75 years on

It is 75 years since the beginning of the 1932-32 Ashes series in Australia.

The Times has published an excellent comprehensive review of the topic, including links to some of the newpaper's reports of each of the five tests and articles by Murray Hedgcock (IMO a particularly good one), John Woodcock, David Frith , Christopher Martin-Jenkins , Ben McIntyre (a discussion of some less well known aspects of the controversy), Patrick Kidd and, in his florid characteristic style, Simon Barnes.

There's also a podcast and, in less serious vein, the five part Douglas Jardine Video Diaries (presented by Andy Zaltzman).

Several of the articles ( but not the pod/video casts) were republished locally in the latest Weekend Australian, together with a piece in Simon Barnes style by Mike Coward . Most of them are on the paper's website (where there's also a photo with the erroneous caption: "Batsman Bill Woodfull ducks a Harold Larwood bouncer during 1920s [sic] Australia v England Bodyline Test in Brisbane").

Highly recommended, especially The Times version.

Pause, break, hiatus, lull, siesta...

These are a few words which have been, or could be used to describe the weeks since the mini-series with Sri Lanka finished.

Years ago (like when Richie Benaud was captain) Australian cricket seasons were divided into those with touring teams and those without. In the former the touring side (note singular) progressed around the country playing matches (which were never called "warm up" matches) against state teams before the test series began, usually in late November/early December. If no overseas team toured the first class season comprised the home and away Sheffield Shield four day series between five states, with an occasional game involving Tasmania. This may explain why interstate cricket had a stronger following then. (How many contemporary South Australians could name more two or three Redbacks?)

Nowadays the emphasis is on international cricket in its three forms by which I mean test, 50 overs and Twenty20, not matches between the top tier of nations and those involving Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Although two tests are currently under way in the sub-continent the only Australian involvement on the field is via the umpires, whose job should be, and generally is to maintain a low media profile (though umpire Harper has incurred the displeasure of The Times cricket correspondent ).

It's hard to believe that at this time last year the Ashes series was well under way. That of course was shoehorned into a short period, and for the Australians at least, unlike this season with its crop of crocks was relatively injury free.

Anyway a kind of normality will soon be restored with the Australia- NZ Twenty20 game in Perth, followed by the Chappell-Hadlee series, which begins in Adelaide on Friday (where a hot high 30s day is forecast). So Australian reporters and bloggers will have something tangible to write about instead of having to speculate about whether Muttiah Muraliduran deserves to hold his record (I think he does, but may return to this another time) or if Australia should choose a spinner for the Boxing Day test (I think it's a good idea, but am not sure if there's anyone who can fit the bill).

PS Trivia task for the underoccupied: select a team from those who've missed a game or more this season due to injury.

Dream farewell leaves nightmare scenario for SA?

SA (397 and 1/30) had an unexpectedly easy 9 wicket win over WA (236 and 190) in Darren "Boof" Lehmann's final first class match. He certainly went out in style, making 167 in his only innings, capturing a wicket in each WA innings and taking a magnificent reflex catch off Jason Gillespie (which was shown on local TV) to end the WA second innings.

The Warriors were under strength because they'd suspended Shaun Marsh and Luke Pomersbach for drinking transgressions but I expected them to fight harder in their second innings after the Gillespie and Lehmann triumphs in the first.

It didn't happen. Justin Langer, with two 30s, had a modest match and the Redbacks won with a day to spare, a rare event in recent times, and one which must have given them and their supporters some heart for the rest of the season. They are now fourth on the Pura Cup table.

Minus Lehmann the Redbacks batting looks thin. Mark Cosgrove, whose physique is far from thin at present, and underperforming skipper Nathan Adcock need to contribute more with the bat.

Adcock's second innings 3/30 shows that he's not a complete passenger, but he's not in the team for his bowling. Or should he be? Batting 7 or 8, which I think he did earlier in his first class career, would allow another specialist batsman to play, even if it required a rethinking of team balance. Enough musing for now.

Scorecard

PS Richard Earle in today's Advertiser / Adelaide Now records Boof's swansong in first class cricket.

Redbacks batting supports fine Gillespie bowling

SA 1/75, WA 236: Day 1 Pura Cup match at Adelaide.

I didn't go to the cricket today but was pleased to see that the SA batting didn't collapse after their bowling led by Jason Gillespie (7/58 from 20 overs - his best ever at Adelaide Oval) dismissed the Warriors for 236. Brad Hogg's 68/42b (5x4, 6x6: most of the latter from Darren Lehmann) must have been worth watching.

The Redbacks lost Mark Cosgrove for a duck but Matthew Elliott and Callum Ferguson stayed together until stumps.

PS Why wasn't Cullen Bailey selected?

In today's Advertiser/ Adelaide Now SA coach Mark Sorell is quoted as justifying the omission of Shaun Tait from the Redbacks 4 day team on the grounds that Cricket Australia had requested it:

"CA do not believe that playing Shaun in back-to-back four-day domestic matches is in the best interests of his pending return to the Australian team," Sorell said.

"While we had hoped to play Shaun we are fully supportive of CA's decision.

"One of my jobs is to produce Australian players and we will do everything we need to do to see Shaun playing for Australia."

If he's really serious about producing Australian players, why doesn't he push for Cullen Bailey to be included in the Redbacks' four day team? Bailey played most of these games last season and, while he didn't set the cricket world on fire, he did enough to gain a Cricket Australia contract and selection in the Australia A team which toured India.

Lehmann farewells one day cricket with century...and SA win by 8 wickets

Following hard upon the heels of Darren Lehmann's announcement of his retirement from top cricket, the principal interest in the one day match between South Australia and Western Australia was likely be on the great man. And he didn't disappoint, producing a magnificent 126no/104b in an unbroken 236 partnership with Matthew Elliott 133no/137b to overhaul WA's formidable 6/305 with...wait for it... 18 balls to spare.

What a game.

The Warriors batted first and got off to a cracking start, despite losing Justin Langer cheaply. Luke Ronchi (the next Adam Gilchrist?) smote 69 from 58b and with Sean Ervine took the score to 104 from 100b, in the process testing both the bowling and ground fielding. When after 30 overs the Warriors had built the solid platform of 3/182, bearing in mind the rule of thumb of doubling the score in the last 20 overs, a huge score seemed likely. But it didn't quite work that way: Ervine stayed and scored, but others came and went: one, Mark Johnston, forced to retire hurt when his jaw was broken by a return from the field.

A final score of 6/305 looked sufficient, especially given the brittleness of the Redbacks batting, but to my spectator's eyes 19 from the last 4 overs was less than I expected, especially as the 4 overs before that had yielded 38.

Ervine finished with an impressive 134 no /129b: an innings of such class as to merit much media attention. Yet it wasn't to be as the Redbacks overcame early losses, Callum Ferguson brilliantly caught at fine leg by the otherwise hapless (see his bowling analysis) Shawn Gillies and a less than sprightly Mark Cosgrove run out, before the two former internationals came together.

They built their partnership by taking their time (relatively speaking) before hitting out when the Warriors attack, which included Brad Hogg, who looked ordinary if no worse than his team mates, wilted before the onslaught.

I was impressed with Boof's fitness: the weather was much cooler than the preceding week or so's run of 30 degree plus days, but I only noticed one Arjuna Ranatunga moment (ie walking an easy single), and that was in the middle of his innings.

Two magnificent innings - actually three, since Ervine deserves some sympathy, as he has twice now in a 50 overs game at Adelaide Oval made a century and been on the losing side. The other occasion? See here



Scorecard
Photos

Sangakkara masterclass almost trumps Australia's stronger hand: Second Test Day 5

Kumara Sangakkara's 192/282b was the highlight of the final day's play of the Second Test, and also of the series.

Unfortunately he didn't receive from several of his teammates the support which his innings deserved. Four of the first seven in the order contributed 4 runs between them to a total of 410: if you want to identify the underperformers see the scorecard. Nor did he receive a good, or even half decent decision from umpire Koertzen, for which the official subsequently apologised (and which the Channel 9 vision showed K S accepting with exceptionally good - dare I say unAustralian - grace).

Australia therefore won by 97 runs, a comfortable margin on paper but one which will should make them think hard about (1) the policy of not enforcing the follow on where they've obtained a large lead, and (2) whether their attack is the best available. Stuarts Clark and MacGill were disappointing: Clark bowled a lot of tripe to the tailenders and MacGill did the same throughout the innings.

Brett Lee however bowled magnificently, and thoroughly deserved his Player of the Series award (Sangakkara should have received the Player of the Match as while he was batting Sri Lanka were still in with a chance).

And so, as Simon O'Donnell reminded the Channel 9 Cricket Show viewers at lunchtime today (a program which looked hastily cobbled together, as if Ch9 didn't believe the game would last that long , Test Cricket in Australia now goes into recess until after Christmas. Such are the exigencies of the modern game.

Darren Lehmann announces retirement

Darren "Boof" Lehmann of Australia, South Australia, Yorkshire and Victoria has announced his retirement.

Adelaide Now has a good package of print and video reports, including this:

Lehmann will finish his stunning 20-year cricket journey during this weekend's Pura Cup's clash with Western Australia at Adelaide Oval.

As revealed in The Advertiser last week, Lehmann was forced out of the game by the effects of a chronic achilles injury and his breakdown in relations with the SACA hierarchy.

Lehmann, who played 27 Tests for Australia, was relieved of the SA captaincy in March after eight seasons in charge.

The most prolific run-scorer (13,468) in Sheffield Shield/Pura Cup history conceded that while he idolised SACA high performance manager Rod Marsh as a player, he couldn't endorse his administrative style.

"We have different views on how to manage a cricket team," said Lehmann, who burst onto the first-class scene aged 17 in 1987-88.

"The past 12 months has not been easy. Ongoing concerns and conjecture about whether I could remain injury-free and finish the season, as well as other frustrations, have contributed to my decision to retire."

Lehmann thanked an array of current and former players for influencing his career including Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Jason Gillespie, Jimmy Maher, Greg Blewett, Wayne Phillips and Australian coach Tim Nielsen.

Lehmann will now concentrate on a three-year deal to promote SA Brewing and spend more time with his family.

"I think I'm playing well enough at this level still, but the injuries are just getting too much," he said.

"It's getting harder to get out of bed in the morning to start with."I'm looking forward to it (retirement), looking forward to watching the boys play, but hopefully I go out with a bang this week."

Only two years ago, as I commented at the time , Boof notched a triple century against WA. I'd settle for a vintage single century and a half from him at the weekend.