Speaking at the annual Bradman Oration, Rahul Dravid has reminded cricket's players and administrators that the future of world cricket rests upon the effective management of the five day game.
Dravid delivered the speech at the Anzac Hall at the National War Memorial, Canberra, the first cricketer from outside Australia to do so in its ten year history.
A studious and thoughtful presentation, Dravid began by paying his own respects to the legacy of the late great Sir Don Bradman before reminding those in attendance of the remarkable history that binds India and Australia together both on and off the field.
In the second half of his 40-minute speech Dravid spoke openly and honestly on the current state of world cricket. He shunned those who felt Indian cricket was driven by "money and power" and instead spoke of a team and of a nation rich in diversity, brought together by a common understanding and passion for the game of cricket.
He also questioned those who saw Indian cricketers as "overpaid" and "underworked" and insisted that investment into Indian cricket has only helped spread the field wider, improving facilities and allowing cricketers from all walks of life a chance to succeed, including the likes of Munaf Patel, Umesh Yadav, Zaheer Khan and Virendar Sehwag.
Commenting on world cricket in general though, Dravid make clear his fears for the health of Test cricket.
"It is not the numbers that Test players need, it is the atmosphere of a Test that every player wants to revel in and draw energy from. My first reaction to the lack of crowds for cricket was that there had been a lot of cricket and so perhaps, a certain amount of spectator-fatigue."
He added that players development was also clearly being hindered by the "mad merry-go-round" of the cricketing calendar, and that despite the popularity of Twenty20 cricket "Test cricket deserves to be protected, it is what the world's best know they will be judged by".
He also called upon the administrators to ensure that teams played, "Test cricket that people can watch" and that "fit into 21st century life, through timing, environments and the venues they are held in." This included the trialing of day-night Test matches and investing in the proposed Test Championship now delayed until 2017.
He spoke of playing a day night first-class game for the MCC in Abu Dhabi which left him convinced, "day-night Tests is an idea seriously worth exploring. There may be some challenges in places where there is dew but the visibility and durability of the pink cricket ball was not an issue."
England have announced a sixteen man squad to take on Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates next month.
Stuart Broad, Eoin Morgan and Chris Tremlett have all recovered from injury and are included, whilst Monty Panesar is selected as second spinner. Ravi Bopara keeps his place after replacing the injured Jonathan Trott against India, and Steven Davies returns as Matt Prior's understudy. Tim Bresnan remains the only doubt having recently undergone elbow surgery.
Perhaps most surprising is the inclusion of Panesar who has not played for England since the first Test of the 2009 Ashes series. Since then Graeme Swann has gone on to establish himself as both England's and the world's premier offspin bowler, however with trips to Sri Lanka and India later in the year England are clearly keen to once again integrate Panesar into their plans. His chances of playing against Pakistan remain slim though with Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower likely to maintain the tried and tested six batsman, four bowlers ratio that worked so effectively this year.
Ravi Bopara will also likely find himself on the sidelines at least initially as England's batsman aim to continue what was a prolific year with the willow in hand. Having fought off competition from the likes of James Taylor and Johnny Bairstow, Bopara has done well to at least keep himself in the England setup, although he will have to make a marked improvement on his last outing in the subcontinent (Sri Lanka, 2007) if he is to remain in the picture in 2012.
With a cloud still hanging over Tim Bresnan, Steven Finn and Chris Tremlett will also be looking to stake their claim for a recall in the two three-day warm up matches before the first Test on January 16.
England team director Andy Flower has been named UK Coach of the Year at the 2011 UK coaching awards.
Flower was also named UK High Performance Coach of the Year after a year of unprecedented success for the England cricket team. In partnership with captain Andrew Strauss Flower oversaw an historic 3-1 Ashes victory in Australia as well as a 4-0 whitewash of India as England finished the summer as the world's number one Test playing nation.
ECB Chief Executive David Collier was quick to recognise Flower's contribution."Andy has been an outstanding coach to the England cricket team and I am delighted that his dedication, knowledge and all-round leadership skills have been recognised within the wider sporting world."
"The last twelve months have been momentous ones for England and this is in no small part due to Andy's personal drive and determination to bring the best out of his players and ensure that our preparation and performance are second to none."
Retirement
Flower has also recently suggested that he may well not be coaching England by the time of the next World Cup in 2015 but is dedicated to leaving a long-term legacy to ensure England maintain their status as the world's best team.
The Zimbabwean signed an improved rolling contract with the ECB last summer but admits that family commitments may one day force him to step down.
"That [2015 World Cup] would be the ideal scenario but I have a young family and it is a full-time job, more so in some respects,” Flower said. “You don’t know what is around the corner. In my present position I will definitely keep planning towards that [2015] sort of longevity but realistically I don’t know."
Flower is currently enjoying a three month break from cricket before England travel to the United Arab Emirates in January to play Pakistan but is already focusing his attention on challenges ahead. “To remain No 1 is a serious challenge for us."
"We aimed for No 1 Test ranking and that was a great motivational tool for us. Now we have achieved that other sides will be doing the chasing and we have to reset our standards. We have underperformed in the 50-over game.
"The next World Cup is in Australia in 2015 and that is one of the specific challenges we have. For Andrew Strauss and myself, we want to put in place a method of operation and certain principles that will stand English cricket in very good stead in the long term."
After an astonishing climax to last week’s second, and regrettably final, Test between South Africa and Australia at the Wanderers, and an equally enthralling finale to the drawn Test match between India and the West Indies, a common and frankly unsettling debate has once again bubbled to the surface: is Test cricket really dying? On the evidence of that historic day in Johannesburg or those final moments in Mumbai certainly not, but aside from these extraordinary, yet increasingly rare, moments of clarity in which the future of Test cricket looks safely intact, the situation is otherwise rather more uncertain.
Exposure
One thing that perhaps all cricket fans and commentators can agree on is that there is too much cricket. As the only major Test playing nation in the northern hemisphere it is perhaps an issue more familiar to those who follow English cricket, but with the influx of the unnecessarily long IPL and a multitude of television commitments to adhere to it is a concern for cricket the world over. Most saddening is that Test cricket suffers more than most.
What people fail to realise is that Test cricket is completely and utterly unique from all other forms of cricket. The skills shown in a Twenty20 are not likely to offer much in a Test match, and whilst the 50 over game mirrors Test match batting more adequately, the defensive and restrictive nature of bowling often found in a one day game does little to prepare a bowler for the rigours of a five day match.
"We do play too much cricket and if something had to give my choice would be 50-over cricket, or make it 40-over cricket or something.” Graeme Swann
A greater focus on limited overs cricket does almost nothing to support Test cricket and its increasing presence on the world stage may well be slowly bringing the game’s legendary format to its knees. Knocking 40 off 30 balls or bowling ten overs in a day is so far removed from the intensity of Test cricket that it is no surprise that interest in the game appears to have waned. Players regularly turn up undercooked and often cannot complete a Test match because they’re exposure to ‘tough’ cricket has been so infrequent.
For cricket as a sport to succeed and remain an entertaining and enthralling battle between bat and ball Test cricket must remain at the helm. Test cricket serves as the benchmark for all other cricketing ventures. It teaches bowlers to work out their opponents, how to bowl aggressively and to savour an opponent’s wicket. It tests a batsman’s technique, temperament and ability to protect their wicket at all times. These are treasured and essential skills in cricket; skills that if Test cricket was to lose its authority would soon find themselves absent from the game and would ultimately destroy the very fabric of the sport.
Competition
In order for Test cricket to reclaim its rightful place at the top of the sport it must more than anything else remain competitive. This does not necessarily mean ensuring a result after five days, a draw is often the fairest outcome and saving a Test match can be riveting viewing, but ensuring that along the way there is an even and exciting battle between bat and ball and that ultimately those players who step out on the field are tested.
One obvious tweak is to produce more interesting wickets. Clearly the surface must be safe and ideally last four or five days, but watching batsmen (usually Indian’s in India) churn out scores of 500 plus every innings, bagging a century each in the process, is just plain boring. Cricket’s old boys are forever harping on about a lack of fast bowling talent and genuine world class wicket takers, yet whilst we do not wish to gift bowler’s wickets they don’t deserve, one reason for such complaints may not be simply a lack of talent but rather the sheer volume of cricket and the unresponsive surfaces on which it is played.
"In the English summer the pitches had a little bit in them for the bowlers but if you bat well enough you can score big runs which we did. Organisers are going to want five days of cricket for the gate receipts but at the same time people want to see exciting cricket so the pitches need to be result pitches." James Anderson
Crucially competitive wickets attract that rare breed of fan – the neutral. Sure any England fan doesn’t mind watching the Aussies loose by an innings and 50 runs, but to a South African such a one-sided result offers little in the way of unbiased entertainment. Rewind to 2005 and you find a series that encapsulated the entire cricketing community. Why? Because the series was played on a knife edge. So thrilling was the narrative that even non-cricket fans found themselves glued to the television or queuing for miles outside Lords just to get a taste of the action.
What was unique about that series however, and in fact every other series between England and Australia, was its context, something clearly devoid from almost all non-Ashes cricket. Take the English Premier League. Its competitive nature and increasing rivalries between clubs and their fans keeps this multi-million pound industry thriving year after year. Cricket does not have this. The news that the planned Test Championship, that would see the top eight Test playing nations compete against one another in a knockout style competition, is to be postponed until at least 2017 is certainly tragic but its conception alone (which I applaud) suggests something is rotten in Test match cricket.
James Anderson expects a tough test next year as England look to maintain there position as the world's premier Test nation. England begin their 2012 campaign against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in January before travelling to Sri Lanka for a two-test series
England have never played a match in Middle East and Anderson believes the key to success will be to adapt quickly to conditions.
"Pakistan played Sri Lanka over there recently and played really well and won the series," Anderson told ESPNcricinfo. "They're used to those conditions now but we've never played a Test match over there so it will be a new challenge for us and we'll see how we cope with that.
"We've had challenges before. We went to Australia and won there, so we'll be confident. We'll look to see how we're going to take 20 wickets because that will be difficult and crucial for us; the spinners might play a big part"
Anderson, along with fellow seamers Graeme Onions and Chris Tremlett, will head out to join the England performance squad in South Africa for a training camp prior to the Test series.
"It's been our goal to become number one in the world and we've got there sooner than we thought we would," he said. "Next year is going to be really tough for us. Getting to No. 1 is one thing but staying there is a completely different task."
England captain Andrew Strauss and vice-captain Alastair Cook have been shortlisted for the 2011 Sports Personality of the Year Award.
Strauss and Cook have been integral to a magnificent year for English cricket. A thumping victory in the Ashes down under was followed by an equally impressive 4-0 whitewash of India on home soil this summer, a result that meant England would begin 2012 as the world's no. 1 Test team.
After a poor run of form in the summer of 2010 Cook was a man under pressure, but with 766 runs in five Ashes Tests and 294 against India this summer - the sixth highest score by an Englishman and the best since Graham Gooch's 333 against the same apposition in 1990 - the elegant Essex opener proved he was here to stay.
He was duly rewarded with the One Day captaincy and went on to preside over series victories against Sri Lanka and India, all the while contributing handsomely at the top of the order. A 5-0 defeat in India at the back end of the summer reminded Cook that captaincy could not be taken for granted, but having overcome obstacles in his short career so far it would be no surprise if Cook returned with aplomb in 2012.
As Test captain however Andrew Strauss's success has almost been untainted this year. Unbeaten in their last nine series Strauss has given England the kind of stability and calm that they needed after the disastrous series in the West Indies in 2008.
In 2011 Strauss masterminded an astonishing Ashes victory in Australia and helped England to their first whitewash over India since 1974. In partnership with Andy Flower, Strauss has helped mould England into a prolific and highly professional unit who will once again be looking to assert their authority over world cricket when they face Pakistan and Sri Lanka this winter.
As promised here is the second installment of my pick of England's most promising young cricketers, focusing this time on the country's bowling prospects...
Scott Borthwick
As an English legspinner (yes that’s right!), Scott Borthwick will not doubt get his fair share of attention over the coming years, yet whilst many have fallen by the wayside in our island’s futile search for a wristy tweaker, Borthwick has, so far, done little to sully his name. In his relatively short career Borthwick already has a first class hundred to his name and over 60 wickets in the bank. His statistics are not inspiring, but with England cricket at an all-time high and with Graeme Swann the only real established spinner in the England squad he could yet prove useful, especially in the longer format. England’s spin management has been incredibly poor in recent times and even with Graeme Swann you get the feeling his success is largely down to his positive attitude rather than the faith of the selectors. But with Swann as a guiding light and England with enough talent in the bowling department to ease the pressure on young spinners there is no reason why Borthwick cannot one day make a name for himself on the big stage.
James Harris
Sickeningly talented and not yet 22, James Harris has been turning heads in cricket’s upper echelons for over seven years now. A potent bowler and more than useful lower order bat, Harris will not doubt be a hit with England’s new band of allrounders. He made his debut for Glamorgan at just 16 and went on to become the only 17-year-old to ever take a seven wicket haul in Championship cricket. Since then he has featured in numerous England Performance Squads and is now a regular fixture in the England Lions setup. Currently plying his trade in Division Two, Harris will have to consistently outclass his opposition if he is to displace a fit and firing English seam battery, and with the national side clearly smitten with the youngster it may be in his best interests to consider a move to the first division if he can’t carry his team their over the next couple of years. A nugget of advice that I fear may have helped selectors measure Ravi Bopara’s talents more effectively.
Chris Woakes
Calm and controlled, Chris Woakes has both the skill and the temperament to compete at the very highest level. A fleeting exposure to international cricket has found Woakes to be made of tough stuff bagging 6 for 45 against Australia in only his second of four ODIs, and guiding England to victory with the bat in the first of two T20s following England’s Ashes triumph down under. His reputation though has been built on five prolific seasons for Warwickshire. In 61 matches for his county Woakes already boasts four first class centuries and a batting average of 33, as well as 223 wickets at a paltry 24.60 with the cherry in hand. His chances with England whilst successful have perhaps not played to his obvious strengths in the longer format, but if he continues to perform as he has done for his county so far then a spot in the Test team won’t be far away.
Stuart Meaker
It is a general rule of thumb in English cricket that if you can bowl in excess of 90mph then you are afforded at least one try out for the national team in the vague hope that you turn out to be England’s answer to Curtly Ambrose. Stuart Meaker is this generation’s potential guinea pig. Winner of the Daily Telegraph fast bowling award and the first recipient of the ECB’s Harold Larwood Fast Bowling Scholarship to Australia, Meaker is clearly revered by the England hierarchy, yet with less than 30 first class games under his belt it may and probably should be a while before he is considered for honours in Test cricket. He has already played a handful of ODIs, but if he is to have a long and successful career then he must put in the hard yards and prove he has the strength to play for prolonged periods of time and keep the ball whistling past his opponent’s noses for years to come.
Danny Briggs
Modelling his action on childhood hero Daniel Vettori, Danny Briggs has produced some eye-opening performances in his short career so far. His greatest success has been in Twenty20 cricket where he’s amassed 59 wickets in just 41 matches at 15.47 including astonishing figures of 3 for 5 in four overs and a best haul of 5 for 19. At only 20 and having just become a regular in the Hampshire first eleven Briggs, who was born on the Isle of Wight, has many years to hone his tweaking prowess especially in the four and five day formats. Yet his displays in limited overs cricket could help him become an effective one day cricketer for England and earn him much needed exposure as a young spinner.
Now the world’s premier Test playing nation and masters of Twenty20 cricket, England are for the first time in over two decades a happy and settled group of cricketers. A nucleus of selfless, hardworking individuals, they tower over all other popular sportsmen and women as definitive modern day professionals. Such an environment whilst highly prolific in the here and now though, also bodes well for the future of English cricket.
Nurturing up and coming talent has never been a simple task in English cricket. With no consistency in senior performances young players are not often giving the prolonged examination they deserve to prove their worth at international level. Australia’s dominance throughout the past fifteen years has allowed the likes of Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting to develop into global superstars whilst England, under the watchful eye of the country’s more successful ancestors, only sought to find short term solutions to long term problems with young players never afforded the time required to adapt to the limelight.
Yet having toppled the all-conquering India on home soil this summer and with the Ashes having been in English hands for over two years, England now have a stable environment in which to cultivate their fresh-faced hopefuls into the next generation of international cricketers. With a core of experienced and reliable players alongside them, England’s youngsters are not likely to feel the kind of pressure they would have done were they born a decade and a half earlier, thus making the transition between county cricket and the international circuit even more achievable, and the chances of another generation of Graeme Hicks and Mark Ramprakash’s thankfully less and less likely.
So, with this in mind here is a rundown of my prospective England XI and their chances of making themselves a part of English crickets potentially illustrious future:
Alex Hales
A statuesque opening batsman, Hales has been impressing for his county Nottinghamshire for over three years now. On a difficult Trent Bridge wicket Hales has excelled in all forms of the game. His performances in the shorter form of the game though have perhaps been his most impressive, top-scoring in the 2011 Friends Life t20 with 544 runs at 34 with a strike rate of 146 and earning himself a call up to the England Twenty20 squad in late August. A match-winning partnership with Craig Kieswetter against the West Indies in September in which he amassed an impressive 62 not out showed Hales to be a confident young man with a versatility that could see him become a regular in England’s set up in the near future.
Joe Root
A nuggety and determined opening bat, Joe Root is bred from hard Yorkshire stock. Having garnered praise from a notoriously pessimistic Geoffrey Boycott, Root has been touted for great things. Not yet 21 and having only played 18 first class games Root has already toured with England Lions and is set to do so again this winter. With Paul Collingwood no longer a Test match batsman and Jonathan Trott only now reaching the top of his game, Root may well present England’s best hope for another back-to-the-wall specialist. With flamboyancy an ever-increasing trait amongst young players Root’s back-to-basics approach could be an ideal foil to England’s band of youthful extroverts.
James Taylor
One of the most accomplished cricketers in county cricket it is no secret that England are hoping for big things from Taylor. With England’s top four so settled though the Leicestershire batsman will likely be given a few more years to consolidate his impressive start. Averaging just a shade under 50 runs per innings in both first class and one day cricket Taylor is a bona fide run-machine and unlike many England hopefuls may be one of only a few to begin his international career at Test level. The recipient of a Cricket Writer’s Young Player of the Year Award in 2009 Taylor has continued to build on his success ever since and you get the feeling it is just a matter of time before Andy Flower gives him the nod.
Ben Stokes
Signing a two year contract for Durham when he was only 18 Stokes was earmarked for big things from an early age. A powerful batsman and a talented bowler his ascent to the England ranks though has been marred by a long term finger injury hampering both his bowling and his fielding, something that was evident in his first few outings in international colours. A prolific season in 2011 has kept him firmly on Strauss and Flower’s radar and there is no doubt that his all-round abilities will be called upon again in the near future.
Jos Buttler
Amongst a plethora of young talent at Taunton Buttler has emerged as one of the most explosive cricketers in recent years. An improving first class record is somewhat dwarfed by his extraordinary displays in one day cricket. Even on a helpful track Buttler boasts a cool average of 71.16 in 40 over cricket despite having never passed three figures, a feat he’s managed whilst also keeping wicket for his hometown side. Named Young Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year just a year ago and now on the cusp of a place in England’s limited overs setup, not to mention batting alongside the likes of Marcus Trescothick, Craig Kieswetter and James Hildreth at county level, Buttler has all the ingredients needed to become a prodigious international cricketer.
Jonny Bairstow
Another in a long line of young wicketkeeper-batsmen, Jonny Bairstow has been on fringes of the England team for over a year now. Picked up by the England Performance Squad at the back end of 2010, he went on to play a major part in the England Lions successful tour of the Caribbean this year and has since gone on to establish himself as Yorkshire’s number one gloveman. Despite being the son of former England wicketkeeper David Bairstow however, Bairstow junior has been touted as a potential specialist batsman. And with an average of 45 in 46 first class games and having knocked a breezy 41 off 21 balls on debut against India at Cardiff Bairstow looks set for England honours with or without his gloves.
Over the past two decades cricket has been blessed with a handful of truly extraordinary performers. Yet it seems that as we enter the second decade of the new millennium that these once-in-a-generation superstars are now all but absent from our beloved game. Gone are Warne and McGrath, Ambrose and Walsh, Hayden and Langer and in their place a new breed of cricketer, the modern day allrounder.
Now don't be fooled. This new crop of talent are not, perhaps regretably, all budding Ian Bothams, Imran Khans, or, dare I say it, Andrew Flintoffs. They are not extroverts, nor sticklers for controversy, but rather normal, law-abiding professionals whose exploits tend to remain on the back rather than the front pages of the now presumably disinterested press. They are however slowly paving the way for a new era in international cricket, and one I'm happy to say is being led by the English.
So, what is this new 'all-rounder' I speak of? Well, in the absence of what Geoffrey Boycott would call truly 'great players', and with international cricket now played regularly across three different formats, cricketers are becoming increasingly aware of the need to diversify beyond the confines of their chosen specialty if they are to remain a permanent fixture in their team. This, as was evident with the Indian team this summer, is a mantra more readily embraced by some nations than others.
The hard truth is that unless you bowl at 95 mph, average over 50 runs per innings or turn the ball both ways then you can no longer rely on your primary trade, be it batting, bowling or wicketkeeping, to keep you in cricket's elite.
As the world's premier test nation, Ashes holders and World Twenty20 champions, England, it seems, have bought into this new philosophy of utility cricket more than most. Having watched with great interest, and at times a surprising amount of jubilation, England's ascent to the peak of the game ever since the disastrous series in the Caribbean in early 2009, I think it now time to reflect on why England's band of multi-talented cricketers have got this far.
Lead by example
If asked who more than most was responsible for England's rise to the top few would give Peter Moores any real consideration. Yet whilst his tenure as England coach may have been marred by scandal leading to his eventual dismissal in early 2009, he was to make one decision that would prove pivotal to England's subsequent success - Andy Flower.
Having employed Flower as batting coach at the national academy in 2005, Moores went on to appoint him his assistant when he took charge of the England team some two years later. While Moores' impact as a coach may have been generally uninspiring, his recognition of Flower's talents would be crucial to England's longevity as a top flight team. Taking over temporarily after Moores' departure, Flower eventually agreed to take the job full time, and despite a sticky start in the Caribbean England has never looked back since.
Alongside Andrew Strauss, Flower has taken an approach quite unique from that of his predecessors. With little support from cricket's 'old boys' he has set about creating a squad of professionals whose value is measured by their all-round performance rather than a player's reputation; a welcome departure from the narrow-mindedness that haunted England after the 2005 Ashes.
It is an approach that no doubt stems from his own experience as a cricketer. A world class wicket-keeper batsman and also national captain not too long ago, England's 'team director' knows full well the importance of cricketers who can contribute beyond their primary trade, and after nearly three years in charge his work is starting to pay off. England's bowlers now field better than almost entire sub-continental teams, Prior has elevated himself to perhaps the best wicket keeper batsman in the world (now Sanga has hung up his gloves) and England no longer have any genuine tail-enders. Flower has not only hand-picked a world-beating side but has developed an effective and lasting ethos that could see England at the top of the international game for many years to come.
Staying in shape
One of the marked changes to English cricket under Andy Flower has been to make cricketers into athletes. Over the years and largely thanks to exercise-resistant commentators like Sir Ian and Lord Gower, there has been an ongoing debate as to whether cricketers are perhaps over-trained. With new dietary regimes, team building weekends and even in-house psychologists many of cricket's stodgy elite have rubbished England's decidedly alcohol-free approach to match preparation. Once again though they couldn't be more wrong!
With the help of fitness fanatic Graham Gooch, Flower has created a team of lean and powerful cricketers whose physical prowess has been a deciding factor in recent times. Even Australia, whose penchant for fitness has been at the heart of their success for years, had to tip their hat to England this winter as they were made to toil in the heat for days on end as the likes of Cook and Trott pilled on the runs. Meanwhile the likes of Broad and Anderson had their feet up on the balcony fresh to rip through the Aussies as and when England decided they'd had enough.
Even against India this summer, who on paper looked a fine match for the home side, England's stamina and focus ultimately proved the deciding factor between the two teams. Indian players were sent home injured and England never took their foot off the pedal. Whilst fitness levels may only give a team an extra five per cent in a one day match (India's love-affair: IPL), over the course of Test series teams can find themselves quickly out of touch with their rivals if they are not physically prepared.
England though are cautious not to expect too much from their players, and whilst they firmly believe that players who contribute to all areas of the game are truly valuable commodities, they also understand that, especially considering English cricket's jam-packed schedule, it is not realistic to expect the same eleven players to perform at the same level all the time. As a result England management have introduced the strengthening and conditioning programme, giving players the opportunity to rest their bodies and to work on their core fitness for when they return to the team. Another example of staunch traditionalists eating their words the programme has been and continues to be a resounding success, and the resting of players like Steven Finn, James Anderson and Kevin Pietersen has helped England keep key players fresh and develop new and exciting prospects, especially in the longer form of the game.
Team Spirit
England more than most are a team who want to do things for each other. They enjoy one another's success and they work as a team. Whereas Andrew Flintoff tried to (and often did) do everything himself this current England team whilst brilliant individuals combine to create a truly all-round team motivated not just by their own performance but by the efforts of others.
Never does an England player in a post-match interview heap the praise on himself. Whilst it may be dull for those writing about the team, each and every player always takes time to congratulate the team effort and to express their delight that, despite having taken five wickets themselves, it is all the better only for the overall team performance. There is a sense of democracy about England at the moment. There is no great void between younger and older players, or one player propping up the team all the time, instead each player recognises that they can make a contribution and crucially that, however small, that contribution is valued.
To be an 'all-round team' a feeling of togetherness is essential, this means both on and off the field. Freddie's pedalo for example may have found England cricketers pushing the boat out a little too far in their spare time, but a few years later and Graeme Swann's Ashes diary seemed to have quite the opposite effect. Providing a hilarious but also encouraging insight into the England team's after hours shenanigans Swann's tapes revealed a team enjoying each other's company and a team spririt that has helped England team become the epitome of modern day all-rounders.
Four reasons why your grandad is right to sit in his chair all day and watch men in white pyjamas potter around a field in the rain.
Warts and all
No other sport on the planet embraces difference like cricket does. The sport has long championed the relative quirks and complexities of sports men and women across the world, be it a wristy spinner from the dustbowls of the subcontinent, a towering Jamaican fast bowler or an elegant opening bat from England’s fairest county cricket remains a breeding ground for the weird and the wonderful. In our hollow vanity-driven society cricket reveals our world to be one of individuals all with their own agenda. No batsman or bowler is the same. When a bowler is described as right arm medium fast or a batsman as a left-hand middle order pinch hitter this really is only the beginning of the story. No bowler will ever bowl the same delivery and neither will a batsman ever play an identical shot. Take into account weather conditions, the state of the pitch, the outfield, fielding positions, umpires, and the countless modes of dismissal and you have a game almost as multi-faceted as life itself. The appeal of cricket is ultimately its mystery and unpredictability and it is I believe in the game’s unbridled resistance to conformity that it ultimately gives all who enjoy and understand the game a sense of hope that no matter who you are you always have a chance.
Camaraderie
Team sports are inevitably competitive and it’s true that cricket has maintained some of the fiercest rivalries in all of sports history, however beneath all the trash talk and flag waving lies a mutual respect between all cricketing nations, what one may call ‘the spirit of cricket’. On the field it is an appreciation for what the purists call ‘good cricket’: for a stunning catch in the field, a back-to-the-wall century or devastating spell of bowling. Few will forget the iconic image of Andrew Flintoff consoling Brett Lee in and amongst English celebrations after his heroic batting at Edgbaston in 2005, or even the great Shane Warne shouting after Kevin Pietersen from the field in that same series to congratulate him on a match saving hundred in the final Test, an innings that would see Warne’s Australia stripped of the Ashes. Off the field it is much the same. When the last wicket falls on day five and the cameras have been turned off it’s the losing captain who leads his team into the opposition dressing room to share a beer with the victors. A sentiment that England wicketkeeper Matt Prior experienced first-hand during the 2009 Ashes series when Aussie captain Ricky Ponting refused to say a single word to him whilst on the field for the five Test matches that summer, but once the series was over Ponting was the first man to brave the England dressing room and raise a glass to the English.
It's still fun
Despite a sharp increase in the professionalism of modern cricketers, cricket I think still maintains a vital balance between hard fought competition and good honest fun better than any other sport. Where football is driven by money, cricket for the most part is kept alive by a love for the sport itself. With the international arena still representing the pinnacle of the game, county players work on a more meritocratic scale than most other top level sportsmen. Whilst Chris Tremlett may move from Hampshire to Surrey to improve his game, Shaun Wright-Phillips is happy to sit on the Man City bench each week safe in the knowledge that if he doesn’t play he’ll still pocket a tidy wage packet come the end of the week. It’s true that the infiltration of the IPL may lead to a far more money-driven cricket community, but, at least for the moment, such avenues are only available to the upper echelons of the cricketing community with big bucks reserved only for the world’s most exceptional superstars. The advent of Twenty20 cricket from which the IPL was born however has been a considerable boost to the appeal of cricket. A fast-paced and thoroughly entertaining format cricket’s most recent innovation has proven once again that the sport is eager to continue its tradition as a competitive but ultimately fun sport for all to enjoy.
Old meets new
Cricket has always been a sport steeped in heritage and tradition, especially in England the game’s true homeland. England cricket fans perhaps more than most understand the careful blend required between the old guard and the new in order for the game to progress without surrendering any of its ancient charm. Twenty20 may have revolutionised the way cricket is played but Test cricket remains the greatest challenge to any cricketer. Technology may have helped to make better on-field decisions but umpires still dictate the outcome of cricket matches. Players may have particular diets but they still stop for tea at four o’clock everyday. Cricket unlike the modern commercial world is not keen on finding short-term solutions to long-term problems, but instead makes decisions based on the health and longevity of the game. Much like the game itself the business of cricket is carried out in a thoughtful and considered manner, rash decisions are punished and progression is always measured on that which has been successful in the past.
Ireland 329 for 7 (K O'Brien 113, Cusack 47, Swann 3-47) beat England 327 for 8 (Trott 92, Bell 81, Pietersen 59, Mooney 4-63) by three wickets
Kevin O’Brien hit the fastest century in World Cup history to help Ireland record their first ever victory over England in One Day Internationals.
In pursuit of 328 O’Brien dismantling England’s bowlers with a masterclass of power hitting, clearing the ropes on no less than six occasions he made light work of Matthew Hayden’s previous record for the fastest hundred in World Cups reaching three figures in just 50 balls. Ran out with just 11 runs required, O’Brien’s heroics were still enough to see Ireland home with five balls to spare and send a dedicated Irish contingent into ecstasy in Bangalore.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first England began brightly as Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen set about posting their first score in the competition so far, and the pair looked good for a big score before 18 year old George Dockrell had the England skipper bowled for 34 trying to nurdle a ball into the legside. One wicket brought two and having eased past fifty Pietersen again gave his wicket away, this time trying to sweep a ball well outside the off stump only to propel the ball straight up into the air and into the pouch of keeper Niall O’Brien.
With the game in the balance at 111 for 2 it was two Warwickshire batsmen, Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott who steadied the ship for the Ashes-holders. Bell continued his good form with the bat clearing the infield on more than one occasion with a number of delicately played chips and regularly dissecting the field with his trademark lofted drives. At the other end whilst less eye-catching Trott managed to command a superior run-rate and keep England on course for a total nearing 350.
Both men passed fifty and looked good for three figures when Bell picked out an acrobatic Paul Stirling at midwicket to fall 19 runs short of a maiden World Cup ton. Less than two overs later and Trott was also back in the shed attempting to heave a full straight delivery over the bowlers head only find thin air and his off-stump uprooted.
Yet withfive and a half overs to go and sitting pretty on 288 for 4 England still looked set for an imposing total, but a mini Irish fight back in the closing stages of the innings restricted Strauss’s men to 327 for 8 from their 50 overs. Trent Johnston and John Mooney able to the tame England’s lower middle order and restore some pride for Ireland.
Returning to the field England’s morale was given an instant lift when William Porterfield dragged on to Jimmy Anderson first ball of the innings, and after some swift stroke play from Paul Stirling and former England opener Ed Joyce, Graeme Swann swung the match firmly back in England’s favour snuffing three Irish wickets in as many overs.
Kevin O’Brien however had other ideas. Arriving at the crease with his team 106 for 4 O’Brien set the tone for what would be one of the greatest World Cup turnarounds. Aided by some woeful fielding and useful cameos from Alex Cusak and John Mooney O’Brien soon had England on the ropes, literally and figuratively.
Two sixes in one Swann over saw him become the highest run scorer in One Day Internationals for Ireland and it wasn’t long before a thumping maximum off Anderson brought up a remarkable 30-ball fifty just six overs later. The onslaught failed to cease and no bowler was spared as England’s seamers struggled to keep the rate below seven runs-per-over. Just 20 balls later and O’Brien completed the inevitable nudging a wayward delivery from Michael Yardy into the leg side to complete the fastest hundred in World Cup history and set up a famous Irish victory.
