http://wisdencricketer.com/blogs Just another Wisdencricketer.com weblog Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:09:11 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en So, The KP Story is into a sixth season and our hero is back in the runs. As if there was any doubt this Bangladesh series would see him climbing the rankings (before today he lay 25th, his tale in increasing danger of being discontinued). Failure upon failure in the ... http://wisdencricketer.com/blogs/blog/2010/03/12/sam-collins-the-kp-story-season-six/ The latest rumours coming out of the England camp suggest a debut for Middlesex’s Steven Finn against Bangladesh tomorrow. The surprise is that it appears likely to come at the expense of James Tredwell, who seemed to have secured the second spinner’s position with eight wickets against Bangladesh A in ... http://wisdencricketer.com/blogs/blog/2010/03/11/sam-collins-finn-set-to-steal-tredwells-test-spot/ To the outsider, the constant arguing and squabbling can seem confusing, but it’s really very simple. Here are the key issues and figures in the latest row at the PCB… In a bid to heal the deep rifts in the team, the PCB has flexed its muscles and hit batting stars ... http://wisdencricketer.com/blogs/blog/2010/03/11/pakistan-cricket-infighting-a-handy-guide/ Try telling Steven Finn that England’s tour to Bangladesh is inconsequential. If Finn, the 20-year-old Middlesex seamer, makes his Test debut in Chittagong on Friday, it will complete a startling rise for a player who has played just 31 first-class games and one full season for his county. Finn is used ... http://wisdencricketer.com/blogs/blog/2010/03/10/sam-collins-fraser-believes-finn-can-handle-the-pressure/ It’s all gone Pakistan shaped. The Pakistan board has banned its best players from international cricket – Younis Khan and Mohammed Yousuf – imposed year-long bans on other senior players including Shoaib Malik, fined Shahid Afridi for chewing the leather and the Akmal brothers for behaving childishly. Good on the Pakistan board. ... http://wisdencricketer.com/blogs/blog/2010/03/10/edward-craig-pakistan-wrangles-make-for-disappointing-summer/ A game has developed in recent times during press conferences with Andy Flower. Football commentators would probably call it a game of chess. A journalist prefaces a question in which he wants to elicit a clue about selection for the Test team by saying: “I know you’re not going to give ... http://wisdencricketer.com/blogs/blog/2010/03/10/lawrence-booth-flowers-exercise-in-restraint/ Michael Clarke has unexpectedly left Australia’s tour of New Zealand to fly home. Is his girlfriend about to give birth? Did a close family member receive some bad news? Is he mentally exhausted? No. He’s flying back because his partner, the model Lara Bingle, is pursuing legal action over publication ... http://wisdencricketer.com/blogs/blog/2010/03/09/daniel-brigham-michael-clarkes-wrong-decision/ What, for an England fan, do these two Tests against Bangladesh hold? What will get us up at 3am on Friday? A preview of Alastair Cook’s captaincy? Two Tests against Bangladesh will offer crumbs at best. A chance to see England’s stand-ins in the case of injury over the next 12 months? ... http://wisdencricketer.com/blogs/blog/2010/03/09/benj-moorehead-bangladesh-v-england-anyone/ After an Ashes year perhaps it shouldn't have been a great surprise but cricket and cricket writing won big last night at the British Sports Journalism Awards. Of the 25 awards on offer, nine were won by cricket writers, broadcasters and photographers. The big winner was Mike Atherton, who was named Columnist ... http://wisdencricketer.com/blogs/blog/2010/03/09/john-stern-atherton-wins-again/ With England's top four pace bowlers all carrying injuries at present, we're likely to get a chance to evaluate the strength in depth of England's fast bowling. In the last year or so, it's often been said that England are blessed with a deep pool of talent, but to me ... http://wisdencricketer.com/blogs/blog/2010/03/08/alex-bowden-englands-worthy-back-up-bowlers/