Unique*
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2016 Diary A Ramble on Women's Cricket
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Previous Page (And an Apology to Suzie Bates)One Out of Two..The England captain's favourite singer once sang a number - 'two out of three ain't bad'. Today's game was more like one out of two. If you turn on your TV to watch two of the top four teams in women's cricket you expect runs and you expect an exciting game. Well I guess one out of two ain't bad either, and, let's face it, it was the one that really matters. I typed only a few days ago that low scoring games can hold as much, if not more, tension and excitement than the high scoring ones, and these two teams today seemed to set out to prove my point.They also managed to illustrate, about half way through England's innings, one of the truisms of cricket that the game can change its entire character very swiftly. What appeared to be an England stroll to the finish line after their batting power-play performance became a fearful tussle to make it over that line. You will have read a number of match reports by now, or even watched the match for yourself so, once again, in my somewhat eccentric style, here are a few jottings from my notebook.
Match Report from the BBCVoices on Twitter are saying that exciting games do not make up for 'dud' pitches. I would agree but only up to a point. I have seen some very unexciting games on fine pitches and think I would choose today's game in preference. I do agree, however it would be better to see an exciting game on a good pitch which gave better balance between bat and ball, but, as I've hinted above, the excitement is surely a major part of what we all watch sport for. There's nothing more boring than watching one team annihilate another.
They Came to CompeteHalf way through the match Sri Lanka must have felt today that they had a chance. It wasn't to be as the Australian top order finally found some form. That's not to say that the SL side should be unhappy with half the match at any rate. As one of the commentators put it "they didn't come to play, they came to compete!" That, I felt, summed it up rather well.So here's the content's of my notebook.
In view of the fact that if England lose to Pakistan NRR would probably let England through to the semis, it's worth considering where games are played. If some in this competition are played on 'easier' pitches for the batsmen while others are played on tracks where your ankles would be in some danger if the ball didn't come off quite so slowly, how does that affect the relative NRRs of different teams condemned to play at different venues from each other? I am no mathematician but this surely should be yet another nail in the coffin of one of the crazier ideas in cricket.
England v West IndiesWith only radio commentary to guide me, and unable to clap my own eyeball on the play, it is perhaps wrong of me to draw too many conclusions, but I did note the references once again to poor umpiring. For such an important tournament in the calendar, I find this completely inexplicable. It has taken much of the gloss of a game decided on the very last ball. If you have the top players it is surely only right that you have the top umpires too.England appeared to do their best to lose their 100% record so far and one is always left wondering how different the game might have been - an easy win or a devastating loss - if people of the standard of Taufel were standing. It not a thought that should be passing through my mind.
Is this for Real?I heard the other day of a lass during practice who played forward to every delivery, full or short. When asked by the coach taking that session why, she replied her regular coach had told her that she should play forward to everything, the implication being you can't score going back. Obviously his knowledge (I am assuming it was a 'he') doesn't extend to cricket, whatever other sports he's played. I do hope this lass finds someone who knows the game to look after her, or she's going to find it very hard work and will likely depart the sport in frustration. What on earth is this individual doing coaching? He (or she) should be banned for life!
You Have to Admire...in this case, Ireland. I attempted on Twitter today (26.03.16) to discover how many clubs in Ireland have sections for women and girls. I failed. I guess it can't be that many. Based on that it could be argued that Ireland have punched above their weight in this tournament when you bear in mind the enormous base of players that is available in Australia or England. They did succeed in one respect in their last match in this tournament - this one against Australia - and I wondered if it had even entered their minds.Contrary to some of the tweets today from those whose arithmetic is below the standard their maths teachers might have liked, Australia could only guarantee themselves a place in the semi-finals if they defeated Ireland in very quick time. This the Irish, inadvertently(?), prevented them from doing just that.Did this part of the equation ever enter the minds of the Irish management or players? I doubt it - the win is what they would, quite rightly, have been aiming at. But this is one of the ironies of this NRR (net run rate). Ireland could have set themselves the secondary target of "if we don't win, let's prevent them from progressing any further than we have to". All this is pretty fanciful you will be thinking - and so it is. But consider the game that I used to play in my youth, declaration cricket. In that form draws are a possible result unlike T20 which didn't exist in the days when I picked up a bat. And a draw gave you at least one point in the league table.Is there a comparison? Possibly I think. The day will undoubtedly come, indeed it may have done already, where that consideration may affect the losing side. Ensuring the opposition doesn't acquire the run rate rate that they require, even if you are about to lose, may ensure the losers progress and the winners don't.I'd have to advise all sides to study NRR very carefully. Your knowledge of this cricketing nonsense may one day affect how you play a match. Indeed in a previous 50-over world cup one of my correspondents found several teams were not as wide awake as they might have been and indeed one of the finalists might not even have made the second stage of the tournament if their opponents had studied NRR. As stupid as NRR is, study it closely. It's your duty to take advantage of the laws, the regulations and tournament rules to progress as far as you can. It's sad that cricket, just cricket, isn't the deciding factor - but it isn't necessarily - so play the game - that on the pitch and that in the paperwork too.All of which reminds me. We have another player not knowing the full story about running out the batsman when the bails are already off the wickets. It didn't matter as a wicket had already fallen, but it is necessary to clamp the ball to the stump and then remove it. Removing the stump and then touching it with the ball is not sufficient, even if that time difference is a fraction of a second. While a normal standing umpire probably couldn't have seen the error, the 3rd umpire will!
Simply the Best...... for Sussex as England all-rounder Danni Wyatt has decided to join the county for the coming season. Danni will provide not only a top class spinning option but is, around the international scene, one of the most exciting batsmen. Also one of the world's leading fielders she possesses a strong and accurate arm. Her inclusion this season will enable Sussex to prepare a more balanced side in the hunt for the Royal London One-Day Cup and the County T20 Competition, and she will provide an ideal model for more junior team members to follow. She joins fellow internationals Georgia Elwiss and Sarah Taylor in the squad.A player who is always immersed in the game, Danni plays her cricket with a smile on her face and Sussex have been very fortunate indeed to obtain the services of such a talented player!!
Danni Celebrates with Kate Cross after taking a fine catch in a match against South Africa in early 2016
Here Showing her Aggressive Batting Style for England in a T20 against the same side
Above and below: Representing her previous county Notts against her new
Next Page (as England exit the WT20) |