Category: Players

Joyce, Morgan…Rankin?

You may have noticed the name of Boyd Rankin featuring in the recently announced England Performance Programme. Rankin has already played international cricket for Ireland, and could become the next of their players to be poached across the Irish Sea, after Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan. Understandably, Cricket Ireland are not best.

ECB ranks it’s players

The ECB has announced it’s new England Performance Programme, with a new category system that tells everyone who is next in line for a place in the senior side.

The media and Kevin Pietersen

What is it with the English media and Kevin Pietersen? They just can’t stop themselves putting words in his mouth that he didn’t say. There is a great groundswell of opinion that KP is arrogant, aloof and somehow just not a team player. Putting aside the hatred for him in his native South Africa, where he is viewed with disdain for his departure to and qualification for England, he is still not exactly what you could call popular. Yet, much of the criticism is unjustified.

Ramps takes aim at Giles

An Oval fairytale did happen this summer, but not for the media’s favourite saviour, Mark Ramprakash. Apparantly unhappy at being overlooked for the Ashes decider, Ramps has criticised the selectors and Ashley Giles in particular, who he all-but accuses of Warwickshire bias.

Sounds like sour grapes from where I’m standing.

Freelance Freddie Flintoff?

As Andrew Flintoff delays the signing of his newly downgraded ECB contract at the prospect of earning more as a freelance Twenty20 cricketer, it is easy to get caught up in accusations of mercenary greed and a sport losing it’s identity.

But is cricket simply returning to it’s roots?

And the winner of a 2009 Central Contract is…

It’s Central Contract Awards time, and the big “news” is that Steve Harmison and Monty Panesar have missed out altogether. Actually, this shouldn’t be much of a surprise – between them they only played 3 Tests this summer.

Ponting bucks the trend

The trend recently is of players retiring from Test cricket to prolong their Twenty20 careers, or at least professing a preference for the format limited in length but unlimited in financial inducement. But, Ricky Ponting isn’t going to be following that trend, having announced his retirement from Twenty20 internationals to prolong his Test career.

The Ashes: Thanks for the memories, Butch

The last time England played Australia at Headingley, Mark Butcher played his career defining 173 not out to win the match in the 4th innings. Now, on the eve of the 4th Test, Butch has announced his retirement from 1st class cricket due to persistent knee injuries.

Another Freddie plug

In case anyone is worried about how Freddie Flintoff will cope with all that extra free time after he retires from Test cricket, let me reassure you. He will always have plenty of kind marketing men ready to fill his days for him. Here is the latest example.

No more Doosra for Aussie youngsters

Australian spin bowling ain’t what it used to be, despite the best efforts of Nathan Hauritz during the Ashes. So, a Spin Summit has been held to thrash out a solution to the problem. Their main concern appears to have been ensuring that pure, unblemished young spinners aren’t led astray and corrupted by that evil of all cricketing evils, the Doosra.