Hardy

I barely noticed the ODI series but overall the 3-2 defeat wasn’t a bad result.  Along with a drawn T20 series and the great test series win before Xmas it’s been a good time in India for England.  Joe Root in particular shined in the ODI series.  England move to New Zealand now but the tests don’t start for another month.  If England play as well as the did in India they will steam roller New Zealand, at the moment I can’t see any other result.  Australia now move on to play India which will be very interesting.  Do Australia have good enough spinners to worry India?

I first read Thomas Hardy when I was doing an A level, firstly some of his poetry and also a novel, “Jude the Obscure”.  The latter is the story of a country man aspiring to better himself at university who instead meets disappointment and sinks into alcoholism.  This was a horribly depressing book that almost put me off Hardy for life.  Almost.

I’d run out of books but there on the shelf was an untouched copy of “Far from the madding crowd” that had sat on the shelf for years.  With some trepidation I decided to attempt reading it.  It didn’t take me long to realise this was a very different book to “Jude…”, a book I could enjoy.

Set in rural Wessex it tells the tale of three men vying for the attentions of one woman.  There must be thousands of such books but dare I say Hardy’s must have been amongst the earliest?  This story is told with skill, empathy and it even manages to surprise the reader along the way.

Just as interesting is the historical snapshot of rural England in the 19^th century.  The landscape, the rural practices and class system of that time are vividly portrayed.

As the book meanders to its conclusion it threatens to descend into the misery of “Jude…” but on this occasion Hardy doesn’t allow this.  The mood changes and the ending is upbeat.  I really liked “Far from the madding crowd” and I’m not afraid to read some more Hardy some day.

6th January

In the world of cricket things are pretty much going to script at the moment.  Australia have just completed a 3-0 home win over a woeful Sri Lankan side.  SL have some fantastic batsmen but sadly their bowlers simply aren’t good enough to take 20 wickets outside the sub continent.  Australia didn’t look impressive either, having to rely on recalling the likes of Phil Hughes and Mitchell Johnson who rarely look test class for more than one match in any series.  The gentleman Mike Hussey has just retired and this will leave a massive hole in their batting line up.

Over in South Africa the hosts battered a limp New Zealand side by an innings in under three days.  This was inevitable after the first session of the match when the tourists were bowled out for a pathetic 45.  You have to back a home clean sweep here too but NZ hardly help themselves with a situation which sees their best batsman remaining at home.

Pakistan have just beaten India 2-1 in an ODI series, they actually should have won all three matches but threw the third away today.  England return to India soon for an ODI series which should they win will see them climb to the outright top of the rankings.  Currently we are tied with SA on 121 points.  It’s the same two teams at the top of the test rankings but here SA have a deserved 5 point lead.  Over the next couple of months England will be touring New Zealand and the Aussies head for India, should be interesting times ahead.

“Glue” by Irvine Welsh is set in Edinburgh and charts the lives of four boys growing to adulthood and beyond.  It visits the four in snapshots of the various decades from the 70’s through to the early 2000’s, joining them at character forming and life changing junctions in the lives of one or more.  We are introduced to many new faces in the familiar Edinburgh of Welsh’s creation and we warmly greet many old friends from other favourite novels.  Some of the “Glue” characters return in later novels too.  This book will educate, inform and entertain.  In places you will laugh out loud but in others you will be shocked, it is an Irvine Welsh book after all.  Most of all, this book will move you.  You don’t have to be Scottish, if you’re in your forties and grew up in Britain you will know the world Welsh writes about and you will ‘know’ some of the characters.  Glue was as good on the second read as it was a decade ago, the first time around.

Stuck for something to read I picked an unread copy of “Tom Jones” by Henry Fielding of my shelf.  Apparently it’s a classic so what the hell, I’ll give it a go.  It was first published in 1749 which unfortunately makes it an effort to read and the author’s habit of talking to the reader directly causes more annoyance and adds extra, unnecessary pages.  After getting about 100 pages in I found I didn’t really care about any of the characters involved and I wasn’t enjoying the read.  Normally I stubbornly pursue a book to its end anyway but as I was only about 1/8^th my way through the book I made the humane decision to stop.  I felt that to continue would be a total waste of my time.  I can’t remember if I’ve given up on any other books before, I’m sure I have but can’t recall.  This must make Tom Jones a candidate for the worst book I’ve ever read?

I once read “Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky and this was a similar experience to Tom Jones except I managed to finish the novel.  It was a far easier read but the subject was bloody depressing and as a reader I already knew which way things were going to go.  However I did manage to finish the book which disqualifies it from worst book.  On reflection I remember reading some trashy horror novel by Shaun Hutson (I think?).  I finished this book too but it was so bad I binned another book by the same author that I had lined up next.

The Prodigy- Brixton Academy.

I love live music and every couple of months I find myself at a concert.  Mr Green is the organiser, he’s often emailing me, asking if I want to go and see some band or other.  If I can, I usually do often seeing an act I’ve never even heard of.  Usually Mr Red is along for the ride, often Mr Blue joins us too and sometimes Mr B.  These are some of my oldest friends, we’ve all known each over twenty years minimum, there is 100% trust and when we get together its always magic.

The Prodigy at Brixton Academy is an event that we all want to be at but Mr B missed out, next time…  Any way the remaining four of us made the trip down to London.  Mr Green always drives, he doesn’t mind and he’s never let us down.  There are sometimes unplanned diversions, often hilarious but we always get to the gig.  In fact the fun starts as soon as we get in the car, with Mr Green also our DJ as well as driver.  With good mates who don’t see enough of each other there’s always loads of stuff to chat about, jokes to share and non stop banter.  Every time we go out we know the entertainment of the journey will be so good the event doesn’t even matter, even when it’s the Prodigy.

Refreshment began, which meant a lay by break just before the M25.  More refreshment, the night got strange, then we were in the madness of the big city which was all a haze but the sights were nice.  Then we were there.  Somehow Mr Green managed to park in a street literally round the corner from the venue.  We were early so had time for a pint in a pub and a stroll through Brixton, then back to the Academy.  I like this venue, always a good atmosphere.

More refreshment, things got stranger still.  Jaguar Skills was DJing and I really enjoyed what I heard as almost all the audience seemed to be.  He went, big build up then its midnight, before I knew it the Prodigy were on and the place was exploding.  This is the third time I’ve seen them and although it’s always a little different you know what you’re going to get a damn good show whatever they play.  Loads of beats, mad and loud.  By now the night was very strange.  I can’t remember what order the set went in (I think they started with Voodoo people but could be wrong…) but it ripped and the crowd was loving it Breathe, Firestarter, Poison, Invaders, Omen.  Mr Red and Mr Green had ventured into the madness at the front of the stage but Mr Blue & I stayed a little way back and bopped in more space.

It was a good show all right but for me not a great one.  It could be because I’ve seen them a few times fairly recently and I know what to expect.  Maybe I’d have liked to heard more of the older stuff, I love “Jilted Generation”.  Maybe it was because I’m 44, had been awake for 19 hours and was thoroughly knackered.  Whatever the reason I just hadn’t felt part of it and was ready for the show to end when it did.  The verdict from the others varied, Mr Green said “best Prodigy show yet”, Mr Red was somewhere in between and Mr Blue was as knackered as I was. 

We staggered back to the car and I collapsed into my seat, totally fucked.  The journey home seemed to fly mainly because I dozed in and out of sleep but the others had more stamina than me.  I used my last remaining reserves of energy brushing my teeth and taking a piss.  The following day was spent in recovery, mostly sleeping. It was well worth it though, it’s always great going to an event like this with my friends.

The best team won!

16/12/12

Sunday morning and I’m rolling out of bed in the dark.  Kettle on, quickly tune the radio in to catch up with the match while I get ready for a mornings fishing.  By 8am I had two rods fishing for Pike and two ears listening to TMS.

Catch up…India batted for an hour for only 30 runs then declared 4 runs short of England’s total.  Since then England had ground out a couple of partnerships but Cook got another poor umpiring decision 48-1,  Compton got a strange decision but done well for 34 and it’s 81-2.  After tea the KPego leaves a straight one 94-3..  A few dodgy moments, spice on the field with angry India upset at decisions but the important stat is 161-3 at the close.  Bell stayed with Trott for an unbeaten partnership of 67 which we’d definitely have settled for.  Just as I was settling down to listen to Aggers’ & Sir Geoffrey’s summary I was disturbed by the only Pike of a bright, mild winter morning.  Can’t see England letting it slip from here.

17/12/12

When I woke up this morning, Trott & Bell were still batting.  I can’t remember the score but that wasn’t important, the series was ours!  Both batsmen passed 100 and the partnership was worth 206 when Trott was finally out for 143.  Root came out and scored a few then England declared and the series was clinched 2-1.  A tame draw in the end but this pitch was just useless.

The first test was an Indian steamroller but with hindsight the England recovery began with their second Innings in that match.  Since then it’s been all England who have stomped all over India by outplaying them in every aspect of the game.  Firstly we batted better, Cook (man of series) & KPego stand out but all the batsmen chipped in.  Prior was superb with both bat & gloves and we were by far the better team in the field, three run outs testimony.  Panesar, Swann and Anderson were the most threatening bowlers on either side.  It’s nice that at some point in the series just about every member of the squad made a crucial contribution.  The only ones who were below par were Broad and Bresnan, who both looked unfit.  This is a massive achievement for England even though India is definitely a team on a slide.  Things might get worse before they get better.

Next up is New Zealand in February so the selectors will have a lot to think about.  If any member of this squad should be threatened it might be Samit Patel who did nothing at all wrong.  He hardly bowled on this tour and if he’s not going to bowl in India he won’t get many over in New Zealand.  Perhaps the selectors will feel a quicker bowling all rounder would be more useful?  Alastair Cook's England has a bright future.

Can England clinch it??

4^th Test

England won the toss and batted first on the slowest pitch ever.  Early wickets, Cook got a dreadful LBW decision.  Trott and the KPego steadied the ship but another cluster of wickets brought Prior & Root to the wicket.  The experienced player in good form and the youngster on debut made it to the close, honours even.  The pitch is not fit for test cricket with no carry and a run rate barely over 2 per over.

Day two was all England.  Prior & Root took their partnership to past 100, both passing 50.  After Prior fell, Swann joined in scoring his first 50 for three years, in his fiftieth test.  Root was the star, eventually out for 73.  India batted and Jimmy removed Sehwag 3^rd ball but Gambhir & Pujara dug in.  Great bowling from Anderson and a lucky wicket for Swann and its 87-4 at the close.

Day three, another twist.  Dohni & Kholi batted for two sessions, grinding out the runs to bring India back into the game.  Kholi gets a century but soon departs, LBW to Swann, he and Anderson share wickets then Cook runs out Dhoni for 99!!  At the close India are 33 runs behind and have 2 wickets left.

With two days to play all 4 results are possible and it could be a nail biter but England are slightly ahead, especially as they’re bowling last.  They are confident and I think they’ll bat for long enough to clinch the series and maybe the match too.

It's got a bit milder here in the east, I might go fishing tomorrow.

2-1 to the Engerland!!

09/12/12

 Thanks to another big hundred from the captain and 50+ scores from all of the top four along with useful runs from 6&7 England batted all of the third day.  Cook was brilliant again for 190, Trott next best with 80+.  Worryingly only Bell failed.

India skittled England out quickly on the fourth morning then their openers made hay right up until lunch when the counter attack brought then to 86-0.  However, first ball after lunch Swanny bowled Sehwag and after that our bowlers ripped through the top order taking six wickets in the session, Finn & Anderson taking the paudits..  Three more followed after tea but at the end Ashwin held England up and took the match into the final day.  Jimmy got his 7^th wicket of the match 10 balls into the 5^th morning and an easy England win looked sure thing however at 8-3 things looked a little sticky.  Compton stayed fast and Bell found a bit of fluency to lead England to a seven wicket win.

England were dominant winners without a major contribution from the KPego, which is reassuring.  Man of the match was Cook for his 190 but all four of England’s bowlers made big contributions in this match.  In fact every member of the team stepped up at some point in the match, including Samit Patel who has done little wrong in these matches but still must be most vulnerable to a change.  I’ve said it before, if we’re not going to use his bowling then we could get more runs from number 6 by picking a better batsman.

India have responded by dropping three players from the squad, have we seen the last of Harhajan, Zaheer & Yuvraj in tests?  I can see India improving in this next match but not enough to prevent England clinching the series.

So we wait the final test with England holding an unassailable lead and hoping to win the series.  Who would have predicted that?  Oh yea…..

3rd Test days 1 & 2

05/12/12

An hour or so into my work day I suddenly remembered there was a test match, a quick fiddle with the phone revealed we’d lost the toss and were in the field, pisser!  However Jimmy & Monty had wickets each and India were 200-4 with Tendulkar steady at the wicket.  Playing catch up, Sehwag run out. England’s bowlers keep chipping away, Sachin out for 76 Jimmy getting him for the 8^th time in tests and equalling Murali’s record.  Swann gets one too.  At the close India are 273-7 with Dohni & Zaheer together.  Definitely England’s day!  Meanwhile we’ve had the first snowfall of this English winter in East Anglia.

06/12/12

Another good day!!!  Over breakfast the radio told me the story, Monty & Finn polished off the tail leaving India 316 all out.  Cook & Compton were still together with the score at 60.  By the time I reached work it was nearly 100!  Cook passed 7000 test runs then broke the record for English test centuries & marched on.  Compton recorded his first 50 in tests eventually falling for 57.  This brought Trott to the wicket and he kept the captain company to reach 216-1 at the close.  All England today! 

So after two days England hold all the aces.  If they can bat all day tomorrow they’ll be in a great position, can Cook score a double hundred?  If we’re still batting after lunch for a bit on the 4^th day, that’ll be even better.  From this position they should win the test match.  England’s bowlers continue to look better than India’s

Back home another snowfall last night.