Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Monday 26^th January

A much muted reaction from my post last week, the majority couldn’t really disagree with me, but they still think I’m mad putting a bet on England winning the World Cup. However we are all in agreement that Australia will not win it.

One thing I will point out is that I predicted that New Zealand will reach the final and by looking at their recent matches against Sri Lanka they are not a one man team as I said they were last week. They seem to bat a long way down and even Ross Taylor is finding some form.

With a series win against Sri Lanka (a side that hammered England before Christmas), New Zealand look a good outfit and will be very difficult to beat.

So England have a minimum of three matches to play before their first World Cup Match. India are next, followed by the West Indies and then Pakistan. There may be another fixture against Australia depending on the outcome of the game against India, but effectively three games to get the balance of the team right.

I am trying to avoid the name Ravi Bopara, but I just can’t help myself. What worth has he brought to the side in the recent Tri-Nations series, I will tell you: Batting at an average of 10, with a strike rate lower than a run every two balls; and as for his bowling, well let’s just say he hasn’t troubled the scorers in the wickets column, but going for eight an over. The choice is easy, perform or go to Sydney International.

I mentioned before I have a “cricket correspondent” out in Australia, well he is actually in Cambodia now, but hey, he was there for a while. Here are some of his updates from The Gabba, well in fact all of them:

28the Dec: Watching Brisbane Heat v Melbourne Stars The Big Bash T20. Awesome atmosphere and Freddie Flintoff is knocking ‘em all over the place.

4^th Jan: Back at The Gabba watching Brisbane Heat v Adelaide Strikers and Rocketman drops in. (Elton John?).

11^th Jan:  Back at The Gabba watching Freddie Flintoff trying to give Brisbane a half decent score, we are bottom of the league and the Sydney Sixers are gonna be hard to beat. Ha-ha who cares I’m pissed.

15^th Jan: Last time at The Gabba watching Brisbane Heat v Hobart Hurricanes. We have finished bottom of the league but there is a good chance we could just win this one. Off to Cambodia on Sunday to get Templed right up.

Thanks Kev, hope to see you soon and will take you to a proper ground to watch a proper team when you come back to Blighty.

That’s it for now, come on England! Cider and Skittles time me thinks, a local derby tonight, bragging rights at stake to see who the best side in Stowey is.

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Monday 19^th January

Right, time to stick my neck out. Forget what I have been saying about England’s slim chances of winning the World Cup, I may of been a bit hasty, as I do believe they will win it. Yes, I am confident they will win it, and here’s my thinking.

Australia will not win it for two reasons. Firstly I think they have peaked and may off peaked too soon. They have been beating everyone in sight over the past three months, I believe they will become too arrogant and cocky (more so than usual, look at Warner). Their form will not last, which leads me on to the second reason, home disadvantage.

When England beat them in the opening match, the whole country will be on their backs, from the little boy in the street to the big media giants who will just slag them off for fun. Home advantage just does not work; only one country has won the World Cup when the final has been staged on home soil, India.

As for India, they will not win it, again for two reasons. Firstly, they are not playing on home, the tracks in Australia just do not suit them, and secondly, no Little Master.

What about South Africa I hear you cry, well what about them? Big time bottlers South Africa, the pressure will get to them and will muck it up in the semi-finals for sure. I also think again they are peaking too soon.

The other favourite team to win it is Sri Lanka. A two man side in Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, get these two out and the rest will crumble. And with Malinga still yet to prove his fitness they may struggle defending totals.

I can see the final being contested between England and New Zealand. Get Brendon McCullum early and victory is guaranteed.

So why have I changed my tune? Why the sudden optimism? What have I been drinking?

Me thinks England have nothing to lose, and I also think they are a much better side than what the media makes out. Another factor is that Jimmy Anderson will spearhead the bowling attack, which will give the whole bowling unit a massive lift.

It looks as if Ian Bell and Moeen Ali will open the batting, with Ali in the side he can also bowl 10 overs. With this in mind England could play an extra batsman, so why not stick Gary Ballance in at six instead of Bopara.  Buttler at seven (maybe a bit low, but hey they can change to order if needs be), followed by Broad, Finn, Anderson and Tredwell.

Just be brave England, before it’s too late and go and win that darn thing in a blaze of glory. Don’t forget folks, you heard it here first!

Time for me to ile down and think about seeing a shrink! England at 12-1, well it’s worth a few quid, or am I better off using the monies to buy a pint?

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Monday 12^th January

Unbelievable, just unbelievable, as soon as I posted my supplement last week, Alviro Petersen decides to retire from international cricket and thus become Kolpak player, making him available to play County Cricket, thus not classed as an overseas player.

Last week I was saying, along with quite a few others, that Somerset need a world class batsman, and with Petersen playing at the mighty Somerset over the past few summers, surely Matthew Maynard would have been in touch, surely?

You may be aware that The County Ground will host a T20 International during the summer of 2017, when England will take on South Africa. Fantastic news for Somerset and Taunton, the place will just be buzzing.

The new Somerset Pavilion, which is replacing the Old Pavilion, is making progress, with steel structures starting to be put in place. It seems every day I walk past the ground more development has happened and is starting to take place. The ground will just look spectacular once the new stand has finished, making probably the best non Test ground on the County circuit.

Unfinished

Sellsy's Monday Supplement

Monday 5^th January

Happy New Year to one and all, and what a year we have in prospect.

Internationally England have a packed itinerary for the next 12 months, it goes something like this:

January-February - England in Australia (Triangular Series)
February-March - ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand
April - England in West Indies (3 Tests)
May - Ireland v England (ODI)
May-June - New Zealand in England (2 Tests, 5 ODIs, 1 T20)
June-September - Australia in England (5 Tests, 5 ODIs, 1 T20)
October-November - England in Pakistan (3 Tests, 5 ODIs, 1 T20)
December-February 2016 - England in South Africa (4 Tests, 5 ODIs, 2 T20s)

As you can see the Aussies are coming, that only means one thing, the greatest prize in sport: The Ashes. Are The Ashes really bigger than winning the World Cup? Simple answer, Yes!

With the Ashes in mind, plus the little matter of the World Cup being played in Australia, I have deployed a special correspondent to the “Convict Colony” to gauge the mood amongst the locals. Reports to follow, but have already had some updates from the GABBA; a more in depth feature will follow over the next few weeks or so.

With no Test cricket for England over the months leading up to the World Cup, it is very pleasing to see there is 19 Test matches lined up over the next 12 months, and some very tricky ones indeed. Hopefully Alastair Cook will be well rested, and when he picks up his bat up again he will be raring to go.

With all this international cricket going on it is somewhat difficult to forget that the domestic season is four months away, something I always look forward too.

Somerset’s new Director of Cricket, Matthew Maynard, has a lot to ponder about over the next few months. The need of a quality top order batsman (or two) will be high on his “to do” list.

With Nick Compton leaving for Middlesex, Chris Jones retiring from 1^st Class Cricket, Craig Kieswetter undergoing surgery on his eye and the likes of Arul Suppiah having to give up the game through injury, Somerset have a bit of a problem at the top of the order. Plus Jos Buttler leaving for relegated Lancashire, and Somerset deciding to opt for an overseas spinner rather than keeping Alviro Petersen, a full top order is suddenly missing.

I suppose this does create opportunities for others, but not in all positions. James Allenby will be a good acquisition in the batting line-up, his experience will help, but Somerset sorely needs a world class batsman.

Ok, enough of that worrying, there will be so much cricket going on over the coming months, when it comes to the start of the County season things would of been sorted, surely?

Ok, back to skittles and Thatchers tonight, more doom and gloom there! Happy New Year everyone.