Cricket’s Superpowers
LRB | David Runciman : Cricket’s Superpowers
Typically thoughtful essay on the recent tests from the LRB. Although this has been a great cricketing summer (and I was at the Oval for the magnificent 4th day) there has been an erruption of hyperbole about this.
The first off is that, despite a great Ashes win, this was not a contest between the best two teams in the world. I think this England team is strong, and still young, but it can get better and must if we are to take seriously claims to be best. For a start Bell had a terrible summer on the whole, and, as David Runciman repeatedly points out, Ashley Giles is not a world-beater. On the one hand this shows just how good the rest of the England team is, but it also shows that we don't yet have an all-conquering team. Giles might not be that good, but he is the best spinner we have. And Bell would have been dropped if there was a better batsman waiting to come it. Still, its a young side, and with good prospects among the A team we could be at the start of something good.
The second myth is that this is the best test series ever. Runciman makes a good case for other series being better: I can't comment since I didn't see those. For me, the 1981 series was more exciting, not least because it had a tragic hero - Botham - who screws up horribly but them finds redemption. Add in Mike Brearley, and the wonderful Bob Taylor behind the stumps, and it's magic.
What was noticable about this series is how close it was. After confortably losing the first test, England could have easily won or lost of the remainder. (Probably not the drawn third test, but even then we could have won it right up to the last ball.) I don't remember a series where so many tests were still in the balance at the start of what turned out to be the last day.
I have one minor quibble about Rucinman's article. Channel 4 have done a good job of televising cricket over the last few years, but let's not fool ourselves. They don't show every ball (switching to racing for some of the afternoon is the usual move) and have had to become used to ad breaks. Sky bought the rights in an open process, and while it is possibly a foolish move by the ECB, the deal is done. It was made possible by legislation passed in 1996 by the last Conservative government: hearing them bleat now about government inaction is slightly sickening.
Typically thoughtful essay on the recent tests from the LRB. Although this has been a great cricketing summer (and I was at the Oval for the magnificent 4th day) there has been an erruption of hyperbole about this.
The first off is that, despite a great Ashes win, this was not a contest between the best two teams in the world. I think this England team is strong, and still young, but it can get better and must if we are to take seriously claims to be best. For a start Bell had a terrible summer on the whole, and, as David Runciman repeatedly points out, Ashley Giles is not a world-beater. On the one hand this shows just how good the rest of the England team is, but it also shows that we don't yet have an all-conquering team. Giles might not be that good, but he is the best spinner we have. And Bell would have been dropped if there was a better batsman waiting to come it. Still, its a young side, and with good prospects among the A team we could be at the start of something good.
The second myth is that this is the best test series ever. Runciman makes a good case for other series being better: I can't comment since I didn't see those. For me, the 1981 series was more exciting, not least because it had a tragic hero - Botham - who screws up horribly but them finds redemption. Add in Mike Brearley, and the wonderful Bob Taylor behind the stumps, and it's magic.
What was noticable about this series is how close it was. After confortably losing the first test, England could have easily won or lost of the remainder. (Probably not the drawn third test, but even then we could have won it right up to the last ball.) I don't remember a series where so many tests were still in the balance at the start of what turned out to be the last day.
I have one minor quibble about Rucinman's article. Channel 4 have done a good job of televising cricket over the last few years, but let's not fool ourselves. They don't show every ball (switching to racing for some of the afternoon is the usual move) and have had to become used to ad breaks. Sky bought the rights in an open process, and while it is possibly a foolish move by the ECB, the deal is done. It was made possible by legislation passed in 1996 by the last Conservative government: hearing them bleat now about government inaction is slightly sickening.
posted by Toby Scott at 9/16/2005 02:47:00 PM
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