by Arthur Crabtree » Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:57 pm
Best innings against England of the year.
1. BJ Watling, 120 at Headingley.
Bless them, it only takes a single win for the UK cricket press and their tv colleagues to turn Cooky's heroes into an era defining dynasty. After the England triumph at Lord's, it was South African born Bradley-John's turn to cause them to briefly to reconsider. Playing as a batting specialist, he put on 119 with the rather more charismatic Brendan McCullum, and then 102 with Luke Ronchi and Mark Craig, to set England 452 to win. But it was the contrast between this unheralded, unassuming Kiwi dependable and the feted England stars that made this innings so stirring. Almost as if this was Blyth Spartans turning over Arsenal in the cup. Which, of course, is ridiculous. Probably my favourite cricketing moment of the year.
Best bowling against England of the year.
2. Peter Siddle, 2-32 & 4-35.
I don't know when it was it happened, that snarling Peter Siddle, the man who was always at the elbow of Ricky Ponting, shouting at a poor unfortunate victim, became Bananaman, a player I somehow liked, a little bit. Maybe the surprising Boho diet helped. Maybe, as it so often is, it was the loss of the potency of his venom. Sympathy. I liked him because I thought he was over. In interviews, the collaborative, hard working and competitive Siddle has an unexpected bluff dignity. And his bowling at the Oval was made all the more poignant, because he was ignored all series, as his team mates failed to work magic on some ultra English surfaces. Finally given a chance in the dead fifth Test, his figures didn't do justice to how great he was there. If Broad never missed the edge of the bat in Nottingham, Siddle went past the bat again and again and again. He wrung every drop of potency there was in the late summer pitch. He went at under two runs an over, and bowled less than a handful of loose deliveries. And he saved his Test career with his last chance.
I always say that everybody's right.