Happy New Year: 2006 Round-up
First things first: Happy New Year everyone. I hope you all had an enjoyable festive season wherever you are or however you spent it. And it seems like that time of the year when everyone is rounding up the highlights of 2006. Well, as an England supporter, the year certainly didn’t end in the fashion I would have wanted. The loss of the Ashes in such disappointing fashion ended a year that was always good news bad news for England:
Good News: Victory against Pakistan
Bad News: Draws against India and Sri Lanka
Good News: The emergence of Monty Panesar as a top-class spinner
Bad News: Monty not playing in the Ashes until it was too late
Good News: The emergence of some young guns: Ian Bell and Alastair Cook
Bad News: Continued injury concerns to Vaughan, Harmison and Simon Jones
Good News: Trescothick recovering from his mental problems
Bad News: Trescothick relapsing to his mental problems
Good News: One day cricket such as Twenty20 and Pro-40 really took off in England
Bad News: England were worse than rubbish at International one day cricket, and slipped to 11th in the rankings
Good News: Mark Ramprakash scored over 2000 runs at an average of 105
Bad News: Mark Ramprakash won Strictly Come Dancing
Good News: Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn all retired from the Dad’s army
Bad News: They still whooped England
Elsewhere, Australia reaffirmed their place at the top of the tables as easily the best side in the World in all forms of the game, particularly when they won the ICC Champions Trophy. The West Indies appear to be rebuilding their side as both their batting (in the form of Chris Gayle) and their bowling (in the form of Chris Gayle) has taken a turn for the better. It’s a long road to be as good as the side they used to be, but they at least appear to be moving in the right direction. Pakistan were constantly in the headlines by first becoming the first side to ever forfeit a test match (and the ensuing Ovalgate / Darrell Hair fiasco) and then having two of their players banned for doping offences (the bans were subsequently overturned, but are now under review again). Mohammad Yousuf, did however, break the record for most runs and centuries in a Test season, an achievement which was only beaten by Shane Warne becoming the first man to take 700 Test wickets.
All in all it was an enjoyable cricket year, despite England’s poor showing in the Ashes. You can read what some other people thought were the highs and lows of 2006 here at Cricinfo (who again seem intent on taking inspiration from my titles.)
Tags: cricket-round-up-england-australia-records-2006, Rain-Stops-PlayRelated Stories
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