"Who may or may not be an Ireland fan"

More as we get it.

ESPN Cricinfo Commentary of England tour of Ireland

New Yorker Cricket

Wimbledon

Roger Federer and Sachin Tendulkar shooting the breeze.

You remember George Hook crying for Irish cricket?

The old curmudgeon's reaction to Ireland's defeat of England in the cricket World Cup earlier this year was somewhat out of character. Then again if it comes to emotion he has form...

Irish cricketers take to the field again as they face Pakistan today in the first of a two match ODI series. Will they reproduce the tear inducing success of Bangalore?

Squads
Ireland: AR Cusack, DT Johnston, NG Jones, EC Joyce, NJ McDonnell, JF Mooney, KJ O'Brien, WTS Porterfield (c), AD Poynter, WB Rankin, PR Stirling, A van der Merwe, AR White, GC Wilson (wk)

Pakistan: Abdur Rehman, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Hammad Azam, Junaid Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq(c), Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Salman (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Tanvir Ahmed, Taufeeq Umar, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Younis Khan

The 5 best cricket catches ever

Andy Bichel (AUS)


Adam Voges (AUS)


Justin Kemp (SA)


Dwayne Leverock (Bermuda)
(The flying fridge/gazelle/policeman who lives above a curry shop. Better known as Sluggo...)


The chicken/ferret dance (IRL)

No answer blowing in the Windies

Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan.

Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Sulieman Benn.

Each one a cricketing star.

Not one of these players will be playing for the West Indies in their latest One Day Internationals vs Bangladesh/Pakistan. Most have been axed from the squad (although Bravo is injured and Pollard has prefered to play a bit of IPL).

I'm sure they'd find a home if they wanted to pull on a green jersey and wack a few sixies in Clontarf or Stormont.

In the world of international cricket, these days it seems everything's up in the air

Via cricinfo

Emigration returns to Ireland

 

via Cricinfo

Irish man wins top cricketing award

Yes him

Each year Wisden the oldest and most venerable of cricketing periodicals produce the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack featuring the five Cricketers of the Year. This year Dubliner Eoin Morgan is one of them.

I wonder if this is embassassing for the International Cricket Council (ICC) who are having an excruciating time at the moment after deciding this week to exclude Ireland from playing in the 2015 World Cup.

What disappoints me the most is the seeming acceptability of devaluing cricket in Ireland. It seems acceptable to afford Ireland no possibility of playing Test cricket. It seems to be acceptable for the ICC to provide them with a tiny amount of funding (a lower per centage per player than any Test nation). It seems acceptable to "develop" Irish cricketers by letting them declare for England. Well I'll tell you it's bloody well not acceptable.

The status quo of cricket must change. I say fair play to Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan for lining out for England and facing the best players in the world - but both of them would surely prefer to represent their our colours on the world stage.

Perhaps the greatest shame of all for cricket this year is the fact that Wisden's five Cricketer's of the Year are - for the first time since 1926 - in fact only four. Mohammad Amir, Pakistan's 18 year old lightening fast bowler, had been nominated for the award but could not be selected by Wisden in the light of a five year ban he received after a spot fixing scandal last year.

What would we do if Sachin wasn't around to pick up our spirits?

World Cup implodes and Chris Martin vs Sachin Tendulkar

So I was just looking at the official ICC Batting Rankings there. They make for interesting reading.

Ireland's Kevin O'Brien is currently ranked ahead of M. Yousuf, Kevin Pietersen, Kamran Akmal, Younus Khan, Ian Bell, S.T. Jayasuriya, O.A. Shah, Ravi Bopara, Mark Boucher, K.A. Pollard, D. Bravo, David Hussey... Funnily enough Ireland's opening batsman Paul Stirling is ranked ahead of nearly all of these top international batsmen as well. Shame 2011 is the last time O'Brien and Stirling represent Ireland in a World Cup although there's a half chance they'll be playing in the 2015 World Cup under different colours.

On a cheerier note ICC's website allows for player comparisons. Que the Sachin Tendulkar-Chris Martin Test batting comparison (Sachin is literally off the charts....)


Via ICC

The Ashes - Fourth Test

 

You know it. 

Click here if you don't. Or here if you still don't get it. Or here. Or here. Or perhaps just look here. 

Because this will be epic. I mean EPIC!

Alternative World Cricket XIs (Part 2)

I'll have none of your T20 stuff

As mentioned previously, the team over at espnCricinfo have been working for well over a year to name the all time greatest world cricket team as selected by a panel of cricketing experts. (The panel is made up by former Test captains from all the major cricketing nations, along with a number of cricketing historians and top notch writers.)

A number of alternative teams – each centred around a specific theme – were released in the run up to the big announcement. I posted about three of them already and now I am listing four more.

Yes things are indeed that exciting.

For your money (and your life) by David Frith, cricket writer and historian
David Frith has selected a Play-for-your-life XI who'll "do you proud when it's a choice between not losing and heading to the gas chamber." Eh ok... Spose if Bill Shankly had chosen cricket instead of football as his game he would prove the ideal manager of this lot. Onions' inclusion is a touch bewildering, a little funny and overwhelmingly topical. Injury has stopped him going Down Under.

Nice guys finish first by Ramachandra Guha, writer of cricket history among other things
Ramachandra Guha's Gentlemen XI are those cricketers "who'd break your spirit and shake your hand." Interesting choices here. Note that Guha says that the likes of Adam Gilchrist "stand out because of the contrast between them and their colleagues." Cutting.

On the other hand by Mike Selvey, former Test player, now a cricket writer
Mike Selvey's Lefties XI does not refer to the political ideology of the team (I spose). In a game with lots of right handers it is interesting to see the number of high quality southpaws who have made their mark on the game. Were it not for a slight weakness in the bowling department, this team would win any game against any other.

Over their dead bodies by Peter Roebuck, former player, now a cricket columnist
Peter Roebuck's has gone for a Stodgy XI made up of "slowpokes who will test the patience of the fiercest opponents and the tolerance of the most obdurate viewers." Interesting stuff – maybe the like of Jacques Kallis will forever continue to slip through all of these imagined teams for being either too good (as is the case in this team) or not good enough (as is the case for the World Eleven which was finally chosen).

Play-for-your-life XI	Gentlemen XI	Lefties XI	Stodgy XI
Geoffrey Boycott	Jack Hobbs	Matthew Hayden	Glenn Turner
Bill Ponsford	Victor Trumper	Justin Langer	Geoff Boycott
Don Bradman	George Headley	Graeme Pollock	Herbert Sutcliffe
Ken Barrington	Vijay Hazare	Brian Lara	Bill Woodfull
Sachin Tendulkar	Garry Sobers	Clive Lloyd	Douglas Jardine
Shivnarine Chanderpaul	Keith Miller	Garry Sobers	Ken Mackay
Trevor Bailey	Adam Gilchrist	Adam Gilchrist	Jack Russell
Ken Mackay	Anil Kumble	Wasim Akram	Trevor Goddard
Jack Russell	Derek Underwood	Alan Davidson	Bapu Nadkarni
Graham Onions	Curtly Ambrose	Bishan Bedi	Charlie "Terror" Turner
Danny Morrison	Lance Gibbs	Johnny Wardle	Glenn McGrath

For more info on all of these teams check out cricinfo's specialised page for the World XI.

A bad week

It's been a terrible week or so for sport. At least I think it has.

Talks between Serie A clubs and the player's association broke down with the real possiblity of an all out strike at the end of the month.

The World cycling authority UCI demanded swift action against triple Tour de France champion Alberto Contador for illegal doping.

After hitting the winning runs for Pakistan in a sensational One Day match against South Africa, unbeknownest to his team, Zulqarnain Haider secretly fled his team's hotel on the eve of the deciding match of the series, travelled by plane to London, sought political asylum and announced his retirement from cricket after receiving death threats for refusing to throw games. It's being reported that he was ordered to "get in line" for the last game of the series and that his family have also been threatened.

Andy Irons, the iconic virtuoso, former world champion, and (arguably without doubt) the greatest surfer most charismatic in history was found dead in his hotel room.

Photo: "Fir0002/Flagstaffotos"

If you think the last week has been dramatic just look back on it in a year's time. Maybe it will be a watershed. Maybe it'll be a turning point. Or maybe not. It has been a crazy week though.

This was the week Johnny Murtagh left Ballydoyle, the most coveted horse racing stable in the world.

This was the week Valentino Rossi, the most successful Moto GP rider of all time, began his greatest challenge ever by testing his new team's Ducati for the first time.

This was the week three time world champion and world number won (before his suspension) John Higgins began his first snooker tournament after being banned for bringing the game into disrepute amid allegations of match fixing claims.

This has been a surprising, tough, nasty week and largely one to forget. But hope springs eternal and you never know, maybe the likes of Murtagh and Rossi will rise our spirits again and we will look back on this week as the spark of a new dawn in sport.

A hurricane hit Ireland on Sunday night. Surfers found a new wave. Things might be looking up already.

Alternative World Cricket XIs

The Invincibles of 1948, captained by Bradman (seated centre)

As stated earlier Cricinfo are selecting an All Time World Cicket XI. If half of my eleven guys don't make the list I might just pack in this sports blogging thing altogether.

In the run up to the announcement of what could be the best cricket team ever imagined, the panel of selectors are releasing some of their alternative teams - each centred around a theme.

I know. Calm down.

How's that?! World Cricket XI

The team over at cricinfo.com have started to try and pick an all time cricket XI. It's a fairly hopeless task but of course I had to have a go myself.

Great players down the ages have had the ability to singlehandedly change games in a session, to win "unwinnable" matches, and to shatter records with the panache of the head waiter at Patrick Guilbaud's.

Pakistan Cricket, the Year so Far: a Timeline (Part 1)

PAKISTAN SERIES IN AUSTRALIA

6 January Pakistan fail to chase down 176 runs and lose the second Test against Australia at Sydney despite having had a 206 run first innings lead. Australia’s victory is especially spectacular considering that in their second innings the Aussies were only 46 runs ahead with two wickets left. Mohammad Yousuf, Pakistan’s captain, backs Kamran Akmal after the wicketkeeper dropped three catches and missed an opportunity for a run out.

Shahid Afridi

31 January Pakistan T20 captain Shahid Afridi is banned by the ICC for two T20 Internationals after being found guilty of ball tampering. Video evidence showed Afridi apparently biting the ball.

5 February Pakistan’s tour of Australia comes to a close. Whitewashed, they finished having lost all 3 Test matches, all 5 One Dayers, and both T20 internationals.

10 March The Pakistan Cricket Board ban and fine seven players after an inquiry into the Australian series. Former captains Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf are banned from playing for Pakistan in any format indefinitely. Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan are banned for one year while Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers receive fines of Rs2-3 million.

16 March Although admitting a lack of concrete evidence, members of Pakistan's senate standing committee on sports announce they believe "one or more" Pakistan players to be involved in deliberately under-performing for money.

23 March Mohammad Yousuf announces his retirement from international cricket. The top order batsman – who was captain of the side one month previously – had a Test batting average in excess of 52.

5 April Opening batsman Nasir Jamshed is released on bail after being arrested for cheating in a school exam.

ICC WORLD TWENTY20

14 May After excellent performances, defending champions Pakistan are left with broken hearts after being beaten by Australia in the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20. Australia’s Michael Hussey stuns the world by scoring 38 runs from the final 10 balls of the game.

20 May Pakistan MPs summon players, coaches, and PCB chairman Ijaz Butt to answer questions related to the tour of Australia.

25 May Shahid Afridi is named as captain of the team for all formats of the game.

Mohammad Yousuf

29 May Shoaib Malik’s fine and one year ban are both cut in half by an appeal tribunal. Younis Khan is refused his request for a hearing.

5 June Younis Khan’s indefinite ban is lifted.  The Akmal brothers fines for acts of indiscipline are reduced. Shahid Afridi’s fine is revoked entirely.

ASIA CUP

19 June Harbhajan Singh’s four from the penultimate ball of the match knocks Pakistan out of the Asia Cup in a cliff-hanger. Indian celebrations were described as “explosive”.

20 June Top order batsman, former captain Younis Khan is not selected for Pakistan’s tour to England. His batting average was 50.

PAKISTAN SERIES AGAINST AUSTRALIA (IN ENGLAND)

5 July Pakistan win first T20 against Australia. With Pakistan banned from hosting cricket after the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in May 2009 the series is held in England.

16 July After one Test match, Pakistan’s captain Shahid Afridi retires from Test cricket. It was his first Test match in four years. Australia won the game by 150 runs.

Salman Butt

17 July Salman Butt is named as captain of the side for the remaining Tests.

24 July Pakistan series against Australia finishes. Pakistan square the series 1-1 with a thrilling win in the second Test. It is their first Test victory over the Aussies in 15 years.

PAKISTAN SERIES AGAINST ENGLAND

1 August After losing the first Test against England by 354 runs the PCB recall banned and retired former captain Mohammad Yousuf for the rest of the series.

10 August  Zaheer Abbas, the former Pakistan captain, says he fears for the future of Pakistan cricket due to what he feels is its poor administration.

21 August Pakistan win a Test match against England for the first time in nine years. Captain Salman Butt dedicates the victory to the victims of massive flooding which has left one fifth of the country below water.