Burns' Eye View

I left The Oval today feeling elated as England confirmed their supremacy in the Test series v India, by winning 4-0 and maintaining their remarkable habit of victory by an innings, their 7th such, in the past 14 Tests.

India has been destroyed. The World’s number one team, and 50-Over World Cup Champions, have looked a mere shadow of the great team they purport to be. Has England played so well that India has been unable to get into gear, or has India been under-prepared, complacent, and in no shape to engage in a heavyweight contest?

Rahul Dravid aside, India have been woeful. They look devoid of energy, fight and deficient in their skill with the ball.

In their defence, losing Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh to injury handicapped them considerably, but the attitude of the leader MS Dhoni seemed at odds with the dynamic, explosive cricketer who had lit up the recent World Cup Final with a match-winning performance in front of his adoring home fans..

My personal view is that good players (let alone great ones) don’t become bad ones overnight, and that India will remain a competitive team at the summit of world cricket for a few years yet. Others may want to react immediately and could demand changes to the side as senior players are approaching the veteran stage. I just think that this tour to England has been a bridge too far for players who have been involved in continuous battles and the exertion mixed with travel, and the emotion spent winning a World Cup in a country which demanded success, has taken its’ toll.

When a high performance motor car has no fuel in its’ tank, it doesn’t matter how hard the driver presses the accelerator to the floor. My feeling is that India has little left in their tank. The lack of fight and resilience in so many of their displays suggests that their team spirit may be lacking, but I think England has allowed India no room for error. They have been ‘ready for the fight’ and have traded some heavy blows.

England Cricket: Heavyweight Champions of the World!

Last Friday night, I was present among over 1500 people at The Racecourse Ground in Ascot to witness my local football club, Ascot united make their debut in the FA Cup.

Sadly they lost 2-1 to Wembley FC, but it was a memorable night for a variety of reasons.

Firstly, the fact that so many local people turned out to support our community football club. Secondly, that the famous old trophy was on display for the spectators to view and mesmerise young children with its’ glamour, and thirdly, that so many people around the UK (and the world due to Facebook’s online screening of the match) now realise what a brilliant club has been developed in the shadow of the Grandstand at Ascot Racecourse.

Ascot United Chairman Mike Harrison is a true champion. He has galvanised a body of people and inspired others to commit whatever resources they have spare to help build a role  model of a sporting club within a community. The battle to develop facilities and raise the near £1 Million to make it a reality knew no limits for Mike and his closest associates such as Doug Page and Alan Carr, to name merely a few good men. Friday night was a celebration of the journey so many had been part of for may manyt years.

A superb junior and youth programme over the past decade and more, has underpinned a senior team from a body of local youngsters. For them to play in the FA Cup is a dream come true.

The match itself was a thriller. Despite Wembley enjoying the the better of the first half encounter, it remained nil-nil at half time. Then the crowd  was entertained by a penalty shoot-out v FA Cup legend Dave Beasant, still the only goalkeeper to life the FA Cup as Captain and save a penalty in the Final.

The second-half saw Wembley take the lead with twenty minutes to go, only for Ascot to equalise from the penalty spot with five minutes remaining. The locals were ‘on fire’ and for a moment, it seemed that a possible second goal could have seen Ascot progress to the next round. Alas, Wembley had other ideas and created despair in Ascot’s hearts with a winner in the dying moments of the game.

What a night, and what a wonderful story Ascot United is.

England has destroyed India in the 3rd Test at Edgbaston to win the match by an innings and 242 runs, and the series 3-0, with one match still to play. 

England is now ranked by ICC as the world’s best team.

Congratulations to Andy Flower, Andrew Strauss, the team, ECB (the governing body) and every person who has played their part, however small, in achieving this wonderful accolade.

To beat India 3-0 with a match to spare, and in the process de-throne them after ensuring that India has not made more than 300 in 6 consecutive innings despite having the best batting line-up in world cricket. Last winter England beat Australia by 3 matches to 1 and all those wins were by an innings. Dominant Cricket by anyone’s measure.

Since Andy Flower became the Team Director after the 2009 West Indies Tour, England has won 8 Test series and drawn 1 (South Africa away) and played some superb Cricket in this period. More importantly, they have played as a TEAM. Performances have come from everywhere in the the team, and also from others in the squad such as Graham Onions, Steven Finn, and Chris Tremlett who have all played their part in England’s powerful rise to the summit of Test Cricket.

Long may England reign in Test Cricket, the most significant format in the world game.