Lord's Second Test - day four
Preview
Showers swept across the ground, causing the start to be put back 15 minutes, it was cloudy overhead and without pause for more than a moment's detailed consideration Strauss declared, leaving Australia to make 522 to win although their vice captain Michael Clarke , searching for a positive outlook, claimed records were made to be broken. Where did he read that I wonder?
Two no doubt interrupted days with conditions favouring swing seemed to set up an England win long before 188 overs had been completed but - no I cannot believe the Aussies can save the game, much less win.
To lunch
In the short term, England had taken the wickets of the openers and conceded just 76 runs but in the long term Andrew Flintoff, who had had both Simon Katich and Phillip Hughes caught had had to go off for treatment. His spell finished with a considerable limp and there has been a fear throughout this series that his good days might be outweighed by the injury moments.
Whether Strauss's decision to bowl him for seven successive overs was a good one remains to be seen. Both dismissals were controversial. Katich, caught in the gully, may have been out to a no-ball, and Hughes, to a ball which appeared to touch the ball as Strauss caught it.
Ricky Ponting began sketchily and he was hit on the hand but he was in control by the interval and Michael Hussey survived readily.
To tea
When Ponting was out - for another low Lord's score - bowled from an inside edge off Stuart Broad there were immediate signs that an Australian defeat might come today. Two more wickets fell to Graham Swann's off spin: Hussey caught at slip even though TV technology claimed the ball did not hit the edge and Marcus North bowled by a quick ball.
England led at the interval by 178, conditions were helping their bowlers and all the luck was going their way; but Michael Clarke lived up to his pre-innings interview with a series of superb shots through the offside.
To close
Clarke continued down his chosen path and with Brad Haddin put on 185 for the sixth wicket so that when bad light stopped play with the Lord's lights blazing Australia were 313-5, 209 behind and giving every cricket lover the suspicion that there might be a magnificent finish to this extraordinary Test.
They kept the scoreboard ticking by refusing to be daunted by the huge task and taking every single on offer.
England are still favourites although they had to be assembled for a rousing huddle by Strauss as the second new ball was taken. If the Australians win, as they might, it will be a record to end all records and continue the sequence at Lord's in which they have not been beaten since 1934.
Flintoff and Pietersen both finished the day limping; how will they finish the series, if at all?
Sunday, 19 July 2009
Saturday, 18 July 2009
Stranglehold
Lord's. Second Ashes Test - day three
Preview
Remember what Michael Vaughan said just before he retired. Someone should remind James Anderson what the effect would be - for him as well as the team - if he took 30-plus wickets in this series. He should make big inroads into that total in the next 48 hours which will mean England have made considerable strides towards winning back the Ashes.
I will remind what I said: that Australia were, like the 1985 squad, not as good as everyone thought and that England would win by going from strength to strength.
I also like the idea of an Andy - Flintoff, Strauss, Flower and now Anderson - playing a major part. Lets see.
To lunch
England found a dry, batsman's pitch and needed an hour to get the last two wickets -to Graham Onions - while Australia took advantage of the absence of a third man to add 54 runs.
Naturally Andrew Strauss decided not to enforce the follow-on and, with Mitchell Johnson bowling in a way that gave drains a bad name, 57 were added without loss and or difficulty. Half way through the match England had the game in their hands although second innings wickets may be a problem.
Johnson took his 100th Test wicket in the first innings as he ceded a run a ball but there must be serious doubts about his place on the tour. He seemed to be a real find right up to his arrival in this country. Now Ricky Ponting must wonder to get rid of this wayward paceman.
To tea
Strauss and Cook went in successive overs from Nathan Hauritz soon after lunch and Ravi Copara and Kevin Pietersen batted so slowly that both appeared to be totally out of form. Ponting missed the stumps when trying to run out Pietersen and four balls later dropped Bopara.
Then, in the final over of the session, a low catch to Hauritz off the struggling Johnson was turned down. England were so far on top, 350 in front with eight wickets left, that they did not want to give Australia too much time in the fourth innings unless they dreamed of winning.
Ponting was operating on such limited bowling resources that he had to go back to Johnson for all the left arm swing bowler looked as if he was a nervous debutant rather than a top-class wicket-taker.
To close
Matt Prior, Paul Collingwood - already a candidate for man of the series - and Andrew Flintoff all followed the lead set by Pietersen and Bopara so that at the end England were 311-6, with a lead of 521 and the only concerns about the weather and the perfect time to declare.
There was no point in closing the innings tonight as rain approached - and eventually stopped play - and now Strauss has to decide if he bats on in the morning or decides he has enough.
No side has come close to winning with 521 in the fourth innings of a Test but it is easy to understand a caution. An Australian side scored 404-4 to beat England at Headingley n 1948 and no-one in this country at that time could see anything but an England victory.
Records are made to be broken, Strauss will think tonight, and he is right. So a few more minutes batting and a few more runs and an awkward declaration are on the cards.
Preview
Remember what Michael Vaughan said just before he retired. Someone should remind James Anderson what the effect would be - for him as well as the team - if he took 30-plus wickets in this series. He should make big inroads into that total in the next 48 hours which will mean England have made considerable strides towards winning back the Ashes.
I will remind what I said: that Australia were, like the 1985 squad, not as good as everyone thought and that England would win by going from strength to strength.
I also like the idea of an Andy - Flintoff, Strauss, Flower and now Anderson - playing a major part. Lets see.
To lunch
England found a dry, batsman's pitch and needed an hour to get the last two wickets -to Graham Onions - while Australia took advantage of the absence of a third man to add 54 runs.
Naturally Andrew Strauss decided not to enforce the follow-on and, with Mitchell Johnson bowling in a way that gave drains a bad name, 57 were added without loss and or difficulty. Half way through the match England had the game in their hands although second innings wickets may be a problem.
Johnson took his 100th Test wicket in the first innings as he ceded a run a ball but there must be serious doubts about his place on the tour. He seemed to be a real find right up to his arrival in this country. Now Ricky Ponting must wonder to get rid of this wayward paceman.
To tea
Strauss and Cook went in successive overs from Nathan Hauritz soon after lunch and Ravi Copara and Kevin Pietersen batted so slowly that both appeared to be totally out of form. Ponting missed the stumps when trying to run out Pietersen and four balls later dropped Bopara.
Then, in the final over of the session, a low catch to Hauritz off the struggling Johnson was turned down. England were so far on top, 350 in front with eight wickets left, that they did not want to give Australia too much time in the fourth innings unless they dreamed of winning.
Ponting was operating on such limited bowling resources that he had to go back to Johnson for all the left arm swing bowler looked as if he was a nervous debutant rather than a top-class wicket-taker.
To close
Matt Prior, Paul Collingwood - already a candidate for man of the series - and Andrew Flintoff all followed the lead set by Pietersen and Bopara so that at the end England were 311-6, with a lead of 521 and the only concerns about the weather and the perfect time to declare.
There was no point in closing the innings tonight as rain approached - and eventually stopped play - and now Strauss has to decide if he bats on in the morning or decides he has enough.
No side has come close to winning with 521 in the fourth innings of a Test but it is easy to understand a caution. An Australian side scored 404-4 to beat England at Headingley n 1948 and no-one in this country at that time could see anything but an England victory.
Records are made to be broken, Strauss will think tonight, and he is right. So a few more minutes batting and a few more runs and an awkward declaration are on the cards.
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Majestic Anderson
Lord's. Second Ashes Test - day two
Preview
Will it rain all day? If not, will England reach 500, which is at the top of Andrew Strauss's wish list? Will Strauss reach a huge score? He probably needs to if England are to hit the 450 mark which is his minimum requirement. Will Nathan Hauritz play any further part in the match? One piece of good news - start on time.
To lunch
Jimmy Anderson's morning. He - with tremulous assistance from Graham Onions put on 47 for the last wicket after three wickets had fallen in the first three overs. Strauss left a ball that was too close to the off stump, Stuart Broad, played on, and Graeme Swann was caught in the slips.
Anderson hit intelligently and Onions streakily to take the score to 425 just as the Queen was arriving for her annual visit. Not that her presence helped but Anderson made it a Royal occasion by taking the wickets of Phillip Hughes and Ricky Ponting. Umpire Rudi Koertzen probably mistook the noise of Ponting's bat on his boot as an edge but all the technical evidence suggested Ponting did not touch the ball. I'd say "Hard luck, Ricky, mate" but I'd be a hypocrit if I did.
So as the teams paraded for the Queen Australia were still more than 400 behind after a dozen overs of struggle. I bet England thought the interval, extended to take in all the handshaking, would never end.
To tea
A wretched couple of hours, twice interrupted by rain, but at the end Simon Katich and Michael Hussey had restored a solid feel to the Australian innings.
To close
England took complete command. Led by their four pace bowlers - Anderson, Flintoff, Broad and Onions - they sent Australia toppling as six wickets fell for 53. At the close, after 20 minutes play under lights, Australia were 156-8 and the debate in Strauss's mind could only have been about sending them in again tomorrow morning, perhaps 240 behind.
It was the decision by Flintoff to pitch the ball further up that seemed to unsettle the Australians. Katich and Hussey were going well at 103 for two when Flintoff led the charge for wickets on a pitch that was in favour of bowlers, under a sky to fill the heart of a quick bowler with pleasure and backed by some of the finest England fielding. Anderson,with four wickets, must be sure a place on the honours board is waiting.
Broad snatched a brilliant running catch to get rid of Katich and from that moment everything Strauss tried worked. It is too early to count chickens but the smell of the first England victory over the Aussies at Lord's since 1934 was in the air.
Preview
Will it rain all day? If not, will England reach 500, which is at the top of Andrew Strauss's wish list? Will Strauss reach a huge score? He probably needs to if England are to hit the 450 mark which is his minimum requirement. Will Nathan Hauritz play any further part in the match? One piece of good news - start on time.
To lunch
Jimmy Anderson's morning. He - with tremulous assistance from Graham Onions put on 47 for the last wicket after three wickets had fallen in the first three overs. Strauss left a ball that was too close to the off stump, Stuart Broad, played on, and Graeme Swann was caught in the slips.
Anderson hit intelligently and Onions streakily to take the score to 425 just as the Queen was arriving for her annual visit. Not that her presence helped but Anderson made it a Royal occasion by taking the wickets of Phillip Hughes and Ricky Ponting. Umpire Rudi Koertzen probably mistook the noise of Ponting's bat on his boot as an edge but all the technical evidence suggested Ponting did not touch the ball. I'd say "Hard luck, Ricky, mate" but I'd be a hypocrit if I did.
So as the teams paraded for the Queen Australia were still more than 400 behind after a dozen overs of struggle. I bet England thought the interval, extended to take in all the handshaking, would never end.
To tea
A wretched couple of hours, twice interrupted by rain, but at the end Simon Katich and Michael Hussey had restored a solid feel to the Australian innings.
To close
England took complete command. Led by their four pace bowlers - Anderson, Flintoff, Broad and Onions - they sent Australia toppling as six wickets fell for 53. At the close, after 20 minutes play under lights, Australia were 156-8 and the debate in Strauss's mind could only have been about sending them in again tomorrow morning, perhaps 240 behind.
It was the decision by Flintoff to pitch the ball further up that seemed to unsettle the Australians. Katich and Hussey were going well at 103 for two when Flintoff led the charge for wickets on a pitch that was in favour of bowlers, under a sky to fill the heart of a quick bowler with pleasure and backed by some of the finest England fielding. Anderson,with four wickets, must be sure a place on the honours board is waiting.
Broad snatched a brilliant running catch to get rid of Katich and from that moment everything Strauss tried worked. It is too early to count chickens but the smell of the first England victory over the Aussies at Lord's since 1934 was in the air.
Aussie hit back
Lord's. Second Ashes Test - day one
Preview
I hear that, after three injections into his injured knee, Andrew Flintoff is to play in this match. England have made themselves a hostage to fortune; I hope Freddie comes to no harm. We must look for the side that reacts best to Cardiff which must have taken plenty out of both sides on the last day alone.
To lunch
Can you ask for anything more. Lord's full to the brim, a lovely cool English summer's day and England 126-0. Alistair Cook, first to fifty, and Andrew Strauss, just short of his half century, not blasting away but carefully accummulating the runs on offer.
There were plenty of runs available too. You know what I thought of the Australian attack before Cardiff; now we were seeing the shortcomings. Funnily enough, the one bowler I expected to perform, was Mitchell Johnson, who has hardly put a ball in the right place throughout the first six days of the series. He bowled short and wide; an exhibition of how not to bowl on the first morning of a Test and England took advantage.
It all seemed too much for Ricky Ponting who persisted with Johnson too long and then went to strange fields for Nathan Hauritz when he came on 25 minutes before the interval. I cannot remember seeing so many fours hit on the opening session of a Test.
To tea
Australia might have got the wickets of Cook, 95, and Ravi Bopara but they would have swapped both for a fit Hauritz who dislocated his off spinning finger trying to catch a fierce drive from Strauss. Hospital X-rays showed no break but clearly his effect in this match is curtailed and with Johnson conceding 77 runs in 11 overs their attack was crippled.
Kevin Pietersen simply supported Strauss on his way to an 18th Test hundred but by tea England were 255-2 and in a position to control the Test. Remember they won only once against the Aussies at Lord's in the 20th century.
This performance was much more clinical than the dreadful show at Cardiff; difficult to see where England had found their extra confidence. Perhaps the Andy factor - Strauss, Flower and Flintoff - had worked magic because after only two sessions it was clear that even if it rained as hard as the forecasters suggested on day two England had the momentum. Australia were dreading another stroke of bad luck.
To close
The final session was a disaster for England. Strauss batted on and on but four wickets fell for 109. Pietersen, Collingwood, Prior and Flintoff were all out without giving their captain the support his undefeated 161 deserved and he could be seen shaking his head when Collingwood spooned a feeble catch to mid-on.
Perhaps the tail, so magnificent in Cardiff, will take the score beyond 450 but that is not good enough after England reached 196-0. Johnson was so cheered by the revival that he bowled well with the new ball.
The worst news to the superstitious England dressing room must have been that the second wicket fell at 222 and the sixth at 333, two of their devil numbers. It will take a strong-minded authority figure to convince the players that the gods have no ill wishes for them and that an unlucky defeat is not just around the corner.
Preview
I hear that, after three injections into his injured knee, Andrew Flintoff is to play in this match. England have made themselves a hostage to fortune; I hope Freddie comes to no harm. We must look for the side that reacts best to Cardiff which must have taken plenty out of both sides on the last day alone.
To lunch
Can you ask for anything more. Lord's full to the brim, a lovely cool English summer's day and England 126-0. Alistair Cook, first to fifty, and Andrew Strauss, just short of his half century, not blasting away but carefully accummulating the runs on offer.
There were plenty of runs available too. You know what I thought of the Australian attack before Cardiff; now we were seeing the shortcomings. Funnily enough, the one bowler I expected to perform, was Mitchell Johnson, who has hardly put a ball in the right place throughout the first six days of the series. He bowled short and wide; an exhibition of how not to bowl on the first morning of a Test and England took advantage.
It all seemed too much for Ricky Ponting who persisted with Johnson too long and then went to strange fields for Nathan Hauritz when he came on 25 minutes before the interval. I cannot remember seeing so many fours hit on the opening session of a Test.
To tea
Australia might have got the wickets of Cook, 95, and Ravi Bopara but they would have swapped both for a fit Hauritz who dislocated his off spinning finger trying to catch a fierce drive from Strauss. Hospital X-rays showed no break but clearly his effect in this match is curtailed and with Johnson conceding 77 runs in 11 overs their attack was crippled.
Kevin Pietersen simply supported Strauss on his way to an 18th Test hundred but by tea England were 255-2 and in a position to control the Test. Remember they won only once against the Aussies at Lord's in the 20th century.
This performance was much more clinical than the dreadful show at Cardiff; difficult to see where England had found their extra confidence. Perhaps the Andy factor - Strauss, Flower and Flintoff - had worked magic because after only two sessions it was clear that even if it rained as hard as the forecasters suggested on day two England had the momentum. Australia were dreading another stroke of bad luck.
To close
The final session was a disaster for England. Strauss batted on and on but four wickets fell for 109. Pietersen, Collingwood, Prior and Flintoff were all out without giving their captain the support his undefeated 161 deserved and he could be seen shaking his head when Collingwood spooned a feeble catch to mid-on.
Perhaps the tail, so magnificent in Cardiff, will take the score beyond 450 but that is not good enough after England reached 196-0. Johnson was so cheered by the revival that he bowled well with the new ball.
The worst news to the superstitious England dressing room must have been that the second wicket fell at 222 and the sixth at 333, two of their devil numbers. It will take a strong-minded authority figure to convince the players that the gods have no ill wishes for them and that an unlucky defeat is not just around the corner.
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Farewell, Freddie
Andrew Flintoff has announced that this summer is his last in Tests and that in future he will concentrate on one-day and T20 cricket.
It was inevitable. All he has been through, in hospital operating theatres, on physio's benches, running, jumping, skipping and hopping - not to mention resting restlessly at home - in the last five years has been of no avail.
No matter how long he takes to get fit, no matter how hard he and his personal guru Dave Roberts - the England physio at the time Flintoff first made the Test team - the result always has been the same. Another injury or the same injury repeating itself, another trip to the specialist, another operation, more weeks of physical activity designed to strengthen a joint that had not enough sinew left to ensure complete recovery.
He says it has been clear to him for some time that he must quit. "My body has been telling me that," he says and like the big man he is Freddie has decided that he will go after the Ashes.
What have we lost? A giant spirit, a fast bowler who at his best was the most destructive member of that clan in the world and a batsman who hit the ball long and hard and often.
During David Lloyd's time as coach 15 years ago he answered a press conference question by posing another. "I don't know if any of you lads have heard of a teenage all-rounder called Andrew Flintoff?" he mused. "Well, he's got all the signs of a Test player. I think we are going to hear a lot of him."
So we did. Bobby Simpson was the Lancashire coach at that time and told with an air of wonder about this kid who smashed the ball from one side of the ground to the other. Freddie - after Fred Flintstone - was rarely out of the headlines. He was as heavy as the world heavyweight boxing champion, he was amusing, he was a great fielder - with hands like buckets so he should have been - and not long after he made the England team he married one of the beautiful girls who used to look after us in the press box.
I am glad to tell you he never changed. He drank too much at times; what else was new? His best pals outside the dressing room and his family were the press lads he knew as a youngster at Old Trafford.
One of them is about to write yet another Flintoff book; another gets a regular call. I always felt happy to see Freddie in a restaurant any night, any place in the world, because I knew he would come over for a chat, Lancashire accent as thick as ever, glass in hand and as curious about how I and my partner Jo were as he was to talk about the cricket.
Sorry it has worked out this way, Fred. Inevitable that in the days of non-stop Tests, of two or three one-day games a week, of all that travel, a 16st body, wrapped around 6ft 5in and propelled about the cricket arenas as if tomorrow would always be too late, would one day baulk at the strain.
It is most difficult to understand why the medical staff are contemplating putting Flintoff in the side, Surely he needs the rest, surely just having announced his retirement he is not in the right mental state to play and it would be a chance to try the side without him.
He's an all-rounder, for heaven's sake. There is immense strain on such men and his body cannot take it any longer. Why take the risk, especially now that he is on his way out by his own admission.
Don't tell me the ECB in all its forms is about to make another ghastly mistake.
It was inevitable. All he has been through, in hospital operating theatres, on physio's benches, running, jumping, skipping and hopping - not to mention resting restlessly at home - in the last five years has been of no avail.
No matter how long he takes to get fit, no matter how hard he and his personal guru Dave Roberts - the England physio at the time Flintoff first made the Test team - the result always has been the same. Another injury or the same injury repeating itself, another trip to the specialist, another operation, more weeks of physical activity designed to strengthen a joint that had not enough sinew left to ensure complete recovery.
He says it has been clear to him for some time that he must quit. "My body has been telling me that," he says and like the big man he is Freddie has decided that he will go after the Ashes.
What have we lost? A giant spirit, a fast bowler who at his best was the most destructive member of that clan in the world and a batsman who hit the ball long and hard and often.
During David Lloyd's time as coach 15 years ago he answered a press conference question by posing another. "I don't know if any of you lads have heard of a teenage all-rounder called Andrew Flintoff?" he mused. "Well, he's got all the signs of a Test player. I think we are going to hear a lot of him."
So we did. Bobby Simpson was the Lancashire coach at that time and told with an air of wonder about this kid who smashed the ball from one side of the ground to the other. Freddie - after Fred Flintstone - was rarely out of the headlines. He was as heavy as the world heavyweight boxing champion, he was amusing, he was a great fielder - with hands like buckets so he should have been - and not long after he made the England team he married one of the beautiful girls who used to look after us in the press box.
I am glad to tell you he never changed. He drank too much at times; what else was new? His best pals outside the dressing room and his family were the press lads he knew as a youngster at Old Trafford.
One of them is about to write yet another Flintoff book; another gets a regular call. I always felt happy to see Freddie in a restaurant any night, any place in the world, because I knew he would come over for a chat, Lancashire accent as thick as ever, glass in hand and as curious about how I and my partner Jo were as he was to talk about the cricket.
Sorry it has worked out this way, Fred. Inevitable that in the days of non-stop Tests, of two or three one-day games a week, of all that travel, a 16st body, wrapped around 6ft 5in and propelled about the cricket arenas as if tomorrow would always be too late, would one day baulk at the strain.
It is most difficult to understand why the medical staff are contemplating putting Flintoff in the side, Surely he needs the rest, surely just having announced his retirement he is not in the right mental state to play and it would be a chance to try the side without him.
He's an all-rounder, for heaven's sake. There is immense strain on such men and his body cannot take it any longer. Why take the risk, especially now that he is on his way out by his own admission.
Don't tell me the ECB in all its forms is about to make another ghastly mistake.
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Following Collie
I told you about Collie weeks ago
(Not that I thought you wouldn’t know)
“Never known to knock; always ready to go”
Was I right or was I right?
Six hours defiance but he was cross
He’d finish the job to show who was boss
Now we need others to follow
(“You know who I mean; his average looks hollow)
Old Bend and Sway; get me off the mark quick
If you’re at the other end you’d better be slick
Six to a century, sweep from the off
Try a little Collie; he’s never one to cough
He’s our Man of the North
Concentrating all he’s worth
A working class hound,a high stepper,
Salt of the earth, with a touch of pepper
I've said this before, but believe me
The Aussies would love him and so must we.
(Not that I thought you wouldn’t know)
“Never known to knock; always ready to go”
Was I right or was I right?
Six hours defiance but he was cross
He’d finish the job to show who was boss
Now we need others to follow
(“You know who I mean; his average looks hollow)
Old Bend and Sway; get me off the mark quick
If you’re at the other end you’d better be slick
Six to a century, sweep from the off
Try a little Collie; he’s never one to cough
He’s our Man of the North
Concentrating all he’s worth
A working class hound,a high stepper,
Salt of the earth, with a touch of pepper
I've said this before, but believe me
The Aussies would love him and so must we.
Out!
Deal with it. Andrew Freddie Flintoff will not play in the second Test, no matter how many times the ECB magic medical men proclaim that they will "assess" and "monitor" his injury.
In fact the selectors are damned if they do -because that will impede his play in the remainder of the series - and damned if they don't - because that will be seen as a serious blow to England's chance of winning at Lord's.
My radio tells me that he has had a scan and a cortizone injection. I hope the scan shows very little wrong but I wish they had found another method of curing his knee because in a long life in sport I have never heard players speak well of cortizone and met many who curse it.
I guess those backroom boys are trying everything in order to get him on the field on Thursday. Or maybe they just want to show they are trying everything.
Instead of crying let us - and here again I am forced to reach for the ECB Book of Obligatory Cliches - find the positives in this situation. My statistically-minded pals tells me she believes James Anderson and Stuart Broad bowl better when Flintoff is absent; since someone remembered the word "talisman" his shadow has become too large for any young paceman to blossom alongside him.
So, if Steve Harmison, the biggest Mr. If in cricket, bowls as he has for the Lions and Durham and the younger quicks grow up, Flintoff's absence may yet bring joy.
Speaking of blossoming, where is Andy Flower? I saw him at Cardiff, his face set in the same sort of protest pose that Ricky Ponting did not achieve until the end of the match but since the draw, not a word.
Strange!
In fact the selectors are damned if they do -because that will impede his play in the remainder of the series - and damned if they don't - because that will be seen as a serious blow to England's chance of winning at Lord's.
My radio tells me that he has had a scan and a cortizone injection. I hope the scan shows very little wrong but I wish they had found another method of curing his knee because in a long life in sport I have never heard players speak well of cortizone and met many who curse it.
I guess those backroom boys are trying everything in order to get him on the field on Thursday. Or maybe they just want to show they are trying everything.
Instead of crying let us - and here again I am forced to reach for the ECB Book of Obligatory Cliches - find the positives in this situation. My statistically-minded pals tells me she believes James Anderson and Stuart Broad bowl better when Flintoff is absent; since someone remembered the word "talisman" his shadow has become too large for any young paceman to blossom alongside him.
So, if Steve Harmison, the biggest Mr. If in cricket, bowls as he has for the Lions and Durham and the younger quicks grow up, Flintoff's absence may yet bring joy.
Speaking of blossoming, where is Andy Flower? I saw him at Cardiff, his face set in the same sort of protest pose that Ricky Ponting did not achieve until the end of the match but since the draw, not a word.
Strange!
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