Day six: getting ready for action

Finally, events in Sri Lanka have started to turn towards the cricket. The covid tests have come back negative, and the business of winning a series is underway. It has been a bizarre year, and once again we have player relieved to be training.

The early talk has been that Zak Crawley will be moved up a place in the order in the absence of Rory Burns. Crawley who played his breakthrough innings of 267 against Pakistan last time out.

It is an excellent place for Crawley to be in and in interviews today; he is well aware that it is time to build on his good form. Things change in international quickly and can be unforgiving, just ask Gary Ballance and even Rob Key.

That, of course, opens up the number three spot. The obvious choice would be Dan Lawrence, the Essex batsman. Lawrence returned from a successful Lions tour to Australia just as the pandemic came along at the worst possible moment for the right-handed batsman. Don't bet against him taking his opportunity. With the ability to bowl some off-spin, he might just come in handy.

Australia v India

The third test between Australia and India starts tonight in Sydney. With each team winning a test each dominantly this test will be intriguing.

David Warner is back from injury, and Will Pucovski is expected to make his test debut. Another young player who started the Sheffield Shield with a stack of runs; his progress will be monitored closely.

One thing for sure is Australia's batsmen will need to perform. The tensions between the two teams reportedly quite high seem just the battle that will bring out the old Australian stubbornness and will to win. Either way, it will make for exciting viewing.

Day five: things to ponder

 

There will be a moment of the tour when we can concentrate on the cricket. Even without players having to isolate, there are still selection dilemmas. Sri Lanka and India are different prospects away from home than Pakistan and West Indies on home soil.

Individual players came out of the summers tests with credit; Zak Crawley among them. Areas where England are still looking for a player to step up and make that role their own is in the spinning department. Ideally, England would hope to have an in-form Moeen Ali with both bat and ball. That will be touch and go at least for the first test.

Dom Bess was in pole position over the summer, if he can hold onto his place going into the English season remains to be seen. His willingness to get better and improve, go in his favour. Will England prefer him to get some overs under his belt with Yorkshire? To an extent, I hope so. Then again, that also depends on the form of the other spinners.

Ireland ready to get stuck in

Ireland’s first fixtures of the year start this weekend with a series against UAE followed shortly after Afghanistan. The latter series has the added pressure of world cup qualification points on the line.

Ireland managed an ODI win against a much-changed England side in September and will be looking to build on that result.

Afghanistan has three players currently playing in the Big Bash; Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi have been important players for their country and Noor Ahmad who is highly rated.

Delay to WNCL

The start of the WNCL has been pushed back it has been announced. It was always going to be challenging to keep to the original schedule with travel restrictions between states. Hopefully, there isn’t any more need to adjust things. While Australia will be confident they have plenty of depth going into next years 50 over world cup, there is always a chance that a fringe player makes it into that final squad.

Interview shortlist

 I’m going to try and arrange some interviews over the next few weeks. Is there anyone who you think would be good to hear? Someone who has an excellent story to tell? Or you are intrigued how they are planning for the coming season? Let me know, and I will see what I can do.

Day four: Covid strikes back

Organising international cricket amid a global pandemic is never going to be easy. The logistics are phenomenal. In a world where we strive for certainties, the uncertainness of it all is worrying.

The isolation and secure biosecurity-bubbles can't be good long term for players or administrators. England ended their tour of South Africa early before Christmas. Understandably precautions need to be taken. Cricket doesn't make the world go around – but it helps.

England has done well to have had very few cases of Covid-19 among their ranks. Before today's announcement, I can only think of Sarah Glenn that has had the illness among England's number.

It can't be easy for many in the squad in Sri Lanka after Moeen Ali tested positive. If there is a player who has a chance of playing a large portion of England's marathon schedule this year an inform Ali would be one of those who would be in with a chance.

It isn't the start that England would have imagined, but there is no doubting the players' resilience on tour.

Williamson continues to show class

In the tests underway, there is no stopping Kane Williamson. The New Zealand captain is in a rich vein of form. For the third test in succession, he has scored a hundred. One of those is a double century and resumes on 112 not out on day three.

Sri Lanka will be looking to set South Africa a tricky target when they resume tomorrow with Dimuth Karunaratne 91 not out. It will be difficult for Sri Lanka, and South Africa are still in a prime position to win.

Ian Salisbury

When Jason Gillespie announced his decision to leave his position as Sussex coach, I had some thoughts on who I would like to replace him. In the end, Sussex chose Ian Salisbury and James Kirtley to take over in the different formats.

Both Sailsbury and Kirtley were a big part of the Sussex sides I fell in love with when I was younger. Salisbury moved on within a couple of years of my regular trips to Hove. Kirtley would write himself into a rich seam of history for the county.

It was with interest that I read an interview in The Times by Elizabeth Amon with Salisbury. He talks about his passion for the county and what kind of coach he has become. I was impressed. He is precisely the type of person I want to be in charge of Sussex.

My wish list for a new coach was someone that had a history with the county and someone that looks to get the best out of players. Sussex have that now, and I am looking forward to how things work out.

Bowled her!

The Cricketer Twitter account asked which one wicket you would watch on repeat for the rest of your life?

I'm tempted to say Simon Jones bowling Michael Clarke during the 2005 Ashes. There can only be one winner, and that is Anya Shrubsole's winning wicket in the 2017 World Cup final at Lord's. I was at the ground when that moment happened. The sense of joy and relief was overwhelming. Also what an occasion to introduce your niece to Lord's.

 

Day Three: some opinions

why I prefer WBBL

Having watched my fair share of WBBL games over the last few years, you would have thought it would be easy to transfer over to the Men’s Big Bash. I struggled, however, when the two competitions were played side by side. The women’s game took place first, and getting up at two in the morning would mean by the time the men’s games kicked off, I required a snooze.

With that barrier out of the way, it should have been easier. For instance, a game between Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Sixers should have been a good game to watch for today. There were familiar faces in Phil Salt, Rashid Khan, Alex Carey, and Danny Briggs in the Strikers team. All have pulled on the Sussex Sharks shirt; they were the obvious team to watch. But I wanted to see Suzie Bates, Tahlia McGrath Alex Price, Megan Schutt and Laura Wolvaardt in action.

Keeping women's international cricket at the forefront

It was a shame when the women’s series between Australia and India was postponed. India’s women seem to be on the raw end of several decisions from the BCCI. What is good to hear is that the series between South Africa and Pakistan are still set to go ahead. Neither side has been in action since last March. South Africa nearly visited England last summer, but it eventually fell through. Women’s international cricket mustn’t be an afterthought for the national boards and the ICC.

Men's cricket is important too!

It is good to see Test cricket taking place in New Zealand and South Africa.

New Zealand dismissed Pakistan for 297 by the close of play. Azhar Ali top-scoring with 93 for the visitors. Kyle Jamieson continues his impressive start to test cricket with figures of 5 for 69.

In Johannesburg at The Wanders, South Africa dismissed Sri Lanka for 157 and by the close were just 9 runs in arrears with Dean Elgar on 92 not out overnight. Anrich Nortje was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa picking up figures of 6 for 56.

A good read

Over the Christmas holidays, I have taken the opportunity to catch up on some reading. I finished Luke Fletcher’s Tales from the Front Line in fewer than 24 hours. As you would expect, it was an enjoyable read. Also among the Christmas reading was Fletcher’s Nottinghamshire teammate James Taylor Cut Short was an honest detailing of how Taylor dealt with the events that lead to his retirement.

Moeen by Moeen Ali was another interesting read. There aren’t many players in the England set-up with his background.

I quite often read more than one book at any given time so I am currently reading Steve Smith’s Men by Geoff Lemon and The Test by Simon Jones.

I have a big stack of cricket books by the side of my bed and am making good headway through them. That isn’t to say that I am not looking for recommendations. 

Day two: looking forward to the action

2 January 2021

As England depart for Sri Lanka, it would be quite possible for the Twitter accounts of some counties to post images of their respective headquarters clad in snow. While in previous years the welcome relief of those in the touring party to escape the cold climate for warmer pastures would be welcome.

These as different times, with bubbles and quarantine, what welcomes England’s is far from the usual trip to distant shores. England taking a full-time therapist with them for the first time on tour is not just sensible but essential.

Already confirmed is that Jos Buttler will start with the gloves in the tests against Sri Lanka, which when you consider Buttler is an essential player across all formats seems an opportunity wasted to give someone the likes of Ben Foakes a spell behind the stumps. What is sure though, as last year there will be a few players in contention for places.

It would be interesting to see the likes of Ollie Robinson to prove they can perform on the big stage. Robinson is a player who I have admired for a while. You can be sure that his name will pop up over the next year.

New Zealand v Pakistan

Of course, there is test cricket going on all over the place, and nowhere looks cooler to watch it from Hagley Oval where New Zealand take on Pakistan in the second test of their series.

Much has been made of how New Zealand has handled the pandemic. There is also much to admire in the way they play their cricket.

WNCL

There are some concerns about the start of the new WNCL season, scheduled to begin in the next couple of weeks. With some state borders likely to be closed. With schedulers nervously pencilling fixtures in it would be unfortunate if plans for this competition were needed.

The standard is incredibly high, and with a 50 over World Cup a year away, it may be the final chance for some players to convince the selectors they deserve to cross the Tasman Sea and pull on the green and gold.

Early Morning Radio

It was good to hear Kathryn Bryce interviewed for the BBC Stumped radio programme. Even if it was nearly three in the morning when it was broadcast in the UK. The Scotland and Lightning captain recently picked up the ICC award for Women’s Associate Player of the Decade. An award she rightly deserved.

Setting targets - day one

 One recurring thought over the last couple of years is how do I improve as a cricket writer? It has been one that has eaten away at me. I know there are many areas I need to improve on. It is not a quick fix, and like everything you want to get good at takes time a practice.

Like the players I idolise, talent doesn’t come overnight, more often not there is a slump where nothing works, but those small moments things click it is amazing.

That is why I am going to write something cricket related. Hopefully, 2021 delivers plenty of cricket to write about, and a quick look at the schedules promises much. That is, of course, depending on the end of a global pandemic.

The goal is a simple one, write something cricket related every day. It might just be a couple of hundred words on a game I have observed or a new story.

I have never been someone who keeps a journal, but it will be interesting to see where things take me.

Anyone who has read anything I have written in the past or glanced at my Twitter account will know my focus is on women’s cricket. 2021 should be a great year for women’s cricket in England.

The Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy of 2020 was an interesting glimpse of professional domestic cricket growth in England. It was a fantastic show to say it was put together at such short notice. It has many things it can improve on, we shall save that for another day.

The release of fixtures for a women’s T20 county competition is an interesting addition to the calendar, especially when the thought of county cricket was an afterthought.

If there is something that I am intrigued to see is the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier in Scotland in August. It is the first time that France and Turkey will take part in the competition.

There is plenty of men’s cricket to talk about as well. England has another year packed with fixtures, trips to Sri Lanka and India are being prepared for. India is the main visitors in the summer before England make a trip to Pakistan in October.

On the face of its lots to see and talk about. We shall see as the last ten months haven’t gone exactly to plan.

One last grand day out

If the buzz phrase ‘match day experience’ was to be applied to any venue in the world it would Lord’s. The famous Lord's hum, a hum of anticipation, a hum of the occasion and sometimes a post-lunch hum of satisfaction.

That buzz or hum is there even at half seven in the morning of the Royal London One-Day Cup Final. The last at this esteemed old ground before it up sticks to Trent Bridge next season. The rights or wrongs of the restructuring of the county season is for a different place though.

When you walk through the North Gate having gone through the security frisk there is activity everywhere. The stewards and St John's Ambulance are getting their briefings. The food kiosks are preparing for a day of non-stop sales.

In the place that it matters the hallowed turf the ground staff are busily preparing an assortment of lawn mowers mover across the blades of grass giving it a carpet-like texture while a roller prepares for a future battle. No notice is taken to the pitch that today's action will take place on. You can’t help but notice a green tinge but a dry looking surface underneath.

The stewards in the stands start to check every seat, turning them down before they spring back up. It will be the only Mexican wave that won’t be frowned upon all day.

The paying punter is still an hour away from surging into the ground, the chat the laughter mixing with the sounds of London mixing into the hubbub of it all.

Lord’s has a weird juxtaposition of the traditional and the modern, the famous pavilion, the bastion of the MCC and the old school tie at one end of the ground and the JP Morgan Media Centre at the other which is regularly compared with a spaceship (it landed 20 years ago.)

Adjustable floodlights stand on watch over the famous stands as the flashing advertising boards snake the edge of the outfield reminding the yet to arrive visitor of potential future visits to see the NatWest T20 Blast before it is shoved down the order of importance.

It is overcast but with little chance of rain although the main cover sits over the sponsor's logo on the outfield ready to pounce into action at the merest drop precipitation.

Things start to move up a notch, with the PA system tested and the food kiosks staffed and ready for business the MCC members are let through the gates. It’s not salmon swimming upstream as you are led to believe but a steady trickle. This doesn’t have the gravitas of a Lord’s test match after all.

A jazz band start to burst into life, and the day suddenly feels like it is starting to reveal its true purpose. The players have started to trundle over to the nursery ground where they start to go through their final preparations.

The Warner stand is starting to fill a shock of glass bursts through the top of a traditional looking stand overlooking the playing surface while at the back there is a mix of bright white painted steel and frosted glass.

The media centre starts to become busier, familiar faces and just as importantly voices start to appear. With England playing an ICC World Cup warm-up match at Southampton it would be easy for the media centre to be far from full.

With forty minutes until the toss, the players of both sides are on the outfield going through fielding drills or marking run-ups with long measuring tapes and buckets of paint.

The cloud that blanketed the skies earlier in the morning has burnt away as Isa Guha supervises the toss which Hampshire win. The stands are filling with fans of both sides.

The bell rings to signal the players are on their way. The Somerset fielders spread out and Hampshire’s batsman walk out with purpose. Craig Overton waits to run in and deliver the first ball of the day to Tom Alsop.

The ripples of applause punctuate the air in the early exchanges as both sides work each other out. That is until the third over when Aneurin Donald pieces a cover drive for the first four of the day. A big cheer marks it and we are into the game as Donald flicks the next off his legs to the boundary in the opposite side of the field.

The Somerset crowd roared back next over as Donald’s cameo of 11 from 11 balls when he drives a loose ball from Josh Davey straight at Roland van der Merwe.

Hampshire lost wickets at regular intervals. They needed Sam Northeast to bat all the way through. Northeast reached fifty before swiping across the line and was bowled by Somerset captain Tom Abell.

The biggest cheer from the Somerset fans came just three balls later. Chris Wood toe-ended a Jamie Overton Delivery to George Bartlett who grabbed his chance.

Hampshire's fans finally had something to cheer about when the ninth wicket partnership added 66 for the ninth wicket. Fuller reached his fifty with a second six from the final over of the inning. Mason Crane played a good supporting inning to ensure Hampshire used all their overs.

Hampshire finished on 244 for 8. It is by modern standards a modest total one that Somerset would have been happy with at the start of the day.

In the interval, the outfield near the Grandstand was replaced with youngsters in a range of colourful hats and even bright orange stumps. They got to play on the same stage as the heroes they were there to watch.

Tom Banton the Somerset opener looked at home at the home of cricket at set about tucking into the Hampshire opening bowlers who have international pedigree Fidel Edwards taking the brunt of the opening salvo by the young wicketkeeper. In the third over he smoked Edwards for four, six and four in successive balls.

The Somerset faithful were now in full voice. The boundaries were coming as thick and as fast as the consumption of cider. The usual hum was replaced by the noise of supporters enjoying the afternoon in song.

A chant of “Tommy, Tommy, Tommy Banton” rang around Lord’s as the batsman reached his fifty in as many balls.

Edwards came back for his second spell and he soon saw off his early tormentor Banton for 69. Azhar Ali followed in Edwards next over. By that time the two openers had added 112 for the first wicket.

It was the Somerset stalwarts of Peter Trego and James Hildreth that made sure that Somerset didn’t get carried away and throw a great position away.

Hildreth batted for the rest of the innings for an unbeaten 69 from 68 balls. A player many feels was wrongly overlooked by England showed his true class and it was fitting that he hit the winning runs with 39 balls to spare.

There were 15746 in attendance to see the curtain fall on the domestic 50 over final at Lord’s. It was a shame really. Scheduled on the same day as England playing Australia and other scheduling matters meant the opportunity to go out with a full house was missed. This was a competition with the help of finals at Lord's help to create memories. Sat in the stands watching their heroes represent the county that means the most to them.

Goodbye old friend.