At one point it looked as though the only way England would reach the Final of their one day series - it is sponsored but it’s an Australian bank so who cares - against Australia and New Zealand would be if one of the teams decided to go surfing and were all killed in a freak feeding frenzy by sharks somewhere off the New South Wales coast.
But, please, do not adjust your television - sorry computer monitors - because, as ridiculous as it may once have seemed, England have stunned the world of cricket by actually winning some one day games. Not only that, because New Zealand are also crap, they will now play for silverware in a best of three series Final against Australia.
Of course, they will lose that, but, hey....they won.... two games in a row....incredible...it’s enough to make me want to dash to the bookies in the Bigg Market and throw down (surely I mean away) £50 on them winning the World Cup next month.
And who is responsible for my new found optimism? Why, Durham duo Paul Collingwood and Liam Plunkett of course.
Actually, that’s only partly true. Collingwood’s century against the Kiwis on Tuesday and Plunkett’s three wickets did have a major impact on the game, but so too did the clever bowling of Freddie Flintoff (finally finding some form after a dreadful few months) and Monty Panesar (why on earth did he not start in the Test series when he can bowl like this in one day cricket?)
It has been a strange time for Plunkett. Despite being named in both the Test and One Day squads this winter, Plunkett has only played three competitive games on the tour.
He has been constantly mocked by wags in the media (that’s the traditional use of the word to mean comedian, not Wives and Girlfriends as made popular at football’s World Cup last summer), nicknamed Lord Lucan by teammates and drinks boy by the Aussies.
But, after an awful start, the Middlesbrough fast bowler has started to produce the goods, which must come as a big relief when, just a couple of weeks ago, it looked like the only thing he would return to the North-East with was a suntan and an unhealthy knowledge of hotel movies!
It has been an equally strange winter for Collingwood. England’s pick of the batsman before Christmas and with a magnificent double century in the ultimately disastrous Second Test in Adelaide, the boy from Shotley Bridge has been, well, to put it bluntly, terrible ever since.
He was mocked by Shane Warne all series and rarely troubled the scorers other than a brief note of who had dismissed him, how and how cheaply.
In fact, there were even whispers that the Durham all-rounder’s place was under threat. Then again, Collingwood’s place always seems to be under threat and, just as he has done in the past, he responded when he needed to.
That England will lose the final is virtually guaranteed, but at least we have some cause for comfort thanks to two players who would have been forgiven for wanting to join Steve Harmison at home before this sudden and unexpected run of wins.
Talking of Harmy.....
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