Harmison retires from one day cricket
Retirement sure seems to be the dominant theme this summer. There was Damien Martyn's bombshell last week. You can't turn around these last few days without seeing a TV bulletin, hearing a radio news break or reading a newspaper headline about Shane Warne's retirement. Glenn McGrath is also poised to announce his retirement next week, prudently delaying his announcement for fear of stealing Warnie's thunder. And now Steve Harmison has just retired from one day cricket.
Harmison's decision coincides with the announcement of the England ODI squad which he is not a part of. There are other subtle messages in the make-up of the squad. Chris Read is the wicketkeeper which doesn't bode well for Geraint Jones and the Boxing Day Test (which is as it should be). Monty Panesar is in the side (again, as it should be). And Michael Vaughan is in the side although the selectors are being coy about who will be captain. Presumably it will be Vaughan if he's fit. Again a good idea to reduce the pressure on Flintoff. So it took 3 Test losses but the English selectors have finally figured out the best squad (which everybody else already knew).
All these retirements in the middle of a series is distracting and peculiar (let's not forget the circus that was Steve Waugh's summer long retirement). But now I'm seeing a method to their madness. Obviously all our veterans can't retire at the end of this series - we'd lose half our team in one fell stroke. So you have to get in early, make that press release and you're in the clear. As for Haydo, Langer and Gilchrist - they can't just abandon the team after losing 3 key players already. So they're stuck in the Test squad till the end of next summer. Sucked in, fellahs!
| Posted by JC on Fri 22 Dec |  3 comments |
What, no accolades for Harmo yet fellas?
Posted by TA on 2006-12-22 11:31:53
Posted by TA on 2006-12-22 11:31:53
Nah, he's a big game choker. Hit Ponting in the face, got Clarke out with a slower ball on the last ball of the day, that's about it...
Posted by JC on 2006-12-22 12:07:23
Posted by JC on 2006-12-22 12:07:23
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