It's All About Execution

The coaching mantra of the moment is "we have the players, they just need to execute well". What this really means is "we are getting our arse kicked but we can't sack this useless load of plonkers because we haven't yet developed any one who is better".

I favour a different philosophy, taken from the NFL, which says "next man up". Keep trying until you find some bugger who will front, and if you are Mark Greatbatch (or Tim Neilson), why wait?

Dodgy Reception

But very important. The Black Caps may have lost focus but they were able to sharpen up when it really mattered. The series was eventful enough to make me wish there was another game or two instead of the up coming hit and giggle.

Thats Great, But...

Great result for the Black Caps but how the hell did they end up top of Group B? Next thing you know Gareth Hopkins will be one of Wisden's players of the year!

People keep bagging the ODI, and declaring it's demise, but what can you expect when you provide sub standard wickets and a strange old format. If you want something to be a success surely you have to give it a chance. If you want it to succeed that is!

At Long Bloody Last

Amazing what a few runs will do.

And did Sanjay Mandrekar really say Jesse's was not a genuine injury? Perhaps something was lost in the translation.

Gis A Hug

No false modesty in this one folks, they gave The England a dicking.

Having said that, both sides have far too much experience in making twats of themselves to turn this into anything more than one team turning up and the other - well god knows where they were.