord’s and The Oval are going ahead. The British response to Thursday’s outrage has been quite stirring.
Continue reading “And cricket goes on”
For those who cared enough to follow the NatWest Series, the tournament ended in anticlimax when England and Australia played out a tie. But why was it called a tie? Both sides scored 196, that is true – but Australia was bowled all out while England only lost nine wickets. There’s an easy way to break the deadlock and it’s none other than the bleeding obvious.
Continue reading “Why a tie?”
Sadly, I think it’s time for the ICC to suspend Zimbabwe from all international cricket competition. Mugabe’s conduct in running the country has finally, in my opinion, made it untenable for any side to play cricket there. The ICC, of course, is going to do no such thing.
In the past I’ve supported Zimbabwean cricket’s right to remain on the world stage, acknowledging the complexity of political and commercial interests that have bound the ICC and its members. But how, really, can we continue to justify sending teams to play in a country whose fabric is being torn to shreds by a reckless and deluded president, who just happens to also be Patron of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union? The “Drive Out Rubbish” program is, for me, the last straw. Continue reading “Enough, Zimbabwe!”
Is there a message in this somewhere? Something along the lines of “try sacking me now you bastards”…
The question has to be asked: If Andrew Symonds stayed off the turps last Friday night, would Australia be undefeated in the NatWest Series today? Continue reading “Symonds saves Australia”
In my BBC interview on Tuesday, Rhod Sharp described me as “following the NatWest Series avidly”. I have no idea how he arrived at that conclusion. Continue reading “Random thoughts during NWS 5”
It’s one thing to lose a 20 over-a-side game to England by 100 runs. Losing a 50 over-a-side game to Bangladesh by five wickets takes Australia’s incompetence to new levels. Can they be trusted in 5-day Test matches? Continue reading “Should Australia be axed from one-day internationals?”