England’s warm-up in Perth delivered the familiar Bazball soundtrack — loud, fast, irresistibly confident — but the notes beneath it suggested a more complicated rehearsal for the Ashes. On a Lilac Hill pitch offering all the menace of a hotel bathmat, the tourists gunned their way to 426 in 85.3 overs, only to discover that even the friendliest surfaces can expose an inconvenient truth or two.
I should make it clear upfront that I am taking legal action against the Australian Test Cricket team for finishing a game that I could have spent another 2 and half days watching. Not to mention my loss of income from coverage of the rest of the game. I mean you can only imagine how much money this site turns over in a day. Actually you can stop imagining that. Regardless, what a wild ride those two and a half days of cricket played were. Australia literally smoked Sri Lanka with their own pipe (taking me back to my university days). The big worry coming into this series was around how well the Australian’s could deal with spin on turning pitches. As it turns out the sandal was truly on the host’s foot.
Each new English test match under their new regime seems to get more and more interesting. Early on the first day it seemed as if the plans of Mister C and The Fonz (see article here for that to make any sense) were spot on as India suddenly found themselves at 5 for 98. Then along comes Risbah Pant, known for his extravagant hitting and occasional match winning performances.
Head struggled with the spinning wicket and gifted de Silva a “c” and a “b” (maybe they’re Words with Friends buddies). Khawaja went on in his nonchalant way, continuing to deliver discrete instructions to the ball via his willow (not a euphemism). That was until he popped up a Vandersay delivery into the skilful hands of Nissanka who took a mighty fine close in catch. The sight of Khawaja walking off would have given many Australian fans a case of the giddies as the middle order was suddenly exposed like the backend of an elderly patient in an ill-tied hospital gown.
As much as I’ve enjoyed the white ball games between Australia and Sri Lanka, seeing the boys in their white kit reminds me how much I love test cricket. For some, it is the antithesis of what televised sport should be – it’s slow (multi-day!), thoughtful, there’s no brawling and the mullet count is limited. And god help you if you watch motor racing and whinge to me about 5 day cricket. Round and round and round and round…
Well look at England now eh? They seem to be a completely different team than the one who toured down under to gift wrap a certain urn for their hosts. And what of the current test champions, New Zealand? Regardless, it’s Happy Days for English cricket at the moment.
[Fair warning, if you were not born pre 1980’s then you may wish to switch off about now.]
You could almost hear the strains of Daryl Hall and John Oates’ ‘Maneater’ playing over last nights final ODI between Sri Lanka and Australia. Yes boys she’s a man-eater, and yes boys she will, and did chew you up (mental note for Hall and Oates – I’m not sure chewing is appropriate lyrical subject matter). The Sri Lankan pitch produced some ridiculous spin and also clearly helped the Aussie quicks who bundled the Sri Lankans out for 160, a figure which would have been far more diminutive if it wasn’t for the talents of Chamika Karunaratne who scored 75 at a run a ball. Oh did I mention the Australians won? Whatevs.
The Australian’s ploy of eschewing a spin heavy bowling unit seemed to have worked, with Sri Lanka being kept to a seemingly achievable total of 258. But you know what happens when you assume something – it makes an ass out of u and me and the Australian mens cricket team.
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