LOL Pic
Bella
Posted in Labels: England, Funny, Graeme Swann | Edit | 4 comments
No Gambhir
1 week ago
Shahid Afridi Interview
I know for sure that I am the vice-captain of Pakistan Team. The deputy of Younus khan as far as the Test and One-day cricket is concerned but captain of Twenty20 team.
Do you feel any pressure to perform the duty of a skipper?
Pressure? Each and every player has to swallow pressure in international cricket. You must know how to perform under pressure situation. I am enjoying every moment in the cricket field. Life is full of struggle and if you remember you are representing 16 crore people, you will have special feeling. I am really lucky and honored indeed, to have played for Pakistan.
What is your experience so far playing for Pakistan in the last thirteen years?
Every player has to go through success and failure. So did I, I have no hesitation in announcing that I cried more than laughing in the cricket field.
How do you see the fortune of Pakistan team in this ICC Champions Trophy?
We have got a very balanced side which gives us tremendous confidence of winning the trophy here as well.
Why are you so confident this time?
It has got many reasons. First of all, our bowling department. They are very sharp. If you go to the history of Pakistan cricket, you will notice that our bowlers have done a great job for Pakistan. I am sure, they will do a great job this time here also. We are ready to challenge any team.
Will you not be relieved to have Mohd. Asif in your team?
Oh, Yes. Asif is a match winner. He served his ban period till 22nd September 2009. So he will be available. He is fit and raring to go. And trust me he is very hungry to play in international cricket which would be a major plus point for our team's strength.
Since you won the World Twenty20, people are expecting that you would do well in ICC Champions Trophy as well. Do you agree?
The entire nation would be disappointed if we fail to deliver. We have our self belief which should be transformed into action in the middle. We can only assure you that we are all focused to do well.
Posted in Labels: Pakistan, Shahid Afridi | Edit | 2 comments
Mugshots
Who was the photographer? These are aweful. Shiny foreheads, visible blemishes. I know they're not supermodels but still.
Bella
Posted in | Edit | 6 comments
Collingwood: "No booze cruise"
I haven't read Andrew Flintoff's quotes in full, but I am told he has likened the 2006/07 Ashes tour of Australia to a 'booze cruise', which surprises me.
Again, I don't know the complete context of his remarks, but I can say that in all my time playing for England we have been very professional individually and as a team in our preparations.
If that's his opinion, so be it, but I do not think we have been unprofessional. I take playing for England very seriously and prepare for each game as if it will be my last.
Each person is an individual, and they do different things on tour. Some people will go for a meal and have a couple of drinks, while others might stay in their hotel room.
From my point of view I have always thought the England team to be very professional.
On a lighter note, I had a belter of a question when we spoke to the media earlier on Wednesday. I was talking to several television crews when a lady from Indian TV asked if we should have more sex as cricketers.
I was a bit taken aback and thought I had heard her wrong, but it turns out that India coach Gary Kirsten has come out with a dossier saying your testosterone levels drop if you don't have sex.
She wanted to know if we had a similar dossier, but I can confirm it doesn't enter into the England gameplan!
We flew in to South Africa on Tuesday for the ICC Champions Trophy and had a runaround to get the journey out of our legs, and are just off for some proper training now.
Although we haven't got any warm-up games ahead of our first match against Sri Lanka on Friday, I don't think a lack of match practice will be a problem after seven one-dayers against Australia!
We will have a look at the wicket between now and Friday, and the only other thing we have to cope with is the altitude up here in Johannesburg.
We have to take as much confidence as we can from the last one-dayer against Australia.
It is easy to be negative, but we can beat anyone on our day and if we can build on a superb bowling performance we can definitely win.
Sri Lanka looked awesome against South Africa, and they have two quality spin bowlers in Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis who will be a real challenge.
We are without Kevin Pietersen for this tournament and we are all hoping he will be fit for the Test series against South Africa.
Of course you miss a world class batsman like KP, but we have just won the Ashes without him, and if he is not available there will be players ready to step up and fill the void.
Posted in Labels: Andrew Flintoff, England, Paul Collingwood | Edit | 2 comments
Proteas Blog
My first ICC experience
HASHIM AMLA
The Champions Trophy is my first experience of an ICC world tournament and I can promise you it has felt very different, and very special from the moment the squad gathered. In a bilateral series against another country there is inevitably a sense of familiarity that comes after three or four games. You only need to prepare once for the bowlers you will be facing and the batsmen you will be bowling to. Here we face three very different teams in the group stage, although – to use an old cliché - we really are taking it one game at a time!
Even the veterans of seven or eight of these ICC tournaments say that this time it feels more like a ‘sprint’ than ever. We could, in theory, be out of the tournament after three days if we lose our first two games. Some teams won’t even have played a match by then! It will feel like a 100 metre sprinter being disqualified for making a false start.
But that sort of tension is good, it keeps you on your toes and mentally sharp. We cannot afford a false start and everybody knows that. It would be going too far to say we are relaxed, but we are all confident in our own ability and in the skills of all team mates in the squad. Nobody has any doubts.
Although I started as a ‘reserve’ in the squad I’m looking forward to making an impact. I really enjoyed my run in the ODI side last season against Australia and I was fortunate to make a couple of match-winning contributions, so I know I can do it. I love the big stage as much as anybody and, with luck, I’ll be able to take the chance offered to me by Herschelle’s injury.
It’s never a happy time watching a team mate lose his place tp injury, especially when they are as keen and determined as Herschelle is, but there isn’t a single player in the squad who hasn’t suffered that fate or taken advantage of it, so we all accept it as part of the game.
Sri Lanka pose a unique threat in world cricket because of the extreme unorthodoxy of the ‘three Ms’- Malinga, Murali and Mendis. Batsmen have virtually no chance against all three of them on first sighting, but the element of surprise has gradually been worn away now and we all have experience of facing them. It doesn’t necessarily get any easier, but at least we now know what to expect. Well, most of the time…!
There is huge excitement in the Proteas squad but definitely no nervous tension, not of the negative variety anyway. If people say we are the favourites then that must mean we are quite good. And we’d rather people thought we were quite good than quite bad!
The future of the ICC champions trophy
JONTY RHODES
Some of the talk concerning the status and future of the ICC Champions Trophy has amused me. The people who have said and written that its future is in jeopardy because of a lack of interest clearly haven’t been talking to the players.
When the top eight teams in the world get together to play for a trophy, you can call it whatever you like and play over as many overs as you like, you won’t be able to compromise the effort and determination of a cricketers representing their countries.
Personally I think the balance is perfect between the three ICC world tournaments. The T20 World Championship and the Champions Trophy are both ‘sprints’ which will only enhance the reputation of the 50-over World Cup which is a longer tournament requiring sustained form and endurance for over a month.
There are four Majors in tennis and golf – why can’t cricket have three? When all the major cricket nations gather in one place the level of competition and interest is bound to intensify. If cricket has a problem with too many fixtures, then they are the tours and games which Graeme Smith earlier this week called the ‘meaningless’ ones, not the pinnacle of international competition.
ICC events are very special occasions for the players. I’ll never forget the 1992 World Cup when I was just a boy but mingling with the likes of Imran Khan and Ian Botham, it was an incredible experience. The same applies today when I see the looks on the faces of young players when the walk past Sachin Tendulkar or Jacques Kallis in the lobby of the hotel. Try telling them that the Champions Trophy isn’t special or important!
I’m not saying that the balance between ODIs and T20 fixtures is perfect, or that it won’t change – it probably will. But, for all the power of television, sponsors and advertisers, and the influence of the people who pay money to watch, I am quite certain that one-dayers will never disappear. The players enjoy the contest too much and, provided there is no ‘overkill’ of the 50-over game, crowds will continue to enjoy them, too. But in moderation. I suspect that administrators in England are beginning to realise that a seven match ODI series after the Ashes was completely excessive. Less is more!
Nobody will be surprised that I’m tipping South Africa to win. But it’s not just about the quality in their squad, it’s also that I can see too many things holding back the other teams! The West Indies are fearfully under strength, England and Australia will be too tired to keep their eyes open, Pakistan can be slow starters and, as I said, this tournament is a sprint. India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand all look well balanced and will obviously be hard to beat – but I’m banking on home ground advantage to help the Proteas cross the line first on October 5th.
SA's First Game
GRAEME SMITH
We have faced greater adversity than this before so, although we’re very disappointed, we know we can still get things back on track with victories over New Zealand and England in our last two group games.
We were very tentative with the ball, especially the first 20 overs. We didn’t do the basics well and, despite preparing as well as we possibly could, the lack of hard match practice in the last three months showed quite clearly. It’s no excuse – we did as much as we could to be match-ready but there’s no substitute for the real thing.
Ajantha Mendis obviously had a huge impact once Jacques and me had tried to lay the platform for what was always going to be a tough run chase. He’s very different to most spinners. It was the first time we’ve seen him live – and it’s very different seeing a guy like him during a video analysis session and actually facing him. He bowled well. Very well. He has some unique skills and should be applauded and celebrated for that.
Our final two games are now ‘must-win’ matches which brings a different sort of pressure but, once again, not something we are unfamiliar with. We all know that the best way to succeed is to relax and trust yourself and your team mates. It doesn’t do any good worrying and stressing about the result. It’s the next delivery that counts.
At the same time it’s vital that we are honest with ourselves as individuals and as a team and face up to why it went wrong against Sri Lanka and how we can improve. It’s a very quick turnaround between games and but we will be doing everything in our power to ensure we do ourselves justice on Thursday.
Despite the overall success of the last 18 months there have been low moments when we have underperformed and let ourselves down. One of the key ingredients to bouncing back from those days is to acknowledge your mistakes and accept the responsibility for putting them right.
We started that process straight after the game and will discuss it further on Wednesday morning. Then we will do the ‘practical’ in the nets at Centurion in the afternoon.
Having said all that, it would be wrong to concentrate purely on our shortcomings without paying proper credit to Sri Lanka. Tillekeratne Dilshan made a brilliant century and the innings by Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene were world class.
We know we are capable of performing a lot better and we are certainly capable of beating both New Zealand and England if we play to our potential, but we have to get ourselves to that level very quickly.
Posted in Labels: Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jonty Rhodes, South Africa | Edit | 5 comments
Graeme Swann Interview
I know that a lot of people don't like Graeme Swann but I like him. He is a funny man. He has that dry crude English humour that I get.
If you were to bet on Andy Murray winning the Wimbledon or England the Ashes, which one would you fancy?
England winning the Ashes, because Andy Murray is Scottish, so I don't care if he wins Wimbledon or not.
England winning the Ashes, because Andy Murray is Scottish, so I don't care if he wins Wimbledon or not.
What is the funniest thing someone ever said about you?
I read in the newspaper the other day that I've matured a lot.
I read in the newspaper the other day that I've matured a lot.
What's the worst headline you read about yourself?
I don't know about the headline, but there are sometimes fans who shout words that are a bit tedious at times. Sometimes they shout that my last name shouldn't be Swann, it should be Duck, which is just appalling. Then there was someone shouting out the other day that I've got Swann flu and not swine flu. That is not very clever.
I don't know about the headline, but there are sometimes fans who shout words that are a bit tedious at times. Sometimes they shout that my last name shouldn't be Swann, it should be Duck, which is just appalling. Then there was someone shouting out the other day that I've got Swann flu and not swine flu. That is not very clever.
Do you like intellectual things?
I like to do the crossword in the Times, but it tends to be I can't finish it, so I end up making my own words to fill in.
I like to do the crossword in the Times, but it tends to be I can't finish it, so I end up making my own words to fill in.
What's the best book you ever read?
1984 by George Orwell - a super book. I tend to read on tours and I end up reading Tom Clancy and Frederic Forsyth and Patrick Robinson rather than [Fyodor] Dostoyevsky and [Frederick] Nietzsche.
1984 by George Orwell - a super book. I tend to read on tours and I end up reading Tom Clancy and Frederic Forsyth and Patrick Robinson rather than [Fyodor] Dostoyevsky and [Frederick] Nietzsche.
Who's sledged you the most?
Dominic Cork
Dominic Cork
And who have you sledged most?
Cork again. I used to reply to everyone, but I soon realised the best way is to just shut up and get on with it.
Cork again. I used to reply to everyone, but I soon realised the best way is to just shut up and get on with it.
What kind of batsman is most difficult to bowl to?
Unpredictable players, because you don't know what they are gonna do next. They normally happen to be down the order.
Unpredictable players, because you don't know what they are gonna do next. They normally happen to be down the order.
What would you write on the whiteboard in the dressing room?
"Enjoy yourself."
"Enjoy yourself."
Your band is called Dr Comfort and the Lurid Revelations. What's behind the name?
Dr Comfort was actually a psychologist in the 1970s, and he released a book of lurid revelations about the women who visited him. Apparently at the time it was quite shocking. It made us chuckle, so we thought we we'd go with that.
Dr Comfort was actually a psychologist in the 1970s, and he released a book of lurid revelations about the women who visited him. Apparently at the time it was quite shocking. It made us chuckle, so we thought we we'd go with that.
Do you see yourself as a rock star?
No, not at all. I'm a charlatan. I've sung in front of at most 200 people.
No, not at all. I'm a charlatan. I've sung in front of at most 200 people.
If not a cricketer what would you be?
I wish I could've been a fighter pilot. When I was at school there was a US airbase not far from us, and when we were playing rugby the planes used to dogfight over the top. And after watching Top Gun every schoolboy in England wanted to be a fighter pilot.
I wish I could've been a fighter pilot. When I was at school there was a US airbase not far from us, and when we were playing rugby the planes used to dogfight over the top. And after watching Top Gun every schoolboy in England wanted to be a fighter pilot.
Tell us something we don't know about you.
Some people are just cat people, some people are just dog people, but I love both. At the moment I have two cats.
Some people are just cat people, some people are just dog people, but I love both. At the moment I have two cats.
You seem outrageous by all accounts. Did you ever fancy being a streaker?
No. But they always make me laugh, and it is a shame people get arrested for doing it. I think there are too many killjoys in the world.
No. But they always make me laugh, and it is a shame people get arrested for doing it. I think there are too many killjoys in the world.
What do you think of Duncan Fletcher?
Excellent coach.
Excellent coach.
Have you ever tested your IQ?
I got it tested at school. It'd probably be in the high 150s.
I got it tested at school. It'd probably be in the high 150s.
What's the one question the media should be banned from asking you?
The media should be allowed to ask anything, but they should be prepared to get any sort of reply back. It can't be one-way traffic. You can't say exactly what they want you to.
The media should be allowed to ask anything, but they should be prepared to get any sort of reply back. It can't be one-way traffic. You can't say exactly what they want you to.
What has been your best dismissal to date?
[Sachin] Tendulkar lbw in the Mohali Test last year, specially after he got the hundred in the Test match before, and also being the best player by miles in the world. A week before, in Chennai, we'd bowled so much at him trying to get him out. It was like banging our heads against a brick wall, and all of sudden I get him in Mohali, so it was the relief the moment that was the best thing about that wicket.
[Sachin] Tendulkar lbw in the Mohali Test last year, specially after he got the hundred in the Test match before, and also being the best player by miles in the world. A week before, in Chennai, we'd bowled so much at him trying to get him out. It was like banging our heads against a brick wall, and all of sudden I get him in Mohali, so it was the relief the moment that was the best thing about that wicket.
What's the best compliment you've ever got?
Mushy [Mushtaq Ahmed] once told me it's nice to see me always smiling in the dressing room.
Mushy [Mushtaq Ahmed] once told me it's nice to see me always smiling in the dressing room.
One thing you would like from Muttiah Muralitharan?
His doosra.
His doosra.
Posted in Labels: England, Graeme Swann | Edit | 2 comments
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