The Forgotten Man

When it comes to the selection of All-Time XI's and debates about the greatest all-rounders. There is always one man who must be thinking, what about me? If you haven't already guessed it, he's South African and his first name is Jacques (if you haven't guessed it by now then you must either never have heard of cricket or you think that Jacques Rudolph's leg-spin is vastly underrated). It is of course, Jacques Kallis. The scorer of 11126 Test runs, 35 Test centuries, and an average of 55.07. He has also taken the small matter of 266 Test wickets at 31.59 apiece.

So after seeing these statistics (and cricket is a game completely obsessed by them) why is he not more celebrated? My guess would be his style. He is hardly the most exciting cricketer. But should this really enter into the equation? It shouldn't, but it does. If Andrew Flintoff had the same stats he would be considered an All-Time great, on a par with Sobers and an automatic selection in any All-Time XI.

In my view, Kallis is hardly a boring cricketer. He has a most beautiful cover drive and has adapted to the thrill-a-minute Twenty20 format well, much better than the more 'exciting' Michael Clarke. Although his strike rate in Tests is not exhilarating (44.52) he is 8th on the All-Time list of Test Match six hitters. I feel, however, like I might be preaching to the choir. In my opinion it is his no-thrills bowling, not his batting that edges him out of the equation. If Kallis was a leg-spinner, had an extraordinarily flexible wrist or could hurl the ball down at 95mph there is no doubt in my mind that he would be considered more highly.

He is a victim of his own extraordinary reliability. His miserly economy-rate of 2.81 tells the story of his job for South Africa. Get through some overs without going for too many runs while the quicks recover, if he picks up a wicket its a bonus. This is an almightily undervalued job as he puts pressure on batsmen, often picks up a wicket or two and sets it up nicely for the likes of Steyn to come in and tear away at the opposition.

When you consider that Kallis has also been the bedrock of the South African batting for more than a decade it is a wonder he is still bowling at all. As other all-rounders have faded away (read Flintoff, Oram and Cairns etc) he just keeps on going. If he can churn out a few more years he may well reach 300 Test Match wickets. This landmark of 10,000 runs and 300 wickets would mean he would join the likes of... well... himself in the most exclusive all-rounders club of them all.

However even if this landmark is reached I doubt his deserved acclaim will arrive. Maybe once Twenty20 has been run dry of all enjoyment by the constant stream of games, the love of Test Match attrition will return and Kallis will finally get the recognition he deserves.

When ESPNCricinfo released their All-Time 1st and 2nd XI's, Kallis was nowhere to be seen. I wonder whether his name came up during the discussions? I suspect not. I am as guilty as anyone for overlooking Kallis, for a week now I have been writing and scrutinising these XI's and during this time, not once did his name enter my head as a possible candidate. After writing this I now realise the error of my ways and I hope that the big man (Kallis, not God) can forgive me for my error in judgement.

If you base an all-rounders worth by the difference between batting and bowling average there is only one man who comes close to matching Kallis. Yep, you guessed it. Sobers edges Kallis out in these stakes by the thinnest of margins yet the esteem in which these all-rounders are held are poles apart.

One can only hope that in the future, the question of: Jacques Kallis in an All-Time XI? will elicit, maybe not a resounding yes. But perhaps... why not?

Australian Club Cricket

As you may or may not know, I am currently in Australia playing (well trying to play if the rain ever stops. Yes, you read that right. My first two games have been cancelled due to rain, which is more than my entire last season in England) grade cricket.

In my opinion, Australian club cricket has the perfect structure (compared to England's relatively poor structure). They have clear tiers of the game: First-class, State 2nd XI, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, Under 17's. Good performances in each tier will lead to a call-up to the next tier, there is a player at my club who is performing brilliantly and has thus been called up to the Tasmania 2nd XI. This is a marked difference from most of the cub structures in the UK, as there are only a few club leagues where good performances can lead to higher honours.

For me, the biggest difference is the fact that 2 day games are played regularly in Australia. This immediately gives Australian cricketers an advantage over their English counterparts as they learn how to construct an innings and bat all day at a young age. In England, junior teams play only twenty20's. It is no wonder Australia generally produce better Test Match teams, their kids are learning the skills required to play the longer form from a very young age. They can then hone their skills in Grade cricket against tough opposition.

The thing that inspired me to write this article was a conversation I had with one of my team-mates whilst we were waiting for the rain to stop. We were talking about my club back at home when he asked me which international players played at my club. When I explained to him the difference between England and Australia, it became clear how much better they have it than us. It was a strange concept for him that we did not even have any county players who played for us. And who could blame him, these guys have grown up playing at the same club as state players and Australia internationals.

I can now say that I've played at the same club as Tim Paine and Ben Hilfenhaus! These guys are not just loose affiliates of the club either. No, they play games whenever they can, they appear at nets to offer advice. So far I have been treated to appearances from Tim Paine in addition to state players Rhett Lockyear and James Faulkner.

England really needs to re-think its club structure, otherwise plenty of players could be lost to the mud pit that is English club cricket.

Cricinfo's All Time World XI

Today, ESPNCricinfo released their All Time World XI after months of build-up. The side was selected from the representatives of all the National All Time XI's. For those of you who may not know, the side that was selected is as follows:

Jack Hobbs

Len Hutton

Don Bradman

Sachin Tendulkar

Viv Richards

Garry Sobers

Adam Gilchrist

Malcolm Marshall

Shane Warne

Wasim Akram

Dennis Lillee

Now I cannot have too many complaints over this XI as when I selected my own version a few months ago (as I'm sure most cricket lovers have at some point) the only change from this team was Akram for McGrath (McGrath did not even make the Cricinfo 2nd XI).

To start with, the opening partnership is a very difficult proposition, the other two players that came under my consideration were Gavaskar and Sehwag. It was probably the position I took the most time over as I am a massive fan of Sehwag and the brand of cricket that he employs, however to make an All Time XI I believe you have to scrutinise an entire career and as Sehwag has still got a lot of time left in his career I felt it best to leave him out, with a heavy heart I might add (he was however selected in Cricinfo's Reader's XI). In the end I believe the all-English partnership of Hobbs and Hutton is entirely justified (Hobbs' 197 first-class centuries and Hutton's 364 at the tender age of 22 probably did them no harm).

In my opinion the middle order all but picks itself with Bradman and Tendulkar automatic selections (yes I know what I said about picking players that haven't finished their careers but Tendulkar is the exception). My only sticking point was between Lara and Richards but in the end opted for Richards, mainly for his style and swagger (not to mention his blisteringly fast run making).

The All-rounder slot is as much a non-contest as the No.3 position with Garry Sobers waltzing into the side. No one even comes close to challenging him.

The wicket-keeper slot is an interesting one. Do you opt for the popular option of superior batting or the more traditional choice of flawless glovemanship? In my original selection I opted for Gilchrist because of his revolutionary approach to batting and the way he changed the expectation of a keeper. The fact that his selection would mean the two fastest ever century makers would appear in the same team also crossed my mind. Although after re-thinking my position, I wondered whether his batting ability would be needed, bearing in mind what comes before him. Instead I thought about the bowlers and who they would prefer behind the stumps. When I thought about this, Alan Knott was the man who popped into my head. Brilliant behind the stumps and far from a mug with the bat, you have to wonder how many runs he would save. After a lengthy consideration I have decided to sub in Knott for Gilchrist.

My bowling attack of Marshall, Warne, Lillee and McGrath is perhaps not as balanced as Cricinfo's due to Akram providing a change in angle as a left-armer but I feel that McGrath (the seamer with the most wickets in Test history) is someone that would be the perfect foil for the more explosive Marshall and Lillee, not to mention the partnership he had with Warne which was the catalyst for Australian domination over a 10 year period.

Feel free to leave your own views on an All time World XI below.

FH XI To Play for Your Life

As Cricinfo is building up to announcing their All-Time World XI, I shall announce the much more hotly anticipated, Team You Would Want Playing for Your Life XI.

1. Mike Brearley - I would be infuriated at the prospect of having to watch poor captaincy whilst watching a game of this nature. Although there is already a very fine captain amongst my team in Steve Waugh, not to mention Bradman. I feel that Brearley would provide the tactical nous required in order to extract the opposition's most obdurate batsmen. I also feel that the desire to score a Test Match century would give Brearley the required encouragement to score some runs (yes this match has gained Test Match status, mainly due to my incessant lobbying at the doors of the ICC).

2. Virender Sehwag - Now I presume you are a little bemused. Let me explain... I'm in the stands, nervous as hell facing the prospect of death if my team loses, I need something to keep me entertained and I can't imagine anything more entertaining than a thrill-a-minute Sehwag triple hundred (would also do chances of winning no harm at all).

3. Sir Donald Bradman - Let's face it, who better to walk out at 3 after Sehwag has got out trying to smash his first ball for 6 than the greatest batsman ever? Exactly. Bradman faced tough competition from Jonathan Trott but eventually triumphed after I concluded that Trott's pre-ball rituals would annoy me too much, also the opportunity to bring back Bradman from the dead to play for me was too good an opportunity to miss.

4. Steve Waugh - I can think of no better man than this to grind out a tough hundred. Squeezed every ounce out of his talent which may explain his superior record in Tests to his arguably more naturally talented brother Mark (Just don't tell him he's batting to save a Pom's life).

5. Brian Close - His Test record may not be great but he's in my team solely for the sheer bravery that it must've took to stand up to the West Indians, at the age of 45, without a helmet. I reckon even now at 79 he'd give it a go.

6. Paul Collingwood - 'The Brigadier Blocker' as he named himself, would be just the man for the job as my team is batting to save the draw after the lifeless Bradman and 79 year old Close didn't quite live up to expectations. His exploits in saving games for England at Cardiff and twice in South Africa have earned him this prestigious place in my team. I look forward to watching him stonewall his way to a 186 ball 12. Purely Magical.

7. Jack Russell - Just picture yourself watching a game which decides whether you live or die and your keeper drops a sitter, could there be a worse feeling in the world? This is why I have picked the quirky Russell. His batting is handy also and the fact that he never hit a 6 in Tests did him no harm. Would just love to see that old hat of his come out again, wouldn't you? So even though he was run very close by Kamran Akmal (scoff, scoff, scoff), Russell earns his place among these illustrious names.

8. Andre Nel - May not be the fastest or most accurate of pace bowlers, but one thing is for sure... Nel or 'Gunther' is one of the scariest, his fearsome attitude would strike fear into the opposition batsmen (well thats the hope anyway) and after a couple of overs of Nel staring down opposition batsmen is over with (runs or wickets are academical), they will be presented with this...

9. Jeff Thompson - Surely one of the quickest bowlers ever to walk the earth Thompson could run through any batting order on his day and I'm sure a few stretches would be more than enough to bring back the thunderbolts of the past.

10. Harold Larwood - The infamous Larwood bowling to one of his famous Bodyline fields would no doubt be more than enough to winch the opposition from the crease, especially as modern batsmen would not be used to playing against these extreme fields. Let's see how Bradman likes it when he's fielding to it, eh?

11. Joel Garner - No fearsome bowling attack would be complete without a representative from the all-conquering West Indies side of the 70s and 80s. Here I have plumped for 'Big Bird', at 6ft 8 inches surely has to be one of, if not the tallest player in Test Match history and I'm sure his devastating yorkers would be no match for anyone.

12th Man - Shane Warne - Came very close to pipping Andre Nel, not only for his brilliant leg-spin but also for his 'Mental Disintegration' which could cripple any team's batting line-up.

Honorable mention goes to Shiv Chanderpaul for his brilliant crab-like approach to scoring runs in a very safe and reassuring manner.

After picking this team, I am safe in the knowledge that I will have a few days left yet...

If you believe I have made any glaring omissions please leave comments below.

Australia in Turmoil

Australia's trip to India did not go at all to plan, they have left India with more questions being asked than answered before the Ashes. Among the pressing issues facing Australia are the captaincy, Nathan Hauritz's form and the less pressing issue of the lower order batting.

Serious questions are now being asked of Ricky Ponting's ability to lead this transitional Australian side after his tactics during the India series, especially his field settings and use of Hauritz were widely criticised. Shane Warne blasted Ponting's tactics for Hauritz over twitter, which as you can imagine caused quite a media stir.

The question is, is there anyone who could do a better job than Ponting in this Australian side? Well Michael Clarke is the obvious successor but many see him as a bit of a show pony and feel that he lacks the steel of previous Aussie captains, other options may include Katich, Hussey and Haddin but these are not realistic. I don't think that removing Ponting and throwing Clarke in at the deep end just before an Ashes series would be wise, it could spell disaster and is definitely not worth the risk. However I think the captaincy needs to be looked at after this Ashes series, whether Ponting wins or loses (although if he loses I really doubt he will stay on as captain). Clarke needs time to mould the team into his vision, the added responsibility may also provide the added maturity that his batting seems to need. Whilst the change of captaincy could aide Clarke's batting it would almost certainly also help Ponting's, the captaincy seems to be straining him and lifting this pressure may see a return to his previous colossal run making.

Since Shane Warne retired Australia have tried a number of spinners, after a lot of different options had been tried they finally settled on Hauritz. They plumped for Hauritz over Jason Krejza because of his seemingly better control and economy. After Hauritz bowled 12 overs for 76 runs on the final day of the 2nd Test Australia may have been thinking back to when Krejza took 12 wickets in a Test against India. I must say there have been periods when Hauritz has performed well, at home against Pakistan and in the 2009 Ashes series however these moments have been few and far between and Ricky Ponting seems to have no faith in him whatsoever. The only other realistic spin option for Australia is Steven Smith, the problem of control is again a worry here but his selection would be an attacking option, he also provides more batting depth with a first-class average of 47. On the more spin friendly pitches such as Sydney I would play both Hauritz and Smith whilst for the other Test matches I would plump for the more experienced Hauritz.

After this Ashes series however I would give Smith a go on his own, I would also play him as an all-rounder, batting him at 6 instead of Marcus North. This would mean Australia could have 5 bowlers without reducing their batting strength. I think this is the only option if Australia want to once again be a threat on the sub-continent.

World Test Championship is a Big Step for Cricket

The announcement that Test Cricket will now take place as a 10 team Test Championship made me very pleased. For a long time I have hoped that the ICC would make this decision because there are so many positives that will come from this.

In Test Match Cricket's entire 133 year history there has never been a World Champion. Since the introduction of the World Cup we have been able to crown one-day World Champions but cricket's premier form has never had this. Sure, we have been able to say without much doubt who the best team in the world is in the past, thanks to the dominance of the West Indies and Australia. However we do not have that situation now. Currently there are 5 teams (India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England and Australia) who are jostling for top spot, indeed in the last couple of years the no.1 world ranking has changed hands quite regularly. The first play-offs (between the top four teams) of the new Test Championship have been earmarked for 2013 and you would expect these 5 teams to be fighting tooth and nail to grab one of those spots. Could anyone say with entire confidence which team would be the one to miss out? I sure as hell couldn't.

I believe the opportunity to be crowned undisputed World Test Champions (and there cannot be a dispute about the credibility of the winner) will reignite a passion for Test Cricket that some might say is dwindling. Could New Zealand or Pakistan spring a surprise and push for a play-off place? The extra incentive sure will make teams push harder for wins. Crowds at Test Matches are very poor in some places (New Zealand for example) and this might just be the thing that can turn it around, especially if teams are pushing to be in the play-offs. Test Matches should now mean more to both the players and the fans. Do you think the Australians would have cared one iota about dropping to fifth in the rankings after losing 2-0 to India, even though it meant dropping below England? No, they won't have cared, but under the new format that drop to fifth would have meant losing out on a play-off place, now THAT they definitely would care about!

One of the biggest plusses about the Test Championship is that it will mean no more dead games. Even if a series is wrapped up every win will count. Obviously the points system has not been announced yet but there should now be an extra incentive to push for wins, hopefully the days of 600 plays 700 will be gone and we will see more result pitches.

There are still some kinks that need ironing out; how will all the teams play the same amount of games against everyone else home and away? Will iconic series such as the the Ashes have to be shortened? Will the play-offs be played over 2 legs (home and away) or at a neutral ground? Should the Final be timeless, extended to 6 days or replayed, in the event of a draw?

These minor issues can be resolved quite easily and once that is done, the serious business of unveiling the first ever World Test Champions can begin. My prediction? I believe India will emerge triumphant thanks to their great batting strength, but it's so close I can't even pick a runner-up! I can hardly wait for the World Test Championship Final 2013, let the games begin!

Bright Future for Pujara

I would like to start this post by thanking Cheteshwar Pujara and the rest of the Indian batsmen for proving me right about Nathan Hauritz, quite emphatically right I might add. After Tendulkar had launched Hauritz for two successive sixes over long-on I almost felt bad for him (but not quite). Australia achieved their first objective by removing Sehwag early, they probably then thought that they could put pressure on Dravid and get into Tendulkar early on. This is when it all started going downhill for Australia, and when Cheteshwar Pujara announced himself onto the global stage quite brilliantly.

Pujara came out at no.3 instead of Dravid, at the time it seemed a strange move but it later turned out to be a masterstroke from MS Dhoni as Pujara set about taking the Australians apart, Hauritz in particular. What Pujara did for India was vital, he grabbed the momentum from Australia by racing to 26 from 22 balls and forced Australia onto the back foot. This is where Australia needed Hauritz to come good, instead he was taken apart (Pujara hit 25 runs from 19 balls of him) going for 76 runs in 12 overs. There were criticisms of Ponting from Warne via twitter but for once I am going to disagree with the great man. Imagine you are in Ponting's situation, you are facing the best players of spin in the world and you have just chucked the ball to Nathan Hauritz, can you imagine the carnage if he had no boundary riders? The game would have been finished an hour earlier! I think that no matter what field was set for Hauritz, the Indian batsmen would have had no problems.

It is all summed up by how easily he was played by Pujara, here is a guy walking out on his debut having failed in the first innings (failed is a harsh word considering he was undone by a grubber), he must be under a world of pressure and yet he waltzes down the track to the first three balls he faces from Hauritz. Obviously this also shows the class of Pujara but could you see him doing the same thing to Graeme Swann and getting away with it? I can't. To his credit Hauritz did end up removing Pujara with a beauty however by this point the damage had been done and the game all but won.

Pujara's knock had everything, it was a simply brilliant innings. He put Australia under pressure by scoring quickly, forced Ponting to set defensive fields then settled in and made sure that he didn't give his wicket away. When you consider the lad is only 22, it shows how bright a future he has. The fact that he might be dropped for the next game shows just how deep India's batting reserves are! If I were an Indian selector I would make the big decision to drop Dravid and slot Pujara in at 3. Dravid is 37 and his average over the last two series is not good, this needs to be done if India want to have a smooth transition when Tendulkar and Laxman eventually go.

India vs Australia: The Last Day

As this thrilling (although far too short) series comes to an end, it is poised perfectly. Ojha and Harbhajan showed just how important it is to have a quality spinner in your side (obviously 2 in their case) as they ran through the Australian batting order yesterday. If it wasn't for Ponting Australia might already have lost this game but the Aussie captain again came up with a sumptuous knock in extremely difficult circumstances; the ball is turning and bouncing, your facing quality spin bowling at both ends, the entire India team is on a high and you have a packed Indian crowd drowning out any thinking going on in your head. To score runs in this situation is very difficult and alas Ponting was the only Australian that managed it, however one must wonder whether the Ponting of old would have converted his 70 odd into a hundred. He has now fallen 3 times in the 70s in this series and for a batsman of his quality you would expect that he would have gone on to make at least one of those a hundred. I think this is the clearest sign yet that this is not the same Ponting that has been terrorising bowling attacks the world over for the last decade. We are yet to see whether he can spark a return to his best form, a la Tendulkar but he has proven he is still the class act among the Australian batsmen.

Strangely enough however, the fact that Australia crumbled to this extent might have been the best thing for them. If they had wickets in hand and could set any total they wanted, they might not have left themselves enough time to bowl India out, now however it is out of their hands and they will most likely have around 2 and a half sessions to get the Indian wickets.

Of course there is always the possibility (and it is a very strong possibility) that Sehwag will come out in the Indian reply and blast a quick hundred and that will be that. But if the Aussies can remove Sehwag early they could put some pressure on India, of course India have a very strong line-up and it will not be easy but it could make for a very good day of Test cricket.

In my opinion the biggest challenge that Australia face is not Sehwag... or Tendulkar, but the fact that they have only Hauritz and part-timers to call on as spin options. I very much doubt the 3 frontline seamers will be able to do the job on their own and as the Indians proved, quality spin bowling will be very tough to face on the last day.

I cannot see for the life of me how Hauritz or the likes of North could run through the Indian batting order the way Ojha and Harbhajan did, which is why I would put a lot of money on India winning this Test match. But you never know...

The Ashes: Australia's Chances

If you read my previous post about England's chances in the Ashes you may have sensed a rather pessimistic viewpoint. Well here are my views on the Australian side...

This new look Aussie side does not have the same aura of invincibility that the McGrath-Warne side had, just look at the home series loss to South Africa and their drawn series against Pakistan in England this summer, nevermind the fact that they relinquished control of the Ashes again in England last summer. But make no mistake about it, Australia are still a formidable opponent in their own backyard and England will have to play bloody well in order to beat them. Ponting will be desperate not to become the first Australian ever to lose 3 Ashes series as captain and we all know how well Australia responded the last time they lost the Ashes...

Ponting's inexperienced side have not had the brilliant lead up to the Ashes that they enjoyed before the 5-0 demolition of England in 06/07. Having drawn a series against Pakistan they are currently 1-0 down against India and looking likely to lose that series (which would put them below England in the ICC rankings). However this Australia side has a lot of talent and I'm sure every ounce of it will be squeezed out against the old enemy.

The opening pair of Watson and Katich is looking very strong, both of them have had very good years, being among Australia's top run getters. England will have to use the new ball well in order to get into that middle order quickly. With Ponting at 3 and Clarke at 4 that top order looks in much better shape than England's currently, but hey, thats just one pessimists opinion! Ponting has been going through a tough time in the last few years and although he is still a class act the English could see him as potentially vulnerable whilst Clarke is still lacking maturity in his batting, he seems impatient and I can't see him knuckling down and scoring a biggy, however he was one of Australia's most prolific batsman in the last Ashes.

Hussey will come in at 5 and although he has been through a bad patch recently I think he has come out the other side and there is no doubt about his quality and the threat that he poses to England. After scoring a century in the first innings of the Bangalore Test, it looks like Marcus North has booked his place in the Ashes side, England may see him as someone they can target early on having been out for 10 or less in 16 out of 31 innings so far in his Test career. England must be wary of him if he gets a start as he has the ability to make a start count, something England have been poor at recently. With Haddin and Johnson at 7 and 8 there is potential for some lower order frustration for England although Haddin is recovering from injury so he may not be at his best, in which case they have a very able deputy in Tim Paine.

Australia currently have a bit of an injury crisis with their fast bowlers. Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle are both currently out with injury and I do not know whether they will be fit to play a part in the Ashes. Even with these injuries however Australia still have a strong pace attack with the inconsistent Johnson, and the very impressive Hilfenhaus and Bollinger. Hilfenhaus in particular has impressed me on their tour to India, he has shown that he does not just rely on swing to take wickets, he is very accurate and therefore keeps the run-rate down and bowls a good bouncer. All of this means that when it isn't swinging he can still be an effective bowler (Anderson take note).

Now on to a more positive note, the one area where England can definitely say they have the upper hand... the spin department. I'm sorry Nathan Hauritz, your decent, but your not even in the same stratosphere as Swann or any of the Indian spinners for that matter who are as we speak proving me right by running through Australia's batting (something Hauritz was completely incapable of doing to India). I'm sure that against England he will take some wickets and not go for TOO many runs (mainly down to England being hopeless at playing spin) but there is almost no chance of him winning a game for Australia in the 4th innings, in recent times Ponting has had to turn to his part-timers for wickets. So if there is hope to be found for England I believe it comes when comparing Swann (currently the best spinner in the world) and Hauritz (not a Test Match bowler)

So there it is folks, my run-down on the Ashes. I'm grudgingly going to stick with my 2-1 to Australia prediction however I do see hope for England if things go their way. I will be writing more on the Ashes as it progresses. I am fortunate enough to be in Tasmania where England will be playing a warm-up game against Australia 'A' so I will be able to give an update to all those fans that are stuck on the other side of the world desperately craving news on how England are shaping up.

The Ashes: England's Chances

As I am currently residing in Australia for the winter I will be able to examine at first hand the Australian attitude towards the Ashes and the 'Poms' (preparing myself for a barrage of insults when I first walk out to the middle). I am also delighted to announce that I will be attending the Melbourne Test (possibly Sydney depending on whether we've already been thrashed or not), I could not possibly be more excited to be going to Melbourne. I cannot wait for my entry into the 100,000 seater filled with Australians wanting English blood! It is something I have always wanted to experience and the fact that it is an Ashes Test makes it all the sweeter!

Over the years I have generally taken a relatively pessimistic approach to English cricket, especially so after the 2006/07 Ashes tour which has made me very cautious in predicting an England win. I have no doubt that we will fare far better this time around under the calm leadership of Andrew Strauss. However, and it pains me to say this... I am still predicting an Australian win at 2-1. It's very close and I can see us sneaking a drawn series however I believe the 2 teams are quite evenly matched and since the Aussies are on home soil where they are quite formidable (the aforementioned 06/07 tour is a case in point) I find it very hard to see us winning the series outright.

If we are to stand any chance of achieving glorious victory I believe it rests firmly on the cocksure shoulders of Graeme Swann. He is the ace in our deck and I think he needs a 30 wicket series in order for England to win. The pace attack has almost no experience of Australian conditions with only James 'I Need Cloud Cover or I'm Completely Useless' Anderson having bowled here before. As his new nickname, which I'm confident will catch on would suggest I have next to no faith in Anderson's ability to perform in Australia, don't get me wrong, when he's bowling in England with grey skies and it's hooping he's a world beater, but what swing bowler in those conditions isn't? What I'm worried about is whether he can contain the Australians when the ball isn't swinging (which it won't for large periods of time). I am relatively happy with the other two likely seamers in Broad and Finn although there are question marks over Finn's economy and inexperience. Unlike others, I think Broad's aggression in Australia will be key when toiling on a long hard day, you don't want timid fast bowlers and Broad will not shy away from a contest.

Although I think you need 5 bowlers in Australia I cannot see where that 5th bowler comes from without making the batting look significantly weaker. The only possible option I saw was playing Rashid at 7, however I can see why the selectors didn't go down that route with his inexperience, I firmly believe he will be involved next time around. I think Panesar was the obvious choice as second spinner as he has all the necessary qualities; some form, control and experience. The backup seamers Bresnan and Tremlett probably won't get a game unless injuries intervene with Tremlett the likely next in line. Although I was quite surprised at his inclusion I can see why the selectors went down that route as they are clearly obsessed with height on this tour and believe that holds the key. I was disappointed that Bresnan got the nod ahead of Shahzad as I think Shahzad would have been much more threatening in Aussie conditions due to his reverse swing and pace. Bresnan has struggled to take wickets in Test matches and did not have the best of summers, I hope they did not include him for his batting abilities.

I am worried by the lack of form displayed by our batsmen coming into this Ashes series; Strauss didn't have the best time against Pakistan and seems to have a weakness against left-arm seamers (Australia have both Johnson and Bollinger), Cook saved his place with a century against Pakistan but has hardly ever looked comfortable in the last few years and his record against Australia is poor, Pietersen seems to have completely lost his confidence in his own game. Somehow he needs to rekindle the fire of 2005 (maybe it was the skunk hairdo?) or England will once again have to make do with a, let's face it, poor No.4, Collingwood has struggled all summer for runs and we'll have to hope that his northern grit, so evident in his displays at Cardiff and in South Africa comes to the fore once again.

Trott is about the only England batsman in form and I feel that we will have to rely on him to be the bedrock of the innings. Nevermind all his agonizingly long routines, as long as he's scoring runs against Australians he can take all the time he needs. Bell has been out injured for a while but has looked good on his return. I have long held the belief that Bell is like a rabbit caught in headlights when it comes to pressure situations however over the last year he has slowly convinced me that he is now capable of turning a dire situation into a match winning one. For England to stand a chance at winning the Ashes some of our batsmen have to rediscover their best form, we cannot rely on Trott and the likes of Broad and Swann to bail us out every time.

I am very cautious about our chances however if we play to the best of our ability I am confident that we can come home with a positive outcome.

The Ashes

The Big IPL Mess

For 3 Years now the IPL has dazzled us, entertained us and thrilled us but, for me the IPL rollercoaster is becoming tiresome.

When the IPL first started I was as excited as everyone else, even paying for a subscription to Setanta so I could watch all the games. It all started off so well when Brendon McCullum blasted his way to an incredible 147 which capped off a brilliant opening night for the IPL. The rest of the tournament continued to dazzle with new stars being born in the dazzling spotlight of the IPL. The inaugural tournament even had the much loved underdog story when the Rajasthan Royals beat the Chennai Super Kings with a thrilling last-ball win in the final. Rajasthan had started the tournament as rank outsiders having not spent as much money as some of the all-star lineups such as the Kolkata Knight Riders. They instead decided to put their faith in their young Indian players and under the brilliant leadership of Shane Warne they created history as the inaugural IPL winners. This brings me onto my next point...

The IPL has recently announced the scrapping of two sides from the IPL. These teams are the King's XI Punjab and the aforementioned Rajasthan Royals. In my opinion the IPL cannot continue this sort of activity if it wants to be considered one of crickets most important tournaments. Before this there was the Lalit Modi fiasco and for me this is the final straw. When the IPL started one of the biggest problems that I saw on the global scale was getting people from outside of India to be able to identify with a team and therefore gaining a global fan base. By winning the inaugural tournament as underdogs Rajasthan had gained a fan base outside of India, they were the team I supported anyway. Last year they also took a big step by creating the first global sporting alliance with Hampshire and Trinidad & Tobago. This gave the Royals a true global fan base.

Now not only is the IPL losing one of its most popular and globally supported teams, it is also losing the inaugural winners which in my opinion is a massive blow to the history of the IPL. This is equivalent to the ECB banishing Yorkshire from playing in the County Championship, just imagine the most successful side ever to have played county cricket no longer there, it would devalue the competition. This is exactly how the IPL will feel now that Rajasthan and Kings XI are no longer there.

Bangladesh show promise

As a cricket lover I was very pleased when I saw that Bangladesh had won their 2nd successive game against New Zealand to go 2-0 up in that series. Because of a washed-out fixture this means that Bangladesh cannot be beaten in this 5 match series and make no mistake about it, this is a major milestone for Bangladesh. If you don't count the 3-0 win over a severely depleted West Indies side this will be the first time Bangladesh have not lost a series against a top flight side. For years now the Bangladeshis have shown promise but have never been able to achieve the consistency which is needed in order to win a series.

In the last few years there have been calls for Bangladesh's Test status to be removed, what good would this do? It would reduce the number of Test playing countries to 8 and would dramatically decrease Bangladesh's development in the Test arena. Think back to how terrible New Zealand were when they first entered Test Cricket, Bangladesh have progressed much quicker than they did. I for one see real potential in Bangladesh, I believe that in a decade or so they could be challenging the top Test nations regularly. The basis for a successful team is in place as they have a very large (cricket mad) population which will continue to produce good cricketers. It is now up to the BCB to install a system whereby the talented cricketers are recognised and given the coaching they need to become high quality players.

Bangladesh have a deep pool of quality spinners and in Tamim Iqbal they have their first genuine World Class batsman (he averages 59.78 from 7 Tests this year) and is second only to Sehwag as the worlds most destructive opener in Tests.

It is essential that Bangladesh start producing fast bowlers that can cope on the World stage as otherwise they will struggle to ever make an impact in places like England, South Africa and Australia.

When I watched Bangladesh play England earlier this year I saw lots of good signs, there were times when the Bangladeshi batsmen were very resolute in tough conditions and made England work for their wickets. This is an essential part of Test Match cricket and is something the batsmen must start to do more regularly. Mohammed Ashraful is the prime example of the careless batting that has dogged Bangladesh's Test progress. Lessons have to be learned from the likes of Imrul Kayes and Junaid Siddique, their batsmen must learn how to build an innings and capitalise on a start. If this can be achieved along with a few good fast bowlers I have no doubt we will have a good Test Match side on our hands!

The Little Master

I am currently residing in Australia (I'm English). Now if I were back home in England I would be getting out of bed at 04:00, turning on my TV and would be settling down for the day to watch and pray that the 'Little Master' would keep batting and batting... and batting. This is not just because of the fact that I enjoy seeing the Aussies flounder (Oh I really do!), no, it is because I am possessed by the phenomenon that is Sachin Tendulkar. Every time he walks out to bat I pray that he will score yet another century and when he fails I become quite agitated (more so when he falls in the 90's, as he did at Mohali). Alas I am not able to watch the Great Man bat as in my current home I am not blessed with Sky+ and the wealth of Sport that it provides. Instead I listen to Test Match Sofa, the alternative approach to cricket commentary. This has softened the blow of not being able to watch the master at work.

As I was pouring over Tendulkar's stats yesterday, the thing that struck me most about him was his remarkable consistency. He has, over the course of his career averaged over 50 almost every single year that he has been playing. He has passed 1000 runs in a year a record 6 times. No other batsman has consistently managed these feats.

Tendulkar currently seems able to defy the ravages of time, as I speak he is going through one of, if not his most profilic period ever. So far this year he is averaging 87.25 and has scored 1047 runs and counting with 5 centuries. If he continues in this vein of form there is every possibility that he could surpass Mohammed Yousuf's records for most runs and most hundreds in a calender year. His first triple hundred would do his cause no harm.

I do not think many people would have been able to predict this renaissance in 2006 when Tendulkar averaged 24 from 8 Tests with no hundreds and one fifty. It was said that his powers were on the wane, how wrong they all were! In my opinion his return to form came because of both his immense love for cricket and his powers of concentration. He sensed that he could not come out and dominate attacks from ball one anymore so set about limiting his shots early on and becoming more expansive as he progressed. Clearly whatever his method was, it has worked!

His return to form has not only been limited to the Test arena. Unless you have been living in a cave for the past year you will know of Tendulkar's incredible feat of scoring 200* in a one-day international. Not bad for a 37 year old! Having only being able to watch the highlights of that magnificent innings I can not fully describe its magnificence. However some of his shots, such as his back foot punches through the covers were a joy to watch. Not only were his shots magnificent but so was his stamina and concentration to carry on batting at that frentic pace for so long and at his age is a testament to the amount of work he does of the pitch.

Having not seen nearly as much of Tendulkar as I would have liked, at least I am safe in the knowledge that he will be going for a while yet. The man is a true Legend of the game... a 'Little Master'.