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To the Wanderers we go for the next segment in what will hopefully be South Africa’s crowning as the best test side in the world.
Whilst the Proteas have had a few weeks to freshen up, and many have taken time away from the cricket field, the Aussies have had a few weeks of tough competition against the Kiwis, and a tour game.

If I was Graeme Smith i’d choose to bowl first if I won the toss. The Wanderers wicket usually has something in it for the first day or so, and with their lack of cricket recently, bowling first will allow them to get back into the swing of things with less pressure. If we can bowl the Aussies out cheaply, and then make a decent total, their inexperience might tell.

I do think the Aussies will change tactics a bit when bowling. I think they’ll test Duminy with the shorter ball like they got him out in Perth, but they may lack the firepower to really make it count. Duminy will be happy to let the ball go and his class will get him through without any problems. I also think they’ll try the same against Amla, but Amla also has a fantastic temperment and will do the same. This time we need to cash in with more centuries. I’m sure Smith and Duminy will get another one, but this time Kallis and Amla need to come to the party, and McKenzie needs some deent scores too. With the inexperience of the Aussie attack, if we see off the new ball we can really cash in.

Our bowlers should be refeshed and raring to go. Steyn has been out playing with crocodiles! He’ll be looking to charge in and should get more swing than he did in Australia. But he’ll need better support from Ntini and Morkel this time around. If we have them on the ropes we have to make it count. It will put tremendous pressure on Ponting, Hussey and Clarke.

I’m expecting a result wicket at the Wanderers and for South Africa to go 1-0 up. Bring it on…

2 Months of intense cricket in Australia has come to and end and we get a chance to have a breather whilst the players freshen up for round 2.
At the beginning of the tour I had expectations and hopes for a test and ODI series victory but I expected it to be closer than it ended up finishing. Although we won comprehensively, we did not dominate. The decisive factor being that we won more of the important moments when they counted.

Whilst we can be extremely happy with a tour victory, I hope we don’t rest on our laurels as there are still many areas we can improve on.

The test side shows a lot of confidence and has established a great winning culture. Whilst we hunted down our targets and batted sensibly, my concerns are that we never posted a really big score (although we might’ve in the second innings in Perth). In all 3 tests, a first innings of 500+ would have really set us up well. That was highlighted by the lack of centuries all tour. Apart from the second innings in Perth, and JP Duminy in Melbourne, no one else got a hundred. But no one batted badly except for McKenzie.

Smith, Amla, Kallis, De Villiers and Boucher did their jobs but not more than that. The opportunity was there for one of them to really cash in, lift their averages and set their team up. Considering that since readmission our top batters have all average in the 30’s against Australia, it was pleasing that as a group, our top 6 lifted their game and their averages towards a more respectable 40+. However it only takes 2 centuries per innings to build a total you are unlikely to lose from and really bury the opposition. In the return series I have a feeling we will need a few more centuries.

However in saying that Australia only had the 1 century from Ponting. They have built their game around large first innings totals, so getting them out for scores that were not beatable, played a huge role in keeping us in the game and being able to take victory.

The other aspect that was particularly noticeable, and maybe it was the reason why Australia scored less than us per innings in the end, was the fact we scored at about 3 an over (Smith was the exception but has to score quickly to make up for McKenzie!), whereas they scored about 4 an over. Our batters all displayed top class temperament which is vital for test cricket. The ability to play each ball on its merit, to play and miss and then simply forget about it and start again. Duminy was a great example of this in Melbourne. However the downside was that again we possibly weren’t attacking enough when we needed to be. I’d like to see us show a bit more confidence, take the game to the aussies and really put them away.

It was particularly pleasing to see our tail take more responsibility and show a bit more grit and determination. It has been a weakness for us, and Harris was good, and Steyn in Melbourne was getting hammered with shorts balls around his fingers. His determination and courage won us that game, and allowed Duminy to shine.

Our bowlers got the job done also but again need to go into overdrive. Steyn again got results like he did all though 2008. I thought Morkel was very disappointing, didn’t get much wickets, lacked control and was expensive.
Ntini battled away as he always does, and got vital wickets but perhaps won’t get 5 wicket bag like he used to. And although it surprised Australia, Harris was damn good. He used great control, and it shows that if you bowl tight and stop runs, you will get rewarded with wickets.

All in all our bowling lacked consistency. Steyn bowled some magnificent deliveries but mixed with that were too many deliveries wide of off stump that the batsmen did not have to play. I also felt there were too many short of a length deliveries that the batsmen could hit with little risk.
I would like to see us attack the stumps more often. We have bowlers who all bowl great yorkers, (Steyn can be almost unplayable). Attacking the stumps also increases your chances of getting the batter out a you bring in more modes of dismissal. Bowled, LBW, caught behind…

If there is an area we are weak, and we struggled last time we toured Australia, it is bowling the tail out. We often had Australia in trouble eg Perth and 3/15 on the opening morning but simply couldn’t wrap up the innings cheaply. I think our strategy needs to change, especially with our weapon Steyn. Attacking the stumps and setting fields which back up straight bowling in my view will bring about the desired results.

The wickets for the South African series are all result wickets. Newlands may be high scoring, but Durban and Joburg will all favour the bowlers but allow centuries if you are prepared to graft and apply yourself. I am hoping for a comprehensive test series victory if we can dominate with bat and ball.

The ODI series was quite different, albeit a similar result. Again we did not dominate with all contests bar Adelaide being reasonably well contested. However like the test series we again won the key moments.

Without Smith we struggled initially. I felt the players took time to get used to Botha’s captaincy, and lacked urgency initially.

We definitely got better as the series progressed, and the pleasing aspect (I hope it is permanent) is that we learnt how to construct our innings. Since readmission I’ve felt that we are too conservative in the one day game and try not to lose, rather than aiming to win. We prefer chasing, and if that is the case I like to see us come out and start well so that the run rate doesn’t climb too high. Otherwise we end up putting too much pressure on the middle and lower order. Too often in the past our strategy has been to keep wickets in hand for the end. If the run rate gets too high like it did in Hobart, it doesn’t matter how many wickets you have left. Sometimes you just can’t get them, whilst other times you lose wickets from the pressure. It requires a near perfect execution to get there. Whereas gaining momentum from the beginning makes the job so much easier. The Adelaide run chase was a perfect example of how to make it look easy.

On the bowling side of things, I thought we did a great job, other than the first 10 overs. By the end of the series we were at least taking wickets which kills the oppositions chances of a huge total. But allowing them to score at 5-6 an over puts the pressure right back on you. Something for us to work on.

The way we fought back in the middle overs was magnificent. Couldn’t ask for more. And our bowling at the death was good. Interestingly we used the yorkers and fuller delivers to great effect. Something Australia wasn’t able to do. Maybe we could use the short ball/bouncer a bit more as a surprise delivery. That was one thing Australia did to us, and our batters especially Duminy and Amla weren’t prepared to go after them. We also have more of our bowlers bowling cutters and slower deliveries which is great. We will need them on the subcontinent and for the next world cup.

The only change I’d like to see would be to get rid of Gibbs. He’s too old, too inconsistent and doesn’t add enough value contributions. Surely we can develop someone else, the way we have with Amla and Duminy.

The 20/20’s were perhaps a disappointment. Maybe we were readjusting after the test series, with a new captain. Tactically we were naïve. In the second one we looked like we were playing a test match. But I’ll reserve judgement until the South African edition as I feel we were on the right track after the one dayers.

I expected the Aussies to win the final one dayer in Perth as we blooded a few new youngsters. If we won we’d get the number 1 ranking but it certainly wasn’t an important factor for the Proteas.

We started off quite sedately, with Gibbs getting out in a manner and timeframe that I have become accustomed to seeing (my prediction remember was for 1 good innings out of the 5 games…) and then Mckenzie getting bogged down and also getting out. At that stage we were in a bit of trouble and any further wickets would’ve place us under immense pressure.

Amla and De Villiers play beautifully. They showed that you can bat with little risk and score at a good clip (about 5 an over). They worked the 1’s and 2’s beautifully and threw in the odd boundary. Importantly they preserved wickets so that by over 37 De Villiers was looking to up the tempo. He got out but he had done his job. Now it was time to go for it.

Amla was looking for his hundred and to bat through the innings. Unfortunately he got out. At that stage we were relying on Morkel to power us home. He came in, had an over or so and then we started the power play. Disaster stuck as he got out at the end of the first over of the power play. At that stage I thought we’d struggle to get past 260 odd as we had no power hitter left.

Once again Duminy fired when we needed it most. His was one of the best one day innings I have seen in a long time. He worked the 1’s and 2’s beautifully, and then got some wonderful boundaries. 3 6’s and 3 4’s. Some delicate touches, others great timing, and even bludgeoning one straight down the ground. He has it all and I believe he is the best cricketer i’ve seen from South Africa. His temperament is fantastic, he has all the skills, and most importantly he has the mental tenacity to win matches. The only things he needs to work on are the pull/hook shot; and to continue developing his bowling.

Johan Botha had a great cameo too. First ball he lap swept Nathan Bracken, then he reverse swept a 140kph+ delivery between 2 fielders from Mitchell Johnson. How much confidence are the proteas playing with? It’s fantastic to watch, and amazing how quickly it has transformed our play. We must now simply play this way all the time.

I still though at halfway the aussies would be favourites with a good batting lineup against our inexperienced bowling attack. Go Tsotsobe! I have mentioned I have wanted him in at the expense of Morne Morkel, and boy did he show what he can do. He bowled a great line with a little bit of swing and troubled Ponting in particular. 2 early wickets were crucial in ensuring that Australia could not gain any momentum. From that pressure they never recovered.

Morkel accounted for Clarke, and when Warner was unluckily run out, the game was effectively over. The 2 Hussey’s batted so slowly. Sure they had to consolidate but letting the run rate get so high effectively killed their chances. It is pleasing to see other teams struggle to understand how to chase down a total, especially one as good as Australia. They are definitely much better at setting a total, and the key to stopping any chase is early wickets.

The most pleasing aspect of the win was that our young guys performed brilliantly. Under pressure they didn’t shy away, and how good was it see Tsotsobe smiling and enjoying himself, thrashing the pants off Australia! This team is going from strength to strength, the youngsters have maintained our mental toughness that makes it so hard to play against South Africa, let alone beat us.
It also stopped the Aussies gaining any momentum or mental advantage ahead of the return series in South Africa. And the icing on the cake…South Africa are the number 1 ranked one day team in the world…Yahoo!

The series moved to Adelaide, on Australia day. And what a fantastic day it turned out to be for all of us who wanted to ruin it!

Once again Australia won the toss and decided to bat first. They really must use a different coin! I wonder if Ricky Ponting calls the same side at each toss.
Although they weren’t great deliveries, the build up of pressure got Warner and Marsh cheaply. I think Warner gets frustrated if he has a few dot balls against him. He then goes to slog to get runs regardless of the delivery. Then you always have a chance to get him out. Although the run rate was still very high, the wickets were crucial as the longer those 2 stay in, the quicker they can almost take the game away from you.

In came Ponting and Hussey. Ponting has been sooo lucky this series. Once again he was out 3 times, yet couldn’t make a century. The lbw by Steyn was umpired by Gould, and at least he is consistent so it wasn’t too bad. But the caught behind was blatant. Ponting certainly wasn’t going to walk, but one wonders what would have happened with a more vociferous appeal. Although an appeal is an appeal no matter how loud. Ponting has had so many chances and decisions go his way this series, it is a credit to South Africa he hasn’t really been able to make them count. Why can’t Kallis or Duminy get that!

Ponting though was scoring at a quick rate and had the Aussies in prime position at 110 for 2 at about a run a ball. Australia should have been aiming for 300, minimum, but credit to the South African bowlers and especially Johan Botha. A constant flow of wickets saw Australia crumble to 222.

Why do the Aussies play Cameron White if he doesn’t bowl? To me he is not good enough to make the team as a specialist batter, or bowler, so I can only suggest he is an all rounder. They’d be better off with a specialist batter such as Brad Hodge. Still I am not complaining.

It was important our batters start well to put all the pressure on Australia and not give them a sniff. The wicket was very good, as was the outfield. Some inspired hitting by Gibbs got us off to a rollicking start. It was good he maintained the aggression throughout his innings, he simply couldn’t readjust his shot to Hilfenhaus and got undone by the ball being a bit short to drive.

It was also good to see Kallis look to maintain the run rate and be aggressive. A pity he got out. I think he was trying to work the ball squarer. At that point it was important to either maintain wickets or maintain the scoring rate and get to the target as quickly as possible. Amla and De Villiers played superbly. No unnecessary risks were taken, just common sense batting of working the ball around for ones and two’s and then putting the bad ball away. It shows how easy it can be to score around 5-6 an over with sensible batting. It does make it easier I think when you have momentum and a good start.

In the end we got there comfortably with plenty of wickets and overs in hand. It was pleasing to see us maintain our professionalism and rub salt into the wound with a resounding victory. We didn’t even need our power play!

It has been a superb series win. Our middle stage bowling and middle order batting has been our strength. We still have plenty to work on, but we are heading in the right direction. What I liked most was the last 2 games where we batted with greater purpose and looked to improve the run rate or maintain the run rate at a good level. Have we finally learn the lesson? I hope so.

I’d like to test that out and see us bat first in Perth. I think we’ll blood a few youngsters, Parnell and Tsotsobe. They deserve a run, and Steyn and Ntini could use a rest. Van Jaarsveld deserves a chance too, possibly at the extent of McKenzie or Kallis. Whatever the result is not as important as developing our youngsters for the future, although i’d be nice to see the Aussies lose another one…

The 3rd one dayer was always going to be crucial in the context of the series. Considering how closely fought the whole summer has been, going 2-1 up would be a massive advantage.

Australia once again batted first, as they have largely done all summer. They also got off to a great start again, this time courtesy of Warner who went berserk and Marsh who was the perfect foil. Once the hundred came up, the Aussies should have been looking at 300+. But all summer the South African bowlers have refused to give up. That we have come back time and time again speaks wonders for our fighting spirit and attitude. The Aussies however need to look hard at themselves as they have underdelivered immensely considering their batting lineup, and the wonderful starts they have had.

At the interval I thought 270 was very gettable considering the smallish boundaries at the SCG. Once again we would need a good start. Where we won this game compared to Hobart, was the first 15 overs. Getting the run rate up was so useful. Sure we had a little bit of luck in the Aussies coughing up two wickets in the first over (both Gibbs and Amla were dropped), but Gibbs made them pay. Gibbs played well before once again he got out when he needed to push on and make the game safe for us.

Gibbs’ partnership with Kallis was the critical one. Getting the run rate up put the pressure on the Aussies and allowed us to then keep the scoreboard ticking over quite easily and delayed the bowling powerplay. Gibbs eventually got out to a very poor shot. De Villiers looked to be aggressive which I thought was great, but simply got out to a poorly executed shot. Duminy got exposed to a lack of footwork on a track that was starting to become variable and then Kallis went straight after. Kallis was looking to bat though, and his wicket was a big one. I am not as critical against Kallis as I am of Gibbs, because Kallis is our banker. He consistently gets good scores which the rest of the team can bat around. Sure he could easily have won the game for us, but he had done his job. Whereas when someone like Gibbs makes a start he has to make the most of it.

With 5 wickets down we were in a bit of trouble. As I have mentioned previously, if the run rate is good it puts so much less pressure on the new batsmen when they come to the crease and it doesn’t get out of control. This was a perfect example of batsmen being able to consolidate under little pressure and set up another go at winning the game. McKenzie and Boucher ended up going too slow, for too long and the run rate threatened to get away for us. But Mckenzie got out at the right time, and in strode Albie.

It was an interesting decision to take the power play straight away with Albie’s arrival. I thought we should’ve given him an over or two to get his eye in. But Albie started hitting boundaries from the first over he was in. How good was that!! Within 5 overs of the powerplay he had smashed the Aussie bowlers all over the place and effectively won us the game. I was glad he remained aggressive and tried to win us the game, as opposed to taking the foot off the accelerator and simply trying to pace the innings, once the run rate got down to a very easy equation. He just couldn’t get the final big shot in, but Botha came in and did it easily.

It will be a blow having Boucher out for the final 2 games, but that could be a blessing as I have felt he hasn’t batted well all tour except for the 3rd test match. He has a very closed grip which limits his shot making to the leg side. As Bracken has worked out, if you bowl wide of off stump, Boucher struggles to hit through the cover region. Even in this game I thought Boucher batted too slowly and during the pwerplay, almost undid the good work of Albie.

With Boucher out our batting will hopefully be strengthened, and i’d like to see us bat first in Adelaide and get away to a strong start from Gibbs and co. If we can then save wickets and let the likes of Albie cause destruction with the short Adelaide boundaries it would be interesting to see Australia chase 300 odd, and we’d have a good chance of wrapping up the series…

Jacques only requires another 12 runs in test cricket and already has 250 wickets. In the one day format he is only 16 runs away and requires 4 wickets. He will definitely get the runs in the next one dayer but may require the rest of the series to get the 4 wickets. It will be a remarkable achievement for a player who is one of the all time greats (well in my view anyway). I don?t think you?ll see a more technically correct, eloquent batsmen, whilst his bowling seems to do just what is required when the situation demands it. He possesses good change up deliveries, but can also produce good swing or pace when required also.

To put his performances in perspective, Ricky Ponting has only just passed 10000 test runs at a similar average, whilst he has 12000 one day runs at a slightly inferior average. These 2 players have played a similar number of games and started their careers at around the same time. As a bastmen Kallis is the equal of the best in the world, over the course of history. Add to that his wonderful bowling achievements (requiring practice, mental stress and increased likelihood of injury) over a prolonged period of time and one can see the enormous value Kallis has to South African cricket. He has been the rock of the SA batting lineup for a decade, and has been invaluable as a 3rd or 4th bowler.

If there is one criticism (and some are calling for his omission from the SA one day team) of Kallis it is his slow batting rate, more so in the limited overs format. I would certainly not be dropping him. He has shown the ability to score quickly on occasion, so I would be working more on the mental approach. That other observation I have made of Kallis is that although he is super consistent and never really plays badly, he rarely takes a game by the scruff of the neck and closes it out/wins it. (It is the same reason I think Tendulkar is overrated and not an all time great). It is indeed a pity Kallis doesn?t have a test double hundred, or a big one day hundred. Which makes his averages even more remarkable. He doesn?t score big, but he gets a decent score almost all the time. With greater self-belief and a more dynamic approach I hope to see Kallis destroy attacks and allow SA to show why we are the greatest team of all!

The coverage of cricket in Australia is a joke…a bad joke…

For a start coverage certainly doesn’t cover much extra. I am yet to see the toss, and captains commenting before play. Pitch conditions…non existent. Why? For the second ODI on sunday we went straight to ball one with coverage. There was certainly nothing special on beforehand so why can’t it be shown earlier.

In Australia all the different states get slightly different coverage. In Queensland which is an hour different to Melbourne and Sydney, ODI day nighters are a pain in the ass. They show the news while the game is being played. Why not show it during the innings break?? Instead they put pointless programs like temptation on. I was appalled in the first ODI to not be able to see the start of the South African innings. If Channel nine (which is absolute rubbish) can’t do justice to having the rights, rather let someone else have it. I’d prefer to see it on fox sports personally.

There is barely any post match coverage, except if Australia win. If South Africa win, the coverage simply ends. At the end of the Perth test match there were no interviews, wrap ups or anything of the like. Duminy hit the winning runs and that was the end of the coverage. Considering the game finished early and nothing else was scheduled, surely they could wrap the game up. After all we had just seen the second largest run chase in the history of test cricket…oh I forgot, Australia lost. Come on be a bit more professional than that Australia!

Melbourne wasn’t much better. The first series win by an overseas team in 16 years…oh no one in Australia wants to see that…

The commentary team is also pathetic. Channel nine’s team used to be highly respected. I’ve always liked Bill Lawry, he’s a straight shooter. Richie Benaud is too old and past it now. Tony Grieg is confused. He is pretty average and is South African born, captained England and loves Australia. He supports whoever is winning. Ian Chappell is another one i’ve always liked, but he is also getting to the end of his use by date.

The newer, younger commentators are pretty pathetic. I have always liked Mark Taylor as a captain and commentator. Insightful and honest. Ian Healy is a waste of time. Thinks he is a doctor, tries to always be enthusiastic and may as well simply wearing his canary yellow Australian colours each time he is on air. Michael Slater is much the same. And Mark Nicholas is an Englishman who now loves Australia. Overall they are all way too biased, and simply take something one person has picked up on (rightly or wrongly…usually wrongly) and simply each repeat it every time one of them comes on air. eg Duminy is a real find (well we’ve known about him for ages. And he had played 37 one dayers before this series), Harris is much improved (he’s never been bad, just that no one in Australia knew who he was or had seen him play), Herschelle Gibbs is great to watch (he has no footwork and pokes at the ball, and rarely ever comes off). I can’t stand their dribble…

Speaking of commentators there are not many good ones around. I love listening to Barry Richards (not just because he is South African, but because he is very astute and very fair), Robin Jackman isn’t bad, Ravi Shastri, and David Lloyd is another excellent observer too…I’ll be glad when the series starts in South Africa and I won’t have to watch nine or listen to their verbal garbage…

I also never knew Australia was the centre of the universe. Here they don?t even mention other international cricket games yet alone give you any coverage of them (except for fox sports which has some, but never the ones you really want to see!). Sports news only cover Australians. I think it’s disgraceful this so-called country that is sporting mad has such a biased view of the world. Prehaps when they are knocked back to the rest of the field that may change…

A Critical game in the context of the series saw Australia get home more as a result of South African ineptitude than Australian brilliance.

Australia overcame the early loss of Warner brilliantly through Ponting and Marsh. Although the South African catching was disgraceful. 3 dropped catches at this level is disgraceful. It ultimately cost us the game. Some of the fielding has been outstanding, especially a lot of the ground work. It kills the team when you give players of the calibre of Ponting and co. second and even third chances. Why after the test series has it become so bad? Change of personnel…well not that many have changed. I put it down to the loss of Smith and lack of focus and intensity.

We came back well in the bowling department to limit the Aussies to 250. At one stage I thought they’d get 320+ so we did really well. At the innings break I was reasonably confident we would win if we had a half decent start.

I’m used to us not trying to force the pace early and keep wickets in hand. As I have mentioned, I don’t think this strategy works. It puts too much pressure on the lower order and if you lose wickets you are screwed. I’d rather see a more even pace, and even better take the attack to the opposition and put them under pressure. If you start off well and go at 7-8 an over you open up the field (they won’t use their power play early either which means you can keep the batting and bowling power plays up your sleeve), you don’t need to take risks to get 6 an over comfortably, and in a worst case scenario if you do lose wickets you are still ahead of the rate and don’t put pressure on the new batsmen. The problem is the Proteas are conservative by nature, and always have been. We gotta change that asap…for me the coach Arthur has to go. I can’t see that happening. Without an agressive individual such as Smith (and I still think he is not aggressive enough) we will always be a shadow of the team we can be.

How a team can end 6 down in a run chase is beyond me. It says we were not aggressive enough. We didn’t take enough risks and try and win the game. I’d rather see us try to force the pace and get out. There is no use having wickets left. It’s like a runner still having gas in the tank at the end of the race…pointless. Didn’t try hard enough. We should have been forcing the pace earlier. Why we do this year after year is beyond me…could be the reason my hair is starting to grey prematurely…

Sydney looms as a crunch game on friday night…come on boys lets maak a bietjie noise!!!

JP Duminy has been a revelation on this tour. Many in SA have always believed he has the talent. He himself probably has not believed how good he is. I believe that is because he has never had the confidence of being a permanent fixture in the team. It shows how being in both the test and limited overs team can inspire the confidence to allow a player to exhibit his natural skills. Duminy has simply gone about doing his job, which he has done regardless of what is happening down the other end.

As with many South Africans he also misses home It has been wonderful for him to be able to play in front of his mother, which has also brought out the best in him.

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Duminy could quite easily have been another brilliant talent that slipped through SA’s grasp. Had it not been for an injury to Prince he may not have played test cricket for another couple of years.

 There is a message here for the SA selectors. Reward form. Pick on potential for the future and develop it. Get rid of those who don’t perform consistently ie Gibbs, De Villiers, Morne Morkel.

I was pleased Albie Morkel won us the game in Melbourne. He is such a talent too. I had the pleasure of meeting him and kicking a rugby ball around with him (well embarrassing myself really…) at the Basin Reserve 4 years ago. He can do anything. He kicks extremely well. I have no doubt if he wasn’t a cricketer, he’d probably be a Springbok. He needs to be a permanent fixture in the ODI team, and I believe he’d be a fantastic all rounder in the test team too. Get rid of his brother Morne and put in Albie. He bowls a bit slower, but has better accuracy and great variations (something many SA bowlers don’t work on enough), and he’d be a fantastic number 7 or 8, capable of scoring hundreds. I am sure he’ll gain a lot of confidence from Melbourne, and after winning us a few more games we may have another star too…

One thing I find strange in the world of cricket is how often the pyjama uniforms change (ODI playing strip). Why another strip is used for 20/20 is beyond me too.

We have seen some teams have many different shades of their national colours, or in New Zealand’s case experiment with any colour they can. They have had grey, white, teal (who in NZ believes that teal is their national colour?) and black.

And now we have Australia trying to go green. For the record there is only one green and gold. Australia should go back to their canary yellow!

The whole point of your uniform is to wear your national colours. You can’t simply decide you want a change and wear another colour. The ICC should have rules on these sorts of things.