JOHNSTON BACKS STIRLING TO STAR WORCESTERSHIRE EASE TO VICTORY O'BRIEN TARGETS SERIES WIN RAUF WITHDRAWN BY ICC YORKSHIRE BOSS VOICES TEST CONCERNS LUMB EXCELS IN NOTTS SUCCESS JOE GOING BACK TO HIS ROOTS KIWIS PLANNING TO UNSETTLE ENGLAND SREESANTH DENIES ANY WRONGDOING
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Do you have something to say? It could be your county news or a player profile. Perhaps you want to reflect on the cricketing landscape or share your views on a competition or the MVP leader board. Whatever it is, we want to hear it. Please email jratcliffe@thepca.co.uk and we will endeavour to publish you here. Who's saying what: Colin Croft | Pat Pocock | Paul Smith | Richard Ellis | |
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Being in the ZoneThough India’s ODI captain, Virender Sehwag, had been badly dropped by the West Indies captain, Darren Sammy, when he had scored only 170 and had produced a very rare dive to keep his wicket, when he was on only 78, Sehwag was already in that zone of certainty. Nothing could have gone wrong. “If you could keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, and blaming it on you; If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowances for their doubting too, etc, etc;..…….Yours is the earth, and everything that’s in it, and, which is more, you’ll be a man, my son.” No, this is not ‘Scarface – The world is yours’, that quasi-sequel video game of the excellent original ‘Scarface’, starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana, with motto - “The world is yours.” This is from the No. 8 ranked poem of all time, ‘If’, by Rudyard Kipling, referring, pertinently, to India’s opening batsman extraordinaire, Virender Sehwag. Aged 33, 240 ODI’s, 8025 runs, avg. 35.66, ‘Viru’ had long been one of India’s main men, also taking into consideration his 92 Tests, 7980 runs, avg. 52.15. What a great player. That the earth and everything in it (at least everything in India) has not been his has been due to the fact that Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, nearer to being a cricketing god than earthling, also plays for India. Click here to read the full article... |
Colin E.H.Croft Former West Indies International Cricketer
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The cricketing Nostradamus – When yuh correct, yuh rightI never get tangible credit, but I have made mostly correct calls about West Indies’ cricket evolution, in my writings over the years. I even think that I could be called the ‘Cricketing Nostradamus’. My only problem is that I have not, yet, predicted the correct winning lottery numbers. Michel de Nostredame – Nostradamus - died aged 63, leaving indelible thoughts of prognostications. On Wikipedia, he is described as “an apothecary and reputed seer who published prophesies.” As a born Guyanese, I do not know that much about obeah, but my cricketing predictions do come through. From the noisy, idiotic reactions to my work, I get the impression that I represented Mars or Uranus; any other entity than West Indies. Well, I did play, most times, for West Indies. While I continue to survive, perhaps with Almighty help, I will also continue to identify situations that will come to pass. I always take an even, honest, objective look at our cricket. I want West Indies to win, always, but objectivity will never be compromised by outright support or being a fawning lackey. I am neither sheep nor sycophant. I will always be honest about our cricket, regardless of whom it may upset. Just last week, in these lines, I proposed that more draws – no results in Tests – would help West Indies’ batting development. The team responded well with the 3rd Test effort v India. They must continue the trend next year, to win, or at least to draw, most games v Australia, England and New Zealand. Another of my correct predictions, that Test cricket will survive, and flourish too, despite many thoughts to the contrary, really pleases me. The last several Test contests; Australia v South Africa, Zimbabwe v New Zealand, Pakistan v Sri Lanka, West Indies v Bangladesh and India; easily confirm that survival. Click here to read the full article |
Colin E.H.Croft
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England Performance ProgrammeThe first part the EPP (England performance programme) started with a week long training camp at the national performance centre at Loughborough University. The week was split into various strength and conditioning and fitness and personal development sessions to get us into training after a few weeks off. Safe to say, it was a bit of a shock to the system. The second week was spent getting away from cricket as all the players and staff headed up to North Wales to spend half of the week in the freezing cold water learning white water rescue techniques. This consisted of a variety of tasks and excersies which required us to work as a team in order to complete. Click here to read the full article... |
Tymal Mills |
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That is much more like it from West IndiesYou will remember, two weeks ago, after the ODI series, I openly wondered about the level and type of representation that we were getting from West Indies in Bangladesh. I am certainly better pleased now, with West Indies winning its first Test series overseas since 2003. This is definitely how it should be. Darren Bravo’s maiden Test century; 195; was very good, technically, especially after his noted recent lethargy. It was also very reminiscent of Brian Lara’s first Test century, that majestic 277 at Sydney. Lara’s came in his 5th Test, against Australia. Darren Bravo’s came in his 10th, against Bangladesh. For now, comparisons could stand still, but even at that stage, most thought Lara a batting genius. Lara ended with over 400 international games, 22,000+ international runs; average over 50.00; and 25,000+ runs in other games, so Darren Bravo has some way to go and very large boots to fill. I almost forgot to congratulate BL for his promotion to Dr. Brian Charles Lara, by University of West Indies (St. Augustine) last week. Not a bad way to go, for a cricketer. ‘Tek dat in yuh puffen!’ Congrats. Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H.Croft
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A Great Techie is Out - Good T-20 Technique Still ContinuingOnce again, before we can go on to cricket and sport, let us spend a few thoughts on the loss of one closeted with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Albert Einstein, Bill Gates and Thomas Edison, all tremendous innovators, legacy-makers and outright geniuses. What a creative man Steve Paul Jobs had been. I agree with a tweet I got from Canada: "There have been three very significant apples in our lives - firstly, the one that Adam and Eve ate in Garden of Eden, then that apple that fell on the head of that great scientist, Sir Isaac Newton, discovering gravity, and, finally, the ‘Apple' created by Steve Jobs." I have never owned an ‘Apple' product. I do have much respect and knowledge of the late Mr. Jobs. Having worked at IBM during my tertiary education in 1980's; my first lap-top was an IBM 760-ED, in 1995; I have been hooked on "P-C's", but I also acknowledge that "Macs" are very, very comparable too. Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H.Croft
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Cricket, Cricket and More West Indies Cricket for 2011-2012Recently, West Indies Cricket Board sent around a tentative schedule, a broad brush, of cricket that will be played inside and outside the Caribbean from October 2011, till August next year. If you are a cricket lover you should be extremely pleased; the up-coming season will be a lot of fun. This is the first time WICB's communication and operation departments have gone into such great detail. They deserve much credit for not only planning the cricket, with the help of International Cricket Council's Future Tours Program, but for this published outline which helps all those outside of West Indies teams, and the associated personnel, to plan their own movements to cover the cricket too. The cost of travelling in the Caribbean is still as prohibitive as ever. Also, up to a point, the reliability of flight schedules still needs to be much better, despite the arrival of Red Jet Airline. Hopefully, with the advent of that airline, both Caribbean Airlines and Leeward Islands Air Transport will, similarly, drop their fares. Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H.Croft
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Rubbing Shoulders with Cricket's Fast Bowling Royalty. By Colin Croft"Cricket has changed", suggested Kapil Dev, former captain and bowling spearhead of India, one of the world's best all-round cricketers ever. In the ICC's recent "Greatest Cricketers of all time", Kapil was selected by votes of the cricketing public instead of Sir Garfield Sobers. Very, very interesting indeed. Kapil, and another 21 former Test fast bowlers, including yours truly, a group that also included sterling all-rounders, were feted in an event last week in London to celebrate the phenomenon of fast bowling. Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H.Croft
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Awards For West Indies Cricket. By Colin CroftWith the recent International Cricket Council Awards 2011, I have a very heartening feeling that West Indies cricket is definitely on the upswing. The three awards won by West Indians must signify hope, even as the senior teams, ladies and men, travel outward to continue the process of representation Curtly Elconn Lynwall Ambrose is included in my favorite fast bowlers – Wasim Akram, Dennis Lillee, Joel Garner, Wes Hall, Charlie Griffith, Malcolm Marshall, Andy Roberts, Michael Holding and Imran Khan. Only Charlie Griffith, of those named, is not in the ICC Hall of Fame, but, at least in my mind, even if all of the rest were not actually included in the ICC Hall of Fame, which they are, they were all still great. Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H.Croft
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Being No. 1. By Colin CroftMy daughter Shannon, 22 on Monday 29th August, never lets me forget this: "Father," she says authoritatively, "whatever happens to you, I am always your only girl, No. 1!" (There's a saying: ‘fruits do not fall far from the tree...') Shannon is correct: in whatever sphere of life, might it be sport or industry, there really is only one No. 1. Being No. 1 in anything is not that difficult — not when compared to remaining there, even for a short time. Former West Indies captains Clive Lloyd and Brian Lara said it many times in their careers: "Climbing that hill to be No. 1 is the easy part. Remaining as No. 1 takes so much more effort." Yup! Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H.Croft |
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West Indians Playing in English County Cricket are So Few! By Colin CroftThe news that young Darren Michael Bravo has been granted a short playing contract at Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is very pleasant indeed. In the recent past, very few West Indians have featured in the England and Wales Cricket Board competitions: obviously this guy is quite talented! John Fitzgerald Kennedy's comment at Rice University in 1962 - "we do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard", referring to a plan to land a man on the moon - brought me here: this article was difficult to research... Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H.Croft |
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India are in very deep trouble – at the edge of the precipice – against England. By Colin CroftYou'll remember that I said that if India played as badly in England as they had played in the Caribbean last June they would lose easily to the hosts. I knew back then that I wasn't wrong! The truth be told, India are quite soft. They may have batsmen with tremendous reputations, and bowlers that the fawning masses think could destroy any team, but cricket is not played on paper. Only Rahul Dravid, that wall of a batsman, has so far looked anything like the reputation India have garnered. Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H. Croft |
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Not Brian Lara, Steve Waugh or Sachin Tendulkar - This is Rahul Dravid, ‘The Wall'. By Colin CroftA few years ago, when they were all still playing Tests, I was asked while doing commentary: "Crofty, if you had to choose between Steve Waugh, Brian Lara or Sachin Tendulkar to bat to save your life, which one would you go for?" What a very difficult question that is! As Trinbagonians like to say: "Yuh askin' answers or whuh'?"... But this is not ‘Jeopardy', and my answer is not in the given choices. As brilliant as these three have been - and only Sachin is still playing - I could not select any of them if Rahul Sharad Dravid might also be available. If my back were against the wall in cricket, I would want to be protected by ‘The Wall'. Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H. Croft |
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Test Cricket is the Greatest! By Colin CroftRegardless of what anyone says, Test cricket is here to stay. It has made a re-emergence, after being, for a short time, threatened, by the uneducated, with extinction. In Dominica, Test No. 1999, West Indies and India were toe-to-toe; like Mohammed Ali v Joe Frazier. Test cricket is really the greatest! Tests have been, are, and will always be, that special yardstick of true excellence in our sport. As Kieron Pollard recently reiterated, much money can be made playing T-20s or T-50s. If, however, one does not play Tests, hopefully well, one could be very wealthy, but with no full, lasting reputation. Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H. Croft |
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West Indies v India Test series: there is great hope as West Indies did much better than expected! By Colin CroftOne can lose a battle, or several, but still win the war. In the recently concluded series; India v West Indies; especially Test No. 3 in Dominica, West Indies may have drawn that particular battle, but the universal acceptance is that West Indies won the entire war, even as India won the Test series 1-0. Putting all into proper perspective, most expected that India, even with a reduced team, with bowlers Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth, and batsmen Gautam Ghambir, Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, all regulars, missing for varying reasons, would have very easily throttled West Indies. Many, maybe most of us, including me, have been very pleasantly, positively, surprised by the efforts of West Indies in this series. Had it not been for general selection errors, West Indies could, probably would, have beaten India. What an embarrassment that would have been for the No. 1 Test team! Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H. Croft |
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Thank You, Tiger: Living and making history with West Indian cricketer Shivnarine Chanderpaul. By Colin CroftYou would think that I am mad, but I am very sure that I knew Shivnarine ‘Tiger' Chanderpaul long before he was born. I knew of him perhaps before his father thought of him! I believe that we should all be very pleased to be alive to celebrate Shiv's record-breaking achievement of becoming the most capped West Indies Test player ever, with, now, 133 Tests. If we really appreciate our cricket and cricketers, we should give tremendously great homage to a guy who has survived everything thrown at him, even West Indies team captaincy, to soldier on, regardless! Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H. Croft |
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Wicket Keepers by Richard EllisMuch has been made recently of the plethora of fast bowling options currently available to the England selectors, with Michael Vaughan and Alec Stewart going so far on Five Live as suggesting it was the best ever available to England (although Pat Murphy watered this down to "since the fifties") However, there is often little mention of another area where there is an abundance of talent - Wicketkeeper Batsmen. There is the Old Guard still going strong, from Chris Read and James Foster, through Geraint Jones, Tim Ambrose and Phil Mustard to the current (and excellent if much maligned) Matt Prior. But there are others hot on their heels. Craig Kieswetter of Somerset is surely at the forefront, although he has Butler hot on his heels after an explosive first season in county cricket, Davies of Surrey, Bairstow of Yorkshire, and even O'Brien of Northants, if we are to continue poaching the cream of Irish cricket. Any of these could do a magnificent job for England in both forms of the game. would suggest that this really is the strongest ever list of Wicket Keeper BATSMEN England have ever had; there may have been better outright keepers in other eras but the averages suggest that many of these fine exponents of their art behind the stumps did not come up to scratch with the bat (even Godfrey Evans I venture to suggest despite his legendary status) - not considered as important in the past but essential nowadays. The future looks bright for the keepers union. |
Richard Ellis |
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West Indies v India: Is this the best that West Indies can do? By Colin CroftMaybe I should try to get myself hired as one of the international umpires. After all, I had all three, perhaps even all four, of my very recent predictions exactly correct. That is at least 100% - perfection! Firstly, there could be a reprieve for West Indies next year for the tour of England. You would recall that last month, I informed that West Indies were, tentatively, not scheduled to play a Test in London, not at Lords or Kennington Oval, but that there was a very slight possibility that that could have been changed. That slight possibility has now become an almost reality, thanks to external situations. It is for the better, especially if you are a die-hard West Indies supporter who had frequented Lords in the past. The cricket authorities at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, where Glomorgan plays, have had that planned Test between West Indies and England removed from the venue. They are already in arrears to England and Wales Cricket Board from that money-losing Test last May featuring England and Sri Lanka. There is a very good chance that that Test match, West Indies v England, in May next year, which has been put back out to tender, would eventually be played at Lords. Nothing at all could be better. Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H. Croft
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Recruitment Policies by Richard EllisIt is refreshing to see how many counties have drawn back from the ‘quick fix' recruitment policies of recent years. Several have eschewed the signing of Kolpaks and older players from other counties, although those with financial clout are still active in the transfer market. Leicestershire began the trend some years ago, although spoilt it somewhat with Kolpaks and overseas signings. This season, Gloucestershire are leading the way with 8 debutants in the first month of first class cricket, the majority young and from their Academy, including a 16-year-old debutant against Northants. The latter have also played a number of home reared players after several seasons of several Kolpaks, and are clearly reaping the benefits. Lancashire, Kent and Worcestershire (despite one embarrassing slip) are close behind, and Durham seem to have an endless line of excellent local seam bowlers - an extension of the old axiom about going down the pits to find the next fast bowler perhaps! When I was down at Bristol recently, the view among the supporters was generally positive, and we all know what a boost to a local club, community or school to see one of their own get the chance to play county cricket. It would be nice to report that these new policies came from enlightened Cricket Committees, but in reality it has been forced on Counties through financial exigencies. Click here to read the article in full. |
Richard Ellis |
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ICC RulingsI would like a specific course of action to be taken with illegal deliveries. As the ICC only becomes involved with players once they reach international competition, i.e. one dayers or test matches, I feel specific guidance should be given to all umpires and referees. There have been many players in the game who have taken 50, 100, 200, or many more test wickets and then been called for throwing - which I feel is wrong. Whenever a player is ‘called', a stigma exists with that player and also the umpire. Sometimes the umpire is even branded a ‘racist'! One way to alleviate this stigma is to make it mandatory for ALL new players to international cricket to have a report made about them by both umpires (first or second match). Ninety nine percent of reports would suggest that the umpire has no problems with this player's action. In the rare case, when an umpire is unsure, he could ask for further investigations, filming and scrutiny to carried out. It is the norm for County Captains to complete ‘umpires reports' and, if made mandatory, player reports would be received in the same manner. |
Pat Pocock pat@patpocock.com
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West Indies cricket - Strange and embarrassing happenings - Something is seriously wrong here! By Colin CroftBy now, you have heard the rumors. By every account, they are true and the news is not good at all. For the very first time in my lifetime, and beyond, since 1928, West Indies is not scheduled to play any Tests matches at all in London next year; not at the extremely prestigious Lords Cricket Ground, or at the equally popular, especially with West Indies supporters, Kennington Oval. That is very sad indeed. There is a very slight chance that that might change, but it is not as easy as that, from what I hear. Apparently, this came about because of their bidding system, with both Lords and Oval being outbid; that is, under-bid. Hosting a Test match at either ground would cost more than it would elsewhere. Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H. Croft
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West Indies v India - Youth is not always wasted on the youngIf you live in Trinidad & Tobago, this weekend could be sweet sorrow, even if there is an unlikely West Indies sweep; winning all games scheduled for Queen's Park Oval. That should, at least, up the spirits!The let-down comes as one realizes, and accepts, that Sachin Tendulkar and Chris Gayle will never represent their respective international cricket teams at this hallowed West Indies cricket arena again. 'The Little Maestro', understandably, decided to remain home; family commitments; for India's entire tour. He has been playing cricket so much already that his body and especially his mind must be tired. Also, as India must show its best combination for the massive series against England later this year, after West Indies tour, Sachin would want to be at his peak for what must be his last tour to the UK too... Conversely, 'The Big Man' is again at loggerheads with West Indies Cricket Board, via recent unhealthy exchanges of ideas and ideologies; left out; even as he may be in the best form of his long cricketing life. Having not toured West Indies in 2006 either, Sachin will never represent India in the Caribbean again. Meanwhile, unless the drastic happens, it is very possible that Chris may not play for West Indies again! Yet, this may not be such a bad thing, overall. No-one, especially cricketers anywhere, is indispensable. Things, and personnel in sports teams too, must and do change. That is why this is so very fascinating! With this new generation emerging on both sides, the time is opportune for continued rebuilding of these teams. West Indians must also believe that from our depths, excellent cricket could still come! Click here to read the article in full. |
Colin E.H. Croft
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Change of LawsWhen Pieterson switched hands and smashed a six in a Lord's test, Michael Holding said, "he thought it was unfair as the bowler has to inform the umpire if he is going to change hands but NOT the batsman." That maybe so, but, I believe switch-hitting is good for the game and something the public enjoys (people seem to forget that it has been around for over 30 years, although practiced more today). However, there is a way that the game can give just a little bit back to the bowler to slightly even things up and, at the same time, make it easier for the umpire. When, in the opinion of the umpire, the batsman endeavours to play a left handed shot, the LBW law for the left hander comes in to effect as well as the existing right handed rule. A batsman's original leg stump line does not come into consideration. The umpire then ONLY has to consider one aspect - whether the ball was going to hit the wicket or not? |
Pat Pocock pat@patpocock.com
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Player Profile - Brian LaraWhen he emerged from the Cantaro community of the Santa Cruz valley in Trinidad he burst onto the world stage with such force that he instantly became a breath of fresh air, in a sport where people judge impact on statistics, rather than entertainment value. Key to this was the fact that the Trinidadian never lost the WOW factor. Click here to read the full profile |
Paul Smith |
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