I'm buzzing at the thought of being involved

13 April 2012

What a brilliant day. Only one thing could top watching England beat the Aussies and that was the news that The Cat had been called up for Thursday's final Test at the Oval.

Playing for England at any stage is an honour and the highlight of a cricketer's career so I am buzzing just at the thought of being involved.

You have to earn an England call-up and I hope my 53 Championship wickets for Middlesex this season have proved my worth. If I get a chance against the Aussies hopefully I can show that The Cat is still capable of pouncing.

What the England players showed yesterday was that they could handle pressure. What a match.

The Australians are beatable, and we are capable of a great deal more than what we have shown for most of the summer. We all knew that though didn't we? Well I certainly did.

First things first, Mark Butcher, my old mate Butch, what an incredible innings, one of the greatest individual innings from any player in recent years. And all from the man who so very nearly gave the game up not so long ago - fantastic. He was only brought into the team because of injuries, but now, and not just in this match, he has shown any doubters that he has a rightful place in the team.

Let us also not forget the support from Nasser and Ramps. Just one thing Ramps, never walk unless you are completely sure, especially not when we are sometimes guilty of the wobbles. Nasser has come back well and with a hundred odd runs in the match has shown that he was missed both as captain and middle-order batsman.

Suddenly, we could be looking at a first choice batting line up of Atherton, Trescothick, Butcher, Hussain, Thorpe, Ramprakash and Stewart, not forgetting Vaughan and Afzaal. Things maybe aren't so bad eh?

Speaking as a bowler who knows how easily we are forgotten once some batsman gets a few runs, let us not forget the impression Mr Gough left on the game with his finishing off of the Australian tail. They could have so easily been up around the 600 mark, and then there really would have been no way back. But having looked not as menacing as usual, he came back brilliantly to give England a chance to stay in the game.

OK I suppose I should mention the one point that could put a slight dampener (quite literally) on England's celebrations and that is the weather factor. Although not publicly perhaps - they wouldn't want to be seen as whingeing Aussies - there will be those who perhaps rightly are thinking that without the rain, the target would have been out of reach, if the Aussies could have batted more on Sunday.

But as is always the case, you can only do what is put in front of you. Plus the way Butch was going, if we had needed 450, we would probably have got it anyway! ! Seriously though, hats off to Australia for their declaration, as it meant there was really only going to be a winner and a loser, no boring draw.

Although I praise the Aussies for that decision, it was very interesting to see that they decided to test themselves under pressure, and if the truth be known, even they were found a little wanting at times. Even after all the matches they have played, it was great to see that the World Champions were affected by the pressure.

Can't have the last word about the Aussies, after such a performance by England, and in particular Butch. Let's all just enjoy his innings and realise that us English aren't so bad at the game we invented. Are those memories of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies series suddenly coming back to people now? Thought they might. See you at the Oval.

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I'm buzzing at the thought of being involved

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