Some cricket related news

As England turn the screws on a very disappointing Indian side, a side who look tired from too much lucrative one day cricket, I note that no fewer than eight England players have been named in the 17-man long-list for the ICC Cricketer of the Year award. The eight are James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ian Bell, Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett and Jonathan Trott. The winners will be announced in London on 12 September. I would say that much as I admire him Stuart Broad has not performed over the whole year, likewise Alastair Cook, Chris Tremlett and Andrew Strauss. Sadly unless Graeme Swann takes a hat-full of wickets in the next two tests he also does not deserve it on a whole year's performances. So the award should go to James Anderson for becoming what I always hoped he would become, a class swing bowler, or Ian Bell for batting so well for so long and Jonathan Trott likewise.

Meanwhile I noted this comment on the BBC cricket coverage:

'From Ian in London, TMS inbox: "Do clouds of smoke caused by burning buildings cause the ball to swing in the same way as 'conventional' clouds?"'

Topical, very topical.