England's bowlers produced two highly contrasting displays to take a 2-1 lead in the ODI series against South Africa with one fixture remaining. The Protees were able to take advantage of a poor display from the English attack on Friday, but had no answer to a more controlled and ruthless performance on Sunday.
The game on Friday had many highlights, but the match will be remembered for AB de Villiers stunning century to take his side to a total which England never looked like chasing down, even on a friendly surface. The numbers game told as the English batsmen fell to shots born out of frustration and pressure.
In fairness, South Africa also put in a very disciplined shift with the ball, quickly finding the correct length to bowl on the surface and stubbornly refusing to budge from it. The result was that the English batsmen were unable to profit in the same way that de Villiers et al had done earlier in the day, tucking into a mixture of half volleys and long hops on their way to 354-6.
However, if there was a clear contrast between the two bowling units on Friday, the difference in England's seam attack from that humiliating annihilation to their resurgence on Sunday was the equivalent of night and day. Broad, Bresnan and in particular Anderson gave away nothing, turning the screws with the grim satisfaction of a medieval torturer. Anderson will undoubtedly get the headlines for his superb five wicket haul but Bresnan once more looks as if he is growing into international cricket, and his miserly spell helped to assert the pressure which gave Anderson his victims. Broad's spell on the Sunday will also have been a pleasing sight to Flower and Strauss. After going round the park in Cape Town he looked much less ring rusty and got some good overs under his belt.
The one disappointment for England will have been Luke Wright, who in many ways sums up England's side at the moment. He is a player capable of pulling off the sublime, both in the field as he did to dismiss Peterson and with the ball, but he seems to lack the consistancy that fans and captains alike desire at this level. He was the only player on Sunday who made Friday's mistakes; perhaps spending too much time trying to outwit the batsman with slower balls and yorkers which failed to hit the mark. If this series has shown anything to both sides it is that while variations are useful, there is no replacement for a tight line and finding the length best suited to the wicket.
While England continue to put in mixed performances South Africa seem to have a totally different problem. England's issues stem from a lack of consistancy, but looking at both the team and the squad the balance seems good. As noted in last week's blog, everyone seems to be int he right position and although the personel may change both the bowling and batting units seem to potentially offer all the right qualities in all the right places. In contrast, South Africa seem stumped as to how to balance their side without Jacques Kallis. Just as England struggled when they first lost Flintoff, the Protees seem clueless as to who should play where when the talismanic all rounder is unavailable.
Many South African fans will find the decision to have a player of Herschelle Gibbs' quality carrying the drinks when the batting seems a man light is odd indeed. If he is seen as disruptive for his actions off the field then he shouldn't be around the squad, but if he is then surely he could add some steel and experience to a top order that if pressurised looks light on both. If England bowl as poorly as they did in Cape Town then perhaps it won't be an issue, but if they are able to put on a display of unified discipline as they did on Sunday then Graeme Smith's men may suffer a rare home series defeat.
Sunday 29 November 2009
Sunday 22 November 2009
Collingwood and Trott give England the Iniative
A magnificent unbeaten century from Paul Collingwood helped England defeat South Africa by 7 wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the ODI series. Chasing the Proteas 250 he shared a partnership of 162 with Jonathon Trott to place England within sight of victory before Eoigan Morgan finished the job with a swashbucking 27 from 18 balls.
England had already impressed with the ball, reducing South Africa to 165 for 6 before Peterson and Boucher had marshalled Graeme Smith's men to a competative 250. Collingwood had already caught the eye with a stunning diving catch to dismiss AB de Villiers before sharing a somewhat surprising bowling partnership with Trott. The pitch itself seemed to favour more medium paced bowling and the pair combined to return joint figures of 2 for 45 from 13 overs, capping a wonderful day as captain for Andrew Strauss who saw his bowling changes result in immediate wickets on 4 seperate occasions. To use up so many overs not only ensured that the main seam attack of Anderson (3 for 60), Bresnan (2 for 46), Wright and Mahmoood was ably supported in the middle of the innings, but also made up for the limited use of Rashid, who would have been expected to offer more than the expensive 3 overs he managed.
Bresnan and Wright were particularly impressive, having been dealt with so harshly in the Pro20 matches they were back on their metal, doing the basics well and backed up for the most part by an energetic fielding performance. Andrew Strauss's inability to hold on to 2 very basic chances were the only major blots on a England's copy book as the South African's struggled to take charge with a line up which looked decidedly light on genuine top order ability without the injured Kallis.
While England had relied on the taking the pace off the ball, South Africa didn't have anyone in the same mould as Trott or Collingwood and were unable to take advantage of the slight slowness in the track. Trott impressed at the top of the order with a well paced 87 but it was Collingwood, earning a record 171 ODI caps who guided England home with his fifth one day century.
The match as a whole was a lesson in how vital it is have a balance in your side. England only used one more bowler than the Proteas, but there was a lot more variety in their attack. Anderson and Bresnan offer swing at good pace, while Wright can hit the deck hard and is quicker than he seems. With Collingwood and now Trott bowling tight areas at a tricky medium the seam department is multi-dimensional, especially compared to the South African attack. On another day they could have turned to spin with Rashid or even Pieterson but the key in this shorter format is for the captain to have a variety of options.
In contrast, Graeme Smith will have looked at Steyn, McLaren and Langeveldt and known that even though they bowl at slightly different paces they all rely on swing and skid onto the batsmen. Albie Morkel is not yet the finished article and although van der Merwe continues to improve he does not have the depth of backup bowling that Strauss has, and as a result needs the conditions to favour his frontline attack.
The same could be said of the two batting line ups on display today. Trott's county experience as an opener showed, and throughout the middle order you saw people who knew the position they were in. Pieterson should have been England's no.3 for years, while Collingwood's experience and recent developments as an attacking force make him a natural foil for Morgan and Prior at 5 and 6. Beyond that, Wright and Bresnan are more than strong finishers as they showed against Australia in the Champion's Trophy semi-final and Rashid has several first class centuries to his name. The Proteas clearly struggled to balance their team without Kallis, and as a result nearly the entire line up looked like they were batting one position higher than they their attributes suit and Graeme Smith will be praying that Kallis is fit to bolster and balance both his batting and bowling attacks.
Both sides have time on their side before next Friday's fixture, as England hope that Swann and Broad will be fit with Mahmood and Rashid the likely players to miss out. Strauss can only hope that bringing in these players with so little match practice doesn't disrupt the balance which served them so well today.
England had already impressed with the ball, reducing South Africa to 165 for 6 before Peterson and Boucher had marshalled Graeme Smith's men to a competative 250. Collingwood had already caught the eye with a stunning diving catch to dismiss AB de Villiers before sharing a somewhat surprising bowling partnership with Trott. The pitch itself seemed to favour more medium paced bowling and the pair combined to return joint figures of 2 for 45 from 13 overs, capping a wonderful day as captain for Andrew Strauss who saw his bowling changes result in immediate wickets on 4 seperate occasions. To use up so many overs not only ensured that the main seam attack of Anderson (3 for 60), Bresnan (2 for 46), Wright and Mahmoood was ably supported in the middle of the innings, but also made up for the limited use of Rashid, who would have been expected to offer more than the expensive 3 overs he managed.
Bresnan and Wright were particularly impressive, having been dealt with so harshly in the Pro20 matches they were back on their metal, doing the basics well and backed up for the most part by an energetic fielding performance. Andrew Strauss's inability to hold on to 2 very basic chances were the only major blots on a England's copy book as the South African's struggled to take charge with a line up which looked decidedly light on genuine top order ability without the injured Kallis.
While England had relied on the taking the pace off the ball, South Africa didn't have anyone in the same mould as Trott or Collingwood and were unable to take advantage of the slight slowness in the track. Trott impressed at the top of the order with a well paced 87 but it was Collingwood, earning a record 171 ODI caps who guided England home with his fifth one day century.
The match as a whole was a lesson in how vital it is have a balance in your side. England only used one more bowler than the Proteas, but there was a lot more variety in their attack. Anderson and Bresnan offer swing at good pace, while Wright can hit the deck hard and is quicker than he seems. With Collingwood and now Trott bowling tight areas at a tricky medium the seam department is multi-dimensional, especially compared to the South African attack. On another day they could have turned to spin with Rashid or even Pieterson but the key in this shorter format is for the captain to have a variety of options.
In contrast, Graeme Smith will have looked at Steyn, McLaren and Langeveldt and known that even though they bowl at slightly different paces they all rely on swing and skid onto the batsmen. Albie Morkel is not yet the finished article and although van der Merwe continues to improve he does not have the depth of backup bowling that Strauss has, and as a result needs the conditions to favour his frontline attack.
The same could be said of the two batting line ups on display today. Trott's county experience as an opener showed, and throughout the middle order you saw people who knew the position they were in. Pieterson should have been England's no.3 for years, while Collingwood's experience and recent developments as an attacking force make him a natural foil for Morgan and Prior at 5 and 6. Beyond that, Wright and Bresnan are more than strong finishers as they showed against Australia in the Champion's Trophy semi-final and Rashid has several first class centuries to his name. The Proteas clearly struggled to balance their team without Kallis, and as a result nearly the entire line up looked like they were batting one position higher than they their attributes suit and Graeme Smith will be praying that Kallis is fit to bolster and balance both his batting and bowling attacks.
Both sides have time on their side before next Friday's fixture, as England hope that Swann and Broad will be fit with Mahmood and Rashid the likely players to miss out. Strauss can only hope that bringing in these players with so little match practice doesn't disrupt the balance which served them so well today.
Saturday 21 November 2009
South Africa Smash Records En Route to Victory
A masterclass of clean hitting from Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman gave South Africa a colossal 84 run victory in the final Pro20 match at Centurian.
With Collingwood and Swann added to the injury list England brought in Rashid and (ahead of schedule) Kevin Pieterson, offering Alistair Cook the opportunity to captain his country for the first time. As a result England took to the field with only 2 players boasting 10 or more international Pro20 caps and the inexperience told under the pressure of the Proteas attack. England looked a little frenetic and void of ideas in the face of such clean hitting and looked devoid of ideas once the initial game plan was swiftly undone.
That said, there are few sides that would not look a little fraught under the pressure applied by Bosman and his captain in a record stand of 170. The two hit fifteen maximums between them, equalling the previous record for a Pro20 inside 16 overs before Albie Morkel and de Villiers added one apiece as South Africa posted an intimidating 241 for 6.
Although the class of the batting in undeniable, England will have been frustrated by their inability to apply the lessons learnt from the first Pro20, serving up a mixture of full tosses, half volleys and long hops. The bowling, perhaps understandably had an air of desperation, as England seemed more concerned about finding a magic delivery than bowling disciplined length and (in particular) line. With the exception of Jimmy Anderson they all erred, and many will need to improve their basic disciplines if they wish to oust Onions, Broad, or Swann once they return from injury.
England's response looked somewhat lacklustre as they looked to surpass such a monumental total, but although the decision to open with the more circumspect Denly and Cook in favour of Luke Wright seemed to deny the task facing them 154 is actually an above par score for that ground. Jonathon Trott looked assured once more as he amassed an impressive half century, while Kevin Pieterson looked in good touch and (more importantly) fit. With Morgan and Prior to back them up and Collingwood and Strauss to slot in England's batting order has a sense of both solidity and flair.
Whilst the only selection headache in the batting lineup is whether to open with Denly or Cook, the bowling department may select itself for a different reason. With Swann joining Broad on the sidelines and Anderson not 100% fit, the selectors face a difficult task, as the majority of the bowling attack failed to cover itself in glory in either Pro20 outings.
As noted in the previous articule, these two matches have failed to give either side any particular advantage before the more serious aspects of the tour start in earnest. Both are capable of playing scintilating cricket, but I would expect the South African's to triumph. In all aspects of the game England are capable of producing brilliance, and their bullish new attitude in terms of batting is a clear step in the right direction. However, as they showed at Centurion, Graeme Smith's men are equally capable and to my mind are more likely to show this level consistantly. As a result I would expect the Proteas to triumph in the seven match series, although don't be shocked if England let them have it all their own way.
With Collingwood and Swann added to the injury list England brought in Rashid and (ahead of schedule) Kevin Pieterson, offering Alistair Cook the opportunity to captain his country for the first time. As a result England took to the field with only 2 players boasting 10 or more international Pro20 caps and the inexperience told under the pressure of the Proteas attack. England looked a little frenetic and void of ideas in the face of such clean hitting and looked devoid of ideas once the initial game plan was swiftly undone.
That said, there are few sides that would not look a little fraught under the pressure applied by Bosman and his captain in a record stand of 170. The two hit fifteen maximums between them, equalling the previous record for a Pro20 inside 16 overs before Albie Morkel and de Villiers added one apiece as South Africa posted an intimidating 241 for 6.
Although the class of the batting in undeniable, England will have been frustrated by their inability to apply the lessons learnt from the first Pro20, serving up a mixture of full tosses, half volleys and long hops. The bowling, perhaps understandably had an air of desperation, as England seemed more concerned about finding a magic delivery than bowling disciplined length and (in particular) line. With the exception of Jimmy Anderson they all erred, and many will need to improve their basic disciplines if they wish to oust Onions, Broad, or Swann once they return from injury.
England's response looked somewhat lacklustre as they looked to surpass such a monumental total, but although the decision to open with the more circumspect Denly and Cook in favour of Luke Wright seemed to deny the task facing them 154 is actually an above par score for that ground. Jonathon Trott looked assured once more as he amassed an impressive half century, while Kevin Pieterson looked in good touch and (more importantly) fit. With Morgan and Prior to back them up and Collingwood and Strauss to slot in England's batting order has a sense of both solidity and flair.
Whilst the only selection headache in the batting lineup is whether to open with Denly or Cook, the bowling department may select itself for a different reason. With Swann joining Broad on the sidelines and Anderson not 100% fit, the selectors face a difficult task, as the majority of the bowling attack failed to cover itself in glory in either Pro20 outings.
As noted in the previous articule, these two matches have failed to give either side any particular advantage before the more serious aspects of the tour start in earnest. Both are capable of playing scintilating cricket, but I would expect the South African's to triumph. In all aspects of the game England are capable of producing brilliance, and their bullish new attitude in terms of batting is a clear step in the right direction. However, as they showed at Centurion, Graeme Smith's men are equally capable and to my mind are more likely to show this level consistantly. As a result I would expect the Proteas to triumph in the seven match series, although don't be shocked if England let them have it all their own way.
Saturday 14 November 2009
England Set Tone for Tour
England triumphied by one run on the Duckworth Lewis method last night in the tour curtain-raiser at the Bull Ring in Johannesburg, but it was the manner of performance rather than the result which will have left Andy Flower and the England camp feeling very satisfied with how the tourists are preparing for the more serious business that follow these Pro20 hors d'oeuvres.
The Champion's Trophy had shown glimpses of a new English attitude towards the shorter forms of the game. Throughout that tournament England played with a previously unseen freedom. Gone were the singles and nudges which had so often resulted in lifeless middle overs, and batsmen who had spent so much of their recent careers seemingly so afraid of losing their wickets that they were unwilling to chance their arm for victory were reborn or replaced with a middle order capable of both finding and clearing the rope.
The result was that Andrew Strauss's men notched up some impressive scalps and returned to England with renewed optimism that they could compete with the best in the world over one day as well as five. It was vital that they began this tour in the same frame of mind; playing fearless cricket in order to assert themselves against such fine opposition.
In truth, the result last night was of little importance. Obviously it is always better to win than to lose but in truth both the result last night and in Sunday's repeat fixture will have little bearing on the overall complexion of either the ODI or Test series. They serve merely to hype the upcoming series and neither side would trade victory in these two fixtures for overall supremacy in the older formats.
So if the financial bonuses are taken out of the equation, what (if any) is the pure cricketting value of these fixtures where victory is of such comparative unimportance? The only way to make an impression in these fixtures is to play aggressive and fearless cricket, making a clear statement of intent. If England were to play the way they did a couple of months ago and lose, they would have a much better chance of winning the mind games before the ODI series begins next Friday.
When Joe Denly was dismissed first ball it would have given England the perfect excuse to retreat back into their shell and revert to their old ways, but as Jonathon Trott took 18 of Dale Steyn's first over it was clear that this was not on the cards. Trott himself was run out after a moment of hesitation for an impressive 33, allowing Morgan to join Collingwood and share a partnership of 98 for the fourth wicket.
Collingwood's innings was perhaps the best illustration of the new mentality Flower has instilled. The archetypal grafter, so often in recent years either unable or unwilling to wrest the initiative from the opposition had a swagger to accompany his new high backlift. Not only did he look a more imposing proposition at the crease, he looked more relaxed than I recall seeing him in recent years and it clearly paid off as he cleared the rope 4 times on his way to an quickfire half century.
Although Collingwood may have looked like a new man, it was the relatively inexperienced Morgan, continuing his good form from the Champion's Trophy who rightly drew most plaudits. His 85* from a mere 45 deliveries had literally everything that has been lacking in an English middle order in coloured kit. A phenomenally powerful man for his size he combined intelligent placement with brutal inside out hitting, as well as moments of improvisation and inspiration.
Two of his five maximums will have left Graeme Smith under no doubt that England's middle order is no longer content to merely let overs tick by. Hitting Steyn out of the ground was magical, but is almost forgettable compared to the arrogant flick over fine leg in the final over off Charl Langeveldt. Over recent years we have seen the switch hit, the Dil-scoop, but this required all the bravery of Dilshan's innovation as well as the movement of the switch hit. Put simply, this boy is very special.
He is also surrounded by a fresh middle order which, in virtue of the qualities the players not only have but are allowed to express doesn't put pressure on itself in the ways of old. Trott, the revitalised Collingwood, Prior and Wright are all shot makers, so it is less that those stale periods, often followed by a flurry of wickets as scared players try and overhit their way out of trouble will be allowed to happen.
The bowlers will have been disappointed with their inability to bowl tighter lines, but the replacement of Mahmood with Anderson as the rain came down meant England were able to keep the South African's at behind the required target. Although the track was excellent for strokeplay they will be aware that as a unit they will need to improve, and it isn't impossible the Broad and possibly Onions will return on Sunday with that level of control in mind.
Most importantly though, England have clearly arrived with business in mind on this winter tour. They have not suddenly become world beaters and there will be times when their strokeplay gets them into trouble. If you require comparison think of Newcastle United under Keegan in the 90's: great to watch, very entertaining, but always with more than a tinge of risk. It will bring victory far more often than the old, tentative approach but more importantly in the context of this tour it has made sure the Proteas know they are in for a tough few months.
The Champion's Trophy had shown glimpses of a new English attitude towards the shorter forms of the game. Throughout that tournament England played with a previously unseen freedom. Gone were the singles and nudges which had so often resulted in lifeless middle overs, and batsmen who had spent so much of their recent careers seemingly so afraid of losing their wickets that they were unwilling to chance their arm for victory were reborn or replaced with a middle order capable of both finding and clearing the rope.
The result was that Andrew Strauss's men notched up some impressive scalps and returned to England with renewed optimism that they could compete with the best in the world over one day as well as five. It was vital that they began this tour in the same frame of mind; playing fearless cricket in order to assert themselves against such fine opposition.
In truth, the result last night was of little importance. Obviously it is always better to win than to lose but in truth both the result last night and in Sunday's repeat fixture will have little bearing on the overall complexion of either the ODI or Test series. They serve merely to hype the upcoming series and neither side would trade victory in these two fixtures for overall supremacy in the older formats.
So if the financial bonuses are taken out of the equation, what (if any) is the pure cricketting value of these fixtures where victory is of such comparative unimportance? The only way to make an impression in these fixtures is to play aggressive and fearless cricket, making a clear statement of intent. If England were to play the way they did a couple of months ago and lose, they would have a much better chance of winning the mind games before the ODI series begins next Friday.
When Joe Denly was dismissed first ball it would have given England the perfect excuse to retreat back into their shell and revert to their old ways, but as Jonathon Trott took 18 of Dale Steyn's first over it was clear that this was not on the cards. Trott himself was run out after a moment of hesitation for an impressive 33, allowing Morgan to join Collingwood and share a partnership of 98 for the fourth wicket.
Collingwood's innings was perhaps the best illustration of the new mentality Flower has instilled. The archetypal grafter, so often in recent years either unable or unwilling to wrest the initiative from the opposition had a swagger to accompany his new high backlift. Not only did he look a more imposing proposition at the crease, he looked more relaxed than I recall seeing him in recent years and it clearly paid off as he cleared the rope 4 times on his way to an quickfire half century.
Although Collingwood may have looked like a new man, it was the relatively inexperienced Morgan, continuing his good form from the Champion's Trophy who rightly drew most plaudits. His 85* from a mere 45 deliveries had literally everything that has been lacking in an English middle order in coloured kit. A phenomenally powerful man for his size he combined intelligent placement with brutal inside out hitting, as well as moments of improvisation and inspiration.
Two of his five maximums will have left Graeme Smith under no doubt that England's middle order is no longer content to merely let overs tick by. Hitting Steyn out of the ground was magical, but is almost forgettable compared to the arrogant flick over fine leg in the final over off Charl Langeveldt. Over recent years we have seen the switch hit, the Dil-scoop, but this required all the bravery of Dilshan's innovation as well as the movement of the switch hit. Put simply, this boy is very special.
He is also surrounded by a fresh middle order which, in virtue of the qualities the players not only have but are allowed to express doesn't put pressure on itself in the ways of old. Trott, the revitalised Collingwood, Prior and Wright are all shot makers, so it is less that those stale periods, often followed by a flurry of wickets as scared players try and overhit their way out of trouble will be allowed to happen.
The bowlers will have been disappointed with their inability to bowl tighter lines, but the replacement of Mahmood with Anderson as the rain came down meant England were able to keep the South African's at behind the required target. Although the track was excellent for strokeplay they will be aware that as a unit they will need to improve, and it isn't impossible the Broad and possibly Onions will return on Sunday with that level of control in mind.
Most importantly though, England have clearly arrived with business in mind on this winter tour. They have not suddenly become world beaters and there will be times when their strokeplay gets them into trouble. If you require comparison think of Newcastle United under Keegan in the 90's: great to watch, very entertaining, but always with more than a tinge of risk. It will bring victory far more often than the old, tentative approach but more importantly in the context of this tour it has made sure the Proteas know they are in for a tough few months.
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