Alec Swann's Roar Profile

The avalanche of statistics that no doubt poured forth during Australia’s rather comfortable (!) overhauling of New Zealand’s massive score at Eden Park in…

Cricket

2018

Alec Swann

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Eden Park run-fest did cricket no favours

Cricket

2018

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Rellum

Just reading those quotes in isolation you’ve got a point.

The second of those is the former batsman in me talking. Perhaps should’ve added ‘longer than expected’!

England headbutting themselves is a better story

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2017

Chris

If Stokes was a fringe player he’d be nowhere near this tour but as he is one of the main men he will be.

I’d bet good money (not that I have that much!) he’ll play in this series. If there’s no police charge he’ll be on the next flight to Australia.

Ouch

No offence taken with the name slip, I’ve had that all my life!

I agree some of the media coverage over here is a bit on the hypocritical side which is always the way unfortunately.
As for the ‘storm in a tea cup’ reference, I just think it has been an awful lot about next to nothing which was proved by the way the Australians laughed it off. This kind of thing doesn’t stay hidden for a month but it certainly all played nicely into the Australians’ hands.

As for the ECB and their handling of the whole Stokes affair, their approach of sticking fingers in the ears and whistling in the hope everything will go away is all too predictable.
They don’t seem to grasp the concept of telling the truth straight away which negates to some degree the escalation which is now occurring. It’s a story for a while then people move on to the next one. One day they’ll learn (don’t hold me to that).

Some have done! (I nicked the phrase so I didn’t resort to swearing) It’s the usual nonsense really, just from an unexpected source. Lyon’s as threatening as a weetabix.

Can the talking stop now? It's time for the real contest

Ronan

It’s tricky to draw a comparison as Lyon has almost 300 Test wickets whereas Graeme at the same age was just starting out. Plenty of first-class experience is different to almost learning on the job at Test level. At slightly different ends of the spectrum, Lyon has been naturally more conservative, which appears to be changing, and Graeme had a more adventurous approach. So the Lyon of now and Graeme when he made his debut have quite a few similarities.

That Graeme did well straight away was down in no small part to that experience but Lyon has taken quite a bit of time to become what you see now which is a consistently accomplished performer.

Graeme had the ability to play a higher level for a while before he did and certainly didn’t lose out next to the likes of Richard Dawson and Gareth Batty. But that’s a conundrum with no real answer.

What I like about Lyon, and this also goes for Graeme, is that they have (or had) no frills about them. It’s just straightforward off-spin with variation and whatever nous they’ve accumulated. Every time a spinner gets picked for England somebody will write an article saying that they need a doosra or are working on one. All nonsense really and both Graeme and Lyon showed, and are showing, that traditional skills executed well can gain reward.

Lyon won't be king in Ashes showdown

AGordon

I agree that Lyon is better equipped now than he was. Also, if he gets 25 wickets that would be a fine effort.

I’d like to think England will get after him but that may depend on how well the top three or four counter Starc et al.

Jeffrey

‘Australia has been something of a graveyard for finger spinners and, off the top of my head, I can’t think of the last finger spinner who was “the difference” between Australia and the visiting team over the course of a whole test series.’

Exactly the point I’m making. I never could quite understand why Graeme was considered to be the difference between the sides just as the comments about Lyon that I’ve seen are wide of the mark. The prevailing conditions, unless something drastic has happened, will see to that.

BigJ

I’ve found it fascinating in a curious sort of way as it seems so bizarre.
I can’t really comment on McGregor’s ability in a boxing context as he has no previous whatsoever, hence the focus solely on his antics.
If my opinion seems negative it’s because his attitude has been so far over the top as to be almost parody.
I hope he can put up a good show at the weekend and the naysayers (like me I suppose) are proved wrong. I’m just not seeing it though.

The talking will stop so come on Conor, what have you got?

Combat

Jumbo

The bit I’ve seen of Mark Stoneman I reckon he’s a decent player and his record over the last few seasons is as good as anyone’s.

I’ve got no idea why the selectors have been reluctant to give him a go but there’s talk in the media over here today that he’s likely to be picked for the first Test against the West Indies next week.

It does seem strange that so many have been tried alongside Alastair Cook with no great success. The one with the best record is Joe Root but that won’t be happening again and rightly so.

It won't be great if England play the Ashes with eight

ches

When it gets to this stage, and if a deal is to be agreed, somebody is going to have to lose face and neither seem particularly keen.

Pride and a fall and all that.

Pay row: Sort it out, you're looking ridiculous

jameswm

That line isn’t quite as clear as intended. Perhaps it needed ‘… carry logic, at least in the respective eyes of those involved, on both sides…’ Or something like that.

Logic does tend to get thrown out of the window when the shutters have been drawn.

Nick

Did I really write that?! By all means ignore England given my previous. One day I’ll pick a winner, one day …

It's prediction time and England are going to clean up

You could argue this point all day long. When it’s done to such an extreme it’s far from desirable but it still isn’t cheating.

If laws are in place to prevent it happening then that’s a different matter but as there aren’t any that I’m aware of, to say that it’s cheating is incorrect.

It's not always home advantage, is it Virat?

Jameswm

I can’t disagree that pitches are curated to suit the home side but that’s always been the case.

Having said that, the Pune wicket was this taken to the nth degree. India deserved a good hiding for serving up that.

Thunder

Have a bit of faith in your team! India will respond, no doubt, but the tourists showed what could be achieved.

And bravo for giving Graeme a mention! He’d have cleaned up on that pitch.

Sheek

You may have missed the point somewhat. If you have to explain that it’s written with tongue firmly in cheek then it doesn’t really work.

Adam Voges is second only to The Don – and stats don't lie

James

The info I saw said Lynn had been left out so my mistake there. You’re right about Marsh at 4 though. Daft.

You may be right about Maxwell. It’ll be entertaining whatever he produces.

Maybe Maxwell is the man after all

Thanks for the response, I’ve found it quite interesting to read through the contrasting views this issue has generated.

I certainly think that there could be a more balanced spread of qualifiers from the various confederations and less of a lean towards Europe and South America.
But this smacks of expansion for the sake of it. Every country has the opportunity to qualify and if reform is to happen then this would be a good place to start.
I’d like to think the reasons behind it are of the sporting variety but I’m not convinced.

Idiotic World Cup expansion: FIFA take a gun to their own foot

DingoGray

I think the comparison with Alastair Cook is quite a good one, certainly in terms of they way Renshaw gets his head down and operates at his own pace. The reference to him not really being a 360 degree batsman wasn’t intended to be a slight, just that by and large he scores the majority of his runs primarily in a handful of areas rather than hitting it to all corners. Like Cook come to think of it.

On you other point, there’s more Matthew Elliott than Hayden in the way he plays. On what I’ve seen, he doesn’t play anything like the latter.

Aussie youngster proves old-school openers have their merits

Spot on but we’ve got it back now!?

The Ashes under lights? Absolutely

2016

Christo

If it’s a gloomy day then the lights will come into effect for a decent amount of time but if it’s clear then they generally have minimal effect. Still worth trying though.

Tim

I’d quite like to see the MCG do it but Adelaide looks to do a sterling job so why change?

With regards to Ben Foakes, I’ve seen a bit of him and he looks a decent player but he’s got no chance of leapfrogging Jonny Bairstow or Jos Buttler.

Madmonk

I thought it sounded a bit contradictory as I was writing it. I could never see the point because just as good a shine could be gained with saliva but someone, somewhere decided it worked. Each to their own I suppose.

And you’re right about the ICC but there must be something more worthy of their attention, surely?

Aussie selectors have twisted, now they must stick

I think the Lyon cock-up was made all the better by Nigel Llong offering up such a ridiculous justification. As far as DRS reviews go, it was pretty clearcut.

DRS dodger Lyon is my kind of cricketer

2015

Pope Paul

Damn right, you can’t let your mum get in the way of the TV!

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