Daniel Norcross
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India certain to win, unless Lanka beat them to it
It feels like only six months have passed since the opening game in Dhaka, but suddenly, and just as I was getting the hang of it all, this World Cup is about to end. 48 matches have been played, millions of air miles have been accrued by players, journal <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/04/01/india-certain-to-win-unless-lanka-beat-them-to-it/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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Dumping Trumper for Sehwag and 9 other moments
Well thank heavens for that. The Sado-Masochists in the ICC World Cup Planning Committee devised a format to guarantee the top eight teams would contest the quarter-finals and, despite a few scary moments almost entirely generated by England's exhausted, <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/03/22/dumping-trumper-for-sehwag-and-9-other-moments/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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Miracles And Mediocrities, Shocks And Shockers In A Tale Of Two Groups
We have finally reached the half way point in the group stages and this World Cup is shaping up to be a tournament of contrasts, the most obvious of which is that between the two groups. Currently group B resembles a seven man all-in wrestling bout t <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/03/08/miracles-and-mediocrities-shocks-and-shockers-in-a-tale-of-two-groups/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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Ten Things The Connoisseur Can Learn From The WC So Far
Now look here. It's high time everyone just stopped moaning about what a ridiculously bloated tournament this is. Enough of the barbed comments concerning the idiotic fixture schedule that sees game after game of stultifying tedium played out before we … <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/02/25/ten-things-the-connoisseur-can-learn-from-the-wc-so-far/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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Beaten England Just Relieved To Get Out Of Australia
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Now the bowlers lose it as England crumble again
OK. So having endured five matches of remorseless batting mediocrity we were finally treated to a virtually flawless display from England led by the matchless Jonathan Trott, whom regular readers will know was not my first choice to bat at number t <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/02/02/now-the-bowlers-lose-it-as-england-crumble-again/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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Mediocre Aussies Crush England To Take Series
When we began Test Match Sofa in summer 2009 I promised myself that we would never become jaded or bored by the cricket we were watching. We would never fall into the trap of sounding like we wished we were anywhere but in front of the telly soaking up o <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/02/01/mediocre-aussies-crush-england-to-take-series/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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Trott’s heroics keeps England alive
So, after carving out decent opportunities to win the 1st and 2nd ODIs but blowing it with dreadful batting, England finally chalked up a victory thanks in large part to Jonathan Trott who I didn't think should have been playing. Note to self; give <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/01/27/trotts-heroics-keeps-england-alive/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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England Crash To Third Defeat In Comedy Of Errors
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Bollinger reborn as Sobers
This is all starting to become depressingly familiar. In 2009, a less good England won the Ashes against a slightly better Australia and then promptly slumped to six consecutive one day defeats. ... <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/01/21/bollinger-reborn-as-sobers/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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Watson Powers Number One Aussies To Victory
It had been coming all summer but when it came it was truly spectacular. He had hinted at an innings of substance throughout the Ashes, but with a top score of 95 and a lowest of 13, Shane Watson would … <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/01/17/watson-powers-number-one-aussies-to-victory/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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10 Things I Learnt From England’s Greatest Drubbing Of Australia
So there we have it. After seven weeks during which my emotions have swung from the disappointment of the first day of the series, beginning with Strauss' dismissal in the first over at Brisbane, to resignation after Hussey and Haddin's … <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/01/11/10-things-i-learnt-from-englands-greatest-drubbing-of-australia/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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Masochistic Aussies Prolong Their Own Torment, Just
The promised rain didn't come. Bradman didn’t rise like Lazarus from the dead to save Australia. There was no miracle. Instead the now familiar pattern of unprecedented one sidedness prevailed. The game was in truth already up at … <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/01/06/masochistic-aussies-prolong-their-own-torment-just/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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England stand on the brink of history; Australia on the precipice of abject failure
Oh well, I thought we had a close game on our hands and for the umpteenth time in this series I was entirely wrong. Yes, with a bit of rain forecast and perhaps with some miraculously recovered Aussie grit … <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/01/06/england-stand-on-the-brink-of-history-australia-on-the-precipice-of-abject-failure/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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Perth style collapse averted but tight finish for once in prospect
Wow. At last these two sides are playing out a tight match. After two days we don't really know who's ahead and a good finish is in prospect. ... <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/01/05/perth-style-collapse-averted-but-tight-finish-for-once-in-prospect/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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Unlucky Clarke Wins The Toss At Sydney
It had to happen at some point in this series. Someone was going to win the toss, bat, and not collapse. Like old style test cricket. At the previous four venues the side batting first had endured a string of collapses. Strauss went to the third ball <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2011/01/03/unlucky-clarke-wins-the-toss-at-sydney/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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Australian Incompetence Shouldn’t Overshadow England’s Monumental Triumph
And so it came to pass that with 20 sessions of the series remaining, England retained the Ashes. The final morning was something of an anticlimax. With Ryan Harris unable to bat, England required only three wickets for victory. ... <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2010/12/30/australian-incompetence-shouldnt-overshadow-englands-monumental-triumph/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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England’s depth too much for humiliated Ponting
The longer Ponting batted the more it must have been obvious that not only were Australia a beaten side, they were being annihilated but a vastly superior team, with a depth of resources he could only dream of, led by selectors and management sure of purp <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2010/12/29/englands-depth-too-much-for-humiliated-ponting/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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At Least The End Came Quickly
The best thing about England’s performance today was that it was mercifully brief. <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2010/12/19/at-least-the-end-came-quickly/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>
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The Ashes Will Go Down To the Wire
At last I think I've worked out what's going on. Truly to get to the bottom of this extraordinary series the watcher must forget whatever has gone immediately before. He must ignore the transient witterings of the pundits who proclaim this player fin <a href="http://healthout-dr.bagmane.corp.yahoo.com/yahoocricketcolumns/2010/12/18/the-ashes-will-go-down-to-the-wire/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>