Now, I’m no expert, but it seems fairly obvious to me that saying a death is murder is a pretty serious thing and that you only say it if you’re absolutely, 100%, completely and utterly, no mistakes, this-IS-how-it-IS sure. To spark a murder investiation, to cause further pain and heartache to friends and family and all the other negative things that have happened is a big fat no-no. The fact that the claim was made in a high profile case like this has not helped matters at all, but it seems likely that the career of the Doctor who made the claims (Dr Ere Seshaiah) is effectively over.

About the only positive side to this ridiculous investigation is that things are gradually getting closer to some sort of conclusion which will finally allow the saga to be put to bed. I just hope Pakistan don’t get their knickers in a twist again and try and sue somebody for being questioned as part of the investigation.

—UPDATE—

And yes – after the press release came, that actually Woolmer was not murdered, Imran Khan was out in the news saying how the PCB should sue somebody, anybody over the indignation of being suspected of the murder. Ridiculous.

I hate being right.

Post from: EveryJoe

Woolmer: Not murdered?

The guts of the problem are in the comments Vaughan made about Freddie and the “pedalo incident” where Vaughan said that following Fredalogate, in which Fred was stripped of the captaincy and the whole team got a public ear-bashing, it was impossible for any team spirit to flourish and that was the cause of England’s poor showing in the World Cup. The point obviously is not that England performed so poorly in the World Cup, it is in fact that Vaughan is seen to be slagging off Freddie in public which is, obviously, a huge no-no. Despite his recent lack of form, injuries and misdemeanours, Freddie is still King Freddie in the eyes of most Englishmen. Amusingly enough, the BBC elevated Fred even beyond “King” level with some presumably unintentional capitalisation, when quoting Vaughan talking about England cricket’s apparent saviour:

“We move on, He’s looking forward to playing cricket and getting back in the England team. We need him in the England cricket team.”

Was Vaughan out of order? Probably. Should we really care? Not really. Has anything been said that everyone wasn’t already thinking? Of course not. Should this whole fiasco never have been allowed to surface? Absolutely.

The irony of this situation which is apparently lost on everyone is that this is precisely the sort of bad press that surrounded England in the World Cup, exactly the sort of bad press that Vaughan was referring to in destroying England’s team spirit, and yet here we are again in exactly the same position days before England are due to start a test match against the West Indies. On the back of a convincing win against in the 2nd test, with new players, new management, new joys and success absolutely the last thing that the England, team and camp needed was to have something like this bandied about the press – that it has happened is the truly despicable thing.

Post from: EveryJoe

The Irony Of It All

Now, it all seems like a pretty remarkable thing to me. For starters, what on earth prompted him to try it? Well, we know for one thing that former Australian opener Micheal Slater used to do a very similar thing, albeit with only half a squash ball. So it’s not a new technique, despite there not being any wide-reaching knowledge of the trick. And the fact that it helped Gilchrist in such a way is both remarkable and unremarkable, that is, that he can score so freely with an alien object in his gloves is remarkable, but equally, he has always been known as a destructive batsman, who, on his day, can destroy even the finest bowling attacks, squash ball or otherwise, and so the manner in which he scored the runs is decidedly unremarkable.

The point of all this? Sri Lanka have decided to appeal to the ICC about the use of the squash ball, saying that it’s “not in the spirit of the game”. Wowzer. Never mind the fact that they lost the game, no, it’s certainly not sour grapes on their part. On the face of it, it certainly seems like a frivolous complaint, I mean, it was only a squash ball. But it does raise an interesting question. Where exactly is the line between “the rules” and “unfair advantage” ? In support of the “it was illegal” argument, had Gilchrist walked out there with a solar-powered mechanical “batting arm” then there would have been some complaints. But when bowlers use shoes with special modifications to help when dragging their feet through (Andy Caddick / Allan Donald style) then it’s OK. The other question, therefore, is if the squash ball had been engineered in to the design of the glove (and no doubt all the major manufacturers are queuing up to talk to Gilly for the rights to the next big gimmick innovation), then would it have been OK? The Sri Lankans would not even have known about the squash ball had Gilchrist not told everyone in the post-match interview. Surely had he kept it “secret”, then that would not have been in the spirit of things. And again, had it been Monty Panesar out there smacking the ball around like it was on a bungee rope, then you might have argued the squash ball had given an unfair advantage, but every International team has been on the receiving end of Gilchrist at some point, so it was hardly a surprise.

Rather than worrying about squash balls, seems to me like the Sri Lankans should be asking the ICC why on earth the match was allowed to conclude in near darkness.

Post from: EveryJoe

Ooh boy. World Cup gloves (and squash ball) have come off

• Brian Lara (International cricket)
• Glenn McGrath (one-day cricket)
• Duncan Fletcher (England coach)
• Stephen Fleming (one-day captain)
• Russel Arnold (International cricket)
• Bennett King (West Indies coach)
• Inzamam-Ul-Haq (Pakistan captain)
• Ken Gordon (tried to quit as President of West Indies Cricket Board)
• Tom Moody (Sri Lanka coach)
• Dav Whatmore (Bangladesh coach)
• Clive Lloyd (ICC Match referee)
• Anthony Ireland (international cricket for Zimbabwe)
• Wasim Bari (Chief selector for Pakistan)
• Greg Chappell (India coach)
• Ravi Shastri (India manager)

I can’t be sure I haven’t missed some. Seems likely to me.

Of course, this World Cup will be remembered for claiming the actual life of Bob Woolmer.

Post from: EveryJoe

World Cup tally

Post from: EveryJoe

Australia win World Cup

Conversely, Australia steam-rollered their way in to the finals with a thoroughly convincing demolition of South Africa, moreso than in their group stage encounter. Batting first, South Africa were bowled out for just 149 in 43 overs which the Australians managed with ease, albeit in a very slightly pedestrian 31 overs. The problem (for other sides) with the Australian batting lineup is that they all take it in turns to score quality runs. Most teams rely on one or two key batsmen to score their runs, Jayawardene and Jayasuriya for Sri Lanka, KP and erm, KP, for England, Lara for West Indies and so on. Australia have no such reliance. Matt Hayden has scored the majority of Australian runs in this tournament but after he was out for 41 and Ponting out shortly after for just 22, any other team might have collapsed. Not so for Australia as Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds saw them home easily and without panic.

And that, I’m afraid is the reason that Australia will win this World Cup and will continue to dominate the International scene for the forseeable future. Their bowling is not the strength it used to be with the loss of Warne (and shortly McGrath) and Shaun Tait still decidedly raw, but when you have six world class batsmen in your top order, who consistently post totals of 300+ it makes little odds.

Come on Sri Lanka, prove me wrong again.

Post from: EveryJoe

World Cup final: preview

Semi 1: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, Jamaica (Tuesday 24th)

First up is Sri Lanka vs New Zealand. Sri Lanka have the been the “surprise” of the World Cup, after demolishing several big teams on their way through to the semis. Jayasuriya has been on top form with the bat, and it has been Malinga the Slinger with the ball, rather Murali, who has, by his standards, been quite sedate. Question marks have been raised over Sri Lanka’s attitude and approach after the recent match against Australia, in which they got stuffed, as they rested their three top players. Presumably the thinking was to hide their skills from the Aussies, anticipating a World Cup final. Interesting, but they still have to get past New Zealand who are looking in great touch. Shane Bond has been the anchorman with the new ball, assisted ably by Jacob Oram. Stephen Fleming has been scoring some runs with the bat, but Scott Styris has established himself as the danger man. He has developed a dogged determination with the bat that is taxing even the best bowlers in the world, and is a useful extra in the bowling. The pitch is likely to be a critical factor, as a slow pitch is likely to suit Murali down to the ground. Provided cricket’s All Blacks can counter him, and, of course, the Slinger, they should be through to the final.

Prediction: New Zealand to win

Semi 2: Australia vs South Africa, St Lucia (Wed 25th)

Semi-final number 2 is between Australia and South Africa. Little has to be said about the Aussies – they’re firing on all cylinders and look destined to get through to the finals. Apart from a slight wobble during the match with England where KP and Ian Bell were scoring quite freely, they have barely missed a beat all tournament. Hayden is a run-making machine and Shaun Tait has come in to his own with a 90mph swinging ball. South Africa on the other hand have looked less confident, but they’re certainly not without a chance. If Graeme Smith is fit and he and AB De Villiers start well, then totals of 350+ are well within reach, especialy with the likes of Boucher coming in lower in the order to give it the old heave-ho. Shaun Pollock has looked average with the new ball, and Andre Nel will need to maintain his concentration if he’s to really challenge the Aussies. However, the Aussies have the Proteas outflanked on the mental front, having already beaten them, and comfortably, once in this tournament. Complacency is a virtue that the Aussies seem to lack, so only a flawless performance by the South Africans will see them through to the finals.

Prediction: Australia to win

Post from: EveryJoe

World Cup semi-finals

In fact, KP has been about the only success story of England’s World Cup. He has shown a great increase in maturity and consistency. That he keeps getting out by chipping to mid on is worrying, but it’s nothing the new coach can’t sort out. He doesn’t deserve the best batsman title just yet, but he’s really starting to show that he’s worthy of it. His fifth one day hundred was the first in a winning cause, and it also saw him go past 2000 runs, achieving the feat in the joint-fastest time (shared with Zaheer Abbas), 444 of those runs in this World Cup alone.

The game eventually went to the wire, and despite England’s recognised batsmen getting to within the finishing straits, it required Paul Nixon, and then Stuart Broad to see them home. Paul Nixon might arguably be the other English success story, with the exception that his days are numbered in the team by virtue only of his age. It was a tense ending – moreso than the match against Sri Lanka – which makes it even more ridiculous that it was all in a lost and meaningless cause.

The irony continued even further – West Indies final loss of the tournament highlighted a position that moreorless mirrors England’s. Neither side have looked any good in this tournament and each camp requires some change, starting with the coach.

Ah yes, the new coach. Peter Moores. He’s in as Duncan Fletcher finally did the right thing and stepped down, no doubt feeling he had to do it before he was pushed. Many commentators and players, current and former, have come out in his defence, but only in as much as would be expected – ultimately, though, it was Fletcher’s time. Quite why he has felt the need to come out in support of Micheal Vaughan is beyond me – Fletcher had 8 years to look after his “mates” – now that he’s out, it’s time for him to let someone else get on with the job of rebuilding English cricket.

That’s not to sound ungrateful to Fletch, as he has had some success as coach. The Ashes in 2005 will no doubt be the highlight, but the string of consecutive test series victories which placed England as second test side in the World will be his legacy. But its impossible to escape the feeling that England never fully matured as a side, certainly never as a one day side, under his control. Although England could turn in good performances, they could never do it with any consistency. Ashes success in 2005 felt like a bit of fluke, a fact that was proven the following year when we were drubbed 5-0.

Thanks Fletch, but time for you to step down. So long and thanks for all the fish. I don’t know much about new-guy Peter Moores, except that he’s young (44), he’s got ‘an innovative style’ and he’s English. I think that’s important and one reason why I support his selection in spite of knowing so little – I want an Englishman leading our side. One thing is for sure – all eyes will be on him. I don’t envy his position, but there’s a huge opportunity for him to be a hero. He certainly has a talented pool of players to call on, but he will need to make some tough decisions. There are too many players in the side who are totally out of form and he needs to build an environment where the players know that they are representing their country and what that means.

Post from: EveryJoe

English cricket starts new future

Haha. Fortunately, for the sake of the equilibrium of the world and all that is good and pure, there were no upsets. No magical performances. No inspiration. Moreorless business as usual. Except it was business as usual as if you’d just got back from a really good holiday and you were raring to go – that is, for anyone completely lost in my cryptic metaphor – England lost with such fervour and unprecedented vigour, it was almost a signal to all the loyal fans as if to say

“Seriously? You actually thought we could do this? You thought we could pull one out of the bag? Fools, the lot of you.”

England scored a miserable 155 off 48 overs. Strauss managed 46 but that was about it. Once again the top order failed to make a significant impression. Vaughan failed. Bell failed. KP failed. Collingwood failed. Flintoff failed. Bopara put up a little resistance but ran out of partners. There was a total lack of belief in anything that was done. South Africa then came out, and knocked the runs off in barely 20 overs. Can’t blame it on the pitch or the conditions. The bowling was tired and weary, the feeling cumbersome and the general demeanour was of a team that had already been beaten. The South Africans were a league above and deserved the win.

It’s about all you can say. The South Africans wanted it. England didn’t. There was a frightening sense of Deja Vu about the whole embarassing affair. At the post-match presentation, Vaughan got booed. I don’t tend to agree with that. Maybe in this situation.

Now England face a pointless match against the West Indies before they finally go home to face the wrath of the Schofield report. No doubt we’ll hear the usual guff about being disappointed, about how we’ll learn, we’ll make some changes and we’ll use it as a positive thing. The realisation should be however, is that both Bangladesh and Ireland played better cricket than England. Heck, even Bermuda played better cricket.

Pah. It’s all been said before. Can anything else be said? I love my country, and I will continue to support, but it’s going to take so much to deserve any sort of faith in the side.

Post from: EveryJoe

England don’t fail to disappoint

I was put on the spot with each of the questions, so I don’t even entirely agree with my answers. (Especially as I sit here watching South Africa embarass England.)

But nevertheless, an opportunity for you to see your favourite cricket blogger in action. Hah. Or an opportunity to take some screen grabs and circulate some doctored images. Your call.

Clicky (and go for Tues, 17th April). Much love to the BBC peeps for sorting it all out and dealing with my dodgy webcam.

Post from: EveryJoe

Six and Out on My Cricket World Cup