The Dossier

The so-called ‘Langer dossier‘ detailing all of England’s failings (which, incidentally, Justin Langer almost certainly didn’t write) is getting a lot of coverage today – but it’s hardly full of revelations. In the words of Michael Vaughan, “If I had been asked to write a dossier on English cricket, I would have come up with [...]

Read Full Post »

The End of Vaughan?

Rumours have been circulating since the announcement of England’s ‘pre-Ashes’ squad that Michael Vaughan is set to call time on his cricketing career, and it seems that it’s about to happen. Undoubtedly, Vaughan will be remembered chiefly for his acheivements as England captain, most famously regaining the Ashes in 2005, but he wasn’t a bad [...]

Read Full Post »

England cast Vaughan (and Harmison) adrift

Despite their central contracts, neither Steve Harmison nor Michael Vaughan were included in the England ‘pre-Ashes’ squad of 16 (not 17 as was reported at the weekend – does anyone know what went on there?) that was announced today. Although Geoff Miller has said that “[t]he door has not been closed on any player at [...]

Read Full Post »

England’s squad selection

After all the speculation about whether Bell, Key, Shah or Vaughan would be England’s number 3 batsmen against the West Indies, the collective gasp from the nation’s cricket writers was almost audible even outside of London as none of the aforementioned candidates even made it into the squad for the First Test. Ravi Bopara is [...]

Read Full Post »

England’s old boys still likely to be the new boys

Michael Vaughan missed another chance to prove his form ahead of the announcement of England’s sqaud to play the West Indies when he fell to fellow England outcast Steve Harmison for 24. Television replays suggested Vaughan may not have got a touch on the fatal ball, but the evidence from the single available angle was [...]

Read Full Post »

England’s delaying tactics

England have delayed naming their Test squad for the series against the West Indies, because the selectors “need more time to assess players who are returning after injury”. This gives the likes of Ian Bell and Michael Vaughan an extra nine days to impress, an effect which may not be entirely coincidental. The poor showing [...]

Read Full Post »

County Cricket 2009 Division 1 preview

Durham surprised a lot of people with their Championship win last year, and with Steve Harmison out of favour with England once again, their bowling attack looks just as strong as it was in 2008. Ian Blackwell has come in to bolster the middle order and add a spin option, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul returns in [...]

Read Full Post »

Key to captain MCC

The start of the English County season is almost upon us, and the evidence arrived today with the naming of the MCC’s team to take on County Champions Durham in the traditional curtain-raiser. Most reports are highlighting the inclusion of former England captain Michael Vaughan in the side (alongside fellow England castaway Ian Bell), but [...]

Read Full Post »

Michael Vaughan is still out there

Strangely for a player trying to find form, Michael Vaughan has played very little cricket over the winter. It may be that his central contract prevented him from playing in a Southern Hemisphere domestic competition, or that he ‘needed some time away from cricket’, but his last First-class match was way back in September, when [...]

Read Full Post »

England’s Twenty20 openers

Andrew Strauss hasn’t played a limited overs international since April 2007, but tonight he leads England in a Twenty20 international against a West Indies side superficially similar to the Stanford Superstars team that beat England by 10 wickets back when Allen Stanford was more likely to be asked ‘is it fun being a millionaire?‘ than [...]

Read Full Post »

Pietersen Vs Moores

Everyone seems to be weighing in with their opinions on what the outcome of the evident rift between England’s captain, Kevin Pietersen, and coach Peter Moores. David Gower, himself no stranger to disagreements with his (and whilst he was) captain, reckons KP will be the outright winner, which seems to make sense given how reliant [...]

Read Full Post »

England in reasoned selection shock

Either England’s selectors have come to their senses, or the crazed combination of staunch conservatism and random stick-a-pin-in-Playfair changes has accidentally happened upon something approaching reason. Not only is Michael Vaughan, who was given a central contract as part of the ECB’s continuing commitment to 2005 nostalgia, not included in the squad for the strangely [...]

Read Full Post »