20 lashes for the Colonials

England has dealt out a good, old fashioned flogging to the Australians in the first full international of the Australian tour.

In international cricketing terms, I think 20/20 is roughly equivalent to the form of tennis known as “hit and giggle”. In other words it is hard to be too encouraged or demoralised, depending on which side of the fence you are on. That being said, the Australians were thoroughly thrashed and I’m sure the English side of the fence is happier than the Australian side.

The scope for analysing a match that is just 40 overs in total is rather limited but here are some points:

1. Performers with the bat for England were Collingwood (46), Trescothick (41), and Pietersen (34). Neither Collingwood (last Test 18 months ago) nor Pietersen (yet to play a Test) are in Test calculations. Vaughan and Flintoff failed.

2. Performers with the ball for England were Gough (3/16) and Lewis (4/24). Neither Gough (retired from Test cricket) nor Lewis (no international experience prior to this match) are in Test calculations (that I know of).

3. With the ball, Australia had no performers, except McGrath who took 3/31 with a couple of late wickets.

4. With the bat, Gillespie further pressed for recognition as an all rounder, top scoring with 24 (but he had the most expensive bowling figures – 12.25 rpo). Hayden, Ponting, Martyn, Clarke and Symonds mustered 10 between them.

It should be noted that Australia was 7-31. In the face of that, 79 and a loss by just 100 runs could be seen as an aversion of complete embarrassment.

“Towards 12,000″

That’s right – 12,000. In the past two months, Brian Lara has scored 724 runs in Test cricket. He is closing in on 11,000 so rapidly that I would like to contemplate not 11,000, but 12,000 runs. Unlike Steve Waugh, who stalled a little in the race to 11,000, Lara seems destined not to spend too much time in the 10,000 club. He is just 182 short of joining Allan Border in the 11,000 club.

Since Lara’s return from a brief absence from cricket (due to the Cable and Wireless fiasco), he has peeled off 724 runs against worthy opposition, with four centuries, three of them over 150.

Lara has scored 1108 runs with five centuries in his past ten matches at 61.55. And that does not include the 400, folks. Going back 12 matches and including the 400, he scored 1561 runs at 82.16.

Looking ahead, Lara’s next Test cricket is the Super Series against Australia in October. The match has full Test status and has been allotted six days, so Lara can indulge himself with a huge score without killing the game. The West Indies then take on Australia for a three Test series in Australia. Right now, Lara is just 356 short of Border’s benchmark. At the current rate of progress, he will pass Waugh (10,927) and then Border (11,1174) in Australia. It is a shame that the West Indies pitiful showing in recent years has relegated them to playing in Brisbane, Hobart and Adelaide. No offence to those cities but it would be grand to see the Prince of Trinidad pass such a landmark in a fitting venue.

But let’s not count any chickens. Lara is, after all, Lara. It should also be noted that most of Lara’s recent cricket has been played in the West Indies, where he averages over 60, as opposed to 47, while on the road. And of course, notwithstanding his 51 plus average against Australia, his next four Tests are against the champs. And they will be licking their wounds after taking on the Lions for the Ashes.

The West Indies host Zimbabwe and then India, after returning from Australia. My tip is that the rum will flow as the great man passes Border’s mark on home soil (well, kind of home soil given that unless he actually achieves the feat in Trinidad, technically, he’s not truly on home soil).