Apologies for the lack of Hot World Cup Action here on the blog, but I have been happily distracted by other matters. But without any further ado, here is my latest braindump, as we enter the final round of group games. Read the rest of this entry »
After a long four-year wait the World Cup has begun! And…well, it has been a little disappointing, really. But still, in the spirit of blogging my brains out, here is my first World Cup Braindump. Yes, just what you’ve been waiting for – my thoughts, badly organised, poorly considered, and spewed across your monitor! But now in easy-to-digest numbered form! Read the rest of this entry »
Hello all of you who have come across my little ol’ corner of the web via your search for ‘England flag‘, it’s good to see you! And to all my regulars, welcome back! Business, as they say, is about to pick up, with the World Cup just a matter of days away. So, how about a preview? And how about a guide to how I will be wasting my money with a series of glorious gambles and pensive punts for all of you out there? Read the rest of this entry »
England’s nail-biting draw with South Africa yesterday reminded me of how much poorer cricket would be as a sport if it was purely based on wins and losses. Cricket is an idiosyncratic sport, and it is hard for an outsider to to appreciate how a game can last five days, with a draw being a good result. But I think yesterday’s game showed how.
By the last day of play England had only the remotest chance of winning. If a draw wasn’t an option in cricket, the final day would have been incredibly dull and frankly pointless. Instead, it provided incredible drama and the stage for some genuine sporting heroics. This was a stoic, resolute rearguard action. There was something incredibly noble in batsmen heading to the crease knowing they cannot possibly win, but determined to not lose.
Paul Collingwood is the king of this scenario. He is the kind of batsman who has the character to bed in and bat for hour after hour, repelling whatever the opposition has to throw at him.
The oft-maligned Ian Bell accompanied him, who up to that point had never really displayed the mental toughness to match his innate ability. Yesterday, he put in a watershed innings. He was no longer the batsman who throws his wicket away with a lapse in concentration or technique. This time he would stand firm.
As hours passed, the draw looked more and more likely, but things are never that simple for England, are they? Yet again, a mini-collapse led to a dramatic final phase. England were down to their last wicket. One more out and South Africa would win.
Graeme Swann (my current cricketing Man Crush, for those keeping score) and Graham Onions somehow held out against South Africa’s fierce fast bowling. Onions faced the final over, and for the second time this series survived. Twice England’s worst batsman has been called upon to salvage the game. Twice he has answered that call successfully, bravely and calmly.
Despite only managing to follow the game over the internet (damn work!) this was still a gripping, intense finale. Waiting for a webpage to reload has never engendered such nerves. The draw was finally secured, and England live to fight another day.
I think yesterday’s game really shows how other sports that forego the draw are missing out. A draw can mean as much as a victory, as it did for England, or a defeat, as perhaps it did for South Africa, who had clearly been the better side over the five days. Fighting for the draw did not require a swashbuckling effort or a brief flash of uncommon skill. It required character, determination and patience. Sport would be poorer for lacking those qualities.
‘Sudden death’ or similar was not needed to make the game compelling. And maybe this particular narrative was more intriguing, engrossing, complex and satisfying than just a simple win and loss.
Last night England completed their World Cup qualifying campaign at home to Belarus. With a variety of players either suspended or injured, Fabio Capello was forced into testing out a possible Plan B. However, with qualification in the bag, this wasn’t really a problem, more an opportunity.
Lucky is the team that doesn’t suffer from suspensions or injuries at some point in a major tournament. This was the perfect chance to test out some players on the fringes. While in reality there was nothing to play for, for either side, it was good to see some new faces in a ‘competitive’ environment, and Capello must now have a much better idea of who might figure in any back-up plan.
A 3-0 victory, with so many regulars missing, is encouraging. As for the manner of the performance, it’s an age-old problem, but England players need to learn how to keep the ball. Especially in a spell before half-time, they failed. Belarus are a far more limited team, yet looked far happier playing the ball out from defence, and far less likely to waste possession with long, expectant balls. England’s possession issues might become a bigger problem against a better team.
One player did stake a strong claim last night. Peter Crouch scored two, to bring his tally to 18 goals in 35 international appearances – a great strike-rate for a second-string striker. Crouch definitely offers a tangible alternative option for Capello.
His mere presence is capable of creating confusion in an opposition’s defence, he is an obvious aerial threat and he has a knack for pinching goals. He adds another dimension to the England side, and I hope he gets a run-out in South Africa next summer. He could well make the difference as a substitute in a tight game, and can certainly make life easier against a ‘smaller’ nation in the group stages.
Meanwhile, I’ll gloss over David Beckham’s strange new beard and Steve Bruce’s even stranger decision to name him man of the match…
Wait until next year 