Warne in decline

The once lovable rouge of Australian cricket has of late grown into a grumpy bitter speaker of all things 'Shane Warne'

For fear of attacks from my fellow Victorians; I'm proud I stood up for the Shane of old when the media hounded him over loose women; cigarette packets and dancing stumps. I even forgave his Mother for that little pill she gave him.

A womens touch.

The pot is being stirred in the County Championship as it seems there is a hidden tone of sexism lying among us all. As it was openly announced that Sarah Taylor, wicket-keeper / batsman for England is pursuing the option of playing cricket with the Sussex 2nd XI.

County Championship 2012, a frosty relationship.

The batsman could be in for a 'frosty' reception for the start of the 2012 Championship.

Before I start to digress on the forth coming County Championship for 2012, I must rise from my chair, unhinge my helmet and point my willow towards the imaginary pavilion that resembles my office door, as this blog has finally reached 100 posts!

There is that old tale, of a certain tree, falling in a certain woods and lots of people wondering if anyone heard it fall, and the same must be said about reaching 100 posts. I like to think that I am not the only one that reads my drivel on cricket, but you can never be too sure.

The county cricket season is where I fell in love the sport, warm after school evenings on tarmac suburban roads is where I learned the game, but it was here in England with my Uncle watching Hampshire where I saw its beauty.

Andrew Symonds: Peak Failure

Thumbing my way through the pages of sport, from local rags to the international columns, it was hard not to notice the lack of news stories beyond who would manager England's football team. Yet squeezed between last nights ice hockey results (they play ice hockey here?) & the winners from some far flung race track was the retirement of Andrew 'Roy' Symonds.

Big Average Bash

Nursing homes were doing a 2 for 1 deal in January 

The Big Bash and all it's fireworks of big sixes, and the return of retired greats has finally been put away into the cupboard for another year. 

Cricket Australia's attempt to lure the T20 Cash Cow into the paddock was from maybe a marketing point of veiw a complete success the influx of those dusting off their old creams and rubbing a little linseed oil on the  bat created quite a storm, some more than others. Including Shane Warne making sure either he or Liz Hurley weren't very far away from a Herald Sun reporter. 

Shifting sands of Australian cricket.

Change is said to be as good as a holiday, and after watching the Australians lose focus, foresight and fundamentals in a tormenting Ashes series last winter it seemed the cricketing world had finally flipped itself against the once mighty giants of the cricketing globe.

England proved a worthy opponent on the batter friendly tracks of its southern cousins, racking up progressive leads on day three and pounding the aussies into submission with a cross section of seam and end tying spin bowling.

Willow Dreams

He weld his blade like a dark knight slaying the hate filled dragon, driving and cutting him away from where he stands, swerving only to see the rush of blood race through his hands to the weapon. His memory evoking thoughts of his by-gone heroes that once graced the hallowed turf of his home ground.

Bill Jacobs

This week saw the passing of legendary cricket administrator and football broadcaster Bill Jacobs, aged 93. Bill had been battling a bout of pneumonia.

Bill Jacobs with fellow doyen Richie Benaud. Picture: Stuart Milligan Source: Herald Sun

Bill Jacobs was a fine keeper-batsman, playing 266 consecutive matches for Fitzroy between 1937-38 and 1955-56, capturing 448 dismissals (279 catches and 169 stumpings). This places Bill fifth on the all-time list of wicketkeepers for dismissals, although nobody effected more stumpings in a VCA career. He played in 6 VCA Finals for the Lions, resulting in 3 premierships (1938-39, 1939-40 & 1953-54).

Following his retirement as a player, Bill moved into cricket administration and served as a VCA Delegate from 1957-58 to 1968-69, as a State Selector from 1959-60 to 1971-72 (and 1982-83), and as Assistant Secretary of the VCA in 1973-74. Bill managed Australian teams to South Africa (1966-67) and the West Indies (1973), as well as managing the Rest of the World team in Australia (1971-72) at the request of the Australian Cricket Board. He was awarded Cricket Victoria life membership following his retirement as a delegate in 1969.

KFC Big Gamble League

New Uniforms for the launch of the Big Bash t20 League in Australia. They all look like bike riders from the Tour de France, not cricketers.

This week saw the rebranding of the new t20 cricket league in Australia, splitting it’s once rich in heritage State sides in colorful step-children of its former self.

Cricket Australia see the rebranding and revamping of the league as a huge step forward into gaining a stronger foothold in the already saturated market of professional sports leagues in Australia, with this now being the fourth in as many as years, with soccer, netball and baseball all going though a similar process of late.

What is different? Just about everything, for starters there are now two sides based out of Sydney and Melbourne, players are not auctioned off or even placed in a NBA style draft – but sold as free agents for a 7 game slogfest now known as the KFC Big Bash League. The title of the league gives it a cartoon dusting of a real competition with no mention of the words Australia to help identify it with the region for which the cricket is actually being played.

With the above issues it would seem that I’m on a punshing article of negatives headed straight for throat of Cricket Australia, but I’m not, well not quite.

Hampshire Record a 10 out of 10

Hampshire made it ten home Twenty20 wins in a row with a comfortable nine-run victory (on the Duckworth / Lewis method) over the Essex Eagles at The Rose Bowl.


It's a run that stretches back to the final group match of last season's competition, and it was made possible by another excellent innings from James Vince (55). having shared the majority of it with Sean Ervine (45) for an 85-run fourth wicket partnership, the innings proved the real difference between the two sides as Hampshire made an above-par (for a Rose Bowl wicket) 151-7 in their innings.

Hampered by a number of stops for rain, the Essex reply never really gained any momentum, finishing on 122-6 off the 17 overs they were given.

Double Wicketkeeper KO for Essex Rose Bowl Clash

Both Hampshire and Essex have suffered last minute wicket-keeping selection problems ahead of tonight's Friends Life t20 clash at The Rose Bowl.


Nic Pothas will be absent for the Royals while visiting captain, James Foster is suspended for the game, which begins at at 7:00pm.

Royals' Overseas Stun Sharks

Hampshire put clear water between themselves and the chasing pack as they extended their lead at the top of the Friends Life t20 South Group with a 35 run victory over South coast rivals Sussex at The Rose Bowl.
As it was last Friday, the Royals’ spin trio of Shahid Afridi, Imran Tahir and Danny Briggs led the way as Hampshire completely strangled their visitors’ run chase, skittling them for 91 having earlier made 126 themselves (Afridi top scoring with 29).

Afridi Five-Fer Repays Rose Bowl Patience

It was a while coming, but wasn’t it worth it! After a year and a half of waiting, Shahid Afridi finally made his Royals debut at The Rose Bowl, and what better way to announce his arrival than with a stunning 5-wicket haul to repay all those who had shown faith in him during his time away.


So enthralling was the sight of one of the best all-rounders in world cricket at his peak that the fact that Hampshire fought back following a tricky first innings to record a 16-run victory against Gloucestershire was somewhat eclipsed.

But the team’s mettle in rallying to snatch victory in a match that was interrupted by rain twice should not be underestimated. Nor should a valuable contribution of 47 with the bat from Jimmy Adams to give them the platform from which to build a score of 139.

Rose Bowl Ready for Afridi's Royal Coronation

Summary:
Hampshire play their first home T20 match in nearly two weeks when they take on Gloucestershire at The Rose Bowl on Friday night.
Having fitted in four away trips (to Gloucestershire, Somerset, Glamorgan and Essex) in that time, it will be the home fans’ first chance to see a side that has changed in a few considerable respects from that which beat Glamorgan by two wickets in their last home fixture.

Briggs Spins Web Around Dragons

Danny Briggs bowled and batted Hampshire to a fourth consecutive victory in the Friends Life t20 against a plucky Glamorgan side.

Having won the toss, the visitors were held tight on the crease and could only muster up a very modest target of 120; Briggs finishing with excellent figures of 4-24.


But following up, Hampshire made harder work of the chase than they might have, losing regular wickets after reaching the 50 mark.

However, that only served to give the crowd a thrilling finish as the Royals won by 2 wickets in the final over; fittingly, Briggs scoring the winning runs.

West Indies not to play at Lords 2012.

West Indies are set to become the first touring team since the 1998 Sri Lankans to miss out on a Test at Lord’s, after it emerged that the England Wales Cricket Board had offered next summer’s fixture to Cardiff, in spite of the fact that the host county, Glamorgan, bid little more than half the £1million offered by MCC for the privilege.


Relations between the ECB and MCC hit a new low on Monday evening, when the launch of the new Sri Lanka Premier League, scheduled to be held in the Long Room on Thursday, had to be cancelled because the event clashed with a Friends Life t20 fixture between Middlesex and Essex.

Jones Set to Fire Against Dragons

HAMPSHIRE ROYALS v GLAMORGAN DRAGONS
Friends Life t20

Wednesday 8 June 2011 (Start: 19:00)
The Rose Bowl

The Hampshire Royals will be looking for their fourth consecutive Friends Life t20 victory on Wednesday against the Glamorgan Dragons.

The match is due to start at 7.00pm at The Rose Bowl with gates opening at 5.30pm.

Hampshire:

Hampshire manager, Giles White makes one change to the squad that defeated Kent Spitfires by twenty runs in a rain-hit, five-over-apiece match on Sunday.

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir is rested for the fixture with Simon Jones potentially in line to deputise against his former employers. Jones got the nod in the aforementioned victory at Tunbridge Wells, taking two wickets for the price of just two runs in his one allowed over. However, such as substitution would mean a slight change in emphasis, swapping spin for seam.

Liam Dawson and Johann Myburgh are included in the squad and would both prove useful spin options despite both being more obviously recognised as batsmen. At the top of the order, meanwhile, Michael Lumb and Jimmy Adams will be looking to continue their excellent starts to the campaign. The pair combined to hit eight sixes in nine balls to guide their team to victory over the Spitfires on Sunday.

A victory for the Royals would extend their 100% winning record in the competition this season – a run which has taken the Rose Bowl club to the top of the South Group table.

The Opposition:

Glamorgan, meanwhile, have only played one match in the competition so far - a convincing win in a rain effected match against Middlesex. Captain Alviro Petersen made up 72 of the 199 runs his side posted in a match that was not only delayed by rain but also the malfunction of the flood lights part way through the Middlesex innings.

They name an unchanged squad, minus the injured Gareth Rees, for their trip to the South Coast so expect the Dragon’s big threats to come in the form of the first three batsmen. South African, Petersen has shown to be a leader in all formats, averaging close to 33 runs.

Meanwhile, Tasmanian opener Mark Cosgrove has returned again for another stint having scored more than 2,000 runs for the county in all competitions last season; a feat which also saw him become the third highest scorer in Twenty20 cricket.

These two, coupled with the Western Australian come Englishman, Jim Allenby - who is a powerful striker of the ball and a vital cog to Glamorgan in the shorter formats of the game, averaging 27.69 - should make Glamorgan a tough prospect on a Wednesday evening.

The orginal article was for Hampshire CCC and can be found here

Words: Stuart Appleby / Olly Reid

 

Cook in the sun at Lord's SL vs. ENG @Lords

Choice of game

Some people talk of making a pilgrimage to the holy turf of the home of cricket. For me it was about seeing the victorious England from a winter of triumph against Australia return to Lord's as holders of the urn, welcomed by a bursting crowd and glorious English sunshine.

Team supported
I spent one part of the winter watching England from the confines of the couch, with an extra blanket for warmth, and another being in Australia, witnessing the demise of my home country as it handed the Ashes to England. It would surprise most people to know that I wished for a good England side; with all that it had achieved, a strong showing for its home fans is what they deserved.

Accessories
A radio is the only companion required for a Test match at Lord's. Henry Blofield's outrageous descriptions on Test Match Special of the game in front of you may annoy in any other format or place but his pomp and pronunciation provide the perfect backing track to all things English in a day at Lord's.

Key performer
Alastair Cook stood head and shoulders above his team-mates; a century on the opening day of Lord's would have been perfect but his nearly-100 nonetheless made the best impact. He was the only swimming rat when the ship seemed to be sinking in the opening session, and Cook carried his team and worked with Ian Bell to restore the English order.

Interplay I enjoyed
Eoin Morgan brought the Lord's crowd to life after Bell's fall for 52 runs. Prior to this Bell and Cook had shown caution in their pursuit of mending the English innings. It was Morgan who lit the fire, first against Rangana Herath: punishing him down the ground into the waiting laps of the MCC members, and then pushing the run-rate to a one-day level that had the crowd applauding.

Filling in the gaps
There is much to do at Lord's to pass the time. Some of this is always spent perusing the shop looking at souvenir after souvenir, thinking whether buying a paper weight with a bit of the turf hidden within it is a justifiable purchase, and how to explain this to the wife. Or there are the people, celebrities and eccentric Englishmen in full colour. Blazers are the choice garment at the pavilion but elsewhere you see the first signs of the end of winter as spectators wander the ground in shorts, revealing pale pairs of legs.

Player watch
While making his way towards the practice nets during the second session, Steve Finn stopped in front of a large throng of school kids and signed every miniature bat, cap, ticket or poster, not leaving one kid without his scribble. On completion of this mammoth task he was loudly cheered by the crowd.
Shots of the day
Cook reached and went past his fifty with three fours off Dilhara Fernando who tried in vain to pepper the Ashes hero with short balls.
Crowd meter
A full house greeted the sunshine that bathed Lords' to create an almost heavenly place to watch cricket. The sun warmed the spectators' necks as much as it warmed the playing field.
Marks out of 10
10. An almost-century, great bowling, attacking batting, a full house and the sun made this the best day of all the days I have attended at this sacred place of cricket.

This article was orginally for ESPN CricInfo and the orginal can be found by clicking here.

Lumb and Mascarenhas Star as Sabres are Put to the Sword

Hampshire started the Friends Life t20 campaign in style with a well-played seven-wicket win against Somerset at The Rose Bowl.

A blistering spell from the smiling assassin, Dimi Mascarenhas – who also caught the eye thanks to a fetching new hair colour – saw him claim figures of three wickets for just 19 runs. That, coupled with James Vince’s “right place, right time” fielding to claim two catches in the deep, restricted Somerset to 145-7 after 20 overs. Michael Lumb then made a glorious return to the club, scoring a well balanced 53. His first-wicket partnership of 90 with Jimmy Adams (39) set the platform for the Royals to reach their target even more comfortably than their nine remaining balls would suggest.

The result firmly wipes out the Royals’ two point deficit with which they entered the competition (due to a poor pitch in the corresponding fixture last season). They will now hope to get off the mark proper with a second home T20 match against the Surrey Lions on Friday.

Somerset won the toss and elected to bat but were quickly on the back foot in the power-play as Mascarenhas took his three wickets in double-quick time. Marcus Trescothick (2) was his first victim in the second over of the game, flashing hard to the off-side for the ball to take an edge to Neil McKenzie who took a blinding catch in the slips.

And the all-rounder struck again in his very next over from the Pavilion End, removing Roelof van der Merwe (15). The South African had been drafted in at the last-minute as cover for Kieran Pollard in the first eight FLt20 games of the summer. However, he didn’t have long to enjoy his debut as he had his off stump pushed back as a seaming ball nipped away, taking a bit of pad to the delight of the crowd.

In his third over Mascarenhas had that trademark smile beaming again as he had James Hildreth (2) hanging his bat out to dry with Nic Pothas collecting up the careless snick. Somerset were in trouble at 37-3 after just 5 overs and needed to build an innings to post a suitable score.

So Peter Trego took it on himself to steady the Somerset ship, putting on a strong 50 runs from 30 balls (including four 4s and three 6s). But it wasn’t long after Somerset reached the magical three figures that Trego (55) was dismissed off a diving catch from James Vince. The youngster was like a magnet to balls played into the deep all game; this time athletically swooping at long on to give captain Dominic Cork his first scalp.

Nick Compton - the last of Somerset’s danger men - put up a similarly defiant stand of 37 before he was dismissed in similar fashion; bowled Cork, caught Vince - this time diving away to his right in the deep. Somerset then went on to lose three wickets in 11 runs to finish at 145-7 after 20 overs, Chris Wood and Imran Tahir getting the last couple.
And Hampshire wasted no time in attacking the visitors with a flurry of boundaries in the opening exchanges; Lumb and Adams the tormentors-in-chief. Lumb, particularly, was in blistering form, proving any who had been too quick to doubt him just how wrong they were by smashing six 4s and three 6s in his 33-ball stay at the crease.

Alas, he was undone only by an unbelievable catch from Arul Suppiah. Lumb had looked to bludgeon Trego over the ropes once again – and would certainly have succeeded had Suppiah not jumped out of his skin to catch way above his head on the ropes.

At 90-1 after 10 overs Hampshire seemed to be well in control and James’ Adams and Vince kept the scoreboard ticking at around 8 runs an over. And though neither would be able to see it through to the end, a patient and intelligent innings from both – along with a solid unbeaten knock from Neil McKenzie (17) – was exactly what was needed and what was carried out.

With just one run required Vince was bowled on 31, leaving Benny Howell to watch a wide down leg to bring up the final run needed. Man of the Match went to Mascarenhas, but all played their part.

This article was done of behalf of the Hampshire CCC and also features on the club website click here for the official link with images from the game.

RIP "The Spin Doctor" Terry Jenner

Former Australian Test cricketer, and mentor to Shane Warne, Terry Jenner passed away today at home in Adelaide, aged 66. Terry Jenner became best known as Shane Warne’s spin mentor, but he was a successful bowler in his own right, playing nine Tests in the 1970s.
As a legspinner, Jenner was happy throwing the ball up and spinning it hard, and his best series came in the West Indies in Australia’s 2-0 victory in 1973. His Test-high 5 for 90 arrived in Trinidad, taking his series haul to 13 wickets, when he led the squad’s spin attack of Kerry O’Keeffe and John Watkins. There were only three more games in a baggy green for Jenner, and his career ended in 1975 with 34 Test victims – and eight appearances as 12th man.

Born in Perth in 1944, he represented Western Australia but moved to South Australia four summers after his debut, having been stuck behind Tony Lock, England’s slow left-arm spinner. He enjoyed the conditions and extra responsibility in Adelaide and after a couple of seasons was called for the tour of New Zealand.

Terry Jenner in his playing days His first Test came in the series opener of England’s 1970-71 visit, and he collected the wickets of John Edrich and Geoff Boycott in the drawn affair. His most famous involvement in that Test series came when, batting at No.9, he was hit in the head by a John Snow bouncer. The incident resulted in Ray Illingworth taking his side off the ground following an angry response from the SCG crowd.

Jenner, who played a single one-day international, finished his first-class career with South Australia, where he formed a strong partnership with offspinner Ashley Mallett.

After winning three Sheffield Shield trophies, he stepped down in 1976 with 389 first-class wickets at an average of 32.18. His tally included 14 five-wicket hauls, and he once recorded 10 wickets in a game.The only Australian Test cricketer to be jailed – he spent two years inside for embezzlement – Jenner credited his time coaching Warne for turning his life around.

Jenner started coaching Warne during the legspinner’s brief stint at the Academy in the early 1990s, and was on hand regularly during Warne’s record-breaking Test career to refine his action. The success he had with Warne opened up many avenues, including being an ABC commentator. His roaring voice, telling young spinners to “give it a rip”, was heard across Australia.
He suffered a massive heart attack while coaching in England in April 2010 and never fully regained his health.