The Reverse Sweep

The Holy Grail, Nick Compton, Indiana Jones and the dastardly Graeme Hick

So in the end God’s only way of preventing Nick Compton from drinking from the Holy Grail of 1,000 first-class runs by the end of May was to send the rain clouds to Worcester. Compton was playing himself in and had reached nine not out – just 50 runs short of the landmark – when the deluge arrived and play was abandoned for the day.

We’re pretty sure Graeme Hick had an influence somewhere. The last man to sup nectar from the legendary grail accomplished his feat at his beloved New Road in 1988. God and Hick obviously decided between them that for Compton to have the temerity to try and emulate the former Worcestershire batsman at the same ground was too much.

So Nick Compton is no Indiana Jones after all then.

Where next?

Nick Compton and the Holy Grail

Kevin Pietersen's retirement from limited-overs cricket: the case for the defence

Nick Compton: runs and jokes at Kevin Pietersen's expense

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Nick Compton and the Holy Grail

Last year we got momentarily excited when Marcus Trescothick nearly secured the Holy Grail of 1,000 first-class runs by the end of May.

Trescothick would have been the first batsman to achieve the feat since 1988 when Graeme Hick set expectations of the international career he would be eligible to start for England three summers later.

This time it is the turn of Trescothick's Somerset team mate who has enjoyed a relevatory start to the season and with the game at Worcester starting tomorrow probably has one chance to the 59 runs he needs to become the ninth batsman to emulate Indiana Jones and sup the elixir of life from the Grail.

WG Grace was the first to achieve the feat in 1895 and was followed by Tom Hayward (1900), Wally Hammond (1927), Charles Hallows (1928), Don Bradman (1930 and 1938), Bill Edrich (1938) and Glenn Turner (1973) before Hick (1988). Even Compton's illustrious grandfather didn't manage to achieve this milestone.

If the season continues to start earlier and earlier each year, the chances are that this exclusive club could increase its membership on a far more regular basis. But that shouldn't detract from Compton's sublime performances this year.

Hick was helped in no small measure by the 405 he scored at Taunton for Worcestershire, so it would be rather apt if Somerset's Compton emulated him at Worcester tomorrow or Thursday.

Where next?

Nick Compton: runs and jokes at Kevin Pietersen's expense

Kevin Pietersen is innocent (and right about Nick Knight)

Hedley Verity - a proper hero with 'no breaking point'

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Marcus Trescothick so close to cricket's Holy Grail

 
In Monty Python and the Holy Grail, God appears in the form of that Victorian master of cricket W.G.Grace and instructs the motley crew of Python knights to seek out the Holy Grail with hilarious results.

The ghost of Grace may well have been frequenting Somerset before the start of the season too as Marcus Trescothick has failed by just a whisker from obtaining one of cricket’s Holy Grail’s – 1,000 runs in an English season before the end of May.

Trescothick’s glorious unbeaten 151 (off just 131 balls) helped Somerset chase down 228 to beat Yorkshire yesterday. It was Trescothick’s fourth hundred of the season and second in the match and took him to 978 first-class runs for the season – just a tantalising 22 runs short of immortality.

Only eight batsmen in history have broken the fabled 1,000 run barrier before the end of May: Grace was the first to achieve the feat in 1895 and was followed by Tom Hayward (1900), Wally Hammond (1927), Charles Hallows (1928), Don Bradman (1930 and 1938), Bill Edrich (1938), Glenn Turner (1973) and Graeme Hick (1988).

Given Trescothick (and Somerset’s) shambolic start to the season, the former England opener’s haul is all the more impressive. Somerset were thrashed in their first two games with Trescothick contributing just 18, 5, 4 and 21 as his side were defeated twice by an innings.

But since then Trescothick has hit 227 and 23 against Hampshire, 31 and 23 against Worcestershire, 144 in his only innings against Durham, 63 and 79 at Hove versus Sussex and finally 189 and 151 not out against Yorkshire.

Unfortunately, Somerset don’t have another First-Class match before the end of May, so for Trescothick it is a case of so near, yet so far – just like the Pythons, whose quest for the Holy Grail memorably ended with arrest by the police.

Where next?

Marcus Trescothick resurrects Somerset's season

Somerset has a really, really bad day at the office

County Championship Preview - Division 1: Somerset

County Championship XI of the week #6

County Championship XI of the week #4

Heroes: Marcus Trescothick

2010 County XI of the season

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5th Test: Sydney - Preview: England look to give Clarke baptism of fire

 
Mission Australia is almost accomplished. The Ashes have been retained, but the series is not yet won and England will be intent on securing the victory that will earn the 3-1 scoreline that their dominance throughout the series both deserves and demands.

England's stated intention is to become the number one side in the world. There is still someway to go until they are even close to achieving that - winning in India for example - but a series win in Australia would be a good start. Extra incentive could be provided by last year's series in South Africa when England went into the final match of the series in Johannesburg 1-0 up. They were then blown away by Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel and returned home with a creditable share of the spoils rather than a glorious scalp. 

The pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground traditionally favours spin and swing, so Graeme Swann will look to reprise the leading role he played in the second innings of the crushing win in Adelaide. Swing King James Anderson too will be licking his lips - as will Mitchell Johnson if the radar has returned - at the prospect of embellishing his position as the leading wicket-taker in the series.

For Australia, the match has the appearance of a new chapter with Michael Clarke taking over from the injured Ricky Ponting to become Australia's 43rd Test captain - a position that has the same profile and pressure down under as the manager of the nation's football team does in England. There will be debuts too for Usman Khawaja - the first muslim to play for Australia - and Michael Beer, who will play his 8th first-class match and his first at the SCG.

Likely line-ups

England are likely to be unchanged with Tim Bresnan retaining his place ahead of the rested Steven Finn and Paul Collingwood playing what could prove to be his final test unless he can rediscover his mojo with the bat.

Khawaja will likely replace Ponting at number three - although it would be a real statement of intent for Clarke to take this pivotal role, whilst Beer will replace the injured Ryan Harris. Doug Bollinger will likely be 12th man, giving Ben Hilfenhaus another opportunity to get amongst the wickets. 

Look out for...

Michael Clarke has had just as a poor series with the bat as his erstwhile captain with just 148 runs at 21.14, and his previous silky technique seems to have deserted him. Indeed, his stats in his last 8 Tests are 322 runs at 21.46. So will the extra pressure of the captaincy provide renewal or further pain?  

Graeme Swann has had a solid rather than spectacular series. Poor in Brisbane and Perth, but impressive in Adelaide and Melbourne. The SCG pitch should suit him, so a match-winning performance here would be no real surprise.  

Previously at Sydney

They've been playing test cricket at the SCG since 1882 and England have a good record at the ground with 21 wins to Australia's 25 with 7 draws.

2007 - Australia won by 10 wickets- Warne, McGrath and Langer's grand finale as Australia walloped a shellshocked England to confirm the first Ashes whitewash since 1920/21.

2003 - England won by 225 runs- In a match perhaps best remembered for Steve Waugh's emotional hundred, England prevented a series whitewash with Mark Butcher's hundred in the first innings and Michael Vaughan's sparkling 183 - his third ton of the series - in the second, helping set Australia a stiff target of 452. Andy Caddick then took seven wickets - ten in the match - in his final test to let England bow out of a tough series on a high.

1999 - Australia won by 98 runs- England went into the final test of the series knowing that a win would enable them to square the series. But despite a hat-trick from Darren Gough on day 1, the luck deserted England when the third umpire controversially adjudged that Michael Slater had not been run out for 35 in Australia's second innings. Slater went on to make a brilliant 123 out of 184 and the target of 287 proved too much for Alec Stewart's side.

1995 - Match drawn - A potentially famous victory for England was ruined by the weather. Michael Atherton, John Crawley and Gough all hit half-centuries as England hit 309 batting first, before they shot out Australia for just 116 - they were 65/8 at one point. Atherton then declared with Graeme Hick two runs short of a hundred, but the weather, hundreds from Mark Taylor and Slater and stern resistance down the order enabled Australia to escape with the draw.

Prediction

In Australia's favour is their imposing recent record at the SCG - 14 wins in their last 16 matches including the remarkable turnaround against Pakistan last year. Indeed, England (in 2003 - see above) are the only opponents to win at the venue during this time.  However, as we've seen during the series, this Australian team is a shadow of its immediate predecessors and if England retain their focus, they should secure a comfortable win to take the series 3-1.

Where next?

Read all the latest from our Ashes 2010/11 coverage

The best and worst Test XIs of 2010

Watch Darren Gough's hat-trick at Sydney in 1999

The 25 Greatest Ashes Tests of them all: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

1st Test: England marks out of 10, 1st Test: Australia marks out of 10

2nd Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10

3rd Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10

4th Test: England marks out of 10, Australia marks out of 10

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Ashes 100-1: 98 Deano's match

Today we reach number 98 in our Ashes 100-1 countdown and appropriately we go back to Melbourne in 1998 and a former England fast bowler's one day in the sun and an alcoholic infused haze for the Reverse Sweep.

1998 was the year that I spent a memorable time travelling across Australia. I had been in Cairns when a thunderstorm saved England in the 1st test at Brisbane. I then suffered being mercifully ribbed by our Aussie ranger in Kakadu National Park as England were thrashed at the WACA before passing through Coober Pedy as Australia retained the Ashes with another win in Adelaide.

So it was by Christmas that my brother and I reached Melbourne and tickets were purchased for the Boxing Day test at the MCG. We weren't confident, but as English cricket fans we were used to being thrashed by the Aussies and at least we would get to enjoy cricket at one of the best sporting theatres in the world.

And we expected to get a tan into the bargain. Christmas Day had been spent on St Kilda's beach in glorious sunshine and 37 degree heat. So when we made our way to the MCG the morning after we expected more of the same. Big mistake. The temperature had dropped 20 degrees and it rained for most of the day. No cricket and no sun meant the only thing we left with were goose pimples.

Fortunately, the rest of the test match was a classic (see scorecard). England batted first and Alec Stewart hit a captain's knock of 107 as his side compiled a first innings of 270. In reply, Australia struggled to 252 for eight before that snake in the grass Steve Waugh batted with the tail for the umpteenth time against England to hit an unbeaten 122 and carry the Aussies to 340.

When Mike Atherton duly bagged a pair, the game looked up for England, but half centuries from Stewart, Nasser Hussain and Graeme Hick saw England set the Aussies 175 to win. Knowing Australia's poor record at chasing smallish totals and also their propensity for losing a match once they had secured the series, optimism was rife amongst the Barmy Army supporters we were sitting with. No doubt the regular flow of cold but tasteless Australian beer was fuelling our confidence.

However, optimism had dimmed somewhat when Australia reached 103 for two before Mark Ramprakash pulled off a remarkable catch to get rid of Justin Langer. That seemed to put some doubt into Australian minds and soon after Mark Waugh, Darren Lehmann, Ian Healy and Damien Fleming all fell in quick succession - all to Dean Headley who for one day at least played the part of a world-class fast bowler.

But the thorn in England's side Steve Waugh was still there and shepherding number nine (and debutant) Matt Nicholson to the winning target. With only 14 runs to get and three wickets still remaining, most of our hopes had gone. Then Headley (six for 60) struck again to have Nicholson caught behind by Warren Hegg before Darren Gough cleaned up Stuart McGill and Glenn McGrath in the blink of an eye.

England had incredibly won by 12 runs and we had witnessed a great test match with a pulsating conclusion. When we left we ground we were knackered, pretty drunk but elated - the game had finished after 7.30. The night stretched on long into the early hours as we drank numerous toasts to Stewart, Gough and Ramps, but most of all Headley. What a shame that injury and form consigned him to be one of cricket's one hit wonders.  

Ian Bell's renaissance continues

Like Mark Ramprakash and Graeme Hick before him, Ian Bell is a supremely talented batsman who hasn't quite lived up to his immense promise in test cricket. After finally being dropped after England were hustled out for 51 by the West Indies at Sabina Park in February last year, it looked like Bell would struggle to get back into the side.

Although his average of 40 was significantly higher than Ramprakash or Hick, many similarities with the two existed. He had failed to nail down the number three spot, had developed an annoying habit of getting out when well set and only seemed to score heavily when others were doing the same. Bell seemed a batsman happy to play the supporting act, but never the lead role. Unlike Ramprakash and Hick who were in and out of the side regularly, Bell could not argue that he hadn't been given a fair run before being dropped, and many observers felt that he had had enough opportunities.

But on the evidence of his performances since being recalled against Australia at Edgbaston last summer, it seems that the selectors have been right and that now is time to reassess the Warwickshire batsman. Initially things didn't seem to have changed as Bell got out after scoring an attractive fifty at Edgbaston and then followed that up with two failures at Headingley. The clamour to replace him was intense but the selectors decided that Ravi Bopara would be the fall guy and elevated Bell to the number three position for the crunch Oval test.

Here something seemed to change. Yes, Bell got out again when well set on 72. But this wasn't a bright and breezy 72. He was all at sea initially against Mitchell Johnson and showed courage and concentration to get through and build what proved to be a very important innings. Unfortunately, as had always seemed to be the case in his career, Bell's brave innings was overshadowed by others - this time Stuart Broad's bowling and Jonathan Trott's second innings ton on debut.

Next up in the 1st test of the South African series, Bell inexplicably left a straight one from Paul Harris in the 1st innings to be bowled for 5 and also failed in the second innings. Once again the clamour for Bell's removal reached a crescendo and the selectors came close to dropping him in favour of another bowler for Durban. But Bell remained and it was here that the renaissance truly began with his 140 giving England the 1st innings lead they required to make South Africa capitulate to win the match. This wasn't enough for the doubters who cited the statistic that Bell had still never scored a test match century unless one of his colleagues had done so previously.

In the next test at Newlands, Bell again gave his wicket away in the 1st innings when well set on 48, but this time followed it up with a battling 78, when in tandem with Paul Collingwood he marshalled an England rearguard that saved the test. We were now seeing substance as well as style, and character as well as class.

 
So onto Bangladesh. His 84 in the 1st test came when there was no pressure on and like Hick before him, one could even argue that he was worthy of a 'flat track bully' tag given his 350 runs for once out against the Bangladeshis. But no one can doubt the importance of his century in the current 2nd test, where he has saved England from the ignominy of a 1st innings deficit and likely defeat with a wonderfully composed 138 - his tenth test century. Of course Tim Bresnan could also reach three figures to keep the previously referred statistic alive, but these were not easy runs in the context of the match.

The onus now for Bell is to kick on from here. 714 runs at 51 since his return at Edgbaston is impressive and considering England have summer series against Bangladesh and Pakistan one should expect this renaissance to continue. But then come the Ashes in Australia and Bell's chance to improve his dreadful record against England's greatest foes. This will be Bell's biggest test.