Cricket Banter

Following on from their website beginnings in February 2012, The Middle Stump or Dan Whiting and Liam Kenna, have put together an amalgamation of their websites best interviews into one e-book, Cricket Banter, which serves as a unique introduction to the website's humour but also the strong sense of adulation this small website has garnered in a short space of time.

Interviews with such luminaries as Mike Selvey (cricket correspondent for The Guardian) and Steve James (cricket reporter for The Daily Telegraph) are two of the better interviews which follow a familiar Q&A format - which in one downside of the e-book is too similar after a while and causes you to float over some answers.

However, what is indispensable and is unique to the book and not on the website (www.themiddlestump.co.uk) is the county-by-county guide which features an address, brief history of each county, TMS anecdotes, ground information, banter factor, recommendations of local boozers and tipples, overnight stay options, celebrity watch.

What is paramount to the book however, is the belief that cricket is a game that should give you enjoyment in watching and should be enjoyed when playing.  Interviews with Selvey, James and Mike Gatting make you wish of those halycon days of cricket when Test Match Special was on the BBC television with the dulcet tones of Tony Lewis and Richie Benaud babysat you through a long hot summer - now the proliferation of television coverage across the three game formats with micked up stumps and slow-motion replays means the fun has somewhat gone from the game.

Yet as long as there are people like Whiting and Kenna are around supporting English county cricket and backing the national side the future is bright for English cricket.

The e-book Cricket Banter is a must read and the perfect companion to a liquid lunch break at an out-ground or the thing to occupy your time during an inevitable rain delay.

This reader purchased Cricket Banter for £5.99 from Amazon.co.uk for the Kindle.

Follow the guys on twitter @TheMiddleStump

England v South Africa Test review

South Africa completed the series victory on English soil at Lords today in quite convincing fashion.  The 2-0 test series win lifts the Proteas above England in the ICC Test rankings and England's one year hold of the title Best side in the world has been relinquished.

Whilst England lost, credit should be given to a South African side who have dominated England in all facets of the game across three games starting at the Oval when we marvelled at Hashim Amla's incredible triple century - the first by a South African; the drawn test match at Headingley which was overshadowed by the Olympics and the backroom politics involving Kevin Pietersen and whether he did or did not text tactical banter to the South Africans regarding his teammates.

At Lords, England had to win the test match to not only level the series, but to salvage the No.1 ranking.  Having had S.Africa on the ropes at lunch on the first day at 66-4, South Africa managed to get to a score of 309 thanks to Vernon Philander's 61 runs.  The total should have been 50-60 runs less than that.  England could only sustain a six run lead thanks to the wonderful maiden half century from Jonny Bairstow eventually dismissed for 95.

A facet of South Africa this year has been the ability to take wickets at vital moments.  In the first innings at Lords, captain Strauss looked like he was playing himself into form and then one from Morkel got through two balls before lunch.  Prior having done most of the hard work with Bairstow then succumbed to the first ball of the second new ball, when they needed solidarity.  Oddly enough, he was caught by Kallis when bowled to by Philander, an identical dismissal occured in the 2nd innings. The wicket that ended England's valiant run chase of the required 346.

Over the three tests; England had few moments of sunshine, and South Africa have done to England what they have done to many teams in recent years.

At the first test England were undone by scoreboard pressure as they did against Australia when down under.  England were in first on a flat Oval pitch and despite 115 from Alastair Cook and 60 from Matt Prior could only score 385.  South Africa mustered 637-2; Graeme Smith 131, Amla's magnificient 311 and Jacques Kallis' 182.  England had to reach 252 to make S.Africa bat again, yet only Bell offered resistance with 55 as we lost by an innings and 12 runs. Dale Steyn took 5-56 to complete the destruction.

Changes were made for Headingley as a personally conflicted Ravi Bopara made way for debutant James Taylor who has been earmarked for test cricket for some time.  England also though dropped Graeme Swann for an all seam attack, which in hindsight was a knee-jerk reaction, considering it did spin for Tahir, and Kevin Pietersen took 3 wickets himself.  This sort of selection decision is unlike England in the past, they stick with a formula and consistency of selection putting faith in the players selected to put it right; England were worried by Swann's dodgy right elbow, which did not flare up in the Lords test.

During Headingley, England dropped numerous chances dolly ones by their own standards which reached a pinnacle down under led by Paul Collingwood.  Unfortunately, in this series safe hands such as Alastair Cook at short leg, Strauss in the slips and Anderson have all been guilty of bad glaring chances.  If you take all the runs those South African batsmen accumulated after being dropped, it amounts to 500 runs in the series. South Africa amassed 1,974 runs in the series, that is nearly 25% of their runs given to them.
Never did it count more than at Lords when Amla was dropped by Prior on 2, he scored 121.

England will feel that they should have won the Lords test but due to the refusal to take opportunities, the silly run out involving Jonathan Trott and James Taylor on the last day, and the lack of bowling firepower in contrast to the unit bowling of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and new discovery, Vernon Philander (who can also bat), England can think of themselves as a team that lost the test and series because they did not meet their own formidably high standards they set themselves in recent years.

Credit should not be withdrawn from South Africa though, all men have played their part in this series triumph at one point or another.  Alvaro Petersen's 182 at Headingley was a daddy hundred that frustrated England, helped by JP Duminy's invaluable unbeaten 48 at number 8 in the same innings. Perhaps Jacques Rudolph did not do as well, but no matter in a team when someone picks up the baton.

Congratulation to South Africa on a deserved triumph, next for them is a test series in Australia who seem resurgent at the moment under Michael Clarke, should be a brilliant series for bowling.  As for England, after nursing their wounds is a four test tour to India; with some decisions to be made.  Whilst Bairstow and Taylor have shown glimpses, the question remains about Kevin Pietersen's involvement.  Decisions need to be made and changes attempted now as the Ashes return next summer.

England v West Indies 2nd Test review

Coming into the 2nd test following the convincing finish to the 1st test on the Monday before, both sides had three days rest before the 2nd test began at Trent Bridge on Friday morning.

There was a change in temperature and climate in England following the somewhat cloudy and grey skies, Nottingham's county ground was in glorious sunshine and this prompted captain Darren Sammy to elect to bat when he won the toss.

West Indies had some changes in line-up, Ravi Rampaul was recalled after recovering from a neck injury to replace the injured Shannon Gabriel with a suspected fractured back.  And spinner Shane Shillingford replaced Fidel Edwards. England remain unchanged, in spite of the possibility of dropping lucky charm Tim Bresnan for Steven Finn.

The election to bat did not look a good one however, when the combination of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad put the suspect top of the order to the sword as they dropped to 63-4, Anderson doing for the woeful Kirk Edwards and Darren Bravo, Anderson had a hand in both of Broad's wickets catching both Powell and Barath off of Broad.  The catch to remove Barath was a particularly lightning reflex one at 3rd slip as he snapped it out of the air.

A recovery appeared in order with Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels doing the work again, in a solid partnership that took them to 125 before Graeme Swann gained his first Test wicket at his home county ground trapping Shivnarine lbw, which the West Indian reviewed.

Danesh Ramdin followed soon after and England must have had plans to be batting by the evening's end with the weak tail.  Yet captain Darren Sammy showed the best form of defense is attack as he and Samuels put on 204 for the 7th wicket - ending the 1st day on 304-6 a marvellous recovery. Samuels reached his century off of 219 balls.  The next morning after a flabby start, England went to work after Sammy gained his first Test century 106 and the 7th West Indian to score one when batting at No. 8.

From 340-7, West Indies were all out for 370 with Bresnan and Swann swept up the tail.  England went to work on chipping away at the larger than wanted total.

Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook, again led from the front whilst the West Indies were hoping for an early wicket before lunch.  They thought they had it, yet when Roach had Cook out caught behind, a replay showed that Roach's front foot was fully in front of the line.  Sammy's reaction of hands atop of his head said it all.

Cook did eventually depart when he nibbled at Rampaul to be caught behind, and Trott was his usual beligerent self before falling lbw to Rampaul, leaving England 123-2.  Kevin Pietersen came to the crease, and much like Samuels and Sammy the night before Strauss and his incumbent captain went about smashing the attack. Pietersen as ever saving pride of place for blasting Shillingford to all corners.

Andrew Strauss went to his second century in as many tests before the close of play - where England were 259/2 at the end of another glorious day of summer sunshine.

The next morning (Day 3), the West Indies went for broke bowling Roach and Rampaul to make inroads and they did so getting Pietersen lbw (which KP reviewed) and then Roach got Bell playing across the line.  The two R's are a nice combination - Roach is raw aggression, whilst Rampaul is slowly but bowls wicket to wicket and is difficult to get away hence the success with lbw appeals.

Jonny Bairstow had the chance to impress with the captain, yet he looked ill at ease against the short bowling served up eventually a leading edge attempting to play to off went up in the air to mid-on for a poor looking 4.

Prior was bowled again from one that nipped back from Sammy, yet Tim Bresnan was looking solid ending with a 39* (third highest in innings) in a total of 428, invaluable runs which gave England a lead of just 58 runs, yet still a lead nonetheless.  West Indies shared the wickets around - Roach 2, Rampaul 3, Sammy 2, Shilingford 1 and Samuels 2.

England had the lead and with tea taken, England had the evening session to take some wickets before West Indies could overtake the lead - the hope being that England have a small total to chase on a pitch that is a difficult pitch to chase on.  Remember how England nearly fluffed the chase in the 2005 Ashes when a score of 130 was only overtaken by Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard.

England could smell blood and with the weak line-up and top 3 facing them, Anderson felt the moment was his.  And in his second over, his swing did for Powell who played away from his body, arms too far away and so he played on to his leg stump which went flying.  Anderson's next hour his swing did for Barath, a plumb LBW leaving the tourists 14-2 and bringing Chanderpaul to the crease early.  Here was England's chance to attack one of the great batsmen.  Throughout the series he arrives at the crease after the new ball burst, here he is in the fifth over of the innings facing the music.

Chanderpaul looked good, neatly playing shots off his legs as he stepped across the line effortlessly, yet Stuart Broad used his height to tuck up Chanderpaul and a well aimed short ball was met by Shiv attempting to pull to long leg, but a top edge went in the air.  The ball seemed to be skyward for an eternity not wanting to come down, yet Jonathan Trott composed himself and took the catch safely to dismiss Chanderpaul for just 11, leaving them 31-3.

Darren Bravo, who has not been able to impress on this tour, followed soon after when Bresnan traps him from around the wicket.  Bravo reviewed a ball that looked pretty plumb, 45-4.  Ramdin came, went which led to the arrival of Kirk Edwards who had been reportedly laid up in bed at the hotel with flu and would bat if only necessary.  Now, is asking a man with flu to come to the ground in the evening really necessary.  Let him rest up, get better and try again tomorrow, and why did Darren Sammy (the Captain) not come out to face the last few balls before stumps.  It was tempting fate, to ask an ill man to face a fiery Bresnan, Edwards lasted two balls before also being trapped leg before.  Edwards walking off the field was a sight of melancholy.

Bresnan's spell of 6-2-10-3 was just what the doctor ordered as Darren Bravo looked to be digging in for the evening; yet he bowled with pace, accuracy and benefited from some poor footwork by the static West Indian batsmen who could neither get their foot forward to play defensively, nor back and play off their hips.  A no mans land for futile batsmen, with Bresnan benefiting.

England's day all round, with the tourists finishing 61-6 a lead of just 3 runs.  The stage was set for a quick resolution to the game on the Monday morning.

England bowled with pace on that final morning, but could not get the breakthrough for some time, until Bresnan traps the captain on his back foot in his crease for 25, 110-7.  More determined resistance from Roach is undone by Anderson upon review as he moves miles across his crease and replays show the ball hitting leg stump.  Yet England had to eat lunch with the knowledge of two more wickets to bat again, 83 runs behind with two wickets remaining.

Stubborn resistance remained in the form of Marlon Samuels who after blasting Graeme Swann for 16 in one over could only watch as Shillingford and Rampaul offered nothing, Samuels ended on 76 not out (a series avg of 103.33 at the moment).  England required a target of 108 to gain an unassailable lead in the Wisden Trophy series.

West Indies were hoping that their opening pair of Roach and Rampaul could make early inroads.  Alas the formidable opening partnership of Strauss and Cook saw out the new ball and England got home and hosed by the dominating margin of 9 wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the series at 4.34pm on the fourth day.

The story of this test is that it pits two teams against each other; one is utterly professional and can smell blood going in for the kill to render themselves dominant.  And the other is on the way back, attempting to make up lost ground, but with still much to learn.

For England, it must be pleasing that someone always steps up to take the credit.  At Lords, Broad bowled superbly taking 11 in the match, here he took 3 yet got the key one of Chanderpaul in the 2nd innings.  This time Tim Bresnan the lucky charm - 12 matches, 12 wins - took 8 wickets and scored an invaluable 39 whilst wickets fell around him.

My hope for the third test at Edgbaston which starts in 10 days time is that England take the opportunity to rest both Anderson and Broad for that test and give them a rest with a 5 game ODI series versus Australia and the crucial 3 test series versus South Africa still to come.  The chance to rest is here and should be taken, and give Jonny Bairstow another test, although it would be surprising to see him face the brunt of the South African attack of Steyn, Morkel, Philander in July/August.

England v West Indies, 2nd Test, Trent Bridge, Nottingham; 25th-28th May
West Indies 1st Inns 370 (Samuels 117, Sammy 106) and 2nd Inns 165 (Samuels 76*, Bresnan 4-37, Anderson 4-43)
lost to
England 1st Inns 428 (Strauss 141, Pietersen 80) and 2nd Inns 111-1 (Strauss 45, Cook 43*)
by
Nine wickets.

An Interview with Steve James

In anticipation of Steve James' forthcoming book The Plan: How Fletcher and Flower Transformed English Cricket, available from all good bookshops on Monday 24th May, I was granted the opportunity to ask him some questions about the book and his analysis.

As we know from the book's outline you discuss at length the transformation of England from the worst test team to the Number 1 team in the world.  You base the transformation on the work of two individuals - Duncan Fletcher and Andy Flower; what have these two men done to change the English game?
It's not just about them but they obviously played huge roles. Both of them brought clarity when there was darkness.  

Yet these two men have different traits how can they both take credit?

They're different but very similar if that makes sense! Fletcher is the technical expert, Flower the man manager.

So how did someone like Peter Moores become a failure?

In fairness to Peter, a lot of what he put in place is still there.  He employed Flower firstly. It was the way he conveyed his messages that was wrong, and he is quite honest about this in the book.

Why was the change necessary, what was wrong with England when they lost at home to New Zealand in that fateful summer of 1999 at the Oval?
Everything! No coach, no direction, poor selection. The introduction of central contracts coming in was huge in terms of consistent selection, and the most influential change resulting in England's success.  Fletcher couldn't have done what he did without them. Nor Flower.

Does the influence of Captains deserve to be acknowleged?

[Nasser] Hussain was the most important, his determination helped to toughen England up.  [Michael] Vaughan and [Andrew] Strauss have obviously been very good in different ways.

It seems the most pivotal point of this transformation was the Ashes success of 2005, itself a formulation of a plan to implement certain bowlers?

Yes it had been coming together for a while.  The tragedy was that that attack - Steve Harmison, Simon Jones, Matthew Hoggard, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles - never played together again in a test match.

What are your memories of that 2005 Ashes summer?
My favourite memory is arriving at Old Trafford on the last day and being convinced there had been a  bomb scare with so many people without tickets streaming away from the ground.  On the field it was the reverse swing of Flintoff and Jones- the Australians simply had no answer to that bowling with Flintoff always taking wickets on vital occasions.

What has greater significance, the 2005 Ashes or winning the Ashes in Australia in 2010?
2005. It was against one of the greatest sides ever...

What does the future hold for the English test side? A big test awaits this year at home and abroad.
They'll still be No 1 by the end of the summer I reckon in a 3 test series against South Africa. India will be very tricky, just like last winter [in a four test series]

Is there anything you would change with the current England set-up?
Not particularly, however there are lots I would change in the County game though.

Can 'The Plan' continue to reap rewards beyond the next two Ashes series in 2013/14?
I hope so but a lot of course will depend on how Australia change themselves.  It looks like they have started to copy our plans which is what we did to them.  Nothing lasts forever though.

Many thanks to Steve James for giving me the chance to interview him before the release of his fourth book, The Plan:How Fletcher and Flower Transformed English Cricket, published by Bantam Press on Thursday 24th May for £20.00RRP

www.transworld-publishers.co.uk
www.randomhouse.co.uk

Steve James is cricket columnist for the Sunday Telegraph and a sports writer for the Daily Telegraph.  He won two caps for England.
Follow him on twitter @sjamesjourno

England v West Indies 1st Test review

When reviewing the First Test between England and the touring West Indies, the most surprising element may be that I am writing it after the fifth day of play had been completed.  Many anticipated the tourists to not put up much of a fight, like their predecessors did in 2009 when led by (now absent) Chris Gayle they put up little or no battle.

This side now led by former England bowling coach, Otis Gibson, showed a little more tenacity and desire to hold up an England side who wanted to do away with this series and regain form before the visit of South Africa in July when it is a straight battle for the No. 1 side in the world.

Yet the thing to take away from Lords, is that this Windies side is starting to get better, a collective force that is a sum of its parts.  They arrive unfortunate to lose to the Australians at home, yet the defeats were all close and victory could have been gotten if luck fell their way.  Yet they will admit, when you are down and out - like a club fighting relegation - luck does tend to desert you.

On Thursday morning, day one, Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bowl - typical English conditions, cloud cover with his bowling line up of Anderson, Broad, Swann and Bresnan who was selected ahead of Graeme Onions and home boy Steven Finn.

The West Indies selected a side that had a surprise due to injury; Ravi Rampaul did not recover from an ankle injury picked up in the England Lions encounter last week, so a debut was handed to Shannon Gabriel, a 24 year old fast bowler, whose action reminds us of famous bowlers of yore.

In the first hour, England make inroads as with Anderson swinging it both ways removing Kieron Powell (or is it Pollard as the scoreboard suggested) and Kirk Edwards with his swing movement.  This brings Darren Bravo, the highly thought of batsmen whose motion reminds many of Brian Charles Lara in partnership with Adrian Barath - before Barath is undone by Stuart Broad an hour after tea.  Then Broad begins to takeover proceedings but not before we enjoy another batting masterclass by Shivnarine Chanderpaul who scores a selfless 87* as runs out of partners.

Broad who finishes with 7-72, bowled with a bit of venom inducing bounce out of a pitch to remove Marlon Samuels.  England are helped by a comical runout involving Shiv and Bravo, that ends Bravo's innings at 29.  England take the new ball, and Broad cleans up the tail.  One wicket was remaining at the end of play 243-9, he removes debutant Gabriel with the first ball of the second morning. Swann taking the catch at 2nd slip quite easily.  Broad would be on a hat-trick with his first ball of West Indies second innings.

England's first innings is one of hard work intitially as Strauss attempts to see out the first hour as the live wire pair of Kemar Roach and Fidel Edwards offer zip and fire.  Having put on 47 for the first wicket, Cook tries to cut a ball too close to his body and plays on, gone for 26.  Jonathan Trott arrives and puts on a fine 147 partnership with the captain before he feathers one behind off of the slower medium pace of Darren Sammy, for another half-century.  Trott is an accumulator and helps Strauss with his pace of the innings.

Andrew Strauss is desperate to score his first century in Tests since November 2010 on the last Ashes tour in Brisbane, and he does so as he finishes the day on 121.  The ovation when he does reach three figures is prolonged showing how much in favour the captain is with the masses in terms of popularity.  The next morning Strauss adds just one to his total departing for 122.

The West Indies bowl much better on the third morning, collectively as a unit.  The last 7 wickets fell for 132, helped by Ian Bell going to 61 marshalling the tail.  Debutant Jonny Bairstow showed some flashes with some wonderful drives before falling for a plumb lbw.  Shannon Gabriel got his first Test wicket cleaning up Matt Prior who played all round a ball that seamed off the pitch.  England finished on 398 a lead of 155.

The Windies batted much better in the second innings, as the pitch got flatter although a mini-collapse left them at 36-3 after being 36-0 topped off by Bairstow running out Kirk Edwards with a direct throw.  Panic sets in when Bravo fails again shouldering arms to Graeme Swann leaving them 65-4.  Yet Chanderpaul (again) and Marlon Samuels bat diligently and with intelligence putting on 157 for the fifth wicket, before Samuels who looked very good on both sides of the wicket nips at one outside off with Swann snaring the catch at slip, for 86.  Chanderpaul then falls lbw to Swann, to one that straightens and is confirmed on review.

Some swishing from Ramdin and Sammy extend West Indies lead and eventually Gabriel is last man out again as Swann bowls him. West Indies all out for 345, setting England a victory total of 191, Broad takes 4-93 giving him 11 in the match.

Due to the resistance of the lower order England have to sustain a tricky 4 over spell on Sunday evening and with fire in Babylon in their loins, Kemar Roach removes Strauss (4th slip) and nightwatchmen Anderson caught behind leaving England 11-2 overnight.

After a good night's sleep Roach and Edwards come firing in and the plan to get rid of Trott early works as he fends at one to second slip to Roach; and Kevin Pietersen's attempt to hit Gabriel out of the attack fails as after hitting the previous ball for four, he then attempts the same shot from a slower ball with less bounce and lower edges it to Ramdin, leaving England 57-4.  With still over 100 runs required, England have work to do against a new ball attack which is getting seam movement off a slow pitch.

The coming together of Ian Bell with the anchored Alastair Cook, however, leads England to victory. This is not helped by the bowling options diminishing for the Windies; without Rampaul or a spin option in Shane Shillingford - they have to fall on Darren Sammy and Marlon Samuels to bowl overs; neither bowl balls that are intimidating and Samuels does not spin the ball.  Cook and Bell pick off the runs easily, scoring 121 in the morning session, leaving just 60 required for victory after lunch.

Cook is caught out at gully with two runs still required on 79, Jonny Bairstow joined Ian Bell yet if falls to Bell to hit the winning runs as he finishes unbeaten on 63* his second fifty of the match.

For England, it was a job well done and get the victory that many expected.  As for West Indies there are a lot of positives to take from this test - a better disciplined and patient batting display second time around, good bowling all round from the three seamers. They will be hopeful that Rampaul can return to the line up and having that spin option may prove vital at Trent Bridge, where a spinner can be rewarded with some good fortune.

There were low expectations of this test series, yet the West Indies have shown a better side of themselves on this occasion and they can be proud of their efforts.  Onwards to Nottingham now, which starts on Friday 25th May at Trent Bridge.

England v West Indies, 1st Test, Lords, 17th-21st May
West Indies 1st Inns 243 (Chanderpaul 87, Broad 7-72) and 2nd Inns 345 (Chanderpaul 91, Samuels 86)
lost to
England 1st Inns 398 (Strauss 122, Bell 61) and 2nd Inns 193-5 (Cook 79, Bell 63*)
by 5 wickets.
England lead the 3 match series 1-0
Man of the Match: Stuart Broad, 11-165 in the match