Mohammed Aamer you beauty

A little appreciation of Mohammed Aamer has gone up at Different Strokes.

Nice turnaround

Well, well, well. I left home with England at 100-odd for 2, and have returned (after a nice game of tennis on this hot morning) to find England at 210-7 (which has just become 210-8 thanks to Aamer dismissing Prior with a peach of a delivery - jeez, this kid is so good, it's unbelievable). Pakistan are now in a very good position, but they must get these last two wickets quickly if they are to have any chance. If the lead goes past 175, they'll be in Panic Territory (yes, Yousuf is there, but he was at Sydney too).

Santo Mierda!

Wow, those two deliveries by Mohammed Aamer straight after tea at Headlingley are among the two best I've seen in test cricket in recent years. It's a pity they were bowled to lower-order batsmen, but that's just a minor blemish.

This kid is something else. I hope someone is putting together a highlights reel for him. Early days but he is already putting together a decent collection.

One more than 87; still an unlucky number

A sub-100 score in test cricket is always exciting. Especially on the first day of a test match. The first time I saw (actually heard) it happen was when England bowled out India for 96 at Lords in 1979. On this latest occasion, England is again the venue, but the countries involved aren't. It's Australia and Pakistan. I've missed all the wickets to fall so the highlights package promises to be a thriller, especially as it means seeing a lot of Mohammed Aamer.

Addendum: Oh, and presumably, a wicket on which a test side can be bowled out for 88 on the first day of a test match is a "good test wicket cricket"? As opposed to one in which a side is bowled out for 88 on the fifth day of a test match? Just making sure, you know, that I'm still a good user of English-as-she-is-sprechen-in-journalism?

The missing short-leg missing no more

Mohammed Aamer's dismissal of Ricky Ponting belongs to a vanishing breed: the quick, sharp catch taken at forward short-leg off a fast bowler. For one thing, captains don't use that placement too often. Thus, fielders lack vital practice in that position, and more often than not, spill the sharp bat-pad, or fend-off, or flick that does come their way.

But on this occasion, everything went to plan (how gratifying for the television commentators too, who had been calling for a fielder to be put in there). The debutant was duly moved into the firing line, Aamer continued with his excellent line, jagging the ball in, and Ponting obliged with the flick off the pads. And then, the sharp, reflex catch by Amin.

(As I write this, Clarke has sent another one Amin's way and its only just avoided his despairing fingers).

A day at the MCG - tres photos para ti

On a more self-indulgent note, here are three photos from my day at the MCG this past December (as before, click on the photos to get a larger size version). Tony T from the After Grog Blog (the comments section of which features some of the feistiest Aussie cricket fans out there) was kind enough to hook me up with a ticket to the Members' Reserve (the Members Stand, with just a little more posh to it). Yes, Tony is a member; his mum put his name on the waiting list when he was born; it took nineteen years for the membership to come through.

Tony lives within stone-throwing distance of the MCG so meeting up was easy, as was walking over to the reserve. The stand was pretty high up so there aren't any great action photos but you do get a sense of the grandeur of the MCG. I drank my first coffee evert at a test match on this day (and it was a surprisingly good cuppa too). When the time for beers rolled around, I realized that in the Reserve, you can't take your beers out of the bar. Gee. Still, a small price to pay I suppose.

The cricketing highlights were Umar Akmal's batting in the morning and Mohammed Aamer's fantastic spell late in the day.

The first shot, looking down past some hats:



Siddle bowling to Umar Akmal:


And then, Tony and myself at day's end:

A day at the G (in the Members Reserve)

Writing on this blog has been hard work for the past few months. And in the last week, traveling has made it even harder. But I'm in Australia now, surrounded by cricket (especially as I'm in Melbourne). So, as the heat rises on this blistering December 30th, its time to stay out of the sun and pen a few words on this trip's cricketing experience.

That the Boxing Day test is an institution is a cliche. It is also an "invented tradition", for as Tony T points out,

Since 1950 there have been a bare 28 Tests start on Boxing Day. That's 28 out of 59 seasons. The first match to start on Boxing Day wasn't until 1968

And indeed, as recently as 1994, an MCG test began instead, on Christmas Eve. But no matter. For in a cricketing world that has seen just about as much upheaval as it can handle, the Boxing Day test is a nice solid reminder of how it possible to build up a great cricketing occasion, and to instill it with just a little gravitas.

But I couldn't make it to Boxing Day at the MCG (that day, instead, was spent touring the countryside outside Melbourne). But on the 28th, Tony T, who happens to be a member of the Melbourne Cricket Club, very kindly scored me guest passes to the Members Reserve, and off we went to spend "a day at the cricket."

The MCG is, after its extended renovation that began in 2002 and which was completed a few years ago, perhaps the most comfortable cricket stadium in the world. It is hard to believe any ground in the world could compete with its spaciousness, easy access, good sightlines, amenities for spectators and the like. The Members Reserve is done up spiffily: a bit of posh by way of contrast from more plebeian sections. Tony and I stood the entire day by choice, and watched the action from a nice vantage point. The action was good: Umar Akmal dazzled in the morning and Mohammed Aamer made the evening crackle with a fiery burst of left-arm pace bowling. May these lads go from strength to strength; test cricket will be the better for it. In the meantime, Tony and I found plenty to chat about: cricket history, India-Australia cricket relations, blogging, and cricketing flame wars!

Finally, the cool breezes in the higher reaches of the MCG got to us, and we left shortly before close of play. But a memorable day on all counts: good cricket, good weather, excellent conversation with a fellow cricket fan, and a good chance to see how well cricket can be run, and made pleasurable for its lovers.