All posts tagged 'odi'

The long wait is over. Sports fans the world over have been twiddling their thumbs during this long inactive summer, but finally the drama is about to unfold. The biggest sporting festival in the world is about to begin to the constant hum of the cor anglais. The arguments over whether KP and Morgan can play in the middle order together will recommence and controversy will reign over the swinging new ball. Yes, it's the random 5 match ODI series between England and Australia. The anticipation has reached fever pitch as these two teams have only played each other in 5 tests, 8 ODIs and 3 T20s in the last year.

The Aussies are smarting from a humiliating drubbing in the ICC T20 final. They're missing the Oedipal Johnson through injury and have axed their much vaunted pacemen, Nannes and Tait, though Ricky "pissholes in the snow" Ponting is back to lead the team. England have come to the astounding revelation that ODIs are quite like T20s so are keeping much the same squad with the exception of the injured Bresnan and the returning Strauss.

Whilst it's tempting to write off the series as a pointless exercise, that would be to forget that England at last seem to have a plan for limited overs cricket and the personnel to carry it out. The ODI world cup is 8 months away and for once there is a settled look to the side. However, it doesn't pay to beat Australia too often. They tend to go home, hatch a brilliant ruse and exact revenge with ruthless precision, so I shall be hoping we keep our powder a little dry with the Ashes around the corner. To that end Finn has been omitted from a squad that will, in most other cases, be travelling to Australia this winter.

It's the first chance for us to check out Champagne Dougie Bollinger and All Right Mr. Mackay, but in most other respects the Australian team has a familiar look. And I for one look forward to welcoming Dougie Howser, aka Nathan Hauritz, back to these shores if for no other reason than that he is wonderfully innocuous and drives Aussie fans insane with rage.

The last time these two teams met in an ODI series the Aussies annihilated England 6-1, but something tells me it will be different this time. There are only 5 matches for a kick off and the Aussies feel very beatable. And England have never lost a limited overs game to Australia while Jarrod of www.cricketwithballs.com has been on the Sofa. So I predict the English sporting summer will get off to a rousing start, as everyone abandons the world horn blowing championships in South Africa and gorges themselves on the entrails of beaten Australians. 5-0? Yeah, why not.

So the phoney part of the phoney war is over and honours are even. Though anybody sitting through Smith and Bosman's partnership on Sunday of 170 in 13 overs could be forgiven for thinking that for us Tommies it may be prudent to sign a non aggression pact and get the hell out of South Africa on the first available bi-plane. The talk is of thrilling and exciting cricket; 20/20 as it should be played. 725 runs in 73 overs of cricket spread over two shortened days with one game ending in a one run victory should all add up to entertainment. I didn't quite see it that way. Two flat pitches and some diabolical bowling from both sides, but most especially England's 2nd or even 3rd string, made for repetitive tedium. The batting side is already hugely advantaged in 20/20 cricket by having 10 wickets to fall and only 20 overs to lose them in. If 20/20 is going to maintain its impact, there has to be something in the wicket for the bowlers or else all nuance goes down the Swanny.

Mahmood did manage to contrive one of the most exasperating overs (if you're English) or entertaining (if you're South African) in international cricket history. 2 wicket taking balls off a free hit and a no ball interspersed with length balls and long hops will hopefully have given the England hierarchy the necessary ammunition to make Mahmood the first casualty of the contest. He bowls a decent slower ball bouncer, every three balls. The rest go for four. Wright served up more full tosses than I received in the last three seasons of club cricket. Pieterson and Denly can't be blamed - because they can't bowl. Only Anderson found the right length, and therein lies optimism at least. Broad and Onions have yet to be unsheathed and once Swann returns, England's bowling attack will take on a very different look. But should injury hit any of the front line bowlers, there really is nothing left to fall back on. Perhaps Harmy needed picking after all.

The South Africans shouldn't get too jolly, mind. Smith aside, their man of the series was Loots Bosman and he won't play in the tests. Their other frontline batters had no crease time, and Steyn looked short of ideas on the flat tracks. Indeed, another one day specialist, Ryan Mclaren was probably the Saffies' best bowler. With Ntini down on pace and Morne Morkel erratic at best, the test series could be quite a run fest.

But first we must undergo the ritual humiliation that is a five match ODI series. Or maybe not. Strauss back at the helm. Broad and Onions fit? KP back in his stride. I'm making no predictions, but softly, nearly silently, I may allow a whisper of hope to escape my lips. But, if I so much as see Mahmood carrying Gatorade to the middle for an exhausted Cook, then take me to the nearest correctional facility, shine an angle poise lamp in my face and utter the truest of words: "for you, Tommy, the war is over". 

Listen to the 1st Twenty20 Highlights.

Listen to the 2nd Twenty20 Highlights.