We’re still injured
Hurray for still being able to hide behind the injury excuse. If I had the inclination, I’d go through all the cricket news stories from the BBC and CricInfo in the last couple of months and figure out what proportion of them are do with an injury concern with the English cricket team. Since I don’t have the inclination, I’ll guess, and say “a lot*”. Heck, you’d need more than two hands to count all the posts on the subject right here at Six and Out.
This time it’s Matthew Hoggard, who cut his hand open after letting Tim Bresnan practice his spikes-balancing-trick**. Apparently though, he might yet play in first Test against Pakistan, which starts tomorrow. It seems a few hours in the Great Tank ‘O’ Life have done him the world of good. I’m beginning to wonder if all England players should get a spot in the tank before every big game.
Someone who won’t be playing, though, is Freddie “One-Man-England-Team” Flintoff after injuring an ankle. Although he has played two Twenty 20’s (that’s two games of Twenty20, not yet another variation on the “how can we make more money by forcing cricketers to play more cricket in a some other bizarre format thanks very much love from the ECB”), he wasn’t included in the side for the 1st Test, a decision that has surprised Jason Gillespie. I don’t agree with Jase - I think Twenty20 is the perfect outlet for Fred to open his shoulders a bit and have a break from the stress of International cricket.
This does of course mean, though, that Andrew Strauss will captain the side. Although he’s only captained a few games so far, as 4th-string captain (behind Vaughan, Trescothick and Flintoff), it’s hard to really inspire much confidence in the man. I’m sure we all remember Strauss’s explosive entry in to the Test arena, smashing century after century against anyone who was foolish enough to bowl at him, but it’s simple to say that his form has steadily gone downhill, as he now struggles to get out of the 30’s. Surely the pressures of the England captaincy won’t aid his concentration on his batting.
Oh well. No doubt he’ll be injured before long and we can find yet another captain. Maybe Geraint Jones***.
* I realise that “a lot” isn’t actually a proportion.
** I made said trick up. I don’t know if Tim Bresnan really has an inate spike-balancing-trick. I hope he does. (Though he clearly needs some practice if he’s to not injure any more people.)
*** Maybe not.
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3 opinions for We’re still injured
Debra
Jul 12, 2006 at 10:07 pm
Let’s hope England can lift all our gloom starting at 11.00 am Thursday morning. I just wish someone could explain to me why Chris Read has not had a chance in this team, 150 not out against the Pakistanis at Kent, he clearly is in fine form (yes England players F-O-R-M, a nasty four letter word that you guys seem to hate at the moment). Maybe it’s because they think Geraint is a better keeper……
SixandOut
Jul 12, 2006 at 10:13 pm
Debra, I agree with you. And there’s no way that they think Geraint is a better keeper. It seems to me the Pakistan series would be an ideal venue to test out Read, but I suspect they’ve chosen not to so as to try and stabilise things ahead of the Ashes and ultimately The Ashes. It may well prove to be a mistake, but with all the injuries going around, there’s enough changes to the team being made involuntarily.
SixandOut.net - an International Cricket blog » A week away and…?
Aug 4, 2006 at 10:17 pm
[…] Speaking of injuries, though, as if that’s an interesting and exciting new subject, the latest round of silly ideas for the rejuvenation of the depleted Ashes squad is out - send them to Australia to play in grade cricket. Call me cynical, but send our already injured players, to play against a bunch of fired-up Aussies who want nothing more than to regain the Ashes - seems logical enough to me. Injured players + Cricket Balls + 90mph = Perfect Recovery. It’s a foolproof formula. (Look at McGrath - he’s already said he’ll be using Strauss and Cook as target practice during the series. Assuming he’s fit. He wasn’t last year and we won, so fingers crossed he’s won’t be this time.) […]
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