Cricket an Olympic sport? Nah...

There has been quite a lot of discussion about cricket becoming an Olympic sport this week.

Blunt and honest opinion... nah it shouldn't be...

What does cricket actually gain from becoming an Olympic sport? The format they are going to play has to be T20 cricket and in my mind, apart from being a bit of entertainment for the fans - this isn't worthy of being an Olympic sport.

Maybe I am missing something but I just don't understand how the game would better itself by sending a team of smash and bash cricketing artists to see if they could win a medal.

I think its a noble gesture and I think its been spurred along by "Olympic Fever" but the players already play too much cricket and this is simply going to wear them down a little further.

Pointless as far as I can see...

Cricket is still the gentleman’s game – and it something that we must never allow to disappear from the game yesterday.

When Paul Collingwood left the field at Edgebaston yesterday he received a standing ovation from the crowd, and every South African player on the field went up to him to shake his hand.

A recognition of an innings that potentially saved his team, especially considering he was badly out of form and being lambasted by the press.

You rarely see that same kind of recognition in other sports (particularly from the opposition). I think rugby perhaps has its own way of acknowledging strong performances with gestures at the bottom of the ruck but I can never recall a single instance where a hockey or football player has made the effort to go up to an opponent after the game and shake their hand.

Well done to the Edgebaston crowd for acknowledging an heroic innings from Collingwood. Well done to the South African cricketers who, despite realising that Collingwood had made their lives tough, still had the courtesy to acknowledge his efforts.

And of course – well done to Collingwood – glad you got some form back!

Graeme Smith

Love him or hate him, you can’t deny that Graeme Smith is tough.

This toughness is one of the attributes that has won South African many games in the last few years. The way he dominated the English attack and scored 154 in an afternoon shows just how focused he was on thumping the Poms.

A target of 281 to win was doable but not a straight forward run chase. When we lost 4 of our top order quickly, doubts could have crept in.

But one just got the sense that Graeme Smith went out there to win. No bullshit.

I think Smith receives a lot of criticism for his perceived arrogance. At the end of the day, we look back at the likes of Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh remember that they were an equally “arrogant” bunch sod – but they brought their A game when Australia went out to play and that’s why they were able demolish most sides on a consistent basis.

SA attack this morning

I thought the South African cricket side bowled curiously this morning when they had Collingwood and Sidebottom together.

Collingwood didn't score a single run straight on and milked the bowlers the moment they bowled short and wide. Yet for some obscure reason, we insisted on bowling short and wide to him? The one delivery that Morkel pitched full and straight nailed him front on and should have been out.

I thought Morkel bowled particularly well to Sidebottom when he got stuck in, but it proved the point that you have to vary your lines for batters. Collingwood was happy with the short stuff where Sidebottom struggled.

Obviously sitting on the sidelines, it is easy to criticise, but the South Africans (in my opinion) but themselves under pressure by not being disciplined and bowling at Collingwoods weaknesses.

On a side note - good call by the 3rd umpired - Ian Gould (??), I also didn't think Devilliers made a clean catch this time around....