Runs : 94
Balls : 41
Fours : 10
Sixes : 6

Poor old Andrew Symonds went for 30 in an over. This was certainly SOME innings. I beg your pardon if I am not articulate enough. Its just that….well….I am excited. The IPL has just begun.

Laters

Post from: EveryJoe

Viru You Little Beauty!

Kings XI Punjab v Chennai Super Kings at Mohali – Apr 19, 2008
Chennai Super Kings won by 33 runs
Chennai Super Kings 240/5 (20/20 ov); Kings XI Punjab 207/4 (20/20 ov)
Michael ‘Mr Cricket’ Hussey showing he ain’t that far behind.
Delhi Daredevils v Rajasthan Royals at Delhi – Apr 19, 2008
Delhi Daredevils won by 9 wickets (with 29 balls remaining)
Rajasthan Royals 129/8 (20/20 ov); Delhi Daredevils 132/1 (15.1/20 ov)
Depleted RRs, Non Turning Warnie, what less could you ask?

Kolkata Knight Riders v Deccan Chargers at Kolkata – Apr 20, 2008
Kolkata Knight Riders won by 5 wickets (with 6 balls remaining)
Deccan Chargers 110 (18.4/20 ov); Kolkata Knight Riders 112/5 (19/20 ov)
The pitch was BAD, really BAD. The better team won. Dave Hussey was the star

Mumbai Indians v Bangalore Royal Challengers at Mumbai – Apr 20, 2008
Bangalore Royal Challengers won by 5 wickets (with 2 balls remaining)
Mumbai Indians 165/6 (20/20 ov); Bangalore Royal Challengers 166/5 (19.4/20 ov)
You don’t let Boucher and Kallis be in the same team. Else they will win it!

Rajasthan Royals v Kings XI Punjab at Jaipur – Apr 21, 2008
Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets (with 11 balls remaining)
Kings XI Punjab 166/8 (20/20 ov); Rajasthan Royals 168/4 (18.1/20 ov)
Some players returned, some awaited. Shane Watson still has it in him. Yuvraj CAN bat. Duh!

Hey guys,

More of IPL coming up. And also the review of the Pro20 Cup in South Africa

Laters

Post from: EveryJoe

IPL Recap: 18th to 21st April, 2008

Well, first things first, I, and just about anyone else talking about it, got the predictions completely wrong. Now, I’m not so full of it so as to think it was my kiss of death that did for Lancashire and Sussex, but a combined effort from the entire cricketing media (moreorless), was certainly working in Gloucester and Kent’s favour.

Seconds things second, what a great day of cricket! I had planned to keep updating the site throughout the day, but couldn’t tear myself away from the action. 21,000 people in the Edgbaston crowd were treated to some fantastic cricket (not to mention a few million more watching on the TV) – the fact that things didn’t turn out as might have been expected was all the better for it.

I asked for a great day of cricket, and that’s what we got. Which means, hurray, I can say it! Cricket was the winner yesterday*.

Having seen the final, the semi-finals are all but a blur. Lancashire were out of sorts and a fired up Gloucestershire, led by a remarkable innings from Spearman saw them home with more than 3 overs to go. Sussex vs Kent was a similar story, where an innings from Kent captain (and man of the match) Rob Key saw them home relatively easily. If it feels like I’m skirting over the details of the semi-finals, it’s because I am. Put simply, Gloucester and Kent deserved to be in the final and the teams that were tipped for the spots barely turned up. Such is the nature of Twenty20, I suppose, but we certainly were not denied a thrilling final. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Gloucester get off to a slow start. Somehow manage to claw it back. Ryan Mclaren gets a hat-trick. Post a modest total of 140 odd. Kent start well but get pegged back. Handbags and toys thrown from the pram as Rob Key showed his displeasure at getting out. Finish goes down to the last over, with Kent needing 13 from the last 6 balls. The first ball disappears for 4. 9 from 5. Dot. 9 from 4. No ball! Hit for 4! KENT WIN!

Incredible. Not so incredible? Hamish Marshall getting booed as he went to collect his runners-up trophy, considering that he was arguably “man of the day”.

Nevertheless, a fantastic day of cricket.

Post from: EveryJoe

Never underestimate the power of the kiss of death

Andrew Flintoff looks set to play a part for Lancashire, as part of his wider bid to get back in the England side. Jimmy Anderson will be back for Lancashire, and Matt Prior for Sussex.

A Sussex Lancashire final looks most likely, and I’d tip Sussex to pip Lancs in the final. They’ve looked the best all round side throughout the season as Lancashire’s impressive lineup has failed to make a mark on my dodgy memory. It could easily go a totally a different way, altogether, with the likes of Lasith Malinga turning out for Kent and Gloucs are something like at full strength, with Jon Lewis and Alex Gidman in the side.

The ECB really need today to go down with a bang – a day that must be remembered for the cricket, the cricket and only the cricket. They need three close and thrilling encounters to remind the spectators (and critics) why it’s a great game, and to try to brush under the carpet some of the less savoury goings-on that have crept in in recent times.

Hold your hats for a great day.

Post from: EveryJoe

Twenty20 finals today

The only problem is that it’s not the first time this has happened (virtually one year ago to the day) and Derbyshire had even asked for special consideration, which the ECB duly declined.

Crikey. Admittedly as I write this, Derby are in pretty poor condition at 47-5, but the fact that they’re play D/L because of good light, well. At least we have the delightful ramblings of David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd to keep us amused.

Post from: EveryJoe

Good light stops play. Again.

Post from: EveryJoe

Warne in bother, again

Also expect the report to do near enough bugger all.

Post from: EveryJoe

Schofield report tomorrow

“Whether it be, perhaps, in his fielding, or in the, er, the structure of his body”

On its own, not a damning statement, but it did have the benefit of a hand gesture, which was moreorless “he’s a tubby a bastard”.

Post from: EveryJoe

Chris Adams calls Rob Key fat

One wonders if this is a blessing in disguise. Well, not necessarily even in disguise – just a flat-out blessing. New coach Peter Moores has already said he would play Vaughan in the tests as captain but this latest (in a long line) injury has forced a much needed change in the England line up. Andrew Strauss looks destined to get another chance as skipper with Paul Collingwood his deputy. Vaughan should get fit and play county cricket and not automatically earn a place in the side. Get him scoring runs consistently and then have him back in the side. Not before.

Post from: EveryJoe

Vaughan to miss… some more cricket

So the vital information that I can gleam is this:

• Standard league set up – two divisions with promotion and relegation for top and bottom two teams from each division
• Teams in third place from top and bottom will feature in a play off at the end of the season
• 40 over cricket, departing from 2005’s 45 over set up
• Essentially the same as the old Sunday league set up
• Essex Eagles are defending champions
• County teams involved have silly nicknames and will wear pyjamas, not whites
• Scotland/Ireland won’t play in it
• The name DOES suggest that it’s for 40 year olds and over, even though it’ll be for 1st-string county sides
• The play off at the end of the season marks the end of the domestic season

The two divisions are made up of:

Division 1:

• Durham Dynamos
• Essex Eagles
• Glamorgan Dragons
• Lancashire Lightning
• Middlesex Crusaders
• Northamptonshire Steelbacks
• Nottinghamshire Outlaws
• Sussex Sharks
• Warwickshire Bears

Division 2:

• Derbyshire Phantoms
• Kent Spitfires
• Gloucestershire Gladiators
• Hampshire Hawks
• Leicestershire Foxes
• Somerset Sabres
• Surrey Brown Caps
• Worcestershire Royals
• Yorkshire Phoenix

And that’s moreorless it. As far as I can tell, it’s yet more fodder for the “we play too much Cricket” voices, and won’t do a lot to foster improvements to the national One Day set up. Time will tell!

UPDATE:

Mark Mitchener from the BBC obviously reads this blog, because would you Adam and Eve, they’ve posted a nice little guide to Pro 40 cricket with comments from all the stars. Enjoy.

Post from: EveryJoe

What the hell is Pro 40 cricket?