sidelined

I must admit getting a kick out of the Australia v England Twenty20 game last night. There is nothing finer than when Gilchrist goes the tonk. The three sixes in succession of Anderson were mighty blows. You could see the Australians having fun and enjoying the spectacle. And as relaxed as the Aussies were, they did not give England an inch; inflicting another demoralising victory. What was very evident is the power in Australia’s top order compared to England’s. England has Flintoff and Pietersen compared to Hayden, Glichrist, Ponting, Symonds, White, Hussey and Clarke.

And though a tad traditionalist when it comes to cricket, Twenty20 has its place as a bit of an interlude or sideshow during the regular season. The very condensed nature makes it a crowd pleaser and a showcase for the batsmen. About the only ones who do not get anything out of Twenty20 are the bowlers who are the sacrificial victims to gods of big hitting cricket entertainment (Channel 9 in this case).

But it is a guilty pleasure and a tasty appetizer before the One-Day series.