It seems that no matter how much innovation T20 spawns, there are some problems with England that refuse to go away. In truth if anything, the shorter the format the more evident they become. England's lack of top quality batting in both the 50 and 20 over format is there for all to see. They can't pray time and time again that their bowlers will be able to protect low scores as against India and it is this overall inability which will continue to be their downfall in the shorter forms.
The game itself was a frustrating watch. Luke Wright failed to come off once more (although in his defence the job he was asked to do will not result in success every time) and Kevin Pieterson was once more left to provide all the impetus. With Bopara he got England into a position where 180 should have been possible but as they both fell to poor shots for settled batsmen, England's middle order were all too easily shackled. Simply put, there are not enough batsmen capable of hitting boundaries. There seemed to be a lack of confidence from Shah and Collingwood in particular, both almost too conscious of getting out to a poor shot and unwilling to risk opening their shoulders, despite both having the ability to clear the rope regularly. In many ways it was simply a condensed version of an ODI, with England looking good while Pieterson is in and then failing to show any aggression once he has departed. If it wasn't for the 10 runs Stuart Broad smashed off the last two balls England's total would have been embarassing as opposed to poor.
In the 50 over format more of a balance is needed, but England had a squad full of players seemingly built for T20 but they refused to use them. Graeme Napier has sat on the bench for the entire tournament when England were crying out for someone who could finish a game by coming in at 5/6/7 and take bowlers apart. You can afford to take that risk when you only have 20 overs to play with. He would have added another option with the ball and it would have made it possible for James Foster to drop a bit further down the order.
Another possible error was made before the tournament even started. It is easy to say with hindsight but the captaincy would almost certainly have been better in the hands of Rob Key. Collingwood has no track record as either a captain or a T20 batsmen, whereas Key (despite a poor start to this season's domestic competition) has a proven track record in both. There has been a lot of rejigging so far but it seems a little odd that something resembling the following was never settled on.
Key (Captain)
Bopara
Pieterson
Wright
Mascarenhas
Napier
Broad
Foster
Swann
Sidebottom
Anderson
Obviously once the squad was announced there was never a question of Collingwood not being involved but consider the balance in this T20 side. Of the top seven there isn't a single batsmen who couldn't rattle along at a strike rate of over 100. There is strength from 4 to 7 which could take advantage of any foundation laid by the top 3 with Broad aboce Swann and Foster as he always should have been given his ability with the bat and to score at a decent rate. The bowling too is well rounded with 4 proven internation bowlers and Napier, Mascarenhas, Wright, Pieterson and Bopara providing a bit of variation to be used as the situation required. Although a bit of a case of after the horse has bolted this tournament has shown England where they need to change. The bowling and fielding are areas where they can compete but the batting is too easily strangled and anything other than a selection which shows a balance more akin to that above for the next Internation T20 match would show little more than England's ignorance of their own performance.
The only other issue to be raised last night was why the match itself was shortened. If there are floodlights up and running and a packed house who have paid a sizeable amount for their tickets then why shorted their spectacle unneccesarily? They could still have been playing at midnight on light alone and given those who remained their value for money. You would have thought the ECB would have done their homework given the unsatisfactory specator offering at the 2007 World Cup and this is the first time they have got it badly wrong, but at the end of the day they are masters to the punters and they need to be seen to give them more than they did last night.
Tuesday 16 June 2009
Monday 15 June 2009
India Stumble Leaves Tournament Wide Open
Two more games, two distinctly differing performances but against all odds England have an outside chance of making it through to the semi-finals. Their opportunity comes at the expense of early favourites and defending champions India who England beat late last night.
In many ways it is difficult to analyse England's performances. Against both South Africa and India the batting looked patchy. There is a definite feeling that if Keven Pieterson doesn't come off then England will struggle to make a competitive total, as there is a noticeable lack of batsmen in the middle order who can come in and start hitting or clearing the boundary. The contrast between Yuvraj Singh (who cleared the boundary with his first ball) and the English middle order was clear for all to see and this may prove to be their downfall should they proceed to the business end of the tournament.
The two areas in which they can compete with the best is the bowling and the fielding. Although lacking in consistancy, they have several naturally gifted fielders, with pressure created in the ring by the athleticism of Collingwood and Bopara, and Jimmy Anderson and Luke Wright patrolling the square boundaries. James Foster is also starting to feel comfortable and produced the best piece of wicket keeping seen so far in the tournament to dismiss the dangerous Yuvraj. With the ball they have three seam bowlers more than capable of executing any plans devised in Broad, Anderson and Sidebottom who returned from exile to claim the Man of the Match award. Graeme Swann is capable both of tying down batsmen and taking key wickets and with these four almost guarenteed to provide most of if not all of their 16 over allowance, and a decent support act of Mascerenhas, Wright and Pieterson can pick up the rest of the overs during quieter moments.
There is an irony that, after 6 months of competition it comes down to a straight shootout between England and the West Indies for a place in the semi-finals. Both have shown they can beat anyone but are far from unbeatable so tonight's game is anyone's. One great performance by a player on either side could be the difference, and who would bet against either Pieterson or Gayle putting their hands up on the big stage. Expect fireworks, expect excitement, expect the unexpected. It promises to be an intriguing forty overs.
In many ways it is difficult to analyse England's performances. Against both South Africa and India the batting looked patchy. There is a definite feeling that if Keven Pieterson doesn't come off then England will struggle to make a competitive total, as there is a noticeable lack of batsmen in the middle order who can come in and start hitting or clearing the boundary. The contrast between Yuvraj Singh (who cleared the boundary with his first ball) and the English middle order was clear for all to see and this may prove to be their downfall should they proceed to the business end of the tournament.
The two areas in which they can compete with the best is the bowling and the fielding. Although lacking in consistancy, they have several naturally gifted fielders, with pressure created in the ring by the athleticism of Collingwood and Bopara, and Jimmy Anderson and Luke Wright patrolling the square boundaries. James Foster is also starting to feel comfortable and produced the best piece of wicket keeping seen so far in the tournament to dismiss the dangerous Yuvraj. With the ball they have three seam bowlers more than capable of executing any plans devised in Broad, Anderson and Sidebottom who returned from exile to claim the Man of the Match award. Graeme Swann is capable both of tying down batsmen and taking key wickets and with these four almost guarenteed to provide most of if not all of their 16 over allowance, and a decent support act of Mascerenhas, Wright and Pieterson can pick up the rest of the overs during quieter moments.
There is an irony that, after 6 months of competition it comes down to a straight shootout between England and the West Indies for a place in the semi-finals. Both have shown they can beat anyone but are far from unbeatable so tonight's game is anyone's. One great performance by a player on either side could be the difference, and who would bet against either Pieterson or Gayle putting their hands up on the big stage. Expect fireworks, expect excitement, expect the unexpected. It promises to be an intriguing forty overs.
Tuesday 9 June 2009
T20 heats up with England on Song
It is fair to say that in the 50 over format England have the potential to turn in performances of breathtaking quality and miserable ineptitude in the space of a single week. It seems that it is an affliction which will not be cause with a short dose of T20, so be prepared for a week of highs and lows as England enter the Super Eights.
Against Pakistan Collingwood's men produced an inverse display of the one against Netherlands, showing the pure mental grit that was required after such a humbling display. The selection showed bravery: two spinners, one less batsman and Mascheranhas in the top 6. It was a team selected with calculated risk, looking at how the pitch had taken spin earlier in the day and backing Kevin Pieterson to come off at the top of the order.
It all came off. After Ravi Bopara's first failure in an England shirt this summer Pieterson was at his best. While Wright was playing in his usual aggressive style he was easing himself in, and once the opener was gone he simply replaced him to ensure the run rate never dipped. The middle pitched in and more importantly, England were able to not only clear the boundary, but do it at key times to relieve the pressure which had cost them wickets against the Dutch.
With the ball, Adil Rashid and Graeme Swann bowled well in tandem with Rashid seemingly more relaxed, perhaps as a result of having a more experienced spinner at the other end, helping to build the pressure and tie Pakistan down in the middle overs. Impressive though they were, the stand out for me was Broad. He is a confident young man, but even he must have been shaken by the last over against the Netherlands. Although he bowled it well the ultimate outcome must have hurt but he was back to his very best, bowling with pace and aggression to shake up the Pakistan top order. He was aided by England's electricity in the field, and if they want to progress any further in a group including South Africa and India then these basics will need to be in full evidence.
The other team England will face will be a side to which they have dominated this summer, but who took them to pieces in the ill-fated million-dollars-a-man match in the Caribbean. The West Indies took the first step to dumping Australia out of the competition courtesy of a breathtaking innings by Chris Gayle. If ever a tournament was designed for a single man it is this World T20 for the West Indian skipper. He was brutal, and supported well by Andre Fletcher. Their bowling lacks refinement and variety and their fielding is less than average, but if Gayle can keep coming off at the top of the order they can upset anyone.
As the Australians they are off to lick their wounds, but while many are suggesting this could have a negative on their Ashes preparation their history suggests otherwise. Australia are an animal which, if bitten will come back with a vengence, just ask any member of the England touring party in 2007. They will use this extra preparation time to ensure they are primed for Cardiff but before that, hold onto your hats for the Super Eights and cross your fingers for Collingwood to lead out this England rather than the sorry bunch who faced the Dutch.
Against Pakistan Collingwood's men produced an inverse display of the one against Netherlands, showing the pure mental grit that was required after such a humbling display. The selection showed bravery: two spinners, one less batsman and Mascheranhas in the top 6. It was a team selected with calculated risk, looking at how the pitch had taken spin earlier in the day and backing Kevin Pieterson to come off at the top of the order.
It all came off. After Ravi Bopara's first failure in an England shirt this summer Pieterson was at his best. While Wright was playing in his usual aggressive style he was easing himself in, and once the opener was gone he simply replaced him to ensure the run rate never dipped. The middle pitched in and more importantly, England were able to not only clear the boundary, but do it at key times to relieve the pressure which had cost them wickets against the Dutch.
With the ball, Adil Rashid and Graeme Swann bowled well in tandem with Rashid seemingly more relaxed, perhaps as a result of having a more experienced spinner at the other end, helping to build the pressure and tie Pakistan down in the middle overs. Impressive though they were, the stand out for me was Broad. He is a confident young man, but even he must have been shaken by the last over against the Netherlands. Although he bowled it well the ultimate outcome must have hurt but he was back to his very best, bowling with pace and aggression to shake up the Pakistan top order. He was aided by England's electricity in the field, and if they want to progress any further in a group including South Africa and India then these basics will need to be in full evidence.
The other team England will face will be a side to which they have dominated this summer, but who took them to pieces in the ill-fated million-dollars-a-man match in the Caribbean. The West Indies took the first step to dumping Australia out of the competition courtesy of a breathtaking innings by Chris Gayle. If ever a tournament was designed for a single man it is this World T20 for the West Indian skipper. He was brutal, and supported well by Andre Fletcher. Their bowling lacks refinement and variety and their fielding is less than average, but if Gayle can keep coming off at the top of the order they can upset anyone.
As the Australians they are off to lick their wounds, but while many are suggesting this could have a negative on their Ashes preparation their history suggests otherwise. Australia are an animal which, if bitten will come back with a vengence, just ask any member of the England touring party in 2007. They will use this extra preparation time to ensure they are primed for Cardiff but before that, hold onto your hats for the Super Eights and cross your fingers for Collingwood to lead out this England rather than the sorry bunch who faced the Dutch.
Saturday 6 June 2009
England Throw it Away
Less than 24 hours ago I predicted both upsets in the T20 World Cup and that England would almost certainly be unscathed before the Ashes by this three week tournament, regardless of the results. With the former confirmed by the Netherlands last ball victory in the dusk at the home of cricket, there is more room to speculate on the latter.
The loss itself is an embarrassment, right up there with the poorest results in English cricket history but the manner in which England went about their task after Ravi Bopara and Luke Wright had given them an excellent start. As a partnership they have a nice balance between deft grace and brute force and in their opening stand set the base for England to score anything up to 200 with wickets in the bank. However, Ravi Bopara threw his wicket away and from then on England looked to be completely without a plan. An inability to clear the boundary clearly frustrated and England's innings petered out with a whimper.
Even so, 162 should have been sufficient for a side whose bowling and fielding have been electric thus far this summer. Anderson and Sidebottom showed that quality in their spells, as to a certain extent did Broad, but the fielding at times beggared belief. For a team which boasts so many outstanding individual fielders the number of fumbles and wayward throws were inexplicable. It was summed up by the last ball overthrow which gifted the victory to Holland. Make no mistake, if England hadn't been so intent on literally throwing runs to the Dutch then we would be discussing a poor victory rather than an embarrassing defeat.
Oddly the major concern isn't the result. Granted it is never pleasant to lose to largely amateur team but it is the manner of defeat which will have put the biggest strain on the players mentally. Another show as poor as that against Pakistan will not only see the hosts out of the tournament, but will also surely effect the confidence of the Test players involved. England need to regroup quickly, not only for the sake of the tournament, but to ensure the relevant individuals aren't still in shock come the first ball in Cardiff.
The loss itself is an embarrassment, right up there with the poorest results in English cricket history but the manner in which England went about their task after Ravi Bopara and Luke Wright had given them an excellent start. As a partnership they have a nice balance between deft grace and brute force and in their opening stand set the base for England to score anything up to 200 with wickets in the bank. However, Ravi Bopara threw his wicket away and from then on England looked to be completely without a plan. An inability to clear the boundary clearly frustrated and England's innings petered out with a whimper.
Even so, 162 should have been sufficient for a side whose bowling and fielding have been electric thus far this summer. Anderson and Sidebottom showed that quality in their spells, as to a certain extent did Broad, but the fielding at times beggared belief. For a team which boasts so many outstanding individual fielders the number of fumbles and wayward throws were inexplicable. It was summed up by the last ball overthrow which gifted the victory to Holland. Make no mistake, if England hadn't been so intent on literally throwing runs to the Dutch then we would be discussing a poor victory rather than an embarrassing defeat.
Oddly the major concern isn't the result. Granted it is never pleasant to lose to largely amateur team but it is the manner of defeat which will have put the biggest strain on the players mentally. Another show as poor as that against Pakistan will not only see the hosts out of the tournament, but will also surely effect the confidence of the Test players involved. England need to regroup quickly, not only for the sake of the tournament, but to ensure the relevant individuals aren't still in shock come the first ball in Cardiff.
Friday 5 June 2009
Stage Set for the Great Entertainers
In the furore which naturally encompasses an Ashes summer, the T20 World Cup has perhaps been a little overlooked. However, in just a few hours the opening ceremony will be over and the curtain raiser against Holland will be well underway. The sport's most glittering stars will be on its most lucrative stage.
For England it is difficult to say how the tournament sits in this summer's grand plan. The squad boasts plenty of players who will not be playing against Australia in the Test series so there is every chance that whatever the outcome over the next few weeks the good morale and spirit of the five day squad will remain unharmed. The only real question is how Pieterson, Anderson, Broad et al will cope with the mental changes that go from flitting between the longest and shortest formats but for players as versitile as these it may be a case of worrying about nothing.
As for the tournament itself it is impossible to not be excited. After the poorly organised and arduous 2007 World Cup this is perfect (if a tad belated) antidote: all the stars and all the matches but compressed into three weeks.
The big teams will of course be in the mix, so expect Australia, South Africa and India to lead the way but expect a few upsets along the way. If Scotland and Ireland can pick up victories against top sides in 50 overs there is no need to suspect that they can't do it over 20, where just a few balls can change everything.
An excellent outside bet would be Sri Lanka. In Jayasuria, Jayawardene and Sangakara they have a top order which can take apart any bowling attack, and in Mendis and Murali they have arguably the two finest spinners in the world at this moment in time, and spin is often the game breaker in T20.
Either way, if you live near one of the grounds wear a hard hat when you are out and about because even without Andrew Symonds (sent home for breaking team rules on drinking) there are plenty of big hitters in England for the next three weeks.
For England it is difficult to say how the tournament sits in this summer's grand plan. The squad boasts plenty of players who will not be playing against Australia in the Test series so there is every chance that whatever the outcome over the next few weeks the good morale and spirit of the five day squad will remain unharmed. The only real question is how Pieterson, Anderson, Broad et al will cope with the mental changes that go from flitting between the longest and shortest formats but for players as versitile as these it may be a case of worrying about nothing.
As for the tournament itself it is impossible to not be excited. After the poorly organised and arduous 2007 World Cup this is perfect (if a tad belated) antidote: all the stars and all the matches but compressed into three weeks.
The big teams will of course be in the mix, so expect Australia, South Africa and India to lead the way but expect a few upsets along the way. If Scotland and Ireland can pick up victories against top sides in 50 overs there is no need to suspect that they can't do it over 20, where just a few balls can change everything.
An excellent outside bet would be Sri Lanka. In Jayasuria, Jayawardene and Sangakara they have a top order which can take apart any bowling attack, and in Mendis and Murali they have arguably the two finest spinners in the world at this moment in time, and spin is often the game breaker in T20.
Either way, if you live near one of the grounds wear a hard hat when you are out and about because even without Andrew Symonds (sent home for breaking team rules on drinking) there are plenty of big hitters in England for the next three weeks.
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