Silly Season

Ashes 2013

 

Silly Season Starts

 

July 9^th

 

“We are going to win 5-0”. In the absence of any current players coming out with outrageous statements, it is usually possible to find a retired player willing to say something like this. Even Glenn McGrath has limited himself to the simple suggestion that Australia “can win” (not even “will win” this time). Ian Botham though has no such doubts and has predicted that England will win 5-0 at home and then 5-0 away. Ouch! For what it is worth, the bookies have lengthened slightly the odds on the draw and still have England very warm favourites for the 1^st Test, but the only comments from inside the England camp warn of the danger of underestimating the Australians and many fans are concerned that any complacency could just lead to defeat; predictions of a 5-0 result are being treated with the same respect as reports that aliens may disrupt the Test by landing a flying saucer on the square at the toss.

The biggest single issue is the ban on Billy Cooper – the Barmy Army trumpeter – from taking his trumpet into the ground. This has produced appeals from all sides, including Graeme Swann, for an amnesty to be extended. There are even suggestions that the ECB may try to circumvent the ban by inviting him to play in offical capacity, or house him on a balcony overlooking the ground, away from the “evil” Trent Bridge fun police.

The Ashes pre-conference has produced the usual anodyne statements – neither captain wishes to make some crazy comment that may rebound on him later. One interesting remark was that Michael Clarke has said how glad he is not to be facing Nick Compton because he “has class”. Otherwise, as I write, we still do not know what Australia’s squad for tomorrow will be: surely they must know by now who will line-up for them? Suggestions are that David Warner will play, but possibly batting at 6, with Ed Cowan in the problem position at 3. Australia, it seems, will announce an XI only at the toss.