Lancashire (20 pts) 317, 69-1 beat Sussex (4 pts) 218, 166 by 9 wickets. Lancashire completed an outstanding 9 wicket victory within two days against table toppers Sussex to make a statement of intent to the rest of the Championship.
After the first day the game looked evenly balanced. However, impressive efforts from Lancashire's middle and late order, and the retained Sajid Mahmood wreaking havoc amongst the Sussex batting line up, set Lancashire up to close the gap on Sussex to a mere 14 points with a game in hand.
When Chris Adams won the toss for Sussex and elected to have a bat, he certainly would not have anticipated his side being 6 wickets down, 50 minutes after the lunch interval. Worse was still to come as they were bowled out for 218 by tea.
More than half of the Sussex side passed 20, but none of them took any real advantage in the starts they made, only Richard Montgomerie passed the half century mark with a technically sound 56.
There was no doubt the visitors struggled to combat the swing and bounce consistently extracted by Glenn Chapple, whose performances this year must be drawing admirable looks from the England selection committee. He ended the innings with figures of 4-35.
Lancashire themselves then lost 4 wickets before the close of play on the first day. Mushtaq Ahmed, who has caused every county side problems so far this year, accounted for 3 of them.
Mal Loye was in no mood to hang around and struck a vital 80 from only 62 balls including 18 fours. He finally fell to Mushtaq, and was bowled, chopping onto his stumps.
Brad Hodge was not out overnight and he gave the indication he was there to stay on day two, but he fell three short of his half century, as Jason Lewry cleaned him up.
So it was left to Chapple and Cork to attempt to gain a handy lead, and a combination of explosive hitting and clever cricket saw Lancs stretch the lead at the end of the first innings to 99.
Chapple hit 47 off 52 balls, and Cork scored 53 off 59 balls, both batters hitting 3 sixes apiece.
Mushtaq secured another 5 wicket haul, as did Lewry, which included his 500th first class victim. The Sussex attack was weakened by the fact that Pakistan international Rana Naved-ul-Hasan was absent from the game.
The game was then set for Sajid Mahmood to take centre stage. What disappointments he felt having missed out on England's final Test against Sri Lanka, he took out on the Sussex side.
Chapple once again struck early, trapping Hopkinson in front with the second ball of the innings.
Mahmood then ripped out the heart of the visitors batting, with 3 wickets in 17 balls. Chris Nash, Murray Goodwin and Montgomerie were all heading back to the pavillion to leave them reeling at 49-4.
The England quick went on to complete his best figures in the Championship and his maiden 5 wicket haul, as Sussex were rolled out for 166. Chapple chipped in with 3 wickets and spinner Gary Keedy finished with figures of 2-32.
Chris Adams the only man offering any resistance, top scoring with 68.
So Lancashire were left the formailty of chasing down 68 runs. They lost Captain Chilton for 10 when he nicked behind off James Kirtley, but Iain Sutcliffe made the game secure with a commanding 45 not out.
So another impressive effort from the Red Rose boys, as expectations of silverware in the Championship heighten with every victory.
(BBC Lancashire, 10/06/06)
Wednesday 28 February 2007
The State of the Nation
Saturday January 14 2006
On Tuesday 13th March 2007 all eyes of the cricketing world will be well and truly focused on the Caribbean. This is the date for the official first game of the prestigious World Cup and will be taking place at Sabina Park, Jamaica.
The need for this tournament to run successfully and that "everything (for the Event) be done to world-class standards" as the Managing Director & CEO of ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 Inc. Chris Dehring put it, is of paramount importance for this once extremely fanatical cricket culture. The financial implications of staging the World Cup are crucial in securing the future of West Indies cricket.
Much money is being thrown into the development of the grounds all across the Caribbean, with some needing major upgrades to bring them to the desired standard, along with new grounds being built in Antigua and Guyana.
All of which will hopefully raise the interest of the young and old back into what was once clearly their national sport.
The interest has waned in West Indies cricket, and there are many reasons for this. The Test side figured in series against Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and failed to win any series. The ongoing tedious contract wranglings have blighted the management of picking their best sides on crucial tours and general confusion surrounding the direction of Caribbean cricket.
Of course it hasn't all been bad, with Brian Lara surpassing Allan Border as the most prolific Test run scorer ever, that figure currently standing at 11,204.
The growing potential of all rounder Dwayne Bravo is an additional source of joy; he scored his maiden Test century against South Africa, and added another one against Australia, as well as picking up 6 for 84 at Adelaide in the final test. Dinesh Ramdin is another impressive new kid on the block, despite only being 5 Tests into his international career he has shown a maturity with the bat and enough skill with his wicket-keeping gloves, to convince the watching public that West Indies have found a new long term successor to Jeff Dujon.
The coming year sees the Windies pitting their wits against New Zealand, starting in February, Zimbabwe are scheduled as visitors in April and India arrive in May. The ICC Champions Trophy starts again in October sparking recollections of the fantastic win they had against England as Ian Bradshaw and Courtney Browne knocked off what looked an unlikely total to win the trophy. The itinerary is complete with a trip to Pakistan in December.
Chris Gayle's return from injury will be a boost for the side, as they attempt to get a strong looking batting side to produce the runs on the field. The bowling attack still lacks sufficient quality, the absence of a top-line spinner one of a few problems - The resurgence of Leeward Islands Omari Banks and Trinidad & Tobago's Dave Mohammed offering viable options.
Something the management must sort, is the continuing policy to pick young players with very little experience, and then excluding them after a couple of tests if they haven't performed. Like any player, time is needed and they can't be expected to take the international scene by storm almost immediately.
Another dilemma is whether Shivnarine Chanderpaul will still be in charge? It is a seemingly thankless task, and 7 of the squad have recently been invited to undergo a 'Leadership Training Seminar' staged by the WICB in conjunction with the University of West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.
Chanderpaul will be in attendance, as will as his vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, along with opener Chris Gayle, Darren Ganga, Wavell Hinds, Sylvester Joseph and wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin. Brian Lara was invited but is unavailable.
The Under 19 World Cup takes place this year, and it will be the newly appointed Jimmy Adams that coaches the Caribbean side in Colombo. He has replaced former West Indies spinner Roger Harper who relinquished the post to take up his position as coach of Kenya.
So on the pitch, Bennett King and co will be hoping for an improvement in results in 2006, now the contract problems appear to have been resolved for now, everyone can concentrate on the job in hand, which is trying to move West Indies back to near the top of the international ladder, which is where some in the game believe they belong.
Off the pitch, a very wealthy American called Allen Stanford is looking to invest a mere US$28 million in a regional 20/20 tournament taking place around October. The league has been endorsed by 14 West Indian cricketing legends in an attempt to raise the profile of the game to its former glories.
An interesting year then lies in wait, where the one thing you can guarantee, is that life in the Caribbean will never be dull.
(Cricket365, 14/01/06)
On Tuesday 13th March 2007 all eyes of the cricketing world will be well and truly focused on the Caribbean. This is the date for the official first game of the prestigious World Cup and will be taking place at Sabina Park, Jamaica.
The need for this tournament to run successfully and that "everything (for the Event) be done to world-class standards" as the Managing Director & CEO of ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 Inc. Chris Dehring put it, is of paramount importance for this once extremely fanatical cricket culture. The financial implications of staging the World Cup are crucial in securing the future of West Indies cricket.
Much money is being thrown into the development of the grounds all across the Caribbean, with some needing major upgrades to bring them to the desired standard, along with new grounds being built in Antigua and Guyana.
All of which will hopefully raise the interest of the young and old back into what was once clearly their national sport.
The interest has waned in West Indies cricket, and there are many reasons for this. The Test side figured in series against Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and failed to win any series. The ongoing tedious contract wranglings have blighted the management of picking their best sides on crucial tours and general confusion surrounding the direction of Caribbean cricket.
Of course it hasn't all been bad, with Brian Lara surpassing Allan Border as the most prolific Test run scorer ever, that figure currently standing at 11,204.
The growing potential of all rounder Dwayne Bravo is an additional source of joy; he scored his maiden Test century against South Africa, and added another one against Australia, as well as picking up 6 for 84 at Adelaide in the final test. Dinesh Ramdin is another impressive new kid on the block, despite only being 5 Tests into his international career he has shown a maturity with the bat and enough skill with his wicket-keeping gloves, to convince the watching public that West Indies have found a new long term successor to Jeff Dujon.
The coming year sees the Windies pitting their wits against New Zealand, starting in February, Zimbabwe are scheduled as visitors in April and India arrive in May. The ICC Champions Trophy starts again in October sparking recollections of the fantastic win they had against England as Ian Bradshaw and Courtney Browne knocked off what looked an unlikely total to win the trophy. The itinerary is complete with a trip to Pakistan in December.
Chris Gayle's return from injury will be a boost for the side, as they attempt to get a strong looking batting side to produce the runs on the field. The bowling attack still lacks sufficient quality, the absence of a top-line spinner one of a few problems - The resurgence of Leeward Islands Omari Banks and Trinidad & Tobago's Dave Mohammed offering viable options.
Something the management must sort, is the continuing policy to pick young players with very little experience, and then excluding them after a couple of tests if they haven't performed. Like any player, time is needed and they can't be expected to take the international scene by storm almost immediately.
Another dilemma is whether Shivnarine Chanderpaul will still be in charge? It is a seemingly thankless task, and 7 of the squad have recently been invited to undergo a 'Leadership Training Seminar' staged by the WICB in conjunction with the University of West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.
Chanderpaul will be in attendance, as will as his vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, along with opener Chris Gayle, Darren Ganga, Wavell Hinds, Sylvester Joseph and wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin. Brian Lara was invited but is unavailable.
The Under 19 World Cup takes place this year, and it will be the newly appointed Jimmy Adams that coaches the Caribbean side in Colombo. He has replaced former West Indies spinner Roger Harper who relinquished the post to take up his position as coach of Kenya.
So on the pitch, Bennett King and co will be hoping for an improvement in results in 2006, now the contract problems appear to have been resolved for now, everyone can concentrate on the job in hand, which is trying to move West Indies back to near the top of the international ladder, which is where some in the game believe they belong.
Off the pitch, a very wealthy American called Allen Stanford is looking to invest a mere US$28 million in a regional 20/20 tournament taking place around October. The league has been endorsed by 14 West Indian cricketing legends in an attempt to raise the profile of the game to its former glories.
An interesting year then lies in wait, where the one thing you can guarantee, is that life in the Caribbean will never be dull.
(Cricket365, 14/01/06)
Spinners of the Future
Thursday March 16 2006
Watch out for these guysTest cricket is currently blessed with outstanding spin-bowlers. Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan lead the way, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Daniel Vettori and Danish Kaneria all world class spinners in their own right.
Here we look at two spinners aiming to make an impression in 2006.
Monty Panesar (England), Age: 23, Test Average: 43.66.
The recent speculation suggests England do not yet possess that world class spinner that can consistently win Test matches and push England ever closer to the elusive No.1 spot.
Bedfordshire born Monty Panesar (full name Mudhsuden Singh Panesar) is England's new man on the block, and the early indications are that he is ticking all the right boxes. Indeed it is only early, as Panesar has appeared in just 30 first class games.
Monty bowls left arm orthodox spin, with a smooth repeatable action and good control. He bowls aggressively, looking to take wickets as averse to being content merely containing the batsman.
He plays county cricket for Northamptonshire, where he has recently secured a two year contract extension, keeping him at Wantage Road till 2007.
His appearances for Northants have been sporadic due to attending Loughborough University where he was enrolled as a full time student.
The potential of Panesar has always been evident, he represented England Under 19's for two seasons, and made his debut against Sri Lanka in 2000. Then came more recognition with his selection for the National Academy squad in 2002.
His potential was realized to some degree in 2005, where he captured 46 Championship wickets at an outstanding average of 21.54. It is even more impressive when you consider the fact that he has only been a full time cricketer since he graduated in the summer of that year.
The 23 year old recently enjoyed a stint at Darren Lehmann's Academy in Adelaide with the purpose of improving his batting and fielding in an attempt to move him closer to England selection.
His hard work paid off earlier this month when he made his international debut against India at Nagpur. It was a bigger stage to showcase his obvious talent, and he didn't disappoint as he removed Sachin Tendulkar (his first Test wicket) and Rahul Dravid.
He also shared in a 66 run partnership for the last wicket with Paul Collingwood, despite only scoring 9 runs, he was at the crease for over an hour giving excellent support.
He is no doubt a young spinner with a bright future, and he carries the hopes of the nation on him materializing into Englands elite slow bowler.
Malinga Bandara (Sri Lanka), Age: 26, Test Average (Bowling): 37.76, (Batting): 14.75
Malinga Bandara made his debut for Sri Lanka way back in 1998, aged 18. Unfortunately the gulf was too big for him to immediately take to Test cricket. After a decidedly average First Test he found himself out of contention for some time (he wasn't selected again till Dec 2005).
Hindsight shows that he was indeed selected far too early to represent his country at the top level. He did appear for the Under 19 side in 1997 and in the Under 19 World Cup in South Africa.
In 2003 and 2004 he spent two seasons at Normandy Cricket Club in Englands Surrey League. He described the experience as "helping to improve his cricket overall".
Bandara put himself back into the international frame when he played in an unofficial Test series for Sri Lanka A team against England in 2005. He was Sri Lanka's outstanding performer, and in the 2nd Test he achieved match figures of 11-126. Also a handy lower order batsman, that can strike the ball well, he chipped in with scores of 45, 23, and 50.
Gloucestershire came calling for him later that year, and he replaced his fellow countryman Upul Chandana for the second half of the season. His success was evident when he picked up the Player of the Year award for taking 45 wickets at the expense of 24.15 per wicket.
He admits he learnt plenty at Gloucester (specifically about professionalism), including helpful advice from Pakistan star Mushtaq Ahmed who was playing for Sussex at the time.
His One Day international debut came at the beginning of 2006, and the signs were encouraging as he helped Sri Lanka qualify for the VB Finals against Australia. His record currently reads 17 wickets in 14 games at 28.52.
Leg spin is an exceptionally difficult art to master and at the age of 26, he still has time on his side. His immediate aim will be becoming a regular feature in Sri Lanka's Test side, and if he continues to improve he can look forward to a long and rewarding career for his country.
(Cricket365, 16/03/06)
Watch out for these guysTest cricket is currently blessed with outstanding spin-bowlers. Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan lead the way, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Daniel Vettori and Danish Kaneria all world class spinners in their own right.
Here we look at two spinners aiming to make an impression in 2006.
Monty Panesar (England), Age: 23, Test Average: 43.66.
The recent speculation suggests England do not yet possess that world class spinner that can consistently win Test matches and push England ever closer to the elusive No.1 spot.
Bedfordshire born Monty Panesar (full name Mudhsuden Singh Panesar) is England's new man on the block, and the early indications are that he is ticking all the right boxes. Indeed it is only early, as Panesar has appeared in just 30 first class games.
Monty bowls left arm orthodox spin, with a smooth repeatable action and good control. He bowls aggressively, looking to take wickets as averse to being content merely containing the batsman.
He plays county cricket for Northamptonshire, where he has recently secured a two year contract extension, keeping him at Wantage Road till 2007.
His appearances for Northants have been sporadic due to attending Loughborough University where he was enrolled as a full time student.
The potential of Panesar has always been evident, he represented England Under 19's for two seasons, and made his debut against Sri Lanka in 2000. Then came more recognition with his selection for the National Academy squad in 2002.
His potential was realized to some degree in 2005, where he captured 46 Championship wickets at an outstanding average of 21.54. It is even more impressive when you consider the fact that he has only been a full time cricketer since he graduated in the summer of that year.
The 23 year old recently enjoyed a stint at Darren Lehmann's Academy in Adelaide with the purpose of improving his batting and fielding in an attempt to move him closer to England selection.
His hard work paid off earlier this month when he made his international debut against India at Nagpur. It was a bigger stage to showcase his obvious talent, and he didn't disappoint as he removed Sachin Tendulkar (his first Test wicket) and Rahul Dravid.
He also shared in a 66 run partnership for the last wicket with Paul Collingwood, despite only scoring 9 runs, he was at the crease for over an hour giving excellent support.
He is no doubt a young spinner with a bright future, and he carries the hopes of the nation on him materializing into Englands elite slow bowler.
Malinga Bandara (Sri Lanka), Age: 26, Test Average (Bowling): 37.76, (Batting): 14.75
Malinga Bandara made his debut for Sri Lanka way back in 1998, aged 18. Unfortunately the gulf was too big for him to immediately take to Test cricket. After a decidedly average First Test he found himself out of contention for some time (he wasn't selected again till Dec 2005).
Hindsight shows that he was indeed selected far too early to represent his country at the top level. He did appear for the Under 19 side in 1997 and in the Under 19 World Cup in South Africa.
In 2003 and 2004 he spent two seasons at Normandy Cricket Club in Englands Surrey League. He described the experience as "helping to improve his cricket overall".
Bandara put himself back into the international frame when he played in an unofficial Test series for Sri Lanka A team against England in 2005. He was Sri Lanka's outstanding performer, and in the 2nd Test he achieved match figures of 11-126. Also a handy lower order batsman, that can strike the ball well, he chipped in with scores of 45, 23, and 50.
Gloucestershire came calling for him later that year, and he replaced his fellow countryman Upul Chandana for the second half of the season. His success was evident when he picked up the Player of the Year award for taking 45 wickets at the expense of 24.15 per wicket.
He admits he learnt plenty at Gloucester (specifically about professionalism), including helpful advice from Pakistan star Mushtaq Ahmed who was playing for Sussex at the time.
His One Day international debut came at the beginning of 2006, and the signs were encouraging as he helped Sri Lanka qualify for the VB Finals against Australia. His record currently reads 17 wickets in 14 games at 28.52.
Leg spin is an exceptionally difficult art to master and at the age of 26, he still has time on his side. His immediate aim will be becoming a regular feature in Sri Lanka's Test side, and if he continues to improve he can look forward to a long and rewarding career for his country.
(Cricket365, 16/03/06)
Lancashire 2006
Lancashire will again be led by batsman Mark Chilton in the County Championship this season which gets underway on April 18 against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl.
After last season's successful promotion campaign, Lancs will be hoping to continue in the same vein with confidence high and good team morale.
They embark on this new season intent on capturing the Championship title - aiming to return it to their trophy cabinet for the first time since 1950.
Pre-season has given the squad the chance to dust off the cobwebs, and has generally been very beneficial, despite a 24 run defeat against Yorkshire on Tuesday. The highlight being the highly prosperous 10-day trip to St. Kitts.
It was seen as an ideal opportunity to sharpen their skills in match situations, and give a chance to the more inexperienced players in the squad.
Indeed the younger players demonstrated an excellent attitude and temperament to compliment their obvious potential.
Incorporated with the youth, came the necessary blend of experience, which enabled Lancashire to register 6 straight victories, with each and every squad member making a telling contribution at some point.
Lancashire are renowned for producing capable young talent, and this was emphasised when they were rewarded for their development of English players.
The England and Wales cricket board operate a scheme where they reward counties whose players get selected for the English teams. The Red Rose county were the leading side for 2005, and received a welcome cash bonus of £13,526. No other county received more than £10,000.
Along with 'Freddie' Flintoff and James Anderson, who appear in the full England side, Lancs supplied players for England 'A', under 19's, under 17's, and under 15's squads.
John Stanworth (Director of the ECB Lancashire Academy) was understandably pleased.
He said: "This is hard evidence of the success of our youth programme, and our objective is to continually develop players capable of playing at the highest level."
Sadly, the down side to producing such quality will mean sparse appearances in Lancashire colours for both Flintoff and more than likely Anderson, after his recent performances in India.
Hoping to fill part of the void will be Australian Brad Hodge who is back for a second season, but his arrival will be delayed while he awaits the birth of his child.
Hodge will need no incentive, after being dropped from the Australian Test squad for their tours to South Africa and Bangladesh, despite averaging an impressive 58.42 in his 5 Tests.
The second overseas position is currently unfulfilled after Andrew Symonds turned down the chance to return, instead preferring to concentrate on cementing his Australian Test position.
One new arrival for Lancs sees Luke Sutton replace the retired Warren Hegg with the gloves after signing from Derbyshire. Gareth Cross will dispute the keepers berth with Sutton, though it is conceivable that both men can line up in the starting XI.
The batting line up will rely heavily on the shoulders of the experiened members of the squad in Sutcliffe, Loye, Law and captain Chilton. Also, Brad Hodge will be expected to fill his boots upon his arrival.
The bowling attack looks good on paper. Glenn Chapple has been impressive with the new ball pre-season, and you always know what you are going to get with Dominic Cork (whose contract has just been extended to the end of the 2007 season).
Sajid Mahmood will be hoping to enhance his England chances and Gary Keedy keen to show the England selectors what could have been, had he made the trips to the sub-continent.
Amidst this quality, throw in a handful of more than useful candidates learning their trade (ie Brown, Croft, Horton, Smith, Newby, Marshall), and the possibility of Jimmy Anderson. This shows Lancashire seem well equipped, not only to cope with the here and now but the future as well!
Whichever XI Lancashire select for that first game at Hampshire, it promises to be an intriguing season at Old Trafford. They will be looking to take that next step up, after last year reaching the Twenty 20 final, C&G Semi Final, and gaining promotion to the top Championship league.
It will be difficult, one would think, without that second overseas player, yet heartening to see the faith put in the youth to step up to the plate.
Lancashire will be confident of attaining some silverware in 2006, and Mark Chilton may have the honour of lofting a major trophy above his head.
(BBC Lancashire, 15/04/06)
After last season's successful promotion campaign, Lancs will be hoping to continue in the same vein with confidence high and good team morale.
They embark on this new season intent on capturing the Championship title - aiming to return it to their trophy cabinet for the first time since 1950.
Pre-season has given the squad the chance to dust off the cobwebs, and has generally been very beneficial, despite a 24 run defeat against Yorkshire on Tuesday. The highlight being the highly prosperous 10-day trip to St. Kitts.
It was seen as an ideal opportunity to sharpen their skills in match situations, and give a chance to the more inexperienced players in the squad.
Indeed the younger players demonstrated an excellent attitude and temperament to compliment their obvious potential.
Incorporated with the youth, came the necessary blend of experience, which enabled Lancashire to register 6 straight victories, with each and every squad member making a telling contribution at some point.
Lancashire are renowned for producing capable young talent, and this was emphasised when they were rewarded for their development of English players.
The England and Wales cricket board operate a scheme where they reward counties whose players get selected for the English teams. The Red Rose county were the leading side for 2005, and received a welcome cash bonus of £13,526. No other county received more than £10,000.
Along with 'Freddie' Flintoff and James Anderson, who appear in the full England side, Lancs supplied players for England 'A', under 19's, under 17's, and under 15's squads.
John Stanworth (Director of the ECB Lancashire Academy) was understandably pleased.
He said: "This is hard evidence of the success of our youth programme, and our objective is to continually develop players capable of playing at the highest level."
Sadly, the down side to producing such quality will mean sparse appearances in Lancashire colours for both Flintoff and more than likely Anderson, after his recent performances in India.
Hoping to fill part of the void will be Australian Brad Hodge who is back for a second season, but his arrival will be delayed while he awaits the birth of his child.
Hodge will need no incentive, after being dropped from the Australian Test squad for their tours to South Africa and Bangladesh, despite averaging an impressive 58.42 in his 5 Tests.
The second overseas position is currently unfulfilled after Andrew Symonds turned down the chance to return, instead preferring to concentrate on cementing his Australian Test position.
One new arrival for Lancs sees Luke Sutton replace the retired Warren Hegg with the gloves after signing from Derbyshire. Gareth Cross will dispute the keepers berth with Sutton, though it is conceivable that both men can line up in the starting XI.
The batting line up will rely heavily on the shoulders of the experiened members of the squad in Sutcliffe, Loye, Law and captain Chilton. Also, Brad Hodge will be expected to fill his boots upon his arrival.
The bowling attack looks good on paper. Glenn Chapple has been impressive with the new ball pre-season, and you always know what you are going to get with Dominic Cork (whose contract has just been extended to the end of the 2007 season).
Sajid Mahmood will be hoping to enhance his England chances and Gary Keedy keen to show the England selectors what could have been, had he made the trips to the sub-continent.
Amidst this quality, throw in a handful of more than useful candidates learning their trade (ie Brown, Croft, Horton, Smith, Newby, Marshall), and the possibility of Jimmy Anderson. This shows Lancashire seem well equipped, not only to cope with the here and now but the future as well!
Whichever XI Lancashire select for that first game at Hampshire, it promises to be an intriguing season at Old Trafford. They will be looking to take that next step up, after last year reaching the Twenty 20 final, C&G Semi Final, and gaining promotion to the top Championship league.
It will be difficult, one would think, without that second overseas player, yet heartening to see the faith put in the youth to step up to the plate.
Lancashire will be confident of attaining some silverware in 2006, and Mark Chilton may have the honour of lofting a major trophy above his head.
(BBC Lancashire, 15/04/06)
Lancs v Hants, at OT
Hants (7 pts) 194, 54-0 drew with Lancs (8 pts) 224.
The weather played an integral part in the opening Championship game at Old Trafford, hardly a shock at this at this time of year,as the game petered out into a tame draw due to the wet conditions.
It is, however, still disappointing as this potentially captivating opener started to unfold with two sides who both harbour ambitions of pushing Champions Notts right to the very end.
Despite the main overseas attractions not on show this week (as well as Flintoff, Anderson, Mahmood and Pietersen), there was enough quality here to keep the spectators riveted throughout.
The game did not get underway on day one at the scheduled time, but finally at 3pm we had some action. Mark Chilton had won the toss and made a seemingly predictable decision to insert Hampshire into bat on a green looking surface.
In retrospect, the spectators that braved the weather and stuck around were fortunate enough to witness 51 overs that did not look possible at 11am the same morning.
It turned out to be a day Tom Smith will not forget in a hurry. He recently joined the professional staff at Old Trafford, having come through the academy and made an instant impact.
Smith picked up 3 wickets for 29 runs off his 13 overs to leave Hants reeling at the end of the first day on 139-7. Among his victims was returning player John Crawley, who left the club under a cloud in 2001, for 20.
Luke Sutton was another making his Lancastrian debut behind the stumps. He claimed 2 catches, one an outstanding effort diving to his right.
The experienced Glenn Chapple was also impressive, he is bowling as quick now as he ever has and no less accurate.
The Hampshire batsmen were making starts but not converting these scores into more commanding totals, and within 17 overs of day two Lancs had wrapped the innings up. Dominic Cork, Oliver Newby and Chapple picking up the remaining 3 wickets, Chapple finishing with 3-46.
It could have been worse still for the South Coast side, had Zimbabwean all-rounder Sean Ervine not played a sensible innings of 44 not out, including a crucial partnership of 41 for the last wicket.
The home side found out that the conditions were not easy, and slumped to 88-5 having lost key players in Chilton, Loye, Law, Horton and Sutton. It was left to Chapple and Sutcliffe to attempt to re-build the innings.
After accumulating 54 for the sixth wicket, Sutcliffe finally fell for 39, the awkwardness of the pitch emphasised by the 189 minutes he took at the crease.
On the third, and what turned out to be the final day, Chapple managed to reach 70, before falling to Hants seamer Richard Logan. Along the way he received good support from Tom Smith who made 26.
On passing 54 runs, Chapple joined an elite band. He became the 10th Lancastrian to reach 5,000 first-class runs and take 500 wickets. A monumental effort and just reward for such a loyal and consistent performer.
The records were not finished for this game, Hants keeper Nic Pothas becoming the first player in the clubs history to claim 7 victims in a first-class innings.
Lancashire finished all out for 224, a lead of 30 runs. James Bruce the pick of the visitors attack taking 4-52.
Hampshire reduced the deficit without any undue problems and when the rain brought an inevitable yet premature end to the day they had reached 54 without loss.
Despite the ground staffs best efforts, play was not possible on the final day due to the persistent rain.
So a draw to start with for Lancs, and they picked up 8 points for their troubles, Hampshire travelled home with 7.
One thing is for sure, both sides will be buoyed by the arrival of their Australians who are due imminently. Brad Hodge at Old Trafford and the mercurial Shane Warne at the Rose Bowl.
(BBC Lancashire, 24/04/06)
The weather played an integral part in the opening Championship game at Old Trafford, hardly a shock at this at this time of year,as the game petered out into a tame draw due to the wet conditions.
It is, however, still disappointing as this potentially captivating opener started to unfold with two sides who both harbour ambitions of pushing Champions Notts right to the very end.
Despite the main overseas attractions not on show this week (as well as Flintoff, Anderson, Mahmood and Pietersen), there was enough quality here to keep the spectators riveted throughout.
The game did not get underway on day one at the scheduled time, but finally at 3pm we had some action. Mark Chilton had won the toss and made a seemingly predictable decision to insert Hampshire into bat on a green looking surface.
In retrospect, the spectators that braved the weather and stuck around were fortunate enough to witness 51 overs that did not look possible at 11am the same morning.
It turned out to be a day Tom Smith will not forget in a hurry. He recently joined the professional staff at Old Trafford, having come through the academy and made an instant impact.
Smith picked up 3 wickets for 29 runs off his 13 overs to leave Hants reeling at the end of the first day on 139-7. Among his victims was returning player John Crawley, who left the club under a cloud in 2001, for 20.
Luke Sutton was another making his Lancastrian debut behind the stumps. He claimed 2 catches, one an outstanding effort diving to his right.
The experienced Glenn Chapple was also impressive, he is bowling as quick now as he ever has and no less accurate.
The Hampshire batsmen were making starts but not converting these scores into more commanding totals, and within 17 overs of day two Lancs had wrapped the innings up. Dominic Cork, Oliver Newby and Chapple picking up the remaining 3 wickets, Chapple finishing with 3-46.
It could have been worse still for the South Coast side, had Zimbabwean all-rounder Sean Ervine not played a sensible innings of 44 not out, including a crucial partnership of 41 for the last wicket.
The home side found out that the conditions were not easy, and slumped to 88-5 having lost key players in Chilton, Loye, Law, Horton and Sutton. It was left to Chapple and Sutcliffe to attempt to re-build the innings.
After accumulating 54 for the sixth wicket, Sutcliffe finally fell for 39, the awkwardness of the pitch emphasised by the 189 minutes he took at the crease.
On the third, and what turned out to be the final day, Chapple managed to reach 70, before falling to Hants seamer Richard Logan. Along the way he received good support from Tom Smith who made 26.
On passing 54 runs, Chapple joined an elite band. He became the 10th Lancastrian to reach 5,000 first-class runs and take 500 wickets. A monumental effort and just reward for such a loyal and consistent performer.
The records were not finished for this game, Hants keeper Nic Pothas becoming the first player in the clubs history to claim 7 victims in a first-class innings.
Lancashire finished all out for 224, a lead of 30 runs. James Bruce the pick of the visitors attack taking 4-52.
Hampshire reduced the deficit without any undue problems and when the rain brought an inevitable yet premature end to the day they had reached 54 without loss.
Despite the ground staffs best efforts, play was not possible on the final day due to the persistent rain.
So a draw to start with for Lancs, and they picked up 8 points for their troubles, Hampshire travelled home with 7.
One thing is for sure, both sides will be buoyed by the arrival of their Australians who are due imminently. Brad Hodge at Old Trafford and the mercurial Shane Warne at the Rose Bowl.
(BBC Lancashire, 24/04/06)
Astle Uncovered
Described as 'arguably New Zealand's greatest ever one-day player', by members of the New Zealand media, Lancashire's new signing Nathan Astle is arriving at Old Trafford in June with a rather large reputation in tow.
Whether that statement is too flattering is indeed open to debate, but there is no question that Astle comes with the kind of explosive batting talent that will ensure bums on seats at grounds around the country. The plan is also to help fade the memory of Brad Hodge's departure from Lancashire as he returns home for an Australian 'A' team tournament.
One thing the new overseas signing will bring with him is experience - in abundance. He has represented New Zealand in 79 Test matches and 212 One-Day Internationals.
His strike rate of 72.74 runs per 100 balls in the one-day game shows his aggressive nature, and he also scored 16 centuries (which currently sees him in joint 9th position in the most centuries ever scored in one-day internationals), including an impressive 83 sixes!
The style and techniques of the departing Aussie and arriving Kiwi are quite different. Brad Hodge is the more classical and orthodox bat, where as Astle is more comfortable making room for himself and blazing through the offside, unconcerned if the ball takes the aerial route. The immense power he strikes the ball with has the fielders and spectators alike diving for cover.
The man from Canterbury is perhaps best known for scoring the fastest double century in Test cricket in 2002. England was the opposition and they were flayed to all parts of the ground as he reached his 200 off 153 balls, before finally falling for 222.
Nathan Astle isn't just a one trick pony, he possesses a safe pair of hands, generally in slips, and has the uncanny knack of breaking partnerships with his wily medium pace.
County cricket is not something new to Astle. He appeared on these shores back in 1997 for Nottinghamshire and also in 2005 for Durham.
His record in domestic cricket in England is impressive without being outstanding. He has scored 917 runs at an average of 38.2 and taken 25 wickets at 25.68.
There is no doubt many people will come to watch Nathan Astle alone, hoping to catch this potential match winner in full flow. However, Mike Watkinson and co will be hoping he achieves the consistency of his Australian predecessor.
(BBC Lancashire, 07/06/06)
Whether that statement is too flattering is indeed open to debate, but there is no question that Astle comes with the kind of explosive batting talent that will ensure bums on seats at grounds around the country. The plan is also to help fade the memory of Brad Hodge's departure from Lancashire as he returns home for an Australian 'A' team tournament.
One thing the new overseas signing will bring with him is experience - in abundance. He has represented New Zealand in 79 Test matches and 212 One-Day Internationals.
His strike rate of 72.74 runs per 100 balls in the one-day game shows his aggressive nature, and he also scored 16 centuries (which currently sees him in joint 9th position in the most centuries ever scored in one-day internationals), including an impressive 83 sixes!
The style and techniques of the departing Aussie and arriving Kiwi are quite different. Brad Hodge is the more classical and orthodox bat, where as Astle is more comfortable making room for himself and blazing through the offside, unconcerned if the ball takes the aerial route. The immense power he strikes the ball with has the fielders and spectators alike diving for cover.
The man from Canterbury is perhaps best known for scoring the fastest double century in Test cricket in 2002. England was the opposition and they were flayed to all parts of the ground as he reached his 200 off 153 balls, before finally falling for 222.
Nathan Astle isn't just a one trick pony, he possesses a safe pair of hands, generally in slips, and has the uncanny knack of breaking partnerships with his wily medium pace.
County cricket is not something new to Astle. He appeared on these shores back in 1997 for Nottinghamshire and also in 2005 for Durham.
His record in domestic cricket in England is impressive without being outstanding. He has scored 917 runs at an average of 38.2 and taken 25 wickets at 25.68.
There is no doubt many people will come to watch Nathan Astle alone, hoping to catch this potential match winner in full flow. However, Mike Watkinson and co will be hoping he achieves the consistency of his Australian predecessor.
(BBC Lancashire, 07/06/06)
Lancashire on Tour
Since Lancashire's season finished last year, four of the squad will have visited 5 different countries between them (not including England) over the winter months in aid of international cricket.
Andrew Flintoff would have better advised purchasing a round the world ticket, as he has called at Australia, Pakistan and has now arrived in India, returning home after each tour.
Brad Hodge flew home and joyously made his international debut for Australia and will imminently be flying with members of the Test squad to contest a series in South Africa.
Jimmy Anderson also joined Flintoff in Pakistan, for the one-day series and is currently with Sajid Mahmood in the West Indies for the England A Squad tour.
'Freddie' appeared in England's disappointing tour of Pakistan where they lost the Test series 2-0 and the one-day series 3-2. Flintoff himself never really recaptured his Ashes form, such is the exceptional level he has set for himself. Given the pitches offered England's seamers very little in terms of pace, bounce and movement, Flintoff did well in capturing 13 wickets in the 3 Tests (8 coming in the first test), averaging 31.46. He never really got going with the bat, passing fifty on only the one occasion in 6 attempts.
In the ODI's he averaged an improved 46.75 with the bat, and with the ball he was generally accurate, especially when asked to bowl at the death.
The England squad, who are preparing for the First Test against India in Nagpur on March 1, will be missing the inspirational all-rounder for the third and final Test, if, as expected, he returns home to be with his wife Rachel for the birth of their second child.
Flintoff also flew to Australia in October to appear in the inaugural (or farcical) World Series where he represented a strong looking World XI against Australia. The World XI being soundly beaten in both forms of the game.
The big man has been collecting awards like he has air miles. He became the first cricketer since England Legend Ian Botham to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. He was awarded Natwest PFA Player of the Year, for the second year running, voted for by the players, and he collected (along with Jacques Kallis) the ICC World Player of the Year. Finally, he was given an MBE along with the other England Ashes heroes on December 31. Busy or what ?
Lancashire's overseas player Brad Hodge made his first class debut for Victoria in October 1993, and after 12 years of consistently scoring big runs he finally broke through into the Australian side this winter. It came in November against West Indies where he made a solid 60 in his first knock.
Hodge, 31, would surely have made his international bow years earlier, had the Aussies not been so dominant in the last decade.
He went some way to cementing his Test place when he produced a quite brilliant 203 not out in only his third Test, this time against South Africa. In the process becoming only the 5th Australian to go on and pass 200 in the innings he made his maiden Test century.
His one-day international career has also got underway, but he has not yet been as successful in the 50-over game.
He will certainly be looking to build on his ever growing reputation in the Test series in South Africa starting on March 16.
Fast bowler Jimmy Anderson has represented England only in the shortened version of the game, so far this winter. He has yet to regain the England form that catapulted him into the public eye, but showed signs in Pakistan.He captured 7 wickets at the cost of 25.57 apiece. His best figures coming in the final game where he took 4-48 in Rawalpindi.
He has not played a Test match since January 2005 and is currently on standby in the Caribbean with England 'A', hoping to get noticed with the type of performances we all know he is capable of. He will of course be joining England in India when the one-day series gets underway.
Another player aiming to get some recognition from the England management while in the Caribbean is another Lancashire quick, Sajid Mahmood.
His willingness to continue learning and improving saw him travel to Dennis Lillee's Fast Bowling Academy in Chennai (Madras). He made the trip along with Simon Jones, Notts Mark Footit, coaching guru Troy Cooley and his impending replacement Kevin Shine.
A mention should also go to Tom Smith, who signed professionally with Lancashire for the forthcoming season, as he was named a part-time student at the ECB National Academy for winter 2005/06.
Let us hope when the domestic season arrives upon us, that all these players return fully fit and better players for their winter experiences.
(BBC Lancashire, 24/02/06)
Andrew Flintoff would have better advised purchasing a round the world ticket, as he has called at Australia, Pakistan and has now arrived in India, returning home after each tour.
Brad Hodge flew home and joyously made his international debut for Australia and will imminently be flying with members of the Test squad to contest a series in South Africa.
Jimmy Anderson also joined Flintoff in Pakistan, for the one-day series and is currently with Sajid Mahmood in the West Indies for the England A Squad tour.
'Freddie' appeared in England's disappointing tour of Pakistan where they lost the Test series 2-0 and the one-day series 3-2. Flintoff himself never really recaptured his Ashes form, such is the exceptional level he has set for himself. Given the pitches offered England's seamers very little in terms of pace, bounce and movement, Flintoff did well in capturing 13 wickets in the 3 Tests (8 coming in the first test), averaging 31.46. He never really got going with the bat, passing fifty on only the one occasion in 6 attempts.
In the ODI's he averaged an improved 46.75 with the bat, and with the ball he was generally accurate, especially when asked to bowl at the death.
The England squad, who are preparing for the First Test against India in Nagpur on March 1, will be missing the inspirational all-rounder for the third and final Test, if, as expected, he returns home to be with his wife Rachel for the birth of their second child.
Flintoff also flew to Australia in October to appear in the inaugural (or farcical) World Series where he represented a strong looking World XI against Australia. The World XI being soundly beaten in both forms of the game.
The big man has been collecting awards like he has air miles. He became the first cricketer since England Legend Ian Botham to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. He was awarded Natwest PFA Player of the Year, for the second year running, voted for by the players, and he collected (along with Jacques Kallis) the ICC World Player of the Year. Finally, he was given an MBE along with the other England Ashes heroes on December 31. Busy or what ?
Lancashire's overseas player Brad Hodge made his first class debut for Victoria in October 1993, and after 12 years of consistently scoring big runs he finally broke through into the Australian side this winter. It came in November against West Indies where he made a solid 60 in his first knock.
Hodge, 31, would surely have made his international bow years earlier, had the Aussies not been so dominant in the last decade.
He went some way to cementing his Test place when he produced a quite brilliant 203 not out in only his third Test, this time against South Africa. In the process becoming only the 5th Australian to go on and pass 200 in the innings he made his maiden Test century.
His one-day international career has also got underway, but he has not yet been as successful in the 50-over game.
He will certainly be looking to build on his ever growing reputation in the Test series in South Africa starting on March 16.
Fast bowler Jimmy Anderson has represented England only in the shortened version of the game, so far this winter. He has yet to regain the England form that catapulted him into the public eye, but showed signs in Pakistan.He captured 7 wickets at the cost of 25.57 apiece. His best figures coming in the final game where he took 4-48 in Rawalpindi.
He has not played a Test match since January 2005 and is currently on standby in the Caribbean with England 'A', hoping to get noticed with the type of performances we all know he is capable of. He will of course be joining England in India when the one-day series gets underway.
Another player aiming to get some recognition from the England management while in the Caribbean is another Lancashire quick, Sajid Mahmood.
His willingness to continue learning and improving saw him travel to Dennis Lillee's Fast Bowling Academy in Chennai (Madras). He made the trip along with Simon Jones, Notts Mark Footit, coaching guru Troy Cooley and his impending replacement Kevin Shine.
A mention should also go to Tom Smith, who signed professionally with Lancashire for the forthcoming season, as he was named a part-time student at the ECB National Academy for winter 2005/06.
Let us hope when the domestic season arrives upon us, that all these players return fully fit and better players for their winter experiences.
(BBC Lancashire, 24/02/06)
Finally Loye gets his Reward!
Recently selected in England's 30-man provisional World Cup squad, his chances of making the final cut appeared slim. Previously not been given a chance to prove he can do to international attacks - yet that's what he does so consistently and menacingly to the County sides. It seemed unlikely he would have forced his way in without having had any international exposure.
With Michael Vaughan tearing his hamstring Loye belatedly gets his chance to show his worth and showcase his talent ahead of the selection of the final 15-man World Cup squad which is announced on 15 February.
The confusion in and around England's World Cup selection places is as clear to see as the constant question marks over West Indies readiness to stage this prestigious event that kicks off with the opening ceremony on 11 March.
England have stated they are happy with their top three. While Strauss, Vaughan, and Bell are all quality players in their own right, are any of these capable of giving England the kind of impetus at the start of the innings to take full advantage of the growingly important early powerplays?
With no Trescothick, and Pietersen returning home early, the current side seem short on boundary firepower within the batting ranks to cause the top sides great concern with regards the run rate. As we have witnessed in the past, much pressure is being placed on the shoulders of our own 'Freddie' Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen to keep the scorers pen busy. However, both are too important to give it away early in their innings attempting to unnecessarily hit over the top.
So to Mal Loye, this is certainly a man that is worthy of his chance, someone who is more than capable of setting a ferocious pace at the top of the innings. This is generally achieved by the combination of bludgeoning blows and innovative deflections, especially the sweep shot to the more express pace bowlers - a sight that is worth the admission fee alone - if just to see the puzzled expressions on the strike bowlers face.
Loye comes into the squad after another excellent domestic season in 2006. He led the way for Lancashire in the C & G Trophy finishing the clear leading runscorer in the tournament ( nearly 100 runs ahead of second placed Jimmy Maher) with 531 runs at an average of 75.85 and an impressive 88 runs per 100 balls. It would be unfair to have Loye pigeon-holed as a one-day specialist (despite his obvious strengths in this area) , as he made a shade under 1300 County Championship runs last season, including 6 centuries.
It would have been understandable for Loye's international ambitions to fade and the thought of testing himself at the highest level beginning to diminish given the fact he is rather in the later stages of his career at the age of 34. But the recent call up of wicket-keeper Paul Nixon who made his debut at 36 must have persuaded Loye to keep his mobile phone fully charged up and await a rather important call, especially when he would have seen Michael Vaughan in much discomfort clutching the back of his left leg in the last ODI.
He now makes the short trip from New Zealand, where he has been playing for Auckland over the winter. He has featured in two 50 over games and made 90 and 34 at typically speedy pace.
Let us now hope that after such a patient wait, Malachy Bernard Loye's years of consistently entertaining the Old Trafford (and Wantage Road) faithful takes him onto the highest one-day stage of all - appearing in a World Cup. You get the impression, if he gets his chance, he will not disappoint.
Chris Dehring, the Chief Executive of the World Cup project, recently suggested that preparing for this World Cup was like a side chasing a large target in the closing overs of a one-day international, if Loye and Flintoff were at the crease this tournament should run like a dream.
(BBC Lancashire, 24/01/07)
With Michael Vaughan tearing his hamstring Loye belatedly gets his chance to show his worth and showcase his talent ahead of the selection of the final 15-man World Cup squad which is announced on 15 February.
The confusion in and around England's World Cup selection places is as clear to see as the constant question marks over West Indies readiness to stage this prestigious event that kicks off with the opening ceremony on 11 March.
England have stated they are happy with their top three. While Strauss, Vaughan, and Bell are all quality players in their own right, are any of these capable of giving England the kind of impetus at the start of the innings to take full advantage of the growingly important early powerplays?
With no Trescothick, and Pietersen returning home early, the current side seem short on boundary firepower within the batting ranks to cause the top sides great concern with regards the run rate. As we have witnessed in the past, much pressure is being placed on the shoulders of our own 'Freddie' Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen to keep the scorers pen busy. However, both are too important to give it away early in their innings attempting to unnecessarily hit over the top.
So to Mal Loye, this is certainly a man that is worthy of his chance, someone who is more than capable of setting a ferocious pace at the top of the innings. This is generally achieved by the combination of bludgeoning blows and innovative deflections, especially the sweep shot to the more express pace bowlers - a sight that is worth the admission fee alone - if just to see the puzzled expressions on the strike bowlers face.
Loye comes into the squad after another excellent domestic season in 2006. He led the way for Lancashire in the C & G Trophy finishing the clear leading runscorer in the tournament ( nearly 100 runs ahead of second placed Jimmy Maher) with 531 runs at an average of 75.85 and an impressive 88 runs per 100 balls. It would be unfair to have Loye pigeon-holed as a one-day specialist (despite his obvious strengths in this area) , as he made a shade under 1300 County Championship runs last season, including 6 centuries.
It would have been understandable for Loye's international ambitions to fade and the thought of testing himself at the highest level beginning to diminish given the fact he is rather in the later stages of his career at the age of 34. But the recent call up of wicket-keeper Paul Nixon who made his debut at 36 must have persuaded Loye to keep his mobile phone fully charged up and await a rather important call, especially when he would have seen Michael Vaughan in much discomfort clutching the back of his left leg in the last ODI.
He now makes the short trip from New Zealand, where he has been playing for Auckland over the winter. He has featured in two 50 over games and made 90 and 34 at typically speedy pace.
Let us now hope that after such a patient wait, Malachy Bernard Loye's years of consistently entertaining the Old Trafford (and Wantage Road) faithful takes him onto the highest one-day stage of all - appearing in a World Cup. You get the impression, if he gets his chance, he will not disappoint.
Chris Dehring, the Chief Executive of the World Cup project, recently suggested that preparing for this World Cup was like a side chasing a large target in the closing overs of a one-day international, if Loye and Flintoff were at the crease this tournament should run like a dream.
(BBC Lancashire, 24/01/07)
Lancashire's Caribbean Trio
There will have been contrasting feelings surrounding Old Trafford. On one hand will have been the happiness shared by Sajid Mahmood, Jimmy Anderson and Andrew Flintoff, and on the other, the disappointment for Mal Loye and Glenn Chapple on missing out in England's World Cup squad of 15.
Chapple was probably considered to have only an outside chance of reaching destination Caribbean having not had any international game time to impress the selectors. Meanwhile, Loye's hard and innovative hitting at the top of the order in England's recent CB Series success, was not deemed enough to retain his place in the squad.
Loye will look back on a series of starts without going on to make a big score and truly cement his place in the squad. His style of batting certainly had the Australian opening bowlers looking puzzled, as he regularly got down onto one knee for his trademark slog sweep (which on one occasion did earn him a trip to hospital to have his chin stitched up). At this level when a supposed weakness is found the bowlers have the quality to exploit it, and this seemed the case as they probed away just outside Loye's off stump inducing the drive, resulting in him being dismissed four times caught behind the wicket early in the series. The perils for an opening bat of facing bowlers who use the new ball expertly.
It appears Ravi Bopara was the man selected ahead of Lancashire's opener, with England preferring a more multi-dimensional player rather than travelling to the World Cup with seven specialist batsmen.
It is not inconceivable that Loye may still make it to the West Indies as a replacement if any of the batsmen get injured, and with Michael Vaughan's recent problems I shouldn't think Loye will leave his passport too far out of reach.
Jimmy Anderson's selection will be subject to further re-assessment regarding his troublesome back problem. He returned home early from the recent Australian tour merely as a precaution as he was receiving discomfort in a similar area to the problem he had last year. He is back in the nets at Lancashire but only as a batsman, and England will be hoping it isn't too long before he gets a few overs under his belt.
It was during the World Cup in 2003 that Anderson announced himself on the world scene, when at Newlands against Pakistan he ripped through their top order taking 4-29 off his 10 overs, including Yousuf and Inzamam, both for first ballers.
Mahmood's recall into the one-day side coincided with England winning the last four games on the Australian tour and he was understandably delighted when he was told of his inclusion in the World Cup party.
This is considered just reward for the fast bowler who bowled some more than useful spells in the recent CB Series, where he concentrated more on his areas as averse to trying to bowl too quickly.
He visited the West Indies in the early part of last year with the England 'A' squad with encouraging success. He claimed 12 wickets in five one-day games, against West Indies respective 'A' side, at an average of 15.75, also picking up 12 wickets in two 4-day matches. A repeat of that form will certainly help England to progress to the later stages of the competition.
There was no doubt that 'Freddie' Flintoff was to be included in England's selection, it was merely a question of what capacity. Would he be chosen as the man to attempt to lead England to their first ever World Cup victory or would he be restored back to the ranks to concentrate solely on winning England matches with his performances. The latter option was decided as England opted for the injury ravaged Vaughan to take centre stage.
Now does this show a lack of faith in Freddie's leadership that they are willing to gamble once again on a man so unfortunate with knee and hamstring problems, and without a great ODI record, in the hope that he can somehow survive the furious pace of such a prestigious one-day event? Or is it simply the fact that England are a better side when Vaughan takes control and asserts his calming, yet authoritative leadership on the team and leaving Freddie free from the strains of captaincy and focused solely on his own contributions?
It certainly took the pressure off the selectors when it was announced that any injured players can be replaced by players selected in the original 30-man party, making it much less of a gamble to include Vaughan.
So with the unfortunate Loye and Chapple left to watch the event at home, Lancashire will still have three representatives in the England set-up. They will also have two other players that will be representing their countries in Brad Hodge, who was selected for tournament favourites Australia, and Muttiah Muralitharan, who will be hoping to spin Sri Lanka to a repeat of their victorious 1996 campaign.
It is possible that Lancs will be without five of their side when they take to the field at Edgbaston on April 18 for the first game of the County Championship season. That is if England, Australia and Sri Lanka progress to the closing stages of the competition with the second stage of the World Cup not concluding till April 21.
Still I am sure we can find forgiveness for the England trio should they still be there.
(BBC Lancashire, 20/02/07)
Chapple was probably considered to have only an outside chance of reaching destination Caribbean having not had any international game time to impress the selectors. Meanwhile, Loye's hard and innovative hitting at the top of the order in England's recent CB Series success, was not deemed enough to retain his place in the squad.
Loye will look back on a series of starts without going on to make a big score and truly cement his place in the squad. His style of batting certainly had the Australian opening bowlers looking puzzled, as he regularly got down onto one knee for his trademark slog sweep (which on one occasion did earn him a trip to hospital to have his chin stitched up). At this level when a supposed weakness is found the bowlers have the quality to exploit it, and this seemed the case as they probed away just outside Loye's off stump inducing the drive, resulting in him being dismissed four times caught behind the wicket early in the series. The perils for an opening bat of facing bowlers who use the new ball expertly.
It appears Ravi Bopara was the man selected ahead of Lancashire's opener, with England preferring a more multi-dimensional player rather than travelling to the World Cup with seven specialist batsmen.
It is not inconceivable that Loye may still make it to the West Indies as a replacement if any of the batsmen get injured, and with Michael Vaughan's recent problems I shouldn't think Loye will leave his passport too far out of reach.
Jimmy Anderson's selection will be subject to further re-assessment regarding his troublesome back problem. He returned home early from the recent Australian tour merely as a precaution as he was receiving discomfort in a similar area to the problem he had last year. He is back in the nets at Lancashire but only as a batsman, and England will be hoping it isn't too long before he gets a few overs under his belt.
It was during the World Cup in 2003 that Anderson announced himself on the world scene, when at Newlands against Pakistan he ripped through their top order taking 4-29 off his 10 overs, including Yousuf and Inzamam, both for first ballers.
Mahmood's recall into the one-day side coincided with England winning the last four games on the Australian tour and he was understandably delighted when he was told of his inclusion in the World Cup party.
This is considered just reward for the fast bowler who bowled some more than useful spells in the recent CB Series, where he concentrated more on his areas as averse to trying to bowl too quickly.
He visited the West Indies in the early part of last year with the England 'A' squad with encouraging success. He claimed 12 wickets in five one-day games, against West Indies respective 'A' side, at an average of 15.75, also picking up 12 wickets in two 4-day matches. A repeat of that form will certainly help England to progress to the later stages of the competition.
There was no doubt that 'Freddie' Flintoff was to be included in England's selection, it was merely a question of what capacity. Would he be chosen as the man to attempt to lead England to their first ever World Cup victory or would he be restored back to the ranks to concentrate solely on winning England matches with his performances. The latter option was decided as England opted for the injury ravaged Vaughan to take centre stage.
Now does this show a lack of faith in Freddie's leadership that they are willing to gamble once again on a man so unfortunate with knee and hamstring problems, and without a great ODI record, in the hope that he can somehow survive the furious pace of such a prestigious one-day event? Or is it simply the fact that England are a better side when Vaughan takes control and asserts his calming, yet authoritative leadership on the team and leaving Freddie free from the strains of captaincy and focused solely on his own contributions?
It certainly took the pressure off the selectors when it was announced that any injured players can be replaced by players selected in the original 30-man party, making it much less of a gamble to include Vaughan.
So with the unfortunate Loye and Chapple left to watch the event at home, Lancashire will still have three representatives in the England set-up. They will also have two other players that will be representing their countries in Brad Hodge, who was selected for tournament favourites Australia, and Muttiah Muralitharan, who will be hoping to spin Sri Lanka to a repeat of their victorious 1996 campaign.
It is possible that Lancs will be without five of their side when they take to the field at Edgbaston on April 18 for the first game of the County Championship season. That is if England, Australia and Sri Lanka progress to the closing stages of the competition with the second stage of the World Cup not concluding till April 21.
Still I am sure we can find forgiveness for the England trio should they still be there.
(BBC Lancashire, 20/02/07)
England's Keeper Dilemma
The England selection committee are doing their level best to imitate cartoon favourite Homer Simpson when asked the question who should be England's permanent and long-term wicket-keeper. One can imagine the blank faces, head scratching and indecision as if Homer was asked to sacrifice his doughnut or his beer.
Since Australia's Adam Gilchrist has seemingly raised the bar in the role of a wicket-keeper, it has become integral for this man to make big scores, and England appear to be the only country having considerable problems with whom to select. Many of the nations seem to be settled in this particular position, using one man to feature in both one-day and five-day cricket, only Kumar Sangakkara does not keep in both forms of the game, due to his continued brilliance as a specialist number 3 batsman in Test cricket.
In the latest LG ICC Player Rankings, three wicket-keepers feature in the Top 10 ODI Batsman. Australia's Gilchrist, India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sri Lanka's Sangakkara are setting the example for keepers round the world.
Geraint Jones began the Ashes with the backing of Duncan Fletcher and it was generally considered his position to lose, which he duly did after the first three dismal Tests in Australia when, what is considered to be his strength, his batting, sadly let him down. His work behind the stumps was certainly more impressive than his work in front of them, predominantly faultless throughout with the gloves, accentuating his improvement in this area since he first joined the England squad. However, it is indeed his work with the willow that gained him the advantage in his Ashes selection over Chris Read, but unfortunately he has not delivered. In his last 20 innings he has accumulated a meagre 229 runs at an average of 12.05, a considerable drop, when you take into account after his first 6 Tests he averaged in excess of 40.
So the gloves appeared to be reluctantly thrown back to Nottinghamshire's Read, an act that would have hurt Fletcher in particular, as if to emphasize his initial selection was incorrect. Read could have counted himself hard done to in losing his place for the beginning of the recent Australian trip, as he kept impeccably on his recall to the side against Pakistan last summer. His scores were neither earth shattering nor disappointing but he did display encouragement for the future as he registered 38, 55, and 33 and kept wicket with the general tidiness that is incomparable within English domestic cricket. The impression given is that the management do not have full faith in his batting capabilities as a number seven and that certain technical deficiencies will always delay Read becoming a regular feature in the Test team. Maybe given time he could iron out his flaws and get to grips fully with the international scene and begin converting his impressive domestic form. Yet it seems that time is one commodity he is not about to be given.
Perhaps for Read to continue as England's regular, the option of changing team tactics could see him retained, by way of England going into the Tests with only 4 specialist bowlers, with Flintoff as one of them. This would create an opening for an extra batsman, presumably the returning captain Vaughan, fitness permitting, Flintoff dropping to number 7 and Read coming in one place below, thus not placing as much importance on him to contribute big runs.
So we come to the one-day game and a decision that puzzled most within the cricketing world. The debut handed to one wily old keeper by the name of Paul Nixon, which arrived very much out of the blue. Despite his consistent steady service to county cricket since 1989, at the age of 36, Nixon could have been forgiven for giving up on his international ambitions. This choice clearly made as a short term option, signifies the selectors bewilderment as to who to offer the gloves to on a long term and permanent basis for both forms of the game.
You certainly do not begrudge Nixon his moment in the spotlight, he is a fiercely competitive player who will keep things lively on the field and as expected make some typically innovative and crucial runs down the order accompanied by his usual high standard of glove work. If he continues to impress in Australia, a place in the World Cup side that appeared highly unlikely just a few months back could now become a reality, unlike his chance of getting the gloves for the 5-day version.
So who are England likely to turn to next ? Here is a brief look at four of the leading contenders -
1). Matthew Prior (Sussex) - Was born in South Africa and has already appeared for England in the one-day format, generally as an opening bat and with mixed success. Capable of exploiting early powerplays in one-day cricket he also offers a solid batting option down the order in Tests. A career first class batting average of a touch under 40 shows he is no slouch with the bat, crucial if England are to look twice at a keeper, he helped Sussex to the County Championship and the C&G Trophy last season. His development as a wicket-keeper was slightly hindered by having to share the role with Tim Ambrose while at Sussex (especially during seasons 2003 & 2004).
2). James Foster (Essex) - A premature selection for England some 5 years ago when he was aged 21 and to date has represented his country in 7 Tests and 11 one-day internationals. If the selectors required any reminding of what he is capable of, in 2006, Foster produced the largest of elbows in the selectors ribs. He claimed more victims than any other wicket-keeper in either division in the County Championship with 68 and he also exemplified his talent with the bat accumulating 721 runs at a more than reasonable average of 42.41 (he maintained his batting consistency in the C&G Trophy where he averaged 46.33). Lost his England place when he broke his arm, batting in an Essex net, allowing Alec Stewart the chance to take the gloves. Has since developed into a fine gloveman who has found increased consistency with the bat.
3). Steven Davies (Worcs) - Widely acknowledged as England's future wicket-keeper/batsman, the managemet will be only too aware of the dangers of throwing in a player before he is ready for Test cricket, a la Foster and Read. An undoubted talent, when at the crease Davies's batting has been described by his director of cricket at Worcester, Steve Rhodes, as having a 'bit of David Gower' about it, both a compliment and quite a burden. His glove work is still in need of some fine tuning but he displays a sound basic technique, and is a genuine wicket-keeper as averse to a batter that can keep. His potential remains unquestioned, but he is still young and learning and may have to settle for national selection further down the line.
4). Jon Batty (Surrey) - Rarely gets a mention when there is talk of who England's next keeper should be, and perhaps unfairly so. Since stepping out of the shadows of Alec Stewart at Surrey, Batty has proved himself worthy of a place among the Surrey superstars. He opens the batting in both forms of the game and was even given the chance to lead the side in 2003. A highly respected professional, who is now 32, and must be reinvigorated since Nixon's selection, four years his senior. His coach, Alan Butcher, is mystified as to why Batty never enters the equation, and believes the results he has produced put him alongside 'the best of his type in the country'.
To reiterate the value placed on a keeper to indulge in his fair share of runs, during the period of 1975 and 2000, 50 Test centuries were scored in total by all wicket-keepers. In the 2000's alone a further 50 Test hundreds have already been made.
It is therefore clear that whoever is next selected for England in this role must be an accomplished batsman that is capable of scoring centuries, however, one would hope that the old fashioned virtues of sound glovework are not compromised too extensively in the search for runs, as it is still a specialist position. The four players mentioned above (along with a handful of other keepers not mentioned - Pothas, Sutton, etc) will certainly all be hoping to get out of the traps quickly in 2007 and catch the eye of the selection committee ahead of the visiting West Indies in the middle of May.
(Cricket Web, 18/02/07)
Since Australia's Adam Gilchrist has seemingly raised the bar in the role of a wicket-keeper, it has become integral for this man to make big scores, and England appear to be the only country having considerable problems with whom to select. Many of the nations seem to be settled in this particular position, using one man to feature in both one-day and five-day cricket, only Kumar Sangakkara does not keep in both forms of the game, due to his continued brilliance as a specialist number 3 batsman in Test cricket.
In the latest LG ICC Player Rankings, three wicket-keepers feature in the Top 10 ODI Batsman. Australia's Gilchrist, India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sri Lanka's Sangakkara are setting the example for keepers round the world.
Geraint Jones began the Ashes with the backing of Duncan Fletcher and it was generally considered his position to lose, which he duly did after the first three dismal Tests in Australia when, what is considered to be his strength, his batting, sadly let him down. His work behind the stumps was certainly more impressive than his work in front of them, predominantly faultless throughout with the gloves, accentuating his improvement in this area since he first joined the England squad. However, it is indeed his work with the willow that gained him the advantage in his Ashes selection over Chris Read, but unfortunately he has not delivered. In his last 20 innings he has accumulated a meagre 229 runs at an average of 12.05, a considerable drop, when you take into account after his first 6 Tests he averaged in excess of 40.
So the gloves appeared to be reluctantly thrown back to Nottinghamshire's Read, an act that would have hurt Fletcher in particular, as if to emphasize his initial selection was incorrect. Read could have counted himself hard done to in losing his place for the beginning of the recent Australian trip, as he kept impeccably on his recall to the side against Pakistan last summer. His scores were neither earth shattering nor disappointing but he did display encouragement for the future as he registered 38, 55, and 33 and kept wicket with the general tidiness that is incomparable within English domestic cricket. The impression given is that the management do not have full faith in his batting capabilities as a number seven and that certain technical deficiencies will always delay Read becoming a regular feature in the Test team. Maybe given time he could iron out his flaws and get to grips fully with the international scene and begin converting his impressive domestic form. Yet it seems that time is one commodity he is not about to be given.
Perhaps for Read to continue as England's regular, the option of changing team tactics could see him retained, by way of England going into the Tests with only 4 specialist bowlers, with Flintoff as one of them. This would create an opening for an extra batsman, presumably the returning captain Vaughan, fitness permitting, Flintoff dropping to number 7 and Read coming in one place below, thus not placing as much importance on him to contribute big runs.
So we come to the one-day game and a decision that puzzled most within the cricketing world. The debut handed to one wily old keeper by the name of Paul Nixon, which arrived very much out of the blue. Despite his consistent steady service to county cricket since 1989, at the age of 36, Nixon could have been forgiven for giving up on his international ambitions. This choice clearly made as a short term option, signifies the selectors bewilderment as to who to offer the gloves to on a long term and permanent basis for both forms of the game.
You certainly do not begrudge Nixon his moment in the spotlight, he is a fiercely competitive player who will keep things lively on the field and as expected make some typically innovative and crucial runs down the order accompanied by his usual high standard of glove work. If he continues to impress in Australia, a place in the World Cup side that appeared highly unlikely just a few months back could now become a reality, unlike his chance of getting the gloves for the 5-day version.
So who are England likely to turn to next ? Here is a brief look at four of the leading contenders -
1). Matthew Prior (Sussex) - Was born in South Africa and has already appeared for England in the one-day format, generally as an opening bat and with mixed success. Capable of exploiting early powerplays in one-day cricket he also offers a solid batting option down the order in Tests. A career first class batting average of a touch under 40 shows he is no slouch with the bat, crucial if England are to look twice at a keeper, he helped Sussex to the County Championship and the C&G Trophy last season. His development as a wicket-keeper was slightly hindered by having to share the role with Tim Ambrose while at Sussex (especially during seasons 2003 & 2004).
2). James Foster (Essex) - A premature selection for England some 5 years ago when he was aged 21 and to date has represented his country in 7 Tests and 11 one-day internationals. If the selectors required any reminding of what he is capable of, in 2006, Foster produced the largest of elbows in the selectors ribs. He claimed more victims than any other wicket-keeper in either division in the County Championship with 68 and he also exemplified his talent with the bat accumulating 721 runs at a more than reasonable average of 42.41 (he maintained his batting consistency in the C&G Trophy where he averaged 46.33). Lost his England place when he broke his arm, batting in an Essex net, allowing Alec Stewart the chance to take the gloves. Has since developed into a fine gloveman who has found increased consistency with the bat.
3). Steven Davies (Worcs) - Widely acknowledged as England's future wicket-keeper/batsman, the managemet will be only too aware of the dangers of throwing in a player before he is ready for Test cricket, a la Foster and Read. An undoubted talent, when at the crease Davies's batting has been described by his director of cricket at Worcester, Steve Rhodes, as having a 'bit of David Gower' about it, both a compliment and quite a burden. His glove work is still in need of some fine tuning but he displays a sound basic technique, and is a genuine wicket-keeper as averse to a batter that can keep. His potential remains unquestioned, but he is still young and learning and may have to settle for national selection further down the line.
4). Jon Batty (Surrey) - Rarely gets a mention when there is talk of who England's next keeper should be, and perhaps unfairly so. Since stepping out of the shadows of Alec Stewart at Surrey, Batty has proved himself worthy of a place among the Surrey superstars. He opens the batting in both forms of the game and was even given the chance to lead the side in 2003. A highly respected professional, who is now 32, and must be reinvigorated since Nixon's selection, four years his senior. His coach, Alan Butcher, is mystified as to why Batty never enters the equation, and believes the results he has produced put him alongside 'the best of his type in the country'.
To reiterate the value placed on a keeper to indulge in his fair share of runs, during the period of 1975 and 2000, 50 Test centuries were scored in total by all wicket-keepers. In the 2000's alone a further 50 Test hundreds have already been made.
It is therefore clear that whoever is next selected for England in this role must be an accomplished batsman that is capable of scoring centuries, however, one would hope that the old fashioned virtues of sound glovework are not compromised too extensively in the search for runs, as it is still a specialist position. The four players mentioned above (along with a handful of other keepers not mentioned - Pothas, Sutton, etc) will certainly all be hoping to get out of the traps quickly in 2007 and catch the eye of the selection committee ahead of the visiting West Indies in the middle of May.
(Cricket Web, 18/02/07)
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