The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : England looks for whitewash

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Thursday, Jun 10, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

England looks for whitewash

By Ted Corbett

NOTTINGHAM, JUNE 9. Here is a strange fact to ponder on the eve of the third Test as England heads for a clean sweep over a New Zealand side full of crocks.

Justin Langer, the Australian opening batsman, played a couple of seasons for Middlesex and apart from scoring a few runs, as you might expect of an overseas professional, and showing a much greater work rate than the county players, made very few waves. But, uniquely, he was the first person to identify the pace and lift coming from Steve Harmison and he was the inspiration around the success of Andrew Strauss: on Strauss's own admission.

Now, as England heads towards the top of the world ratings — as much as anything because it is winter in the other half of the planet and little cricket is being played — these two men are at the core of their success. Strauss we can leave for another day as he is still early in his career, although no one doubts that great innings lie ahead; better than his three scores over fifty in his first four Test innings.

But Harmison is a modern wonder, a fast bowler who can bowl with the new ball, come back for another spell at just the same pace and produce an unplayable delivery often enough to induce fear into the batsman. Not physical fear, but that nagging doubt about just how good the next delivery will be.

Harmison — Harm-ful Harmy, according to the British tabloids — is second to Muttiah Muralitharan in the PwC rankings and that says a lot. He is the bowler who has no stigma against his name. He does not throw as so many of the top men are alleged to do; he does not bombard his victims with foul abuse either before or after he has sent them back to the pavilion.

At Leeds I saw him back off when it became clear one Kiwi batsman might give him a reminder of his potential inadequacies; Glenn McGrath and Merv Kitchen would have beefed up the noise. But that is the point. Harmison does not throw or sledge. He must be good if he can take 38 wickets already this year without those two apparently necessary attributes.

Langer marked him the quickest and the most unpleasant bowler four years ago but now, aged 25, Harmison is reaping the harvest of his good figures and massive publicity. He began to improve during the England tour of Bangladesh last autumn but was injured. Back home he went training with the footballers of Newcastle United; I bet he wishes he had done that three years earlier. He went to West Indies fit and confident and brought back 23 scalps, including that marvellous seven for 12 at Sabina Park and six for 61 in the next Test at Port of Spain.

He may be hoping, as he lays his 6ft 7in of painfully thin body down to sleep on Wednesday night, that Michael Vaughan, the England captain, loses the toss and that he can bowl first for there will be juice in the pitch at the start but that it will never be quick. The perfect formula for a bowler who likes to pitch the ball up at around 86 miles an hour — more Curtly Ambrose's pace than McGrath's — as well as testing the batsman's resolve with a bouncer or two.

As for the New Zealanders, it is better to offer prayers than advice. They will be without their fastest bowler Shane Bond, their cleverest bowler Daniel Vettori and the opening batsman Michael Papps. Jacob Oram can only bat.

Scouring the English countryside has brought forward Mathew Sinclair and James Franklin, both bowlers. So they are likely to be the first victims of an England whitewash since 1978 against New Zealand. There have only been ten in history — three against India in 1959, 1967 and 1974 — and you may remember Brian Lara put a stop to foolish talk of a 11th in Antigua two months ago.

Three of the Kiwis have birthdays in this Test — Daryl Tuffey, Chris Cairns and Mark Richardson — but I suspect they will have little else to celebrate during the next five days.

The teams:

England (from): Michael Vaughan (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Mark Butcher, Graham Thorpe, Andrew Flintoff, Geraint Jones, Ashley Giles, Simon Jones, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, Martin Saggers.

New Zealand (from): Stephen Fleming (captain), Mark Richardson, Nathan Astle, Scott Styris, Brendon McCullum, Mathew Sinclair, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Daryl Tuffey, Chris Martin, James Franklin.

Umpires: Daryl Harper (Australia) and Simon Taufel (Australia). Match Referee: Clive Lloyd (West Indies).

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