Brave Blossoms

Is anyone else pooing themselves with excitement over the Rugby World Cup? Japan v SA, ay. Cor, blimey!
And the NRL (and SuperLeague) Finals?
Andrew, are you up for Hawthorn's second chance in WA? My friend very recently moved to Perth from here and has been overwhelmed by the sports coverage. Wall to wall NRL and AFL. They don't even have an NRL team out there. Him and his boy are going to their first AFL game to watch their new local heroes; against your mighty fighting Hawthorn.

Good to see Hales in the Test squad, finally. I'm a little surprised his lack of runs at international level in the ODI series didn't put them off, but that is surely a good thing.
A month to go before the attempt to avenge our last disaster trip to the UAE. 3-0 reverse when we were best in the world.

Stay in touch.

Victory or Die!

Ok, so that might be over-selling a series decider on Sunday, but it does allow me to let you know the new Motorhead album is awesome and it opens with this.

That was a cracking day's cricket again. Ebb and flow that 20 overs doesn't allow, after a big (start from) Willey, the Aussies fought back in a match winning way - I thought at the time.
England had a little wobble to keep us all interested.

England's third highest ever successful run chase; the highest total on an ODI defeat for the Aussie's against England (I think, I worked that out based on a pre-series stat that they never lose to us if they score 300+).

Maxwell is some cricketer. Bat, ball and field.

There was even almost a tense finish. Nice big (hit from) Willey to seal the deal.



Hales has "hit a bad run at the wrong time" according to Cricinfo. OR, he's struggling against the World champions. I hope he has a big(ish) one on Sunday.

In other news,
Yorkshire won the title again. I don't mind this, in fact it's quite impressive especially when you consider how many chaps they've had off with England for much of the season. It's quite galling though to me on a training course with the most Yorkshireman man I've ever met loving every minute of their decimation of Middlesex to rack up the few bonus points they needed on day one as their next nearest rivals (after Middlesex), Notts, fell apart against..... Graham Onions. Remember him!?!?! Awesome, chap.
Speaking of which, where's old Chris Jordon gone? He was good before the world cup, right?

Anyway, Back to Manchester... Same pitch as t'other day. Twin spinners a-hoy!!!!

Finally, a big argument on the field!

Listening on the radio when it happened, it sounded outrageous.

Watching on the highlights it looked like Stokes used his hand to 'obstruct the field'.
OK, maybe he didn't intend to stop himself from being run out, but he did stop the ball. Shane Watson had no reprieve for LBW, even though he didn't mean it.

Here I go defending Steve Smith again: the spirit of cricket should only come in to it if the ball was thrown deliberately to hurt Stokes, which is wasn't.
Sorry everyone, but I'm actually on Smith, and Australia's, side for this one.

Here's hoping for an England win this afternoon to keep the series alive.

1st ODI - we'll have a bit of that thanks

I thought England would cruise to victory - only needed 6 an over, a few more games to go lets hope the tempo picks up.

Gutted we lost the Ashes.......................................

Hang on, Gutted England 'Won' the Ashes back..............................

International T20

Is a bit of a farce, no? The odd one off match and a World Cup every 2 years. Bonkers.

Steve Smith is a dead tidy batsmen, isn't he. Nice to get him out short of his century, so we don't have to see that smile.

If there was a time Watson wanted to get his leg before the wicket. Well worth looking up his wicket. I couldn't stop laughing.

So 5 ODIs, here we go..