Tag Archives: England Cricket

World Twenty20 Afterthoughts

June 22, 2009 10:25 am \

Congratulations to Pakistan for winning the mens’ World Twenty20 competition and to England for winning the womens’ World Twenty20 competition.

Pakistan’s heartwarming triumph comes despite the stupidity, insensitivity and general antics of the Pakistan Cricket Board, who are probably the most unfit for purpose of the national cricket boards.  Given how bad some of them are that really is an indictment of the PCB.

So let’s push Mr Insensitive, Ijaz Butt, out of the way and celebrate the mercurial Pakistan team.  I’ve always had a lot of time for Younus Khan as a player.  As a captain he’s managed to do what only Imran Khan did for Pakistan cricket and mould a team which won a major prize.  He has given Shahid Afridi back his confidence.  Afridi’s man of the match performances in the semi final and final show a cricketer who has matured.  He is a livewire, a match winner and cricket is the better for his presence.  Note also that no Pakistan player played in the recent IPL.  Does that tell us something?

Never doubt the talent that Pakistan has available.  Quite why Pakistan can produce 17 and 19 year old international cricketers who are ready for that level of cricket and England can’t I don’t know.  It’s a joy to watch.  Just think what Pakistan cricket could achieve if they had a sensible, well constructed administration overseeing the game.  Again we’ve seen excellent support for Pakistan, India and Bangladesh here.  If Pakistan isn’t to host home test matches, why not bring host them here in England?

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Birmingham City Council Shoots Itself And The City In The Foot

April 8, 2009 8:40 pm \

I am proud of the fact that I am from Birmingham.  England’s second city, the home of a thousand trades.  The home of heavy metal music (I went to school not far from where Black Sabbath were born).  Home to Premiership football clubs and their passionate supporters.  Home to a test match ground rich in history, where miracles have been performed.  Ian Botham’s 5 wickets for 1 run spell against Australia in 1981 being one example.  Listen to the crowd cheering as Botham runs in to bowl.

In 2005 Edgbaston was the scene of the nail biting second test.  This over from Andrew Flintoff and his working over of Ricky Ponting still get me out of my seat screaming with joy.  Again, listen to the crowd.  Brummies love their sport and are as appreciative an audience as you will find anywhere.

Edgbaston is a ground which Mark Nicholas described as

“If Lord’s is like an opera then Birmingham is like a rock concert.”

Then there was the one day international between India and Pakistan at Edgbaston during the 2004 Champions Trophy.  The atmosphere in Birmingham city centre was electric, possibly the closest you would get to an India – Pakistan game in India or Pakistan.

International cricket brings big money into Birmingham and the local economy.  No question about that.

Despite this, the proposed plans to develop Edgbaston into a test ground of excellence for the future (and to continue bringing the best in international cricket to Birmingham) were today deferred by Birmingham City Council.

There is some excellent response from Colin Povey, Chairman of Warwickshire in the article so do drop by and read.

Birmingham City Council are clearly lacking Clue in quite some quantity.  Don’t they know that Old Trafford lost its test status because it failed to keep its facilities up to scratch?  As seen here:

“The proposals come at a time of fierce competition for the rights to stage Test matches which has recently seen the ground, and the region, fail to secure any for the foreseeable future”

Birmingham City Council need to wake up, get some Clue and work with Warwickshire to get things sorted.  Quickly.

No dithering, no deferring, no discussion after discussion after discussion.

Sort it.  Now.

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