Andrew Strauss - One of the best!

I suppose we could see it coming but thank heavens he walked before he was pushed. Andrew Strauss's decision to retire from all forms of professional cricket is completely understandable, well timed and at the same time will leave vast numbers of England supporters muttering into their pints about what happens next.

Was that it? Has the golden age of English cricket gone before we really had a chance to enjoy it? Will Straussy (for that is how he was and shall always be known by the often tipsy legions of The Barmy Army) heading off into the sunset and full membership at Sunningdale herald another few fallow years or will Alastair Cook be able to reignite the spirit of the England team which has struggled to really cope with being world number 1?

That is all for the future. Tonight, as I reflect on his 100 caps, Ashes winning captaincy and that number one slot, the overriding feeling is that an England team with Strauss in always had a far more look and feel than one without him. On his day his batting could combine aggression, no little flair and tenacity. His was a prized wicket. When the opposition managed to dislodge him, there was a veritable spring in their step and England always looked more vulnerable.

I'll leave it to the others to pore over his average and his stats, the Pietersen debacle, his batting form over the last 18 months and his occasional tactical inflexibility. Instead, we should praise his numerous gutsy innings, his determination to succeed and his commitment to the Andy Flower plan for world domination. Of course, he was fortunate to have a great bowling attack to tear teams apart and Messrs Cook, Bell, Trott & KP to pummel their bowling into submission but all captains need that.

The reality is that he lead his team and he lead them very well and for that alone we should raise a glass to that rare beast, a successful away Ashes winning England captain!


Andy Franks

CWC 2011 - India v England

England tied a remarkable World Cup game against India in Bangalore thanks in no short measure to a dazzling captain’s knock from Andrew Strauss' brilliant 158.

The co-hosts set an intimidating 339-run victory target after a superb 120 from Sachin Tendulkar. Strauss and Ian Bell (69) put England in command with a 170-run third-wicket stand before Zaheer Khan dismissed both batsmen in successive balls. The tail set up a grandstand finish but England fell a frustrating one run short of victory after needing 14 from the final over. England wanted 29 from the last 12 balls, having earlier faced a much easier equation of 67 from the last 60, and then two off the final ball but Graeme Swann could only manage a single from Munaf Patel's delivery. The late drama finished off the most enthralling match of the 2011 tournament so far, a game which both teams will feel they should have won.

The much-anticipated, sell-out Group B encounter featured two superbly crafted centuries and a maiden five-wicket limited-overs haul by Tim Bresnan, fast becoming England's most reliable one-day bowler. The tourists' riposte had been constructed around an inspirational individual innings from Strauss, who made the joint-second highest individual score by an England player in a limited-overs international. The England captain, dropped on 22 by Harbhajan Singh, was in imperious form, smashing 13boundaries and a six in a ruthless 145-ball innings, silencing the fiercely partisan crowd inside the capacity M Chinnaswamy Stadium. But Zaheer struck just when England were about to accelerate their run rate after taking the batting powerplay in the 43rd over.

Bell was the first to fall for 69 when he top-edged an off-side scythe to Virat Kohli at extra cover and the very next ball - a brilliant inswinging yorker - trapped Strauss leg before wicket. The double strike deflated England's innings, but late lower-order hitting from Bresnan and Swann, who each struck timely sixes, left England requiring 14 from the final over of the match.

Ajmal Shahzad shifted the odds in England's favour when he struck a six straight back over bowler Munaf Patel's head with the third delivery of the over. A leg-bye, followed by a two from Swann left the same batsman needing two runs from the final delivery of the match - but his off drive could not beat Yusuf Pathan at mid-off, leaving the ninth-wicket pair to run through for the single which tied the match.

The gritty performance against the pre-tournament favourites contrasted vividly with England's uninspired six-wicket victory over the Netherlands on Tuesday. England had only won one of their previous 13 encounters against Sunday's opponents in India - and another defeat looked on the cards when Mahendra Dhoni opted to bat on what appeared to be good wicket, despite the persistent heavy showers which had engulfed Bangalore and the lush green outfield in the previous 48 hours. England made two changes, dropping Ravi Bopara for Michael Yardy while Shahzad was summoned in place of the ill Stuart Broad, and India swapped seamer Sreesanth for leg-spinner Piyush Chawla. The capricious Sehwag (35) gave India a typically ballistic start before an audacious late cut from Bresnan's first over was too close to wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who took an excellent diving one-handed catch to his right in the eighth over at 46-1.

New-man Gautam Gambhir, an astute player of spin, maintained Sehwag's tempo while Tendulkar had been relatively restrained with 24 from 43 deliveries.
But a change of bat in the 17th over soon changed matters and 'The Little Master' thumped the first six of the match before bringing up his 94th half century with yet another imperious maximum off Paul Collingwood. The onslaught was relentless - two successive leg-side sixes off the returning Swann, lofting the first over long-on before dispatching the second with a brutal slog-sweep high over deep midwicket and into the stands as the second-wicket partnership stretched to over 100.

An unplayable Swann delivery from around the wicket accounted for Gambhir (51), pitching on middle before gripping and clipping the edge of the left-hander's off stump. But the dismissal caused minimal disruption to Tendulkar's nerves, bringing up his 47th one-day century with a glance off his hip. To put Tendulkar's career achievements in perspective, the entire England XI have 22 one-day centuries between them - and he soon took his tally of sixes to five with a stand and deliver smear over long-on. The 37-year-old's fine knock came to an end in the 39th over but Yuvraj (58) and Dhoni (31) took India beyond the 300-run mark before the impressive Bresnan cleaned up the lower-middle order as the co-hosts were dismissed for 338.

Facing a required run-rate of 6.78, England openers Strauss and Kevin Pietersen took full advantage of some bizarre field placements by Dhoni, smashing nine boundaries in an exhilarating start. Strauss, given an early lifeline by Harbhajan when he misjudged a tough chance at mid-on, was in particularly belligerent mood square of the wicket. A huge slice of fortune accounted for Pietersen, whose ferocious drive straight at Patel's head was parried in the air before the fast bowler completed a simple one-handed catch while sitting on the ground.
With his fast bowlers unable to exert any control, Dhoni turned to spinners Harbhajan and Piyush Chawla to apply the brakes as Strauss notched a run-a-ball 50.

Bell looked at ease alongside Strauss at the wicket, although the number four was fortunate to survive a close lbw call turned down by umpire Billy Bowden at 163-2. India immediately referred the decision and the ball-tracking device available to the third umpire suggested the ball had made contact with Bell's front pad in line with the stumps - but more than 2.5m down the wicket, which saved Bell's wicket even though the ball was predicted to hit middle.

That let-off allowed Bell to play an excellent foil as Strauss scored a quite brilliant century from only 99 deliveries, his sixth one-day international three-figure score. Bell launched a laconic sweep over deep midwicket for six to bring up his half century from just 45 deliveries as England dominated. But the match turned in the 43rd over as Zaheer hit back. Collingwood, Sussex’s Prior and Yardy soon followed as England's run chase looked to have faltered, but lusty sixes from the lower-order batsmen ensured England were in contention through the final over. They just could not find that extra run which would have sealed a quite remarkable victory.

The Jardine Report: The pre-tournament favourites India put in a big effort but still couldn’t shrug off a gutsy England team. Sachin Tendulkar showed what a quality player he is and Andrew Strauss demonstrated his own steely determination to leave a positive mark on this tournament. A fantastic game and a performance that will hearten every English supporter and also convince the nay-sayers that the 50 Over version of the game can still produce a high level of quality and drama to rival its shorter 20/20 version.

From the Captain's mess #5

First Test - Day Four

England openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook both hit centuries as we fought back superbly on day four of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba Gabba Hey. England had resumed 202 runs behind on 19-0 with Australia sensing victory. But Skipper Strauss (110) put on 188 with Cook (132 not out) in an English record stand at Brisbane, and vice Captain Cook then added 121 with Jonathan Trott (54 not out). The tourists went to stumps on 309-1 and lead the Aussies by 88 runs, with the draw looking the likely outcome. Soon to be ex-Australian Captain (First Aussie to lose three Ashes Series!) Ricky Ponting's could not have have envisaged his side only managing one wicket in the entire day - but that was precisely what happened, with Australia hampered by the flat wicket and their own modest bowling attack.

The Aussies made things hard for themselves by spilling catches. Strauss was badly dropped by Mitchell Johnson on 69, Cook gave a much harder opportunity to Peter Siddle at fine leg on 103 and Trott also gave a technical chance to Michael Clarke at point on 34. A torrid battle for survival appeared to be the order of the day for England at the start of Sunday's play at the Gabba. They had been put under the cosh by Mr Cricket Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin, and the situation appeared bleak.

However, there was no swing or seam, and little encouragement for the spinners either - with the only danger for the batsmen being the cracks in the pitch which, if Australia's bowlers could locate them, might cause the odd ball to misbehave. Cook looked in a little danger early on, edging Siddle wide of third slip, and then playing an ambitious slog sweep at Xavier Doherty when the debutant spinner came on which was top-edged high into the air before landing between fielders. Both men were positive, confident enough to hit a series of cut shots and off-drives as Australia looked to locate their outside edges. With typical sparse home support, the usual rowdy contingent of England fans were able to make themselves heard as Strauss and Cook dominated proceedings.They scored quickly, Strauss raising the 100 with a driven four off the first ball of Siddle's second spell some 40 minutes before lunch.

Eschewing a more cautious approach, Strauss was soon down the track to Doherty hitting a catch towards mid-off, but XXXX Johnson spilled an easy catch and at lunch England were encouragingly positioned on 135-0, with Strauss on 79, Cook on 51.
Strauss's 15th boundary, a late cut off Doherty gave him his 19th Test hundred, to join Sir Len Hutton at equal sixth place in the all-time list of England century-makers. It also ended a run of 13 Tests without a three-figure score, the last coming in the 2009 Ashes win at Lord's, although he swiftly fell to the part-time spin of Marcus North, stumped as he tried to hit an off-break over the bowler's head. Jonathon Trott proved an excellent second companion for Cook, however, hitting a lovely cover-drive for four off Johnson to take England into the lead, and the pair of the them were able to raise a 50-run stand off just 70 balls just before tea.

Cook began the the final session needing just two runs to secure his 12th Test century and second on Australian soil, and he got there with yet another cut off Siddle. Even when the new ball was taken moments later, there was not enough spark or belief from the Australians, and consequently Cook and Trott continued to find life comfortable. The second 100-run stand of the day was raised when Johnson was mercilessly pulled by Cook for another boundary and when bad light brought a slightly early finish, the Aussies looked relieved to head to the dressing room.

The Jardine Report: England's fight back had begun the day before with the dismissal of Hussey, since that attempted stab at a vainglorious six to top off a double century the momentum has swung England's way. Whilst there is still a lot of work to do to make the game safe, the English team will be delighted with the fightback, the speed with which the Aussies crumbled and perhaps most tellingly the lack of support from the Australian crowd.

First Match, First Blood

England 223-8 dec & 243-4 beat Western Australia 242-8 dec & 223 by six wickets

England skipper Andrew Strauss hit 120 not out as England thumped Western Australia by six wickets in their opening warm-up game ahead of the Ashes series.Straussy's 141-ball knock featured a six and 15 fours as he led his side home on 243-4 in Perth.

Developing a winning habit early in the tour was one of England's goals on arriving in Australia and the manner in which they went about their run-chase at the Waca Ground was a reflection of the confidence within the camp. After Cook's early dismissal, Strauss took charge and was well supported by the other members of the top order.

He shared stands of 65, 66 and 54 with Trott, KP and Colly before he and Ian Bell, who finished with 22 not out, knocked off the remaining runs. The England captain was particularly strong on the back foot, relishing the chance to pull anything dropped short, but he brought up his century with a straight drive for four off spinner Michael Swart.

England also bowled well earlier in the day, picking up nine wickets for 114 runs after Western Australia had resumed on 109-1. With Swann turning in impressive figures. All in all, a great start to the tour.

Victory - The Ashes 2009

The dramatic twists of the 2009 Ashes series would be enough to make London's most celebrated sleuth Mr Sherlock Holmes seek solace in the fine white powder of his erstwhile colleague Dr Watson.

The five-Test series ebbed and flowed, swinging one way then the other as England avenged their abject 5-0 drubbing in 2006/07 with their second successive 2-1 home series win.

Statistically, Australia may wonder how they lost. Eight centuries to England's two, six batsmen averaging over 40, compared with two for England. Three bowlers taking 20 wickets or more, Stuart Broad topping England's chart with 18.

Captain Ricky Ponting suggested after Sunday's dramatic finale at The Oval that England had won the "big moments". So what were the key ones over the last seven memorable weeks?


THE GREAT ESCAPE IN CARDIFF
First Test, Cardiff - England drew with Australia


At 1800 BST on the final day, after 344 pain-staking, crease-shuffling minutes, Paul Collingwood's 245-ball, 74-run vigil ended when he meekly guided Peter Siddle to Mike Hussey at gully.

At 1802 BST, Monty Panesar - a number 11 with an average half his batting position - joined James Anderson with Australia primed to celebrate their sixth successive Ashes Test victory.

But for 69 hair-pulling, jaw-aching deliveries, the last-wicket pair fended off everything the tourists launched at them.

Every defensive prod was celebrated as if the crowd were watching a full-length Shane Williams try at the Millennium Stadium, with Ricky Ponting's patience wearing increasingly thin.

The Australia captain became apoplectic with rage with England's apparent time-consuming tactics when they sent on dressing room lackey Bilal Shafayat, along with physiotherapist Steve McCaig and a pair of batting gloves.

However, it all became too much for the umpires and Anderson, who promptly sent the Nottinghamshire man back to the pavilion.

But despite the increasing tension, Panesar's bat, as broad as the River Taff, grew wider the more frustrated the tourists became, while Anderson's defence remained obstinate through 53 deliveries.

"We got away with it, we know that, and we must come back and play better," said England captain Andrew Strauss.

And didn't they just...


FIRED-UP FREDDIE'S FIVE-FOR AT LORD'S
Second Test, Lord's - England beat Australia by 115 runs

Whoever writes Andrew Flintoff's scripts should retire now, forever content with their role in etching the all-rounder's name into the annals of English cricket history at the game's spiritual's home.

After announcing he would retire from Test cricket because of a chronic knee injury after the Ashes, Freddie's awesome second-innings bowling spell ensured England's blushes were spared after setting Australia a record 522 for victory.

Although his 5-92 was only his third five-wicket haul in Test cricket, it was undoubtedly his most important, piqued when he dismissed Brad Haddin in the second over of the final morning at Lord's.

The wicketkeeper shared a 185-run sixth-wicket stand with Michael Clarke, the type of partnership which was on its way to germinating from a seed of doubt into a full-blown privet hedge of horror.


Freddie's ready to be mobbed by his team-mates
But with Haddin on 80, Flintoff induced a thick outside edge to the hands of Paul Collingwood at second slip, and the game was up for Australia.

Flintoff's reaction was priceless - he just stood there, as if looking for wife Rachael deep in the recesses of the Mound Stand, before being mobbed by his jubilant team-mates.

He went one better an hour later, clean bowling Nathan Hauritz before descending on one knee, arms spread, like a stadium rock star as England ended their 75-year wait for a win at Lord's.


SIZZLING ONIONS GRILLS AUSTRALIA
Third Test, Edgbaston - England drew with Australia

After watching rain pelt down for hours on the sodden Edgbaston outfield, England's bowlers were flogged to all parts as Australia's openers made hay when the sun finally shone in Birmingham.

Without Kevin Pietersen, ruled out following surgery on his right Achilles' tendon, England looked as flat as the Edgbaston wicket.

But it's amazing what a scattering of low-lying clouds and humidity can do to a semi-shiny Dukes ball.

With Australia resuming on 126-1, Graham Onions altered the complexion of the match with the first two deliveries of day two.


Onions early wickets put England in charge on day two at Edgbaston
Up went umpire Aleem Dar's right index finger when the Durham fast bowler trapped Shane Watson dead in front for 62, before bowling Mike Hussey - inexplicably shouldering arms to a delivery hurtling into his off stump for a golden duck.

Suddenly the ball was swinging like a Benny Goodman number, and James Anderson cleaned up the tourists with an inspired 5-80, while Onions collected 4-58.

The momentum was back in England's favour, but a 185-run second-innings stand between Michael Clarke and Marcus North for Australia snuffed out any hopes of a sneaky victory.


FRIDAY MOURNING IN LEEDS
Fourth Test, Headingley - Australia beat England by innings and 80 runs

When Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bat on an overcast Friday morning in Leeds, Ricky Ponting did not seem overly perturbed.

With a four-pronged pace attack - the metronomic Stuart Clark returning at the expense of off-spinner Nathan Hauritz - Australia had an Andrew Flintoff-less England by the jugular when Strauss was trapped plumb in front by Ben Hilfenhaus with the very first delivery.

The crooked finger of umpire Billy Bowden remained motionless, like Australian mouths, but the reprieve was brief as the England captain was back in the pavilion 14minutes later after a brilliant one-handed catch by Marcus North at third slip.

Peter Siddle was the main benefactor as England folded at Headingley
The rot began to set in as Peter Siddle and Clark ran amok, decimating England's middle and lower order with a brilliant exhibition of good old-fashioned Headingley swing bowling.

The hosts were 72-6 at lunch, the misery ending early in the afternoon session when Graham Onions was caught at short leg for Siddle's fifth wicket as the hosts were dismissed for 102, their lowest total for 100 years in Ashes Tests at Headingley.

The humiliation was complete when Mitchell Johnson cleaned up poor old Onions less than two days later for one of England's most emphatic defeats against the tourists on home soil.


BROAD TAKES CENTRE STAGE WITH ENGLAND HOT TO TROTT
Fifth Test, The Oval - England beat Australia by 197 runs

Amid the media clamour to reinstate 39-year-old Mark Ramprakash and persuade Marcus Trescothick to come out of retirement, England's selectors opted for consistency and chose Jonathan Trott to replace the struggling Ravi Bopara.

With Australia in the ascendency at 73 without loss replying to England's 332 in the series decider, the fate of the fragile, six-inch urn turned on a destructive spell of fast bowling from Stuart Broad on a parched Oval wicket.

The 23-year-old reduced Australia to 111-7, the apogee of his 5-37 an unplayable outswinging delivery to rearrange Brad Haddin's furniture to seal his second successive five-wicket Test haul, and the third of his career.

With Australia 172 runs short of England's first-innings total, Trott became an instant hero with a debut century to take the game beyond the tourists, setting Ricky Ponting's men an impossible winning target of 546.

Ponting's dismissal particularly delighted Broad at The Oval
England supporters started to sweat as Ponting and the hitherto vulnerable Mike Hussey compiled a 127-run partnership with steely determination.

But Flintoff - relatively muted on his finale - conjured one final trick from his sunhat, uprooting Ponting's off stump with a direct hit from mid-on as the Australia captain fatally hesitated scampering for an ill-judged single.

As the match - and series - drew to its now inevitable denouement, Graeme Swann ended Australia's misery when he had centurion Hussey caught by Alastair Cook off bat-pad, sparking pandemonium in SE11.

Ponting to pick a Pom

Australian Captain Ricky Ponting has given his seal of approval for controversial English all-rounder Andrew Symonds to be named in the Australian Ashes squad later today.

Symonds, the injury prone Shane Watson, incumbent all-rounder Andrew McDonald, frequently overlooked Brad Hodge and outsider Callum Ferguson are thought to be battling it out for the last two spots in the 16-man touring party to be named at 11am EDST.

Ponting said he wouldn't be surprised if Symonds was the selectors' choice. Which is certainly throwing down the gauntlet to his selectors.

Ricky Ponting was not quoted as saying, "He has had his share of bottles over the last 12 months, obviously the well-documented stuff off the field". He did however say in The Australian, "He's worked his way back into domestic cricket pretty well and played well for us over in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. He's a great guy to have around a team. There is no doubt about that and obviously the selectors are going to have some tough decisions to make in the coming hours I guess."

Ponting, unsurprisingly didn't think Symonds' off-field problems would be held against him. Australian sporting culture is currently overloaded with tales of alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct and Ponting’s approach is in line with the majority of senior administrators thinking. Surprisingly though he also didn’t think that Symonds’ lack of runs at first-class level would be held against him either.

In a rather pathetic and predictable start to hostilities Ponting yesterday took a swipe at his England counterpart and said it was important to keep Andrew Strauss quiet.

Strauss played a key role at the top of the order in England's 2-1 series win four years ago. Since taking over the captaincy, Strauss has scored 597 runs at 59.70 in seven Tests against the West Indies compared to a career average of 43.96.

Jardine’s Verdict: The inclusion of Symonds in the test squad wouldbe a strong indication of the Australian mindset. It will also be a marked change in selection policy from the tried and tested picking the best XI to the not so proven picking your best mates. We should all know soon.

Jardine’s Touring 16: Ponting (Captain), Clarke (VC), Haddin, Hughes, Katich, M Hussey, Hilfenhaus, Johnson, Lee, Siddle, Hauritz, McDonald, Clark, Symonds, North, Manou

Boycott turns traitor

Permanently bitter professional Yorkshireman Geoffrey Boycott insists England are in no shape to reclaim the Ashes from Australia this summer.

Boycott has concerns over the England captaincy, the batting order, the lunch menu, the parking spaces, the lack of Yorkshiremen in the team and what he sees as an inability to get the maximum out of the players available.

"England are not in great shape," the former rather unsuccessful England skipper and turncoat told BBC One's Inside Sport.
"Can they win the Ashes? No, I think they will draw if anything, and the Australians will retain them."

Boycott pointed to England's winter of discontent, where they struggled on and off the field, as a major reason for their difficulties. The stereotypical Tyke, who made made 108 Test match appearances for England, highlighted the fall-out from the Stanford Super Series and Kevin Pietersen's resignation as captain as particularly damaging. The irony of having a disruptive, selfish player in the England dressing room was surprisingly lost on the self styled 'Sir' Geoffrey.

Boycott believes the issue of captaincy has yet to be resolved, despite the appointment of Andrew Strauss, who was voted England's player of the year on Monday for the second time in his career. "They've got Andrew Strauss who is quite a nice lad - he will do a decent job - but I'm not convinced he is a natural captain. It's a gift, to look after 10 other people and also to still look after your own game and play well, and at the same time be thinking two steps ahead of the game. When you're captain you can't just wait for things to happen. The great captains are thinking ahead." Thinking of how many runs they are going to accumulate Geoffrey? This is the Geoff Boycott who was once deliberately run out by Ian Botham in New Zealand, when batting for his average rather than the team.

Jardine's Verdict: Never known for his subtle approach. Tired old Geoffrey has done it again, putting the boot in on the eve of the first test of the year. Whilst some of his observations are not the wild rantings of a lunatic they are done with only one thing in mind. Promoting Geoffrey Boycott. Once again "Sir" Geoffrey has put himself in front of his test team. Thankfully nobody takes the old codger seriously any more!!