Noting that the county championship is only 95 days away, by featuring Tom Soar’s career best. Also the first photo gallery of the new year.
Welcome to a new year. I have decided to make the main body of my first post of 2024 fit with the start of a new county championship season being 95 days away. I then have a photo gallery to share – today has been largely bright and sunny and I have been out and about.
TOM SOAR’S CAREER BEST
Tom Soar is not an illustrious name in the history of cricket, and fast bowling was his main occupation (323 FC wickets at 23.82 with a best of 8-38). His highest score with the bat was 95, and it came in a truly remarkable match.
Somerset had batted first and posted a total of 315, Ernie Robson top scoring with 74. Hampshire began poorly in reply and it would have been even worse for them had Somerset keeper Wickham pulled off a stumping chance against Major Robert Poore. Poore survived, which would have felt ominous to Somerset, given that at Portsmouth earlier that season he had already smashed them for two centuries in the match. Hampshire were 62-4 when Soar joined Poore. The pair put on 196 together before Soar was out for 95. Poore was now joined by another army officer, Captain Teddy Wynyard, and just over four hours this pair proceeded to hammer 411 runs, before Wynyard fell for 225. Poore was out a few balls, for precisely 300 runs more than he had scored at the time Wickham missed that stumping. Hampshire declared at 672-7, an advantage of 357. A dispirited Somerset could only manage 206 at the second time of asking and lost by an innings and 151 runs.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
A gathering of gulls.MoorhenWhite duckSwansBlue tit.I think this was a skein of geese, going by the shapes of the birds.BlackbirdMy first starling of 2024JackdawsSparrows
A look at the first two days play between Australia and Pakistan at the MCG and a splendid photo gallery.
The Boxing Day test match between Australia and Pakistan at Melbourne has now seen two days play, albeit one of them disrupted by the weather, and is beginning to take shape.
THE AUSTRALIAN INNINGS
Pakistan won the toss and elected to put Australia in to bat. A truncated opening day ended with the hosts 187-3 after a “curate’s egg” bowling and fielding effort by Pakistan. At 226-4 Australia still looked very well placed, but then Pakistan fought their way back into things, and Australia eventually tallied a mere 318, respectable after being sent in but by no means formidable. Marnus Labuschagne with 63 had the only half century off the bat in the innings, but Pakistan may well come to regret the fact that they allowed Extras to tally a half century as well (52, including 15 wides). Debutant Aamer Jamal claimed three wickets, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mir Hamza and Hasan Ali each had two, and Agha Salman, brought on to bowl the last over before lunch on day one, was gifted the wicket of David Warner.
THE PAKISTAN RESPONSE TO DATE
Pakistan began well, and at 124-1 it looked like things were going their way, but then came a passage of play that completely changed things. Pat Cummins removed Abdullah Shafique for 62, hanging on to a hard return chance. Then he widened the breach by bowling new batter Babar Azam for 1. Lyon got Shan Masood for 54, Hazlewood produced a beauty to get through the defences of Saud Shakeel for 9, and Pakistan were 151-5 and in a lot of trouble. Cummins claimed a third scalp of the innings when he got one to take the edge of Salman’s bat to make it 170-6. However Jamal defended stoutly, while wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, who had performed better behind the stumps than 20 byes and 15 leg byes might suggest, batted well. When the cut off time arrived Pakistan were 194-6, with Rizwan 29*. Much rests on him on day three – it will largely by his further contribution or lack of it that decides whether Australia will have a really commanding lead or not. At the moment Australia are in the box seat, but many worse positions than the one Pakistan are currently in have seen sides emerge victorious.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Yesterday morning was bright and sunny, and I got out for a long walk while the weather was pleasant. I was well rewarded, including sightings of an egret and a couple of cormorants among other things…
An egret in the mud on the west side of the Great Ouse, opposite Hardings Pits (features in six pictures)Cormorants at one of their most regular perching spots (10 pictures)
An account of how I made the best of being alone for Christmas and ,enjoyed my day. Lots of photographs.
My parents, sister and nephew are all off in far flung parts of the world, and my aunt is also away for Christmas. This meant that my own Christmas would be what I made of it . The rest of this post is my own account of yesterday.
PLANNING THE DAY
I decided that I would spend the hours of daylight away from my computer, and that I would have my fancy Christmas Day meal (a home cooked variation on the steak & chips theme) in the evening. I selected some Christmas music to play through the day, and planned to do some walking during the daylight hours. My parents had arranged that I would have a package to open on the day.
THE MORNING
I went out for my first walk just before 9AM, which took in both the ponds near where I live, the Kettlewell Lane tree/ river area, The Walks, the Peace Garden/ Greyfriars tower, the town centre, St Nicholas’ Chapel, Bawsey Drain and back along Columbia Way. I then played the first of my chosen Christmas Music CDs. When this CD finished I headed off for my second walk, which again included both ponds, but this time I took the footpath from the second pond that leads to Loke Road just before the junction with Gaywood Road, crossed Loke Road, headed onto Gaywood Road for a short stretch before crossing it and heading down Tennyson Avenue. Just before the railway crossing I took the footpath that heads towards Lynnsport and followed to the point at which it meets the Gaywood River path, which I walked along until I reached a path off it towards the Discovery Centre and thence back home.
THE AFTERNOON/ EARLY EVENING
I had lunch while a second CD played. When the second CD finished I went out for a third walk, taking in the first pond, a route through to the footpath alongside Bawsey Drain and followed that footpath until Columbia Way, at which point spots of rain warned me that I needed to take the direct route home, along Columbia Way, rather than extend the walk further as I had been considering. I then played the rest of the Christmas music I had picked out, returning to the computer briefly in the early evening.
COOKING SUPPER
I put the oven on at about 7PM, set to approximately 175 Celsius, taking care to turn the extractor fan on and open a kitchen window. I oiled a baking tray next. Then I cut a large potato into slices of approximately equal thickness, thick enough that when cooked they would still obviously be potato and thin enough that they would have a bit of crunch. I placed this slices on the oiled baking tray, sprinkled some salt over them, and then added a little more oil. I put them into the oven to cook. Then I got to work on the brussels sprouts, preparing a dozen for cooking, placing them in a saucepan and boiling a kettle full of water to cook them in. Once they were on and cooking I turned the potato slices over. I tenderised the steak, got some oil in small frying pan heating up (to colour on the outside while still being red in the middle the steak has to go in to oil that is already hot), and at the appropriate moment I put the steak into cook, flash-frying it for a minute on each side at high heat. I then plated it up, before draining the sprouts, pouring a drink and then getting the potatoes out. This is what my variation on a steak & chips theme looked like on the plate:
For the record it tasted splendid.
For afters I had a small jar of Kalamata olives.
THE END OF THE DAY
I was mindful of the fact that the Boxing Day test match at Melbourne between Australia and Pakistan, which Test Match Special were covering, got underway at 11:30PM UK time (Melbourne is 11 hours ahead of us). I thus timed my heading to bed so that I could have that commentary playing while I was in bed. I enjoyed the day, and my Christmas meal worked well.
A look at how the Big Bash League is panning out and a photo gallery.
The Big Bash League is well underway. This edition of the tournament features only 10 group matches per side rather than 14 and also sensibly only allows the top four sides to qualify for the knockout stages as opposed to the ludicrously overgenerous situation previously whereby fifth was good enough.
HOBART HURRICANES v MELBOURNE RENEGADES
There was radio commentary on this match today for UK listeners. Renegades batted first and helped by a rare example of a reasonably well timed Power Surge (overs 16 and 17, making it a kick starter into the death overs rather than actually being part of the death overs, still an over or so later than I would like but the best timed one in any of the radio commentaries I have listened to so far) which they capitalized on, taking the two overs for a total of 34 runs, tallied an eminently respectable looking 185-5 from their 20 overs.
Unfortunately for them they bowled like drains, which in combination with some excellent Hurricanes batting, especially from Matthew Wade and Macallister Wright, saw the hosts home by six wickets with an over to spare.
HOW THE TABLE IS LOOKING
Three sides, Brisbane Heat, Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers, are looking very likely to progress. Another three, Adelaide Strikers, Sydney Thunder and Hobart Hurricanes would appear to be fighting for the fourth qualification slot, while the two Melbourne sides, as happened in the women’s version of this tournament, look like propping up the table.
POWER SURGE THOUGHTS
In the BBL the initial Power Play lasts for four overs rather than the usual six and the batting side then has a two over Power Surge which they have to take in the second half of their innings (this is to stop sides lazily using it for overs 5 and 6 and thereby having a standard Power Play). My feeling based on the games I have listened to so far this season is that most sides are very overcautious about taking the Power Surge which means it often happens later than it should. Personally the latest I would countenance those overs being taken is for overs 16 and 17 as happened today, but I would want to go earlier if possible. In one of the other games I listened to the side batting first had two well set batters together at the end of 12th over and still together at the end of the 13th, but they refused to take these golden opportunities to use the Power Surge, and lost a wicket in the 14th. They ended up using the Power Surge in the 18th and 19th overs of their innings, which I regard as plumb crazy. It depends on exact situations but I would always want to go fairly early. If the openers happened still to be together at the end of the 10th over I would seriously consider taking the Power Surge for overs 11 and 12 as a launch pad for the second half of the innings. The other time I might go that early as if a number of wickets have fallen and I want to use the surge while I still have two front line batters to capitalize on it. I would say that in intermediate situations between the two I have outlined above I would look at overs 13-14, overs 14-15, overs 15-16 and at the very outside overs 16-17 and would never allow the surge to unused going into the death overs.
An all time XI of players whose given names begin with P, an important honourable mentions section which starts with two ‘what might have beens’ and a photo gallery.
In this post I select an all time XI of players whose given names begin with the letter P. There is an extensive and important honourable mentions section as well, and some photographs to end.
THE XI IN BATTING ORDER
Peter Richardson (England, left handed opening batter). Had a fine test record in a generally low scoring decade, the 1950s. He also lacked a regular opening partner at England level, which makes his achievements in the role even more creditable.
Phil Jaques (Australia, left handed opening batter). One of the many fine players to miss out on opportunities because Australia had a dominant and settled line up at the time. His performances in the nine test matches he got to play were excellent, and his first class record over a long career speaks for itself.
Peter May (England, right handed batter). An outstanding career record, averaging 46 in test cricket’s lowest, slowest scoring decade.
Phil Mead (England, left handed batter). A fine test record, and an outstanding first class one. His Hampshire tallies of 48,809 runs and 138 centuries are both records for a single first class team, while his overall career tallies place him fourth all time in both runs scored and centuries made.
Polly Umrigar (India, right handed batter, occasional off spinner). He overcame a traumatic start to his test career, mainly at the hands of Fred Trueman, to end it as the holder of India career records for most runs and most centuries at test level, and with an average of 42 at that level. His India career records all stood as such until Sunil Gavaskar came along and didn’t so much raise the bar as blast it into the stratosphere.
*Percy Fender (England, right handed batter, leg spinner, captain). Perhaps one place higher than would be absolutely ideal, but this side has a strong top five, and there is a very handy keeper/ batter to come. A fine all rounder, and an even finer captain, a role that Peter May’s presence not withstanding I have no hesitation in awarding him in this side.
+Paul Nixon (England, wicket keeper, left handed batter). He was never picked by England for a test match, though he did play some limited overs internationals, but he was very fine wicket keeper, and good enough with the bat to average 35 in first class cricket.
Pat Cummins (Australia, right arm fast bowler, right handed batter). One of the best contemporary fast bowlers.
Peter Pollock (South Africa, right arm fast bowler, right handed batter). The spearhead of the South African bowling attack in the last years of their first incarnation as a test nation, he first developed his bowling in the backyard of the family home, where if he wanted a bat he had first to dismiss his younger brother, and since said younger brother was Graeme Pollock that, as many another bowler learned over the years, took quite a lot of doing.
Peter Heine (South Africa, right arm fast bowler, right handed batter). Formed an excellent and nasty new ball pairing with Neil Adcock, who should probably have been in the Ns XI in the years immediately before Pollock.
Palwankar Baloo (India, left arm orthodox spin bowler, left handed batter). India were not a test nation in his playing days, and since rather than being a Jam Saheb or a Nawab he was a humble member of a low caste he did not have the opportunity of going to England to play. 33 first class matches yielded him 179 wickets at 15.09 a piece, an astounding record, especially given the caste prejudice he faced while assembling it.
This side has a powerful top five, a fine all rounder who was also a very astute captain, an excellent keeper/ batter and four high quality specialist bowlers. Cummins, Pollock, Heine, Baloo and Fender, with Umrigar available as sixth bowler are unlikely to struggle to take 20 opposition wickets.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
I begin this section, for reasons that I hope will become apparent, with…
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN? (X2)
My first what might have been, and the one that some would be gunning for me over my failure to include him is Phillip Hughes, a left handed opening batter who died after being hit on the back of the head by a bouncer in 2014, at the age of just 26. Hughes’ tragic demise does not change basic facts: in this case he had not done enough to earn his place in this XI, with a test average of under 33, including the 2010-11 Ashes when he looked decidedly ordinary. There is no way of knowing how his career would have developed, and I can only go on actual facts, therefore he misses out.
The second person to feature in this section is another Aussie. Some 40 years before Glenn McGrath was born there Dubbo, New South Wales had come very close to producing a champion fast bowler: Pat Crawford. His career came to a premature end after a horrible injury. In four test matches he took seven wickets at 15.28, while 37 first class matches yielded him 110 scalps at 21.02. In view of the achievements of Cummins, Pollock and Heine, plus one or two others who had to miss out I felt that while his figures did suggest a truly great performer I could not include him.
REGULAR HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Two other openers whose test records definitely make them worthy of consideration were Paul Gibb and Peter Parfitt, the former of whom could also have been named as keeper. Pravin Amre of India started his first class career looking like he was going to shred the record books, but ultimately did not do so, though his records at both first class and test level were excellent by mosr reckonings. Pathum Nissanka of Sri Lanka has an outstanding first class batting record and a very respectable test one, and may ultimately claim a place in this XI, but at the moment he is not quite there. Peter Burge of Australia was also in the mix for a middle order batting slot, but although he definitively won one test match for his country (an innings of 160 that was largely responsible for what looked a substantial first innings deficit becoming a substantial first innings lead) his overall record was respectable rather than great. Paul Collingwood was a candidate for the place I gave to Umrigar, and would also be a candidate for being the designated substitute fielder, though he has a rival for that slot in Paul Parker. Phil Sharpe was a gritty batter who averaged 40 at test level and an outstanding slip fielder. Parthiv Patel, Paul Downton and Peter Nevill were the three wicket keepers closest to challenging Nixon. The fastest bowler to miss out was unquestionably Patrick Patterson, but he was nearly as erratic as he was quick, which is why his record falls short of greatness. Peter Siddle and Pat Trimborn were both quality practitioners of right arm fast medium bowling. Pedro Collins was another test match pacer not quite good enough for this XI. The spin options were thinner on the ground, though Pat Pocock, who once took seven wickets in 11 balls for Surrey against Sussex deserves a mention, and two contrasting left armers, Philippe-Henri Edmonds and Paul Adams of the ‘frog in a blender’ action would both have their advocates. Pat Symcox, a fine off spinner for South Africa, would also have his advocates. Peter Hatzoglou (leg spin) and Patrick Dooley (left arm wrist spin) would be candidates for a limited overs side. Australian left hander Phoebe Litchfield would also be a candidate for a batting slot in a limited overs XI.
A look back at last night’s ODI series decider between West Indies and England, an all time XI with given names beginning with O as its theme and a photo gallery.
Last night saw the deciding ODI of the series between West Indies and England. That and an all time XI of players where the main focus is having a given name beginning with O form the bulk of today’s post.
WEST INDIES V ENGLAND DECIDER
As you will see it is more than usually appropriate that the heading of this section of the blog is in maroon, the colour of the West Indies.
Rain delayed the start significantly, and the by the time of the toss the match was reduced to 43 overs per side instead of 50. West Indies won the toss and put England into bat. Matthew Forde made an international debut in place of Oshane Thomas for West Indies and Matt Potts replaced Brydon Carse for England.
Ford bowled outstandingly with the new ball and was rewarded with three very quick wickets. Alzarri Joseph then struck twice, though he only got officially credited for one – a brilliant piece of fielding off his own bowling that in conjunction with a hesitation between the batters led to a run out was the one for which he got no credit, a terrible shot that led to a first ball duck for skipper Buttler was the one that he did get credit for. At that point England were reeling at 49-5. Liam Livingstone and Ben Duckett then shared a big partnership, and it looked like England’s early collapse might not be terminal.
England’s spinners bowled well, and the West Indies looked like failing in the chase on several occasions. Then, at the crucial moment, with the run rate definitely looking challenging for WI, and on a pitch on which extra pace had been at best a dubious asset (Forde, so successful for WI, is a medium pacer, and WI’s next best bowlers were their own spinners Motie and Cariah) Buttler entrusted Atkinson with an over. Atkinson immediately started trying for yorkers, and served up two delicious full tosses which both went for sixes. In total this over yielded 24 runs, and the result was no longer in doubt. WI duly won by four wickets and took the series.
There have been signs of promise from England this series, with Jacks and Salt looking like a decent opening pair, Jacks bowling well yesterday, Livingstone faring decently as an all rounder and Duckett’s innings yesterday, but there are also obvious problems, the biggest of them being Buttler’s inadequacy as skipper. West Indies bowl better than they bat (which as anyone familiar with my blog knows is the way round I would prefer things if I had to have a side that was stronger in one department than the other), with Forde a hugely promising new comer, Alzarri Joseph and Oshane Thomas both good pacers and Cariah and Motie good spinners. The batting is a trifle too dependent on Shai Hope for comfort, but they did the job yesterday without him making a huge score.
ORCHESTRATING AN ALL TIME XI
Today pick an all time XI with the theme being players whose given names begin with the letter O. I have had to resort to a couple of cheat picks to complete the XI, but nine of my players do indeed have given names beginning with O.
THE XI IN BATTING ORDER
Octavius Radcliffe (England, right handed opening batter, occasional off spinner). A west country based amateur of the late 19th century (born and died in Wiltshire, turned out for both Gloucestershire and Somerset, the former of which helped get him a place on the 1891-2 Ashes tour, skippered by WG Grace), and his record compares reasonably with those of a similar vintage.
Felix Organ (Hampshire, right handed opening batter, off spinner). One of my ‘cheat picks’, and picked more on potential than actual achievement. He does have a name beginning with O, but not his given name.
Ollie Pope (England, right handed batter, occasional wicket keeper). An excellent FC record and a respectable test record which he is well capable of improving. Number three has been his best position for England.
Owais Shah (England, right handed batter, occasional off spinner). In common with many an English player of vintage he has a good domestic record while having done little of note at international level.
O’Neill Gordon ‘Collie’ Smith (West Indies, right handed batter, occasional off spinner). He was killed in a car crash while in the process of establishing himself. He had done enough to earn his place in this XI.
Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan, right handed batter, right arm medium fast bowler). My second ‘cheat pick’, he has shown himself to be a fine player, and I expect him to improve further.
+Oliver George Robinson (Kent, Durham, Wicket keeper, right handed batter). For me he should second choice for England men’s test wicket keeper right now behind Ben Stokes. He has recently moved from Kent to Durham, and the move north has not adversely affected his batting average, proof positive that he is genuinely skilled in that department, not merely a beneficiary of southern climes and pitches.
Omar Henry (South Africa, left arm orthodox spinner, left handed batter). The first non-white cricketer ever picked for an official South Africa XI, though that came too late in his career to for him to really benefit, 443 Fc wickets at 25.17 and 4,566 FC runs at 27.34 with five centuries and an HS of 125 show him to have been a fine cricketer when in his prime.
Oliver Edward Robinson (England, right arm fast medium bowler, right handed batter). When fully fit he is a formidable bowler. It is the necessity of that caveat that is problematic.
Odean Brown (West Indies, leg spinner, right handed batter). Yet to play international cricket, but 255 FC wickets at 23.00 is a respectable record.
Olly Stone (England, right arm fast bowler, right handed batter). Has been plagued by injuries, but when fit he is a devastating bowler.
I cannot pretend that this is a great XI, but it has a functional opening pair, a respectable 3,4,5, a hugely promising all rounder at six, a class keeper/ batter and four decent front line bowlers, though two of those would be injury worries.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Most of these are players who would merit consideration for a limited overs XI but not for a long form one. There are three exceptions: Ossie Wheatley and Oliver Hannon-Dalby established fine records bowling right arm fast medium at county level, and if worried about having both OE Robinson and Stone in the XI one of these two could replace OE Robinson, though it must be noted of Wheatley that he was a genuine liability except when actually bowling. Aussie Women’s leg spinner of the 1990s Olivia Magno was also a genuine candidate for the slot I gave to Odean Brown. Oliver Rayner, an off spin bowling all rounder, had to be overlooked due to the number of front line batters in this XI who could bowl off spin if needed. Four West Indians would in the mix if not on the team sheet if I were selecting with limited overs in mind: Obed McCoy (left arm seamer), Odean Smith (right arm seam bowling all rounder), Omari Banks (off spinner who could bat) and Oshane Thomas (right arm fast bowler, excellent in limited overs, but has an awful record in long form matches).
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
“Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning” – not really needed in an English December, but accurate.A pair of Canada Geese in the Great Ouse (six pictures total)Lapwings enjoying the exposed mudflat at a bend in the Great Ouse (several pictures)Four Lynx buses parked up at Lynn InterchangeAn Excel Bus awaiting passengers.
An all time XI of players whose given names begin with N, some honourable mentions and a two part photo gallery.
Today I pick an all time XI of players whose given names begin with the letter N. I also have some photos to share with you.
THE XI IN BATTING ORDER
Nazar Mohammad (Pakistan, right handed opening batter). He only played a handful of test matches but fared respectably in those, and his domestic record was very good.
Neil McKenzie (South Africa, right handed opening batter). An adhesive opener with a good test record.
*Nasser Hussain (England, right handed batter, captain). As a batter he started badly at international level but recovered to finish with a very respectable career record. As a captain it was he who began to drag England back from the nadir of 1999 when they were dumped out of their own world cup in the group stages and dropped to the bottom of the world test rankings.
Neil Harvey (Australia, left handed batter). One of the greatest of all left handers, and at the time of his retirement he ranked second only to Bradman among Australian test batters.
Norman O’Neill (Australia, right handed batter). He made his debut at Brisbane in 1958, one of the slowest scoring test matches ever played, but one person proved that it was possible to score at a reasonable rate on that surface: Norman O’Neill, whose 73 not out to win the match for his side in the final innings took less than two and a half hours.
Natalie Sciver-Brunt (England, right handed batter, right arm medium pacer). A contemporary great.
+Niall O’Brien (Ireland, wicket keeper, left handed batter). He was of the generation who helped get Ireland elevated to full member status but for whom that elevation came too late. Over 9,000 FC runs at 35 and over 500 dismissals as a keeper provide solid credentials for his place here.
Norbert Philip (West Indies, right arm fast medium bowler, right handed batter). A fine bowling all rounder who was not quite good enough for West Indies at their greatest – he played some test matches during the Packer years, but never got picked when WI were at full strength. He was an overseas player for Essex for a period and in 1983 he combined with Neil Foster (doubly not qualified, through having gone on a rebel tour of Apartheid South Africa and not having been good enough in any case) to dismiss Surrey for 14, the lowest all out total in first class cricket since before WWII.
Neville Knox (England, right arm fast bowler, right handed batter). He got called up for England against South Africa in 1907, though in a wet season on uncovered pitches, with the spinners making merry he was little more than a passenger. Unfortunately knee problems got the better of him at the end of this season, and his career ended prematurely. However his performances in 1906 and 1907 (England had no home series that season and no away tour in 1906-7) were outstanding.
Noor Ahmad (Afghanistan, left arm wrist spin bowler, right handed batter). One of a phalanx of high quality spinners being produced by Afghanistan at the moment.
Nathan Lyon (Australia, off spinner, right handed batter). In red ball cricket Australia has produced exactly one top class spinner since Warne’s retirement – Nathan Lyon.
Given names beginning with N does not give me a treasure chest of talent to work with, but I think this unit, with a strong top five, an all rounder at six, a keeper who can bat, a good new ball pairing and two good spinners is a pretty solid looking team.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Nick Compton was the only serious challenger for an opening berth. Neil Johnson of Zimbabwe would be in a limited overs XI, but his record in long form cricket was very ordinary. Nari Contractor and Neil Fairbrother both did well at first class level but did not deliver at test level, though the latter would be a candidate for a limited overs side. Nicholas Pooran would be candidate for both a batting slot and the gauntlets in a limited overs side, but not in long form cricket. Nigel Haig was a decent county all rounder, but did little in his five test matches and did not have the x-factor of Neville Knox. Neil Mallender was a good county seamer, and did well enough in his two test appearances. Norman Cowans once took a six-for against Australia in a test match, but his overall record was not great. Natasha ‘Tash’ Farrant was the only left arm seam option I could think of, and it would have been stretch even for me to include her in this XI. Nathan Hauritz was several cuts below Lyon as an off spinner. Narendra Hirwani rewrote the record books on his test debut, but his performances thereafter were ordinary.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Another two part photo section. Today has not been a day to offer vast opportunities to a photographer, so I also include some interesting stuff from work – lots 1-14 in what will be a small auction on January 23rd, printed but as yet uncut Italian playing cards…
An all time XI of players whose given names begin with L, a number of honourable mentions and a large photo gallery.
Today, with England Women in the process of thrashing India Women in a T20I and with England Men getting underway in the second ODI against West Indies Men at 5:30PM UK time we meet an all time XI all of whose given names begin with the letter L, and a few honourable mentions.
THE XI IN BATTING ORDER
Laurie Fishlock (England, left handed opening batter). Unsuccessful at the very highest level, partly due to World War II, which coincided with what should have been his best years as a player, his FC record was excellent.
Len Hutton (England, right handed opening batter). One of the greatest openers there has ever been, and all the more remarkable given the effects of WWII – not just an enforced six year absence from playing, but also a training accident that left one arm shorter than the other.
Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa Women, right handed batter). An average of 45.69 in ODIs is a fine achievement, and that it is way ahead of her T20I average suggests that longer formats suit her.
*Lindsay Hassett (Australia, right handed batter, captain). His career was disrupted by WWII, but he still emerged with an excellent test record. Although Hutton won the only series in which he and Hassett were opposed as skippers I have noted that the only two of the first four matches which got close enough to completion to enable one to form a view were both heading Australia’s way when time ran out. Hassett had also got the better of Freddie Brown in 1950-1 down under, especially in the first match, when rain created a vicious sticky, Brown attempted to redress the balance by declaring at 68-7 to get Australia in on the treacherous surface, Hassett countered with a declaration of his own at 32-7, and England made such a hash of surviving the remainder of this hectic day that they closed on 30-6, including McIntyre being run out coming back for a fourth.
Len Braund (England, right handed batter, leg spinner). A fine county all rounder who had his moments at test level. His batting was better than his record might suggest – almost the whole of his career happened before WWI, and he encountered a lot of poor pitches, and often didn’t have much support from the rest of the Somerset batting line up, which was notoriously brittle.
+Les Ames (England, wicket keeper, right handed batter). The first test match keeper to also be a genuinely front line batter, his career highlights included 120 against Australia in an innings victory at Lord’s in 1934, a score which remained an Ashes record for a keeper until Alan Knott scored 135 at Trent Bridge in 1977.
Liam Dawson (England, right handed batter, left arm orthodox spinner). He was called up for England before he was really ready for elevation and has been overlooked ever since (though with a test tour of India looming that may change), but he has been improving, and his all round skills played a large part in Hampshire faring well in the 2023 season.
Learie Constantine (West Indies, right arm fast bowler, right handed batter) An explosive all round cricketer who had some great moments for the West Indies and became a legend in the Lancashire League for Nelson.
Lance Cairns (New Zealand, right arm fast medium bowler, right handed batter). A fine bowler and a big hitting lower order batter.
Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka, right arm fast bowler, right handed batter). His career highlights include taking four wickets in four balls in each of two international formats.
Lance Gibbs (West Indies, off spinner, right handed batter). He briefly held the record for career test wickets, going past Fred Trueman’s 307, ending with 309, which stood until Dennis Lillee went past it.
This XI has good batting depth, with a strong top seven and explosive bowling all rounders at eight and nine. The presence of so many multi-dimensional players, including the keeper Ames, enables the side to have an enviably balanced and well varied attack, with Malinga, Constantine and Cairns attending to pace/swing/seam and Gibbs, Dawson and Braund covering the spin department nicely.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
I nearly went for an all-Yorkshire opening pair, with Louis Hall joining Hutton at the top, but Fishlock’s left handedness swung the verdict his way. Les Berry of Leicestershire and Lionel Palairet of Somerset were also potential openers. In the middle order Lala Amarnath, Hilary Angelo ‘Larry’ Gomes (the latter could have had the number three slot that I gave to Wolvaardt, giving me a second left hander) and another South African, Lizelle Lee, were all potential picks in this area. Lahiru Thirimanne of Sri Lanka was talented but ultimately failed to deliver on that talent. Liam Livingstone would at one stage have seemed a candidate, but his red ball form his been non-existent for some time, and in white ball cricket England seem to be treating him as a bowling all rounder, with his batting now considered of secondary importance. Lance ‘Zulu’ Klusener just missed out on an all rounders slot. A few years ago I would have expected Lewis Gregory to be worth a place in this XI but his career his flatlined. Len Hopwood, a left arm seamer and right handed batter for Lancashire, would have been a candidate for the number eight slot except that he failed absolutely in both of his test appearances. Len Coldwell spearheaded the Worcestershire bowling attack when that county when two championships in the 1960s but was found wanting at international level. Len Muncer of Middlesex and Glamorgan could spin the ball both ways, and played a significant role in the latter county winning its first championship in 1948, but he never played at international level. Laxman Sivaramakrishnan bowled leg spin for India in the 1980s, but not well enough to merit a place in this XI. Lisle Nagel, a tall right arm seamer in the 1930s once took an eight-for against a visiting England side in a tour match, but did little at international level. Two contemporary pacers, Lockie Ferguson of New Zealand, and Lance Morris, on the fringes of the Australian test side, would both have their advocates. Ferguson is a limited overs specialist, and if I were picking an XI for limited overs he would get the nod. Morris may yet force his way in to the reckoning, but at the moment he is unproven. Lebrun Constantine, father of Learie, was a fine wicket keeper but not fine enough to displace Ames.
PHOTOGRAPHS
I have a fine photo gallery to end with…
England Women have won their match against India Women, by 38 runs, which is a huge margin in a T20. Nat Sciver-Brunt scored 77 with the bat, and Sophie Ecclestone took 3-15 in her full four overs with the ball.
A mention of Adelaide Strikers WBBL triumph, an XI of players whose given names begin with I, and a photo gallery.
Today I select an all-time XI all of whose given names begin with I. Before getting to the main meat of the post I also acknowledge Adelaide Strikers winning a second consecutive Women’s Big Bash League title, which they did earlier today, beating Brisbane Heat by three runs in a superb final that illustrated yet again how utterly compelling low scoring matches can be – Strikers managed 125-5 from their 20 overs, and then bowled like demons to restrict Heat to 122-8 in their innings. A full scorecard can be viewed here.
THE XI IN BATTING ORDER
Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan, right handed opening batter). Has a respectable record in his fledgling test career and an outstanding one in ODI cricket.
Ian Redpath (Australia, right handed opening batter). Averaged 43 in test cricket.
Ian Chappell (Australia, right handed batter, vice captain). I only occasionally name vice captains of these XIs and have done so on this occasion because this team has two outstanding leaders among its number, and one of those could not be named as captain. He had a very good test record.
Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan, right handed batter). One of his country’s all time great batters, though somewhat marred by not being the best runner between the wickets.
Ian Bell (England, right handed batter). It took him a few years to overcome an early reputation for softness, but by the time his career ended he was one of the most respected of all middle order batters, with a record whose weight of achievement matched the stylishness of its accomplishment.
*Imran Khan (right handed batter, right arm fast bowler, captain). One of the greatest all rounders ever to play the game and an outstanding captain to boot.
+Ian Healy (Australia, wicket keeper, right handed batter). An outstanding keeper, and a very tough competitor – all four of his first class centuries came in the test arena.
Irfan Pathan (India, left arm medium fast bowler, left handed batter). At test level, the ultimate benchmark, his averages were just the right way round, with the bowling average just on the right side of 30 per wicket.
Ian Bishop (West Indies, right arm fast bowler, right handed batter). Injuries spoiled his career, which at one stage seemed certain to see him claim a place among the all time greats of the game. As it was, 161 test wickets at 24.27 each from 43 matches still amounted to a very fine record. He has recently established himself as an excellent commentator, always being well prepared for any match he is covering.
Ian Peebles (England, leg spinner, right handed batter). Only 13 test appearances for the Scottish born spinner, which yielded him 45 wickets at 30.91 each. In first class cricket he managed 951 wickets at 21.38 each.
Ishant Sharma (India, right arm fast medium, right handed batter). His average of 32.40 per wicket looks expensive, but he was a bowler who improved massively later on in his career, and in many ways the current era of India being well equipped in the seam/ pace department began with him.
This side has a solid looking opening pair, a powerful engine room of Chapelli, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Bell, an ATG all rounder, an ATG keeper and a bowling attack that is probably better than their respective career averages suggest. Bishop, Sharma, Pathan, Peebles and Imran Khan an attack that should claim 20 opposition wickets without undue difficulty on most surfaces.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
The biggest miss by far is Ian Terrence Botham. There were two candidates for the all rounders slot, and my feeling is that outstanding is Botham was between 1977 and 1982, his subsequent protracted decline gives the verdict to Imran. Also, Botham and Chappelli in the same dressing room might be problematic.
There is no left handed front line batter, but the nearest claimant, Ian Blackwell, never established himself as an international player, and averaged less than 40 in FC cricket. Imam-ul-Haq likewise falls short, though he merits a mention.
Ian Healy has three challengers for the gloves: Imtiaz Ahmed (Pakistan), Ian Smith (New Zealand) and Ikram Alikhil (Afghanistan), the last named of whom may eventually depose him from this XI.
I considered Issy Wong for the number eight slot, but felt that Irfan Pathan’s left arm offered more than the youngster’s right.
There were three spinners challenging for inclusion: Imran Tahir (South Africa), Ish Sodhi (New Zealand) and Intikhab Alam (Pakistan).
Iain O’Brien (New Zealand) was closest among the quicks I did not select to displacing any of my choices.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Subzero temperatures and mist, both currently afflicting west Norfolk, do not provide the best of opportunities for photographers, but I do have a gallery to share with you…
An all time XI of players whose given names begin with H, a number of honourable mentions and a large photo gallery.
Today I introduce an all time XI of players whose given names begin with the letter H, and sundry honourable mentions. By and large the difficulties with this one were caused by an embarrassment of riches. There is one exception as to this rule of which more later.
THE XI IN BATTING ORDER
Herbie Taylor (South Africa, right handed opening batter). This guy averaged 40 opening the batting in test cricket, with WWI disrupting his career and often having little support from the rest of the order. In the last test series contested prior to WWI, with Sydney Barnes running amok, claiming 49 wickets at 10 a piece in four matches before missing the final match due to a dispute over terms and conditions, Taylor scored 509 runs in the series at 50.90. In one innings that series he made 109 in a total of 182 all out, a performance that inspired a piece that appears in “The Faber Book of Cricket” under the title “Herbie Taylor Masters Barnes”, the last two words constituting a claim never made about any other batter.
Herbert Sutcliffe (England, right handed opening batter). The ultimate in big occasion players, as demonstrated by the progression of his averages – 52.02 in FC cricket, 60.73 in test cricket and 66.85 in the cauldron of The Ashes.
Hashim Amla (South Africa, right handed batter). One of the greatest ever – a team comprising players who have represented his country since its readmission to international cricket in the early 1990s would undoubtedly feature him at number three.
Harry Brook (England, right handed batter). Currently has a sensational test record, averaging 62 at that level to date.
*Herbie Collins (Australia, right handed batter, captain). Had a fine test record with the bat, captained successfully at home in 1924-5 and unsuccessfully away in 1926.
Hardik Pandya (India, right handed batter, right arm medium fast bowler). This one was the problem position, and I have filled with a guy whose limited overs record is better than his long form record, though his averages in test cricket are just the right way round.
Heath Streak (Zimbabwe, right arm fast medium bowler, right handed batter). This is probably one place too high in the order for him, but nevertheless, as you will see this XI can hardly be accused of having a long tail.
Hugh Trumble (Australia, right handed batter, off spinner). His tally of 141 wickets in Anglo-Australian tests stood as a record for such contests for 77 years until Dennis Lillee overhauled it. He was also a useful batter, good enough to achieve the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in first class matches on the 1899 tour of England.
Harold Larwood (England, right arm fast bowler, right handed batter). One of only three English fast bowlers to put the wind up the Aussies in their own backyard, along with Tyson in 1954-5 and Snow in 1970-1, and good enough with the bat that he had Ashes scores of 98 and 70 in the course of his career.
Hedley Verity (England, left arm orthodox spinner, right handed batter). 1,956 first class wickets at 14.90, including the cheapest ever first class all-ten, 10-10 v Nottinghamshire in 1932. 144 test wickets at 24.37 in a decade of doped pitches and Bradman’s batting. He averaged over 20 with the bat at test level and 18 at first class level.
+Herbert Strudwick (wicket keeper, right handed batter). Only two wicket keepers made more first class dismissals than him, Bob Taylor and John Murray.
This XI contains a powerful top five, an all rounder, four high quality bowlers all of whom had some level of competence with the bat and an all time great keeper. A team with Larwood, Streak and Pandya to bowl pace/ seam and Verity and Trumble to bowl spin would have little difficulty in taking 20 opposition wickets.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
There is no left handed batter, which is very unusual for me. The trouble is that the best left hander to have a given name beginning with H, Henry Nicholls of New Zealand, averages under 40 at test level, and could only be accommodated by dropping one of my top five, or reducing the bowling options by dropping Pandya.
Besides my chosen pair of openers, whose claims I regard as ironclad, Hanif Mohammad of Pakistan, Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa and Harold Gimblett of England would have their advocates, with Gibbs definitely getting in the limited overs XI. Huw Morris of Glamorgan was a fine county opener, and in common with many associated with that particular county was badly treated by the England selectors of his day. In the middle order Hashan Tillekaratne of Sri Lanka deserves a mention. In a limited overs XI Harmanpreet Kaur of India Women would be a shoo-in for a middle order slot. Heinrich Klaasen is another who would feature in a limited overs XI.
Only two other wicket keepers besides Strudwick merit mentions, Hylton Philipson and Harry Wood both of England. Neither were in the same class as Strudwick.
The biggest miss among the bowlers was Harbhajan Singh of India, an off spinner who might have had the slot I opted to give to Trumble. Hugh Tayfield of South Africa was also in the mix for that slot. Among the seamers who had to miss out were Hasan Ali of Pakistan, Hines Johnson of the West Indies and Harry Boyle of Australia. Herbert’Ranji’ Hordern, Australia’s first regular user of the googly merits an honourable mention. Haris Rauf of Pakistan would merit consideration for a T20 XI, but not even for a 50 over squad would he enter the equation, never mind long form. Harold Butler of Nottinghamshire and England was a fine county seamer, but his test appearances were restricted to two.
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