England v Pakistan T20 Preview

Having completed a resounding 3-1 series win against Pakistan last Sunday, one might have expected this week’s cricketing headlines to concern growing English confidence about the forthcoming Ashes series and at least on Sunday, we can get to talking about the game again, with the first of two T20 internationals.

2pts England to win the series @ 2.62 (Stan James)

Given everything that has happened, England must rate very strong favourites. Granted, Pakistan are much better at this format than Tests, but as world champions, England clearly don’t mind it either. The hosts’ cause can only be strengthened by the fact that the banned players include the pair that represented Pakistan’s principal threat during the Test series, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif. Nevertheless T20Is are, by definition, more random to predict than Tests so limited stakes are recommended.

1pt Umar Akmal to be top Pakistan series batsman @ 5.0 (Boylesports, Hills)

At last, albeit when all was lost, we got a glimpse of Umar Akmal’s brilliance on Sunday at Lord’s. Rather luckily, his unbeaten 79 was enough to land the top Pakistan batsman bet recommended at the start of the series, so I’m playing up a small part of the profit here. Umar’s breathtaking 64 from 31 balls in the T20 against Australia at Edgbaston will live long in the memory, and demonstrated just how much this format suits him.

1st T20: 3pts England to score the highest total in the first six overs @ 1.8 (Bluesq, Coral)

Considering that Pakistan have endured an absolute nightmare against England’s bowlers all summer, and are without opener Salman Butt, it seems very strange that bookies should make the betting so close here. If Pakistan are to outscore England, it is far likelier to be due to scoring further down the order from the likes of Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi than in the first six overs.

1pt Umar Gul to be top Pakistan bowler @ 4.0 (Bluesq, Hills)

In the absence of Asif and Amir, responsibility to lead the attack rests with Umar Gul. Thankfully, he is something of a star in this format, as we saw when Pakistan lifted the World Cup in England last year. The fact he is their principal bowler at the death always makes him the likeliest candidate to top the wicket charts, so 3/1 represents decent value in that context.  He seems to have fully recovered from a hamstring injury, if three wickets against Somerset on Thursday is anything to go by.

Betting Stats Running Total: +94pts

San Andreas Fault- Premium Willow

THE LOWDOWN

Sensational winner from our ‘All Out Cricket Gear Test 2010’. These Oxfordshire based willow experts are relatively unknown to many folk, but this traditional styled, old-fashioned looking monster stormed to victory, wining AOC ‘Best in Test’ and ‘Best Value’ (£160).

COMMENTS

Described by none other than Graeme Hick as clearly the best all round bat, no few than three of the five judges scored the San Andreas Fault Premium Willow their number one. Why? Of all the bats on show, this one most successfully achieved that magical balance between pick-up and power. A beautiful piece of work by one of the best new batmakers on the market.

Visit SAF’s website www.safsbats.co.uk

All Out Cricket 2010 Lord’s Gear Test

SLAZENGER V8 PRO CRICKET BAT

Slazenger V8 Pro Cricket Bat

THE LOWDOWN

Widely available in Australia, the V8 is exclusive to owzat-cricket in the UK. Made from hand crafted English willow, the blade is characterised by a concave spine for a super light pick up. The strategically crafted rear edge profile increases bat torsion stability to improve shot accuracy and performance.

COMMENTS

Beautifully balanced, this bat feels both sturdy and light and – thanks to Slazenger’s no-nonsense design – is great in the hand. Similar in feel to last year’s I-Blade, it’s simply stunning on the drive (no more worrying if you’ll clear mid-off) but also light enough to enable the user to get the hands through a short ball at speed. The bat we tested was 2’9, but could easily have been 2’6, with all the weight disappearing in the back lift. The squareness of the edges might not be to everyone’s tastes but, whether you’re a slogger or a stylist, this bat is amazingly easy to get along with.

With the help of the lovely folk at ASICS, AOC recently held a competition offering one lucky winner the chance to win a coaching session with England swing bowling maestro Jimmy Anderson at Lord’s on 22 August.

Eventually, after some haphazard rummaging around in the dishevelled bag we use for our prize draws, we had our winner: one Tom Corbett, a young seamer who turns out for Syston Cricket Club and the Leicestershire under 17 side.

And so, on a decidedly damp Monday afternoon in London, young Tom – accompanied by James Swann, the manager of Leicestershire’s under 17 side – rocked up to the fabled Indoor School at Lord’s and was put through his paces by our Jimmy.

The event was organised as part of the ASICS Smarter Cricket initiative, which is designed to help players at all levels of the game from the grassroots right through to the top level. There is a series of online coaching videos already available at www.asics.co.uk/cricket and more are due to be added in the coming months, so make sure you check it out if you feel like your game could do with a bit of fine-tuning.

We’re pleased to report that Tom put in a sterling performance, so much so that Jimmy felt obliged to check with the AOC staffers present that we weren’t winding him up, but there was still time for England’s spearhead to pass on some choice pearls of wisdom, sign a couple of autographs and hand over some shiny new ASICS kit to the lad. Here’s hoping Tom puts his new found knowledge to good use in the seasons ahead – we’ve got a spot on the AOC-ASICS Honours Board all picked out and waiting for him.

Many thanks to all concerned, and check back here as much as your life (with all those pesky commitments) allows – there should be more competitions just like this for you to enter soon.

Jimmy explains the mystery of the ideal wrist position

Tom charges in under the watchful eye of England's foremost swing bowler

Jimmy passes on some of his wisdom while also demonstrating his mastery of juggling

Jimmy, James Swann and Tom Corbett: two of these men are accomplished seamers. Can you spot the odd one out?

Bad news day: Pakistani officials reluctantly read the headlines on Sunday morning at Lord's

With cricket hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons, AOC takes a look at what the papers had to say about the weekend’s dramatic events…

“I think that suspension [of the team] is an option. It is serious.” – Former ICC Chief Malcolm Speed on the possibility of suspending the team.

“You won’t, in short, solve anything by draconian bans, by wiping whole nations from the cricketing map. You need to target the pushers.” – Peter Preston, former Guardian editor

“The only way the game will move forward is by hitting those involved with life bans if they are found guilty. That is the best way to scare young cricketers from getting involved in match-fixing in the future.” – Michael Vaughan

“Corruption has no place in cricket and I’d like to think that if anyone ever was found guilty of doing anything to bring our great game into disrepute then they would suffer the toughest punishment possible.” – Alastair Cook

“The people who are found guilty should be removed from the team and replaced and should be punished as an example for future generations to realise that crime does not pay.” – Former Pakistan Captain Imran Khan

“Whatever the true story is, I have absolutely no doubts that Pakistan were giving everything to try to win that match. It was a proper competition, as it has been throughout the series.” – Stuart Broad on the Lord’s Test match

“Make no mistake – once the process is complete, if any players are found to be guilty, the ICC will ensure that the appropriate punishment is handed out. We will not tolerate corruption in this
great game.” – Current ICC Chief Haroon Lorgat

“No allegations are true till they proved either way. So at this point of time they are just allegations.” – Pakistan’s team senior manager
Yawar Saeed

“It is a disaster for cricket and at home it will take a long time for the wounds to heal. The players have let the country down.” – Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja has some tough words for the players involved

Mo Amir: caught in the middle?

So, AOC went away for the Bank Hol to work on these pesky tan lines, and all hell breaks loose. And here’s the irritating thing about all this: it’s not even funny.

In fact it’s wrenchingly unfunny, more misjudged than a mother-in-law gag at a WI gig. Three no-balls, one tabloid sting, two (ALLEGED!) culprits, two (ALLEGED!) colluders, one (ALLEGED!) middleman from Croydon who would have had good reason to talk tall for money, and the creeping, horribly pervasive fear that this is just the tip of an iceberg bigger than Mo Amir’s first, fateful overstepping.

Where it leaves our game, the future of Pakistani cricket and the career of the teenager Amir who AOC had fallen head over heels for, only time will tell. The British Police, a delegation sent by Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency and the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit are all beavering away as we speak. The upcoming ODI and T20 series must be in doubt, but then so now is the last few months of cricket, so nothing new there.

Amid all the rants, raves, sadness and tears (anyone baffled by the fuss over three no balls should have seen Sky’s Michael Holding break down live on air on Sunday afternoon), there was just enough resolve from cricket’s cuckolded lovers to understand this dark night as some kind of watershed moment.

Andrew Strauss described the mood after the Lord’s Test as sombre. But at the same time the urge to clean up the game, root and branch, has never been stronger. Too many rumours about too many players over too many years.

And not just from Pakistan. We’ve had banned South African captains, heavily reprimanded Indian captains, suspended IPL chiefs, banned West Indian stars and ongoing allegations about various cricketers from various nationalities either quashed or unproven over the last two decades. If it’s not cleaned up now, then when?

In the Guardian on Monday, one story alludes to Shahid Afridi being unwanted as Pakistan’s team leader due to his ‘probity’. Such suggestions chill the spine, but as one of AOC’s number said this morning, this is one fire that doesn’t need our stoking, so we’ll leave it there for now.

Back in blighted Pakistan, those parts of the country not underwater are up in arms. They feel betrayed. The alleged greed of its cricketers present a harrowing contrast to the pictures of a country submerged in suffering. So now, more than ever, is the time to see the bigger picture and get donating.

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Sri Lanka Tri-series Final

3pts Sri Lanka to win @ 1.8 (General)

Back at the beginning of this series, the widespread assumption was that the heavyweights of Sri Lanka and India would prove too strong for an inexperienced, under-strength New Zealand side. The formbook has been vindicated so far as the ‘big-2′ will indeed contest tomorrow’s final, but their progress was anything but serene.

Indeed, India must be mighty relieved to be here, having been bowled out for just 88 and 103 in two of their four innings and failing to better 223. A huge debt of gratitude is owed to Virender Sehwag, who has accumulated more than three times as many runs as any of his team-mates. Great batsman though he undoubtably is, cricket is a team game and such over-reliance on one man rarely produces the desired result. Having already advised a small bet on Sri Lanka at 2.37 in the series preview http://www.alloutcricket.co.uk/hot-tips/get-on-it-sri-lanka-india-and-nz, I have no hesitation in pressing up at 1.8.

1pt Suresh Raina to be top Indian batsman @ 8.0 (Paddy Power)

Raina has endured a miserable series, but his wider pedigree in limited overs cricket still warrants the utmost respect. Remember, he made a ton on his test debut earlier on this tour, so is not without any recent form. Raina’s ODI average is an impressive 35, and a bet at these odds would surely yield dividends over the long-term. Particularly on tough batting tracks like Dambulla, where middle-order batsmen nearly always get to play a substantial innings.

3pts Mahendra Singh Dhoni to score over 47 or more points @ 1.83 (Bet365 Player Performance market; 1pt per run, 10 catch, 25 stumping)

A similar line of thinking applies to this bet. With so many of India’s top-order struggling, Dhoni seems likely to arrive at the crease earlier than he might on an easier pitch. Given that he is likely to pick up at least a couple of catches behind the stumps, Bet365′s target of 47 points looks well within range. The Indian skipper has made this mark in three of their four matches to date in this series.

Buy Angelo Matthews Player Performance 0.25pts @ 47 (SportingIndex)

Matthews’ average performance tally in this series is slightly above the quote, and having established himself as Sri Lanka’s principal all-rounder, this sort of bet is usually going to make for an attractive spread proposition. He’s perfectly capable of a big innings with the bat, or taking five wickets, whereas prowess in all three scoring disciplines suggests he’ll usually make reasonable progress towards this 47 points target. In short, there is far greater upside potential than downside.

Betting Stats Running Total: +61pts

Mohammad Amir

Look, it’s not just his hair, lustrous and immaculate as it is, in a Brian Jones/Stevie Marriott Summer of Love style, with those wisps at the back, curling and flicking in the tailwind as he tears in to do his thing.

It’s not that he has the quickest, whippiest arm in the business, or a run up that made Waqar look like Thora Hird on her stairlift.

It’s not that sometimes he bowls massive and deliberate no balls, just to keep the batsman hopping and ducking and groping against an 18-yard bullet.

It’s not even that when he gets a wicket he goes off on this deranged “Mum! I’m a helicopter!” celebration, or that he can swing it late, both ways, to order.

And it’s not that at Lord’s this summer he’s already got rid of Watson, Ponting (dismissed with a shoulder barge), Cook, Pietersen, Collingwood, Morgan, Prior and Swann, and that England’s middle order went nought, nought and nought this morning, undone by one of the great spells ever seen at Lord’s.

No, I love Mo Amir because when I watch this kid bowl it reminds me why I’ll always be in love this crazy game, after all.

It was The Stranglers (reeling from the news of Ray Illingworth’s retirement) who sang that there were no more heroes any more, and it’s this fear of losing its great players – of the next generation not matching up to the old boys – that still keeps cricket awake at night. Just as well then, that the morning after, before we’ve even rubbed our eyes, along comes a teenage genius with lovely hair (did we mention the hair?) to leave us wondering what we were so worried about in the first place.

Whether it’s missing a straight one or shelling a sitter that was travelling with all the venom of an apathetic tortoise, cricket never ceases to throw up new and interesting ways of humiliating you. But being binned off as a tailender’s batting buddy, a fate that recently befell England’s Alastair Cook, is a new one on us.

You can’t help but feel for Cook. His technique has come under more scrutiny this summer than BP’s clean-up policy. In times like these a fella could do with having his mates stand by him, but Jimmy Anderson – the bowler whose batting Cook has been charged with personally overseeing (a system first pioneered by Australia but now commonplace across the game) – decided to adopt a different, slightly less sensitive approach. Enduring a poor run of form with the bat himself, the ‘Burnley Lara’ helpfully suggested that Cook might be dragging him down and maybe it was time for them to go their separate ways. “It was a hammer blow,” a grinning Cook ‘confessed’ following his cathartic century at The Oval. Here’s hoping the two lads have got themselves back on track.

This turn of events set the AOC office to thinking about what other ways your team-mates can (knowingly or otherwise) undermine your confidence. Here are a few of our favourites:

1. Padding up the minute it’s your turn to bat
“Who’s next in? You’re kidding, right? £%^&^*%s, I better go and fetch my pads.” Obvious, but always hurtful.

2. Selecting the reserve keeper. He will not be taking the gloves
If you’re a specialist bat (i.e. can’t field and certainly can’t bowl), there are few clearer signs that your skipper doesn’t rate you very highly. At all.

3. Reading the paper while stood at slip
Concrete proof you will not be finding the batsman’s edge any time soon.

4. Running up to the stumps as you’re walking back to your mark and shouting: “Mate, you’re aiming at these, yeah?”
Yeah, very good. Someone’s kit is getting urinated in this evening.

5. Writing instructions on the back of your bat
The aim is to stop the ball from colliding with the bits of wood you’re standing in front of…

What moments of shame have you endured on a cricket pitch? Share your pain with us, we promise we won’t judge you…