The pitches
Yes they were fairly lifeless but there were results in 3 of
the 5 games and the other two would most likely have been results as well were it not for the weather.
Given the inadequacies in the both teams batting it was little surprise that
the counties wanted to play a little safe with the wickets given the financial implications. English wickets are
by and large slow and low wickets as well- so in that respect the test wickets
replicated the county scene. It has been a dryer than normal summer but the
test wickets were also prepared in such a way to benefit Graeme Swann – a tradition
that is no new phenomenon.
Warne v Vaughan
You’d go well to find two more objectionable and dislikeable
figures in cricket these days than these two. Through the whining and warped
views it’s hard to enjoy cricket and even their fellow commentators seem to be
growing tired of their fawning for public attention. Warne’s verbal assault on
Cook’s captaincy and Vaughan’s bias towards Yorkshiremen and cricketers in his
talent agency were particularly galling.
Bairstow
I didn’t see him as a number 6 when he came into the England
team and he’s kind of proved this point. In the long run he could be a number 7
wicketkeeper once Matthew Prior leaves the England setup but it’s hard to see
him being good enough to be a batsman alone. He needs to go back to Yorkshire
and actually keep wicket for a while if he wants to increase the likelihood of
this scenario- if he spends the next couple of years in and out of the England
team at 6 his career will likely go no-where quickly and he may be surpassed by
a Kieswetter or Davies as wicketkeeper.
The ashes in Australia
Tough to predict. If Australia can get some of their fast
bowlers on the pitch I’d actually like them as favourites. Mitchell Johnson’s
form in the recent ODI’s is probably not the greatest bit of news for the
Aussie test team if he does get a recall based on his previous history against
England in test cricket. Australia has got to hope that Harris, Pattinson and
co are fit once the first test comes along. England’s three key bowlers in
Anderson, Broad and Swann are somewhat more resilient but England can ill
afford an injury to any of them as they lack the quality backup that Australia
now has.
