Six and Out - Some Serious Cricket

England v Pakistan, 3rd Test, Headingley

by SixandOut on August 8th, 2006

England won, but I’m still sceptical. In fact, they won convincingly, but I’m still cynical. I’m not sure what it takes to satisfy me. Ask my last girlfriend. Maybe that’s why I’m single. The fact is, England won, simultaneously clinching the series 2-0, with one to play, but they should have won even more convincingly. England scored a very respectable first innings 515, but given the state our batting at the moment, it should have been more like 715.

Our top 6 batsmen all got “starts”, but none of them, and I’m including Pietersen and Bell (who both scored centuries), went on to score a big, match-winning hundred. That was the obvious difference between the sides - Pakistan are a weaker batting side than England, but they still had a first innings lead thanks to the quality of Yousif Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, who both made big hundreds and shared in a stand of 363.

I still have mixed feelings about Kevin Pietersen. I’m not doubting his talent - he has something very special - but he’s still too, I don’t how best to describe it - egotistical. He’s in it for the praise, the glory and the attention. Everything he does is ridiculously overstated. Compare his century celebrations to the likes of Yousuf - Yousuf kisses the ground, thanks God, acknolwedges the crowd and then gets back down to business. KP screams, jumps and shouts like a little girl. His helmet is off, his arms-outstretched as he soaks up the applause. But as the crowd grows weary, he’s still soaking it up. He’s still showing his bat. He’s hugging the other batsmen. He makes a big deal out of it. And in todays style of test cricket, where single centuries are fairly ordinary (there were 5 in this test alone), he really ought to keep his concentration. When he scores a double or triple century - then he can accept the praise so gladly. Seriously - the woolly jumper over the cramp in his arm - three times the physio had to come on to the pitch, as KP hunted the crowd for the sympathy vote. 136 on that wicket in this match was not a match-winning score and although it set England up, it could have been so much more.

That’s not to say the match (and series) is not without its plus points - certainly the general performance of the batsmen was promising - lots of people almost scoring runs. But by far the biggest boon has been the bowling - Harmison looks to be approaching some kind of form - still wayward in places, but fast and frequently unmanageable, Hoggard was his usual best, swinging and moving the new and old ball all over the place. Sajid Mahmood was disappointing in the 1st Test, but career best figures of 4fer in the 2nd innings of the 2nd test, really sealed the deal for England. Which leads me neatly to Monty - Monty, Monty, Monty. He’s taken wickets but it’s important to note who he has been getting out - he hasn’t been simply removing the tail enders with a few flukey dismissals - he’s been taking the key wickets - the top order and the likes of Mohammad Yousuf and Inzamam (1st innings dismissal where he sat on his stumps exempted!). The question over whether Monty will replace Giles in Australia this Winter has surely been answered. And Chris Read in his albeit brief return to the International fold has looked very comfortable. Bad for Geraint Jones, but good for England.

The only unanswered question, in my mind, is the captaincy. Strauss will be pleased with the victories, but I still can’t help feeling he’s not an England captain. And I’m afraid I don’t like Freddie as captain. He already does do too much, and with his injury, it’s simply an extra burden that shouldn’t be placed on the great man. But who is the alternative? (I don’t know. I wouldn’t be surprised if Monty’s not on the list of potentials though.)

The important thing now is to win the final match of the series and then see about winning a couple of the one-dayers. Without getting any more injuries.

Share This

Related Stories

• Now that’s scary
• England cruise to easy victory
• It’s true, we know. But we’ll see.
• I’m gonna stick my neck out
• Final Ashes warm-up starts today

POSTED IN: Cricket