Still here and ready to play
A lot of you out there might be wondering what I’ve been up to since my last entry.
Some of you might even be asking whether I’m still out here in Australia.
Well the answer is yes and I’m eager to get involved in the action after a couple of frustrating injuries.
Before the Test series I played in a warm-up game and broke my finger, which set me back for a while.
The Test team was then fairly settled bowling-wise, which meant my opportunities were limited.
I was waiting for the one-dayers to come around and would have played in this series by now – but then came another injury.
Just when I was about to make my tour breakthrough, I got hit on my toe by a yorker in the nets.
It was quite sore so I wasn't fit to play, but thankfully it’s a lot better now.
Despite those two blows, I think I've learned quite a lot in Australia, even though I’ve been largely confined to practising in the nets.
Just being part of the Ashes experience – even though results have not gone our way - has been valuable in terms of my learning curve.
My knowledge of bowling has been enhanced by picking up tips from the older campaigners and my batting has come on with the work I’ve been doing.
Away from the cricket, we’ve had a bit of time with our families, and Christmas was nice.
But it’s what happens on the field that counts and, most definitely, I should be getting a game fairly shortly.
It has been frustrating but there's a lot of cricket still to be played and hopefully I can take part in some of that, especially if we can make it through to the finals of the one-day series.
Hi Liam
I wanted to find out your comments on players walking, I coach an under 12 colts team, and really try to put my point to the youngsters that, if they have edged a ball, in the interests in the spirt of the game, that they should walk and not wait for the umpire.
When I see what happend today with Mike Hussy and the following comments he made I really dont think this should be a role model for the rest of the cirkcet public, Id be very interested on your take on this
"If I do happen to get out and umpire doesn't give me, that's just the way the game goes," Hussey commented.
Kind regards and Im very hopeful of you picking the red cherry up in your hand sometime soon
Complain about this postJon
It would be nice to see you play because of your promise and your batting. But after today's bowling performance, whose place would you take? I think Tremlett needs a few more chances and on most pitches I'd expect Monty to play. It's a positive that despite poor results we cannot find a place right now for people with incredible potential. Both you and me.
Complain about this postNice to here your still out there
Complain about this postunlucky with the injuries ,hope you can get a game and share some wickets with jimmy anderson.
How did it feel seeing Tremlett getting a game before you?
Good to hear that you are still alive Liam but a shame about the injuries.
Complain about this postA pretty awful tour results wise, but I agree in that it can only stand the younger playerrs in good stead for the future.
England are a young side full of talent and I have every hope and belief that the 05 Ashes result will be repeated on a more regular basis than in the last 20 years!!
Bring on 2009......
It must be fustrating for you mate. I hope you get a game soon. Just wondering, did you get a chance to speak to any Aussies about bowling? For example McGrath or Bichel come to mind as great seam bowlers. And also, how do the 2 teams get on off the field? I have always wondered!
Complain about this posthi liam,
all summer i have been hoping that you will play but as you say unfortuantely you have had some injuries. Though i think that if you were fit you should have played in the ashes (test) series and the ond dayers.
Now do you have any tips on how to swing the ball? any batting tips? any tips at all would be very kindly apreciated.
kind regards and im looking forward to seeing you get wickets for the england team again.
nick, 11
Complain about this postTo Jon Doherty,
I'll have some Sympathy for you when i see an englishman walk, because for now, there is only one bonifide walker between either side, and thats Gilchrist.
Complain about this posthey liam,
Complain about this postsorry to hear about your injuries. its disappointing that the ashes haven't gone well in Australi but there is still time for a come back- anythings possible even reverse sweeping murali for 6 or whatever that crazy shot was that kp did. the point is there is still time for england to get some more wins and hopefully with you fresh and fit again it can happen. besides the worldd cups just around the corner, we can show the aussies then. good luck!
It will be yet another misjudgement if you are not given a game jolly quickly, Liam. To my mind, you'd be a valuable addition to the bowling (Slightly more potential to take wickets than John Lewis, perhaps), and the batting order looks far better with you coming in at number 9. You ought to be a part of the world cup squad, but you can't really go into a tournament of that calibre without any preparation; And I don't mean all this nonsense about nets, for to say that a bowler can prepare for big matches by bowling in the nets alone is like saying that a barrister can prepare for a trial by cross-examining himself!! The one-day side, and to a lesser extent the test side, is a weaker one without you in it. In short, I'll be very disappointed if you're not in the team to face New zealand on Tuesday.
Complain about this postHi Liam
if you're hopes of playing a game are resting on England getting through to the finals of the series, I advise you speak to the batsman and ask them if it is possible to score more than 200 runs sometime soon! They are letting the bowlers down.
Complain about this postIf you hadn't hit Freddie on the head in the WACA nets during warm-up game would've that made a difference to selection!
At least you're in the World Cup squad and England's luck can only get better.
Complain about this postSo how was the Kylie Minogue concert?
At least being injured saved you the boredom of more training.
Complain about this postI hope you do get a game soon Liam, we need a stronger bowling attack if we are going to at least get some pride from these last few games, Tremlett is not good enough in my view but your a solid young player capable of taking wickets.
Complain about this postHi liam saw you enjoying the sun on st kilda beech in melbourne - nice place didnt you think ?
Complain about this postHi Liam
Sad to hear about your injuries. You kept superb line and length throughout the Sri Lanka series and I felt you would have made a valuable addition as then fourth seamer in the test series.
Good to see Tremlett involved and I would like to see you added in aswell. You both have a great amount of talent and can stick to a good line. I hope you make an appearence and star as we smash the aussies in the final :)
Complain about this posti hope you get a chance to play.
Complain about this postyou look just like my cousin.
keep smiling
Jon Doherty, you mention that you don't think Mike Hussey should be a role model for the rest of the cricket public.
You've got a very short memory, I failed to see a single Englishman walk during the Ashes, even during the last two tests when they had nothing but pride to play for.
Do you remember the 5th test, when Gilchrist was adjudged caught behind when he wasn't? All the Englishmen around the bat including the bowler and keeper, appealed? I can distinctly recall the bowler was none other than Anderson. What do they say about sport, what goes around comes around?
People in glass houses....
Complain about this postLiam.
Don't worry. We all know you should be playing ahead of Sunday league bowlers like Jon Lewis.
No wonder they get out to stupid shots, I could hit him out of the park.
As soon as they bring you and Monty into the team inplace of Collingwood and Lewis you'll be OK.
Loye
Complain about this postStrauss
Vaughan
Pietersen
Bell
Flintoff
Nixon
Dalrymple
Plunkett
Anderson
Panesar
Hey liam plunkat, i m your big fan because i like your bowling action, can you plz let me know where did u learn this action from, and how you learn it, isit natural or made by lots of practise ok thx bye.
Complain about this postLiam,
Complain about this postPlaying Cricket in Australia is a very difficult task. I think England is doing well considering all the factors. England is in a position to win 2007 World Cup.
"The test team was fairly settled bowling-wise". Who is he trying to kid! He should have been given a chance. He couldn't have done any worse. In fact we should have played Ed Joyce and Dalrymple in the last test - aat least it would have given a few more players experience of playing in an Ashes Test.
Complain about this postI am a keen fan of yours Liam, i think you will be the best bowler in England in 3 years, and with You, Cook, Bell, Steven Davies, Monty Panesar, Stuart Broad, Tom Smith, Ben Harmison, Adil Rashid the future is really bright for england. I also think you have potential as a batsman - you just need more confidence and more courgae to put bad balls away naturally - rather than trying to play "orthodox" strokes like an opener. I think its unfair the seemingly Saj overtook you in the pecking order without you doing anything wrong, you have been very unlucky.
Complain about this postI just have one question. Do you bowl of the wrong foot? Your action is incredibly similar to mine, in that you appear slightly unbalanced and dont bring your arm over at the same point in the delivery stride as other bowlers. You bring it over slightly later - after you've finished your jump and are almost into the next stride. Have coaches tried to change this - upsetting your rhythmn, consistency and pace, or are they letting it be? I want to know whether i should change it or not in my action!
How did it feel seeing Tremlett getting a game before you?
Sick i suppose.
I'm sure you'll get you're chance.
Complain about this postto be honet i think he was one of the great finds of last year both in test and one day games, a huge error not to be playin him. he is an exeptional bowler and i dont think im wrong in saying that you can get it up in the 90mph zone? which i sbetter than all our bowlers.
A great talent with the bat and your support to the team is exeptional, your a great role model for me as i am growing up, hope to see you in action soon
good luck mate
Complain about this postWhat is the secret to reverse swing?
Complain about this postHey Liam,
I was really disapointed that you didn't play in any of the tests. I felt that you would have got many more wickets than Saj Mahmood and James Anderson, and would have definatly been better economically than both of them. I hope your picked to play in some of the one-dayers and I wish you good luck
Mark
Complain about this postHi Liam,
When you get a game let them have it, fast and straight, and you are getting experience. You will be there again in four years time.
Complain about this postBe appreciated if you would give poor old Chris Read, a great keeper, as you know, the best wishes of his fans in Notts and Derbys. Cannot understand how the likes of Jones and now Nixon get picked in front of him. Give him a chance and he will get the runs.
i am sure the wickets will come your way soon. i certainly hope so.
You may remember me. we spoke at Derbyshire about five years ago on the boundary, and then again at Sandiacre when you where in the 2nds coming back from injury. Your career has taken off since then i am glad to say.
Best wishes mate.
Barrie Myers
hey liam, remember i said you would spend the tour carrying drinks? i hope its been a steep learning curve, getting the right mix in gatorade is a critical skill to have when you are a 'tour' specialist. you dont even get to be a backslapper as you cant even win a game.....oh, thats right you beat the kiwis in the last over chasing 200.
Complain about this posti wish you all the best, as i cant see flintoff and Simon Jones are never going to be the same again sorry to say
England need 3 consistent pace bowlers!! along with montey panasar who looks like he's going to be a permanent fixture in the team
Complain about this postLiam,
I wonder why all of the English fast bowlers, barring Hoggard, keep getting injured; you have central contracts, Academy, fitness coaches, and all that, yet none of you can stay on the field for one whole season.
And then, your premier bowler gets nervous! No wonder you were whitewashed. It just reflects the gulf in class, application, toughness and attitude between England and Australia.
I do not thnk that the result would have been different even if you had played. In the end, you are just lucky that you were spared this mayhem, and could watch this from the relative anonymity of the dressing room.
Get yourself a central contract like Marcus or the King of Spain and then you do not need to do the hard yards! That is the spirit of English fast bowling today, except Mathew.
Ramesh
Complain about this postHi Liam, I hope you get a game in the one-dayers. I have enjoyed seeing some fresh English bowlers who are undoubtedly the future of the game and may progress to the Test team for the next Ashes series.
The question of walking has arisen lately - even tonight's game Aus -v- NZ where a Kiwi given not out on one went on to make about 90. Do you expect a batsman to walk if you are the unlucky bowler who induces an edge which is not given out by the umpire? More importantly, would you walk if you knew you were out but the umpire wasn't going to give it?
Anyway, enjoy your stay in Australia. I hope you and your team have more success in the World Cup (preferably not against Australia, though!!)
Complain about this postkeep smiling, big fella, it's always darkst before the dawn.
Complain about this postHi Liam
I hope you move on well from your injuries as I really like the way you play your cricket. The morale in the team must be under some strain in light of the Ashes tour, but I'm sure the lads are much more resilient than the media is making out.
About the captaincy issue, if Vaughan is injured or once he retires, why not have Freddie as the One Day captain and Strauss as the Test captain? The one day game would seem to suit Freddie's energy and vitality whilst the test arena would seem to reflect Strauss' meticulous preparation abilities, strategic thinking and with batting being the reason he's there, his mind would be clear to think calmly when under pressure in the field. Strauss did a fantastic job against Pakistan and the extra responsibility fired up his batting too.
Unlike all the doubters, I believe England has a great chance at the World Cup and I don't think Australia will win it, personally. The last 2 games have shown their weaknesses and both were against under strength teams. Australia is beatable - I hope England gets the chance to knock them out of the World Cup!
Good luck and I hope the lads keep believing in themselves!!
Complain about this posthello , you are a good player so you will get a chance to play !
Complain about this postJado, Re: your comment "Do you remember the 5th test, when Gilchrist was adjudged caught behind when he wasn't? All the Englishmen around the bat including the bowler and keeper, appealed? I can distinctly recall the bowler was none other than Anderson. What do they say about sport, what goes around comes around?"
i think you'll find that yes, it does, and it came around to australia after a similiar incident with Strauss earlier on in the series. Thats not to say that i agree with those who say Hussey should have walked (i don't) but if you're going to bring up such incidents, please don't have such a selective memory.
Complain about this postHey Plunkett, I hope you get a game. I can't help but feel sorry for you as it seems everyone who went to the tour got at least a match except you. I was quite impressed by your performances against Pakistan last year.
Complain about this postRegarding the issue of the batsman walking:
Imagine a situaton in which a batsman, who normally walks, doesn't walk. Suppose that in the world cup final Ghilcrist is batting with a number 11 batsman needing 2 runs to win. He nicks it (albiet slightly), and Ghilcrist, because of the dire situation, doesn't walk. Would the umpire give him out?
The problem is if some batsmen start walking, umpires would be too inclined to trust them, which might not hold true in critical situations.
If Flintoff walks in a critical Ashes match with him bieng the only man able to achieve the target, would the fans approve of him?
I doubt it.
Let the umpires make the decisions, not the players. If anything, te use of technology should be increased, and while we understand that things like hawk eye and snicko might not be entirely accurate, they are much more reliable than the "naked eye". I make rubbish of the arguments which have it that the use of technology should be limited because there are situations like close catches which technology isn't able to capture. If that is the case, so be it. Technology is still going to make the game more "fairer", if not completely fair. Some of those controversial situations can only go unnoticed without technology, but it is not quite right that the umpires in the middle would have made a "fair" decision.
Does anybody find anything wrong with the challenge system in tennis?
I think it made the game more interesting and fairer.
Liam
It is utter lunacy that in 2006/7 a party of cricketers travels that distance for that long and some of its members are only there to carry the drinks. The tour management is completely bankrupt of ideas and prone to favouritism. Have you thought about changing your ID? I'm told it's quite easy these days. I suggest you call yourself Tyson Statham - that has a bit of a ring about it.
Complain about this posti hope you do play with freddy jimmy andeson panesar lewis. you add deph to the batting and take wickets. you also look like one of my old teachers :D
Complain about this postI am not quite sure what you are doing in OZ? Infact, I dont know what ENg is doing in Aus.
btw, We have to make sure you are punished for the drink drive incident.
Complain about this post