Catching practice in the slip cordon

In all the years of watching test match cricket, I can't recall an instance of all 10 wickets falling due to catches behind the stumps. Mighty nice of the Aussies to not keep us waiting too long to see England bat. To think I almost wagered on the home team to score over 350 in the first innings. Good call there; but to make things even an opportunity to double up was lost by not punting on the Kiwis at home to beat Pakistan, damn!

The end of an era

When my generation started watching cricket, circa the 1987 world cup, the West Indies were a declining force in world cricket. We read enough about them dominating every other team for the previous 20 odd years, but it was hard to believe given their talent and form.

This was a time when the Australians set the bar and dictated terms to the rest, as long as i've watched international cricket the fight between every other team was always for second best. However, since 2007 there were signs that the Ozzie supremacy would not last, but that too was hard to believe.

However, watching the 2010-11 Ashes series one gets the feeling this is really the end of an era. As an ardent follower of the game, I realise the game needs a strong Australian side. Hence, happy as I am to see the Aussies taken apart, i just hope they come back strongly.