Let's Dance

While it was all a bit late and futile you do have to welcome a bit of Windies aggression from a fast bowler.

Probably wasted on the Evil Penguin as he has seen a lot more threatening in his time.

Neon Action

I am at a loss for a description of this little effort so feel free to make something up for me.

Arms In The Tackle

A great example of a clash of cultures.

Botha knows you will be penalised if you don't use your arms in the tackle while Bravo suspects it is the reverse on the cricket field.

A Comfortable Stretch

Watching the current ODI series it strikes me The England is in balance, comfortable rather than cocky, while the Aussies seem to be chasing the game. Both are hard mind sets to shake off.

Blue On Blue

Faces obscured to protect the passionate but didn't Eoin Morgan do well.

I have dismissed The England's recent good form as something of an aberration but it now strikes me that they have a key characteristic of a "good team". There are at least 6 guys who can hurt you at any particular time, something that has been the mark of the Aussies for the last decade or so.

There may well be more cuddles left in this series.

Afridi Goes Big

It is hard to imagine a situation where Shahid Afridi would go small. Larger than life is just a natural state for him, so why use two hands when one will do?

Tough Bastards...

... rarely finish last.

If you will forgive a slight touch of patriotism, Ryan Nelson and his All White mates have added another example of the fact that in sport character is at least the equal of talent.

It will be interesting  to see whether anything changes post World Cup and whether the overpaid cry babies (MEGAstars) of soccer come under pressure to contribute to something other than the economy and their bank accounts.

Some lessons learnt will be applicable to all professional sports, cricket included.

Congregation

Shane Shilingford ponders the concept of multiple personalities and whether it could help him when bowling 53 overs in one test innings!

3 for 193 are figures you really want to share with the brothers.

Mr Grumpy

Could not resist this image which I stumbled across while searching for cricket/soccer photos. This is Mr Chappell in 2006 when Australia were doing well at the World Cup, God knows what expression he is currently wearing.

World Cup Mania

Well it's started, and as befits the biggest sporting event in the world, the Football World Cup is impacting on everything.

Even that colossus of cricket bloggery JRod has picked his best team of cricketing footballers.

Neither Bravo or Gale made that team but they could probably get a start for the Aussies, playing soccer that is.

The First Of Many !*?

The first of our "your photo" series, provided by Purna H but the photo was snapped by her mate Mahek.

If Sachin can grind out the practice at a place like the Basin reserve you can dig up an old photo or two and send them along to me.

Excuse Me Sir...

... but could you possibly consider the dismissal of this young gentleman?

Or words to that effect.

Celebrating A Milestone

A couple of weeks ago this blog reached a milestone breaking through the 1000 post barrier. While a minor event in the world of cricket, blogging (and indeed cricket blogging), it was of some significance to me.

For a while now I have been looking at ways of sharing lots of images at once, rather than just one at a time, but given most of my base images are "borrowed" from the good people at Getty and AFP it is a little dodgy to do so.

Long story short. Email me your favourite cricket image, preferably your own photo and in jpeg format, and I will perform a few tweaks and publish to the world. We will then have a little vote to see who can make the final calendar cut - assuming we muster more than twelve!

You will of course get your name associated with your image. While I am recognising input thanks to Purna at Cricket Minded for her support and ideas for this little project.

Dilshan On The Pull

Typical, just when I start to barrack for Zimbabwe the real world imposes it's cold logic. It is always hard to make money backing the underdog.

Dilshan shows us he can play the pull as well as the scoop - I think a much nicer shot.

Live At The G

I have been on tour for the last few weeks, having a bit of a look around Malaysia and I decided to stop of in Melbourne on the way home. Never having been to The Great Southern City/Land/Stand I could not resist a visit to the MCG. There were lots of pigeons, but no Bill Lawry, and a couple of teams called the Hawks and the Power playing something called Aussie Rules. All in all not too bad a game, and a damn fine venue.

One of the things that impressed me most was the half time pitch invasion where around ten mini games of Kids Rules took place on the hallowed turf. There is a rugby test in my home town this weekend and no one has been allowed to step on the pitch for at least 6 months! Maybe, just maybe, involving the whole family, in a real way, from an early age might see a few other sporting codes get 21,000 people turn up to a run of the mill club game.

The truly observant might be able to spot a famous Victorian in the crowd.

A Slip Of The Tongue

Tamim Iqbal shows defiance, possibly to his opponents but just as likely to the other 10 Bangladeshi players who seem unable to front.

And yes, he did slip up in the second innings, but at least he had a first.

Red Hot

I am so powerful.

Only last week I was telling Zimbabwe to re-enter the fray and play some cricket, and what happens? Zimbabwe start sticking it to mighty India.

It is a power I shall only use for good, or to piss people off, whichever suits my mood at the time.

Black and White/White and Black

The hype is already building. Sponsors are being announced, tickets are being booked (but not yet scalped) and all manner of preparations are under way. In short, The Ashes are coming!!

The image above is borrowed from the pre series hype of the last time around. Will the trend continue and the holder have the urn snatched from their grasp?

Boys On The Village Brown

Nice photo this from the boys at AFP.

While everyone seems to be writing about developing cricket in the USA it strikes me the real growth will be in the rest of the world. Places and people who can more readily identify with the present cricketing role models.

Teach the Chinese cricket and let the USA continue to be world champions in games that only they play.

Forward To The Past

People on the grass at Lords at lunch time, what a great idea. Or at least a great return to a very old idea.

As Patrick Kidd blogged "no one got stabbed, no one dug up the turf at mid on and everyone left calmly and promptly when the bell rang for the resumption. Staggering how people can behave well when they are trusted."

Who knows, maybe in time these young folks will feel like they have a part to play in the game other than as potential revenue streams.