Michael Vaughan is back

Michael Vaughan last night made his long awaited return to competitive cricket. Since leading England to an Ashes victory nearly 8 months ago, Vaughan has been plagued by his troublesome knee and has played just two Test matches. Amongst much hype, Vaughan underwent surgery on the knee and subsequent rehabilitation.

Last night, he gave the knee a good workout in making 67 in Yorkshire's 6 wicket win over Scotland. The image on the left suggests that he was batting in full flow. Certainly after the match, Vaughan agreed, "I've felt in tremendous form with my batting, doing a lot in the nets. You know it's only nets and you have to produce it in the middle. But I felt as good as I have done for a long time in the middle today."

Though he is the England captain, I'll admit that he's fantastic to watch. In fact, he'd easily make my top 10 list of favourite batsmen to watch, but only in full flow. He's among the most elegant batsmen in the world, especially that cover drive with a handsome flourish at the end and that effortless swivel pull.

With his knee fixed, will he turn around his batting fortunes and make runs as England captain? Will he have a huge series during the Ashes defence down under at the end of this year? I'd bet on it.

Michael Vaughan has scored 4595 runs from 64 Tests at 42.94, with 15 Test hundreds. He averages 35.98 as captain.

Lions at home, lambs abroad

When India dominated all opponents at home, the Indian press proclaimed them as the best Indian ODI team of all time. The ICC ODI rankings even recognised their rise by having them at number 3 in the world rankings. Now, after four consecutive losses at the hands of the number 8 team in the world, the West Indies, the murmurs from India have stopped, and India has fallen to number 5 in the world rankings.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose performances were so vital in India's success at home, predictably failed once he left the flat tracks and the small grounds of the subcontinent. With his failures, the stability in the middle order was compromised, as was India's ability to set challenging totals and chase down moderate scores.

Rahul Dravid, who was brilliant in the first ODI with 105, could only muster a further 44 runs in his next four innings.

Irfan Pathan, such a consistent bowler in the subcontinent, had a very poor series which hindered India as he was the man responsible for taking bags of early wickets. India's best fast bowler was the unlikely Ajit Agarkar, who bowled first change. India's spin bowlers slowed the flow of runs for the most part, but did not take many wickets on these unfamiliar grounds.

Put simply, India still under perform away from home, with the team's core players the biggest culprits. With a very important Test series coming up, they'd want to fix this problem as soon as possible.

Brilliant Bravo seals the deal

By the end of Dwayne Bravo's debut Test series against England, it was clear that he was a fine player for the future. He was among his team's best players when he scored plenty of runs, took plenty of wickets, and above all, showed plenty of fight.

His reputation was enhanced when the West Indies endured a tough tour of Australia, where he scored a magnificent 113 in Hobart, then alarmed Australia with a miserly spell of medium-fast bowling which reaped 6 wickets at Adelaide.

But as promising as his Test performances were, his ODI performances were equally not promising. His ODI figures were rather ordinary, and despite his athletic fielding, his value to the West Indies was in doubt.

With the ball in the second ODI against India, Bravo bowled a nerveless over at Yuvraj Singh, who was already set, and trumped Yuvraj with a perfect slower ball, which took out middle stump. Bravo won a match that seemed lost with a moment of brilliance, a gift that precious few players have.

Two matches later, Bravo turned in a matchturning performance with both bat and ball. First, he broke the vital Mohammad Kaif/Mahendra Dhoni partnership, then took out the dangerous big hitters, Irfan Pathan and Ajit Agarkar at the death. Then, in partnership with his friend Brian Lara, he took the game away from India with a quick fire 61 not out. The end result was a thumping win that sealed a memorable series victory.

Has Bravo turned the corner in ODIs? It's too early to say, but if he can contribute consistently with bat and ball, then the West Indies will be a far more dangerous team.

Another day, another KP ton

Kevin Pietersen never ceases to amaze.

Whether it's a disastrous hairstyle, or a few cocky and undiplomatic remarks in the press, or his superstar model girlfriends, KP brings an element of surprise in everything he does. Mostly though, it's related to his cricket - his electric hands dropping six consecutive chances at the start of his Test career, and his outrageous and rare talent with willow in hand.

Last night, he made another stunning hundred, smashing the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas with the finesse of a master butcher. It was brutal, almost inhuman batting, and the Edgbaston crowd soaked up every minute of his destruction. The groan that rumbled around the ground upon his dismissal speaks volumes for the entertainment he provides.

On a strange pitch, where no one has yet managed to pass 30, KP blasted a stupendous 142. It was his first chanceless Test hundred (a very close lbw shout before he reached 50 notwithstanding). From the time he walked out from the pavillion, he grabbed the initiative with a thrilling counter attack. Master Murali was treated with utter disdain as KP reverse swept him for six over point, or slogged him over cow corner. Nuwan Kulasekera was treated like a club bowler, and the unorthodox Lasith Malinga was also thrashed to all parts. His skill was confirmed as England lost 5 wickets for 5 runs after his dismissal.

England gained a vital lead of 154, and removed 4 Sri Lankan batsmen before the close of play. Monty Panesar impressed again with the key wicket of Kumar Sangakkara in taking 2/39.Matthew Hoggard also impressed as he completed Upul Tharanga's pair, and dismissed the visiting captain cheaply.

There is little hope for Sri Lanka, expect a thumping English victory inside three days.

The rise of Matthew Hoggard

When Matthew Hoggard claimed his 200th Test wicket a fortnight ago, he collapsed to the ground giddy with laughter. A modest smile surfaced on the face of this humble character as he was mobbed by his teammates. His teammates recognise his importance in the team as a successful new ball bowler, but not many cricket fans do.

When most fans think of fast bowling, they think of the fireworks of the superb Andrew Flintoff, Simon Jones and Steve Harmison - all of whom can bowl more than 90 mph. Often overlooked is the underestimated Hoggard, who plods back to his mark, before running in with his blond mane flopping in the wind to deliver out swingers on a consistent line and length at 80 mph. For variety, he might shape the ball away, before it lands on the seam and moves in.

Heading into the second Test match against Sri Lanka, Hoggard was fifth on the Test bowling rankings, and was also England's highest rated bowler. It's astonishing to wonder why he is often not mentioned as among the best bowlers in the world, why he always seems to slip under the surface.

Perhaps part of the reason is his slightly dopey exterior, with his white sunhat covering a mop of hair. Or his rather strange stories of taking imaginary dogs for imaginary walks. Or perhaps because he does not possess the speed of a Flintoff or a Jones. Regardless, he has improved a lot over the years and is now a genuine world class bowler.

Matthew Hoggard has taken 19 wickets at 19.42 so far this season, and he took 58 wickets at 26.10 last season. He has in total 203 Test wickets at 29.07 from 52 matches.

Trinidad, and Brian Lara

Well how the tide has turned! India, after taking out the first ODI pretty comfortably, lost two thrillers, with Ramnaresh Sarwan the main destroyer. First, he made an unbeaten 98 as he emerged alone from a West Indian batting collapse as they won by one run, then he crafted a stunning 115 not out, in his 100th ODI, as West Indies won with two balls to spare.

Sarwan has always had a lot of talent, but was prone to gift his wicket. At the age of 26, and with more than enough experience, I hope he can carry the future of West Indies batting forward, as Brian Lara has done for the past decade.

Whatever doubts anyone had about Brian Lara's third appointment as West Indies' captain have been dispelled. Following a series whitewash against Zimbabwe, Lara has continued to lead the West Indies with agression and much flair. In the infield, he appears reborn while leading the way by fielding with brilliance. Tactically, he has been impressive and some inspired bowling changes have reaped rich dividends - witness India's collapse of 7/68 at the hands of part time spin bowlers.

For a perfect display in his first real series as captain during this tenure, he must add leadership by example - and a series win. Given that the final two ODIs will be played in Trinidad - the land of Brian Lara - it seems likely that he will deliver, especially since they will be his last ODI matches on his home ground.

It will be a fitting finale for Trinidad's greatest batsman.

The magnificent Rahul Dravid

When a batsman averages 57.79 in Test cricket over 100 matches, it is obvious that he is among the very best the game has seen. Add to that, an average of 40.70 over nearly 300 ODIs, then surely, he is one of the most valuable batsmen in the world.

There are a number of batsmen worldwide whose appetite for runs match that of Rahul Dravid's, but few can match the grace with which Dravid wields his willow. Add to that, most batsmen make runs when the going is easy, but with Dravid, it is the opposite. When the going gets tough, that's when Dravid gets going. He is one of cricket's rare creatures, a batsman who responds to adversity with style and substance. Dravid has also used his deep intelligence in transforming himself from a rigid batsman, to a batsman for all seasons and situations.

Captain Inspirational, Rahul Dravid, merely added to that when he scored a run a ball 105 to lead India to a thrilling victory in the first ODI against the West Indies. As ODI captain, Dravid has been amazing in his consistency, averaging 48 over 40 matches, and has shown an innovative, gambling streak. His manoeuvring of India's powerplays, bowlers and batting order is a breath of fresh air in a game which is becoming increasingly stale. I would not hesitate to call Dravid the best, and the most under rated ODI captain in the world.

In fact, I believe that Rahul Dravid will be the man lifting up the World Cup trophy on April 28, 2007.

Impressive Sri Lanka thwart England

England were denied the victory that looked to be their's at stumps on the second day of the first Test against Sri Lanka.

A defiant 61 and an emotional 119 from captain Mahela Jayawardene showed his team just what was possible with a bit of steel and application. Following their captain's lead, six other batsmen - Kumar Sangakkara, Upul Tharanga, Farveez Maharoof, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Nuwan Kulasekera and Chaminda Vaas - all produced innings of great character, in batting out time and gradually grinding away at their deficit.

The end result was a very unlikely draw, and Sri Lanka 178 runs in front with just one wicket in hand. Perhaps, with a bit more time, Sri Lanka might have won the match, as magical off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan would have been a handful on a worn pitch.

England did not help themselves by dropping 9 of the 22 chances they created. Even the normally reliable Flintoff dropped a sitter at slip in just the third over of the last day. Ironically, the normally sloppy Geraint Jones took 6 catches, including several sharp ones off the spinner.

For a cricketer who is so proactive, Andrew Flintoff's captaincy was strangely reactive on the last two and a half days of the match. Formulaic and defensive fields were set against the Sri Lankan tailenders as Matthew Hoggard and Liam Plunkett were gaining significant movement. The absence of a short leg to complement his own bowling was confusing. Monty Panesar, the impressive left arm spinner, was also criminally underbowled and he bowled only 27 of the 199 second innings overs. Flintoff himself bowled 51.

Regardless of the result, I have no doubt that Andrew Flintoff will lift his team through performance and I expect a much better performance in the remaining Tests.

England held up by dedicated Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene produced a captain's innings to delay England's charge towards victory in the first Test. After top scoring with 61 in the first innings, he scored an immense 119 as his team followed on. Dropped by Andrew Strauss on 58, Jayawardene continued to bat with an application scarcely seen earlier in his career. Wide outswingers from the impressive Liam Plunkett, that he might earlier have chased, were ignored. He was rewarded with his 14th Test century - 4th away from home, and he improved on his poor away record.

The quiet leader, Jayawardene provides serenity to the Sri Lankan dressing room, in a similar way to Inzamam-ul-Haq and his influence on Pakistan. Sri Lanka, who arrived in England without two major batsmen, captain Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya, contains a number of unestablished batsmen, so there was also added pressure on Jayawardene and vice captain Kumar Sangakkara, who scored 65.

Hopefully, this hundred will be the turning point in the career of an underachiever. It will give Jayawardene a foundation from which to build innings of character instead of flair in the future.

While Sri Lanka will most likely still lose this Test match, Jayawardene should be proud of his efforts in uplifting a dispirited dressing room.

Monty!

Andrew Miller of Cricinfo has written a delightful article on the exploits of England spinner Monty Panesar. Such was England's domination of the Test against Sri Lanka, that the most entertaining things were Monty's inept displays of fielding, followed by ironic cheers from the Lord's crowd.

Tall, spindly, and unsure of what to do with his limbs, Monty in the outfield resembles a wide-eyed baby giraffe on the plains of the Serengeti. A cricket ball hurtling across the turf - or, even worse, scudding through the air - is a predator to be feared, and avoided if at all possible.

In the first session of play, Monty let a ball roll between his legs at mid on for a single. Two balls later, desperate to atone for his earlier misjudgement, he chased a straight drive valiantly to long on, made a brilliant dive and stopped the ball inches from the boundary. Alas, as he went to pick up the ball, he had absentmindedly left his left foot over the boundary. Cheers all round!

More gems in the article. Click here to read it.

KP smashes 158 (again)

Kevin Pietersen has started his home international summer the same way he ended it, with an aggressive and chancy 158.

Last summer, he was dropped three times on route to his brilliant 158 that sealed a famous series win. Again, he gave three chances on the way to 158 against Sri Lanka over the past two nights. He has yet to make a chanceless century - this was his third - and he passed 1000 Test runs in his 12th Test match, a remarkable achievement given the quality of his opponents (Australia, Pakistan and India away).

Regardless of the chances - and every aggressive batsman is bound to give some - I feel that Pietersen is the next great batsman. People will talk about his unconventional technique, his shuffling and leg side bias, but the guy has character, and in international cricket, this is what separates the Great from the very good.

As expected, England is dominating the Test match against Sri Lanka. They piled up 551 for 6 declared in quick time, before taking 6 Sri Lankan wickets for 91. But for inept wicketkeeping by Geraint Jones (again), Sri Lanka would be 7 down. Surprisingly, this match is going in the same direction of the corresponding match at Lord's last year - against Bangladesh - an innings victory within three days. Already, they look a stronger team with Andrew Flintoff at the helm and evidently they've learnt lessons from the tough subcontinent tours.

Regaining the Ashes will be hard. Very hard.

Banger returns with a bang

England's home international summer began last night, and the start was just as dominant as how the summer ended last year, having regained the Ashes.

Once again, Marcus Trescothick shone with the bat, in making his 14th Test century. Given the mysterious circumstances in which he left the tour of India and the speculation which followed, England supporters and Trescothick himself will be relieved with his century in his first innings back.

Previous failures for his English county Somerset would not have done much for his confidence. But a hundred in difficult conditions against Northamptonshire broke his drought and Trescothick has again delivered for England.

Kevin Pietersen is the man not out at stumps, on 54. The crowd will be hoping for a repeat of his crazy 158 which secured England's Ashes.

Marcus Trescothick has made 5608 Test runs at 45.96.

Justin Langer on retirement

One half of Australia's most successful opening partnership, Justin Langer, has made suggestions of retirement after The Ashes 2006/07.

The veteran of 100 Tests also considered giving the game away after his centenary Test, but the pain of losing the Ashes 2005 has delayed the inevitable. The father of four explained that spending time away from his children for weeks at a time was growing increasingly difficult, and this will be what dictates the timing of his retirement.

No doubt Langer has a fierce desire to regain the Ashes. But sometimes desire doesn't match performance, especially at an age when reflexes fade. Langer will be 36 by the time the first ball is bowled at the 'Gabba. Against England's quartet of fast bowlers, should he be selected? Especially considering that his previous Test was ended by concussion following a blow to the head from a bouncer?

Langer, 35, has scored 7393 Test runs at 45.35. He has made 22 Test centuries.

Simon Jones, injured (again)

Just as things were getting back on track for Simon Jones, he has been sidelined for a further six weeks.

Jones, who stunned Australia with his high speed reverse swing, in taking 18 wickets at 21 in Ashes 2005, was bowling his way back into rhythm when he limped out of a Glamorgan match with a sore knee. Scans revealed possible cartilage damage which may yet require surgery.

This is just another unfortunate chapter in the injury ravaged career of Simon Jones. A horrific slide on the turf of Brisbane in 2002 absolutely destroyed his knee - ruptured ligaments - and that injury kept him out of the game for many months. Last year, he suffered an ankle injury which required more surgery and he sat out England's Winter tour of Pakistan and India.

Now, this latest injury will keep Jones out of Sri Lanka's tour of England, and maybe beyond.

Cricket Australia contracts 2006/07

Cricket Australia has named their contracted list of 25 players for 2006-07. This does not make much of a difference for the fringe players who may or may not be on this list - they can still be selected for international cricket if they are not on the list - the biggest difference is how much money they earn. The players are ranked from 1 to 25, based on their performances in the previous season and their anticipated role in the coming season, and are paid according to their ranks. No. 1 can expect to earn a base retainer of about $620,000 and no. 25, $150,000.

The contracted list, by state:

New South Wales: Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Phil Jaques, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath

Queensland: Matthew Hayden, Mitchell Johnson, Michael Kasprowicz, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson

Western Australia: Adam Gilchrist, Brad Hogg, Michael Hussey, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn

South Australia: Daniel Cullen, Jason Gillespie, Shaun Tait

Victoria: Brad Hodge, Shane Warne

Tasmania: Ricky Ponting

9 New South Welshmen, 5 banana benders, 5 sand gropers, 3 South Australians, 2 Victorians, and 1 loner.

The more interesting list, is the one sorted by age.

Under 25
Daniel Cullen 22
Shaun Tait 23
Shane Watson 24
Mitchell Johnson 24

25 - 29
Michael Clarke 25
Phil Jaques 26
Brad Haddin 28
Nathan Bracken 28
Brett Lee 29

30 - 31
Stuart Clark 30
Michael Hussey 30
Simon Katich 30
Andrew Symonds 30
Jason Gillespie 31
Brad Hodge 31
Ricky Ponting 31

34+
Adam Gilchrist 34
Matthew Hayden 34
Michael Kasprowicz 34
Damien Martyn 34
Brad Hogg 35
Justin Langer 35
Stuart MacGill 35
Glenn McGrath 36
Shane Warne 36

The most worrying thing is our all time great wicketkeeper-batsman, our most successful opening partnership and two all time great bowlers are in this last group. I expect most of that group to retire within 2 or 3 years, when that time comes, I hope the relatively younger ones (Under 30s) will step up.