Ad-hoc Ashes Spraffings cont

Unbeloivable mate

Was speaking to a mate the other day who was asking me what I thought the Australians chances were in this Ashes series. After reminding him predictions were for plonkers, I replied 'absolute doddle mate, Aussies will walk it 4-0. This England mob are ageing, unmotivated and lead by a feeble skipper who can't score runs'.

Seems the Aussies took my previous advice and began praying hard for Harris & Johnson after day 1 - accumulated figures so far 9-103 compared to Anderson & Broad 10-276.

I went to bed during England's first innings (day 2) just after KP gave his wicket away. At this point there was nothing at all suggest what would come.

It had been a strange mornings play up til that point. Carberry looked like he'd ease his way to a triple century although Cook didnt look too comfy. The Aussie bowlers were adhering to one dimensional plans e.g. for Cook, it was to pitch it on a good to full length and not allow him any freebies off the back foot.

Johnson having sprayed half his deliveries down leg was swiftly removed after just 3 poor overs. Harris and Siddle barely kept me awake and then just like that, Harris bowled the very first good ball of the morning, Cook snicked it and the whole momentum shifted.

On yer bike Trott!!!

Trott arrived with his impeccable Test average and proceeded to bat like a complete fandangle. It appears he can't play short balls. It appears the opposition have taken 3,700 odd test runs to figure this out. It appears all the Aussies have to do is bowl short at him. In no time he was shuffling back to the dressing room. On this form his place in the second test must be in doubt, in fact his whole future England career must hang in the balance. And I was calling him world class four days ago.

And I think that was more or less the best of the English innings over. Fantabulous for the neutral, Series on!!!

What surprises me is the simplicity of the Australian revival. They have a few ridiculously obvious plans and they're sticking to them. And the mighty England can't cope.

1. Nothing short at Cook
2. Everything short at Trott
3. Spinner against KP
4. Get Johnson to bowl fast
5. Attack Swann (and third seamer if possible)

There is some solace for panicking English. I'd advise they get a couple of simple plans of their own (as long as one of them is not Broad bowling short at Clarke who slapped the first bouncer he faced in the 2nd innings for 4 in about as perfect a text book example as he could manage, but this didn't stop Broad feeding him a few more before Cook wisely changed bowlers). For instance, if England can't find a chink in Warner's armour and exploit it, they don't deserve to win a single test match in this series.

There is also the curious accumulation of first innings disasters by England on foreign tours in the last couple of years. From an English point of view, this test is just a continuation in this sequence and therefore not worth worrying too much about. I will turn my attention to trying to solve this curiosity once I've worked out how it is that Hearts are able to continuously get the better of Hibs in Edinburgh derbies no matter the year, personnel or disgraceful condition of the former.

1st XI v Marchmont

Ellis jr sporting his new blonde rinse

With the temperatures barely into double digits and rain up until the previous Wednesday, Holy Cross 1st XI turned up for their maiden game at Campbell Park expecting a sloping bog on Saturday due to reports from those who often play there. Instead we found a lovely wee ground in excellent condition considering the time of year. It would have been ideal if someone could have turned the wind down a bit and maybe a couple of obliging truckers (I said truckers) had jack-knifed their lorries to block the traffic noise on the bypass.

The gentlemen in charge of the teams agreed to allow HX to bat first in a 40 overs aside thrash. Marchmont were somewhat under strength without Loeffen, Aaron or that South African dude whose name escapes me with the 4lb bat that takes out low flying planes.

Owais and Raja were invited to start us off and so they did. Raja raced to 48 (46 balls) before becoming the first man out. I joined Owais who perished missing a straight one on 63 (57 balls). Owais hit 7 sixes in total, 4 of which were his first 4 scoring shots including the second ball of the game!!! Raja despatched a couple too whilst clattering a few 4's as well. If this continues we'll be able to charge at the gate this season as the crowds flock to Arbo.

Jimmy McOscar arrived at number 4 and I left him to it on 22 (25 balls), politely chipping a dolly up to short cover. This brought 'the other' McOscar to the middle and a period of calm consolidated the scoring somewhat. Jimmy eventually holed out to square leg for 19 (36 balls) and the skipper was stumped by a good couple of yards after charging and missing for a nice 32 (37 balls).

The pitch was playing OK, a bit of a tennis ball bounce, but as I said earlier, for the time of year we had no complaints.

Gary T was now at the crease with new man to the club Julius Newman (see wot I did there?). They were able to keep scoring around a run a ball both ending unbeaten in early double figures giving us a total of 218-5. With Russell, Bonfield, Bainbridge and Worsnop not required, never mind the wiffwaffing Ellis, we appear to have a lot to be confident about in our batting this year. And not forgetting a delightful little footnote to Saturday with the news that 'legendary' Cross keeper Simon 'Hacker' Pickering will be available again this year.

Bonfield and Bainbridge began our attack meaning Worsnop and Raja would have to wait until first and second change. Shannon's 2-11 from 5 overs included the usual slew of stump-skiffing deliveries and batsman-confusing shimmiers before he removed opener Rees LBW. Bimbo (1-22 off 4) then took the most apologetic wicket of his career to date with a comedy bouncer which looped up over a whirling batsman before sagging down and onto middle stump. Both bowler and batsmen slumped and shook their heads in embarrassment as the rest of us cracked up.

Robin kept the comedy going when he came on. The first ball was a full bunger so he requested his specs back off the umpiring McGill. His next delivery was bang on the money, but his glasses became detached in the follow through and were handed back to Coco. 3rd ball is another full bunger much to our amusement, but after that he seemed to align with the force and get back to the Worsnop we're used to, finishing with 2-13 from 5 overs.

Then Trewartha and Dougie got a shot. The latter took a bit of tap in his 3 overs ending with 1-19. However he was turning it the proverbial mile and struggling to find a useful line, eventually switching to around the wicket. Meanwhile, at the other end, Michelle Five-for was helping himself to the tail with a typically devastating 4-5 from 20 balls. This meant no chance to see Julius turning his (left) arm over not to mention the skipper. And, like the batting line-up, not forgetting the absent dibbly-dobblying paddle-monkey from Morningside.

Our opponents succumbed on 92 and we were unleashed onto Saturday night a couple of hours early.

Almost forgot, we spilled about 5 catches too and I was dropped twice (woohoo).

Vikram Spotted In Aberdeen???

Aberdeen Council appear to have set up some idiot traps!!!

Is anyone willing to admit to this???

I suspect it might have been Vik visiting ex-Crosser Nipun???


The truth must out!!!


BBC Article

YouTube

Cross Scrape Trophy Win

President's Trophy 2nd Round (at Arboretum-switched due to Dresselrig being unplayable)
played as 20 over match on June 14th.

Holy Cross 131-7 (C. Ellis 50 (46), R. Javed 36 (29), M. Collings 3-19)
Livingston 119-8 (S. Kumar 37, R. Bowering 24)

A good tight game played on a rare nice dry evening (could be the last game for a while given the rain falling at present..) Livi did well to limit HX to a sub-par 131.

cje-after a shaky start- batted solidly enough and Raja found a bit of form but no batsmen really dominated and Collings' good spell and a late rash of run outs prevented us from reaching a par total (given the fast outfield and firm pitch) of 150-odd. Bimbo's stumping (by half the length of the pitch!!) may well receive a mention at the awards night.

Then the impressive Kumar well supported by Bowering took Livi to 72 off 11 before a run-out and then  a reckless shot from Kumar put the game in HX's favour. Good batting from Duvvuri helped Livi to 104 off 16 -at which point they were marginal favourites. His run out and tighter HX bowling helped the home side close out the game. Given that we had a strong bowling unit on display, we perhaps could have kept Livi quieter earlier-and not allowed so many boundaries. But an impressive performance from Livi's talented team and hopefully a 'wake-up call' for the 1sts.

Bang 1

Summer finally showed her sunny face this Saturday as the 1st's wound their merry way to the pleasant surrounds of Fettes School to renew acquaintances with our old friends Grange 2's.

With the sun shining down on a flat deck the skipper decided bowling first was the order of the day and stuck the Grange in. EC decided to open up with Shanners and Gary following his midweek michelle. Unfortunately he momentarily forgot the plan and threw yours truly the ball, fortunately he realised his error and made amends after one solitary over.

Shanners continued his great form of the season and was unlucky not to pick up a wicket or two in his first spell. Gary also continued his great start to his Cross career picking a up a couple of wickets in his first tight spell. Conditions weren't that easy for the bowlers especially in light of some solid Grange batting (apologies no book so I don't have names). The Grange opener hung around for quite some time surviving several appeals and the Grange no3 looked a very solid and handy bat, clattering a couple of big cover drives for 4.

If memory serves Grange had built a decent platform around drinks only 2 0r 3 down. Cross had bowled tightly without too many runs being added but without many wickets falling. Some very ropey fielding wasn't helping our cause, your author was particularly guilty when I rather worryingly lost control of my body somehow allowing the Grange to run a 5. Perhaps it was the heat but there was a definite air of lethargy in the first half of the Grange knock and at one point they looked to be heading towards a score of 250 plus.

Thankfully we were snapped out of our malaise, got a bit of fight and a very tight spell from Charlie backed up by Dougie and Pa.........The Bishop kept the run rate down and restricted the big no3's scoring (think he finished up with 70odd). As a result the other Grange batsman came in looking to up the run rate, whilst a few boundaries were dispatched we managed to contain any serious scoring and Stag wickets began to fall regularly. I think Gary picked up 3, and the rest were shared around equally amongst Bonners, CJE, Dougs and Bish? Special mention to Spickers who held 4 (5?) catches behind the stumps.

The skipper set the target of keeping Grange under 225 which was duly accomplished as at the end of the 50 overs they finished 210 for 8. In recent seasons we might we have let teams such as Grange off the hook in the second half of the game so it was pleasing to see us up our game in the 2nd half, even in the blistering heat.

After a splendid tea KF and Owais opened the Cross account in equally splendid fashion. Both Cross openers flayed the Grange bowling around the ground and we rushed to about 70 for no loss inside 10 overs (or thereabouts). Unfortunately Owais fell on 30 odd to a peach of a delivery from Philip and same bowler also did for Charlie with an equally commendable delivery. With KF and CA also falling around the same time we quickly tumbled to 90 odd for 4.

Grange had thier dander up, sensing a win and memories of the Crosslapso cricket of previous seasons began to creep into Cross minds. Spickers supplied further evidence to the hacking enquiry and despite the fact we batted all the way down, at drinks Grange were on top and we had undone KF and Owais good work.

It was imperative to stop hemorrhaging wickets and Shanon and EC did exactly this, cutting out the chances and just keeping the board ticking over. Just as they were beginning to open up again Shanners holed out to mid off for a good 30 odd to be replaced by Dougie. The skipper took up the need to hit a few boundaries displaying admiral spanksmanship with a number of hearty pulls. Unfortunately he failed to convert as well later on in the evening but that is another story.

Well supported by Dougs the skipper was caught on the boundary for a very good 40 odd. I can't remember exactly but at this point we needed just a above a run a ball for the last 6/7 overs. With your truly now in Dougs took up the challenge playing some admirable straight drives, good running and regular boundaries managed to see us home in about the 48th over, a well timed run chase. Credit in particular to Philip who looked like he has the makings of a good bowler and the Grange spinner who kept things very tight and bowled with lovely flight.

Pluses and minuses to take from the game from a Cross point of view, both in the field and with the bat. Our response when we were getting under the cosh was admirable as was people putting their hands up when required. Whilst this wasn't our best performance for a number of reasons it's a good sign to play poorly and still win. The next few weeks will define the season so lets hope we keep wining and have saved up a few good performances!

KF on the Ashes 2010-11: (Part 1)- England Win the Ashes!

'With legendary reporter-cum-controversialist KF otherwise engaged composing unfeasibly tricky quizzes, the editorial board has sought long and hard for a new Chief Test Cricket Correspondent'

KF has not taken this challenge lying down but -rather than sending a team of heavies armed with baseball bats to Bellevue Chapel- has spent the last two nights preparing this:

As the teams left the field at the end of the 1^st day at Adelaide, two of Australia’s three players to turn up so far (the other being Hussey), effectively conceded this Ashes series to England. After being pasted for two days at Brisbane, then rolling over for 245 after winning the toss in a batting paradise, the frustration for Ponting and Haddin spilled over into quite embarrassing verbals. It appears that the Aussies felt Strauss & Cook had time wasted at the end of the first days play, finishing on 1-0. In what is fast turning into complete humiliation for the home side, the Aussies should be looking no further than themselves and their blanket ineptitude before attacking one of the finest England sides ever to contest an Ashes tour. To take overs or time out of the game, I’m afraid England’s batsmen are doing Australia a favour, for as soon as the cricket gets underway, the hosts, one partnership and one hat trick aside, are a complete shambles.

Whilst, to an extent, I’m excusing Ponting, Haddin & Hussey, the former has had a golden duck and been unable to affect the game through on field captaincy and the other two have already dropped catches (just three innings into the series). These are Australia’s best players. Watson, probably the 4^th best home player has failed where Cook has excelled. Test openers getting 50 per match aren’t worth as much as one who converts into hundreds. Is Watson a Test opener? Asking that question alone suggests doubt. Katich (injured finger) gave his wicket away without even facing in the first innings whilst so asleep it boggles the mind. Ponting, notoriously vulnerable early in an innings seems to need to take a beating before fighting back. His quick 50 in the 1^st test was too little, too late, inconsequential even. His golden in the 2^nd test was worryingly unsurprising for such a ‘great’ player. Where was the 50 in 40 balls when his team needed it? At 4 there is a patently unfit Michael Clarke. He is unable to bowl, but supposedly fit, unable to bat (11 in 83 balls while its runs galore elsewhere), never mind the 1^st test, at Adelaide it was a matter of time til he succumbed, doing well to reach 2 with a rabbit in the headlights stroke that fended a short one off down to fine leg. And when he’s dropping regulation slip catches (at Brisbane), picking him is both unfair to him and stupid for the team. Hussey, one drop at gully aside has held his own, same goes for Haddin.

At 6 there is a batsman who doesn’t score runs. What else needs said? Johnson at 8 in Brisbane turned in as inept a performance as you’ll see in Test cricket post Harmison. He had to be dropped. But only if there is an able replacement. He looks like he needs cricket, yet I see he’s doing 12^th man duties at Adelaide?!?!? Siddle, who I think should bowl 1^st over for Australia has been very hot and very cold. A great hat trick and 6-54 followed by 40-7-140-0. Hilfenhaus has bowled not much worse, just without the 6-54 taking 1-142 at the Gabba. Leaving the worst for last, it’s a shame for any Ozzie spinner because they’ll all be compared to Warne and fall short. Xavier Doherty , hilariously included to directly counter Pietersen (bats 4, Eng 517-1 dec) barely turns the ball, has average control and its difficult to see why he got one cap (ahead of Hauritz), never mind two. His two wickets so far have been James Anderson, then Ian Bell who was last man out when hitting out. Since then 0-207. I’ll leave his below par fielding performance alone. I don’t even think he’s as good a bowler as North.

The cunning plan for the 2^nd test was to drop Hilf & Mitch and add Bollinger & Harris, both short of games and fitness doubts. Harris looks to me about the equivalent of Bresnan. And he was given the new ball!!! Is he better than Siddle, Hilfenhaus, Johnson or even a 35 year old S Clark? If anything illustrates the gulf between these sides, this must be it. At the time of writing, this new look attack has England rocking at 317-2 with batting records of all descriptions being obliterated. It is dark and desperate times for the hosts and if the 13 players we’ve seen so far are the best they can produce, England and their fans are in for a sun kissed bonanza. Australia must drop injured players now (Clarke, Katich) and need another bowler because, stating the obvious, they aren’t taking wickets. They also need to inject some of that unquantifiable Aussie spirit. If not Cameron White whose seems to struggle at Test level, then I’d get Steve Smith straight in. What he lacks in ability, he more than makes up for with attitude.

Not one to criticise without suggesting alternatives, here is my Aus team in order. M Hussey, Marsh, Ponting, D Hussey, Watson, Haddin, Smith, Johnson, Hauritz, Siddle, Bollinger. I’d have Clarke, Katich & Johnson doing their prep for the 3^rd test somewhere more suitable than in the 2^nd Test.

While laying into a woeful Australian side, the big question is, how much of this is down to England? Pretty much all of it I reckon. We are seeing one of the great England sides, at least of the modern era. Whilst a heck of a lot was made of the 2005 team, largely the same team went on to a 5-0 whitewash next time the sides met. This team might lack Flintoff, or the 2005 Pietersen, but they are a much better unit. My only gripe is that Collingwood bats ahead of Bell. I would possibly even say I’m surprised Collingwood is included ahead of Morgan, but Collingwood is more to this England team than just runs. At the moment I think Haddin would beat Prior into the England side and Hussey ahead of Collingwood. Could Ponting oust Strauss as captain or Trott at number 3? At the moment, I don’t think so. When was the last time 8 or 9 England players would walk into an Eng/Aus select XI?

I’ve also had the feeling for a while that England watchers aren’t quite aware of how good an opening pair they have in Strauss and Cook. Their big problem seems to be their lack of spectacularity(?), but their record and dogged consistency, which is coming to fruition in spectacular fashion at present augurs very well for the foreseeable future. With the rest of the batting line up falling into place (Collingwood issue aside), and Anderson & Swann finding top form in 2010 it seems like there is greatness ahead for the current England/Wales/Ireland/South African 2^nd XI test side (this might be read as derogatory, but it’s a fact and the team name should be changed at least to something more British, otherwise why not call them London, or Middlesex, or Westminster or MCC or something equally as untruthful).

Next week; I always said Australia would win back the Ashes at a canter!!!