Trueman dead at 75

Fred Trueman has died.

I don't often have anything good to say about Yorkshiremen but I'd make an exception for Trueman anyday. He was one of the finest fast bowlers I've ever watched and a terrific character. Cricket will miss him.

A study in contrast

Yesterday India made 29/2 off the first 29 overs of the test in Kingston. Today at Headingley in the ODI Sri Lanka have taken Ali and Bresnan for 46 off the first 3 overs!

Just when one thought it couldn't get worse

Well one might have thought that England would wait until Trueman was buried before having him turning in his grave. England cap four woeful bowling performances against Sri Lanka with one that plumbs new depths of ineptitude. The batsmen gave them a very defensible total to bowl at and they made a complete shambles of it. Only Dalrymple bowled like he had at least a faint whiff of an idea of a clue. Harmison's numbers sum it up really; 10 overs 0/97 with 5 wides and 3 no balls. If he was Japanese I would think he'd be obliged to commit seppuku at Fred's funeral. Bresnan and Ali were even worse. This may well have been the worst bowling performance by an England team ever.

If they take this shower to Australia there is an excellent chance that every test and ODI record in the book will be broken.

A modest proposal

Perhaps the powers that be could swap England's cricket and football teams. It could only be an improvement. At least the football team is rid of the useless Swede while the cricket team appears stuck with the other root vegetable.