Simon Wilde's Blog, page 3

Aussies fire warning shot with clear-cut victory at Lord's

There was to be no grand finale, no 4-1 score and no bragging rights secured ahead of the Ashes.

England hold nerve to usher in era of dominance over Australia

England's cricketers gave the nation something to cheer about at Old Trafford on Sunday when in a pulsating finish they took the NatWest Series with two matches to play. They made hard work of it, losing five wickets for 29, and in the end only got home by one wicket with five balls to spare. They have now recently beaten Australia in all three formats and this will give them a great boost going into the Ashes in November.

Have the Aussies gone soft?

What a difference a year makes. Go back just 12 months and England were approaching an assault on the Ashes with trepidation: they had lost to lowly West Indies and an attempt by the new coach, Andy Flower, to broaden his players' minds with a visit to European battlefields faltered when Andrew Flintoff overslept.

Australia are playing catch-up with their cultural shift

If Australian cricket is going through a fallow period — recent Test series defeats to England, South Africa and India suggest it is — then it may be revitalised through the country's burgeoning immigrant population.

Stylish Strauss is in a hurry to make a point

Andrew Strauss showed he could adapt to England's new hard-hitting style with a dashing 61 from 45 balls to set up victory over Scotland in Edinburgh yesterday. The England captain contributed 12 of the 21 boundaries he and opening partner Craig Kieswetter hit in an opening stand of 121 in 15 overs.

Six appeal

Paul Collingwood, England's winning World Twenty20 captain, carries a bat weighing a stupendous 4lb 8oz. Most bats are less than 3lb and for somebody to use a four-pounder in a match would be unthinkable. Deft touches would become almost impossible and a batsman's arms would soon cramp up.

The making of Finn

Fast bowlers can be all too ready to bemoan their ill-fortune. Many of them do it often: they rail against unforgiving pitches, unyielding umpires and all the other injustices that make cricket a batsman's game. But one of the most heartening aspects of Steven Finn, England's new hero, is how hard he is on himself. He isn't looking for excuses, only to get better.

Ailing Aussies prepare to bounce back

THE AUSTRALIANS arrive in Britain today for a six-week tour that will have England's players and fans seeking clues to the old enemy's strength before the winter Ashes.

Making of Steve Finn

Fast bowlers can be all too ready to bemoan their ill-fortune.

'Betting' pair win appeal to play

THE ECB has dropped all attempts to suspend the registrations of Danish
Kaneria and Mervyn Westfield, the two Essex players under suspicion of
involvement in spot-fixing in a county match last year.