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Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town - When a Test cricket team cops a heavy defeat they will quickly incur the wrath of their press and public ... and nowadays there is the acidic world of Twitter to only compound the misery.
ICC No 1-ranked England’s amazing capitulation within three days to Pakistan in the first Test in Dubai on Thursday has been no exception.
Tweeters from around the planet have been quick to respond to the upset, with some self-deprecating British humour very much part of the mix.
Former England opening batsman Graeme Fowler suggested: “England’s batting: if their brains were made of gunpowder, they wouldn’t have enough to blow their hats off!”
Commentator Jonathan Agnew (@Aggerscricket) said: “The question after this is ‘how quickly can the best team in the world learn and adapt?’ Interesting to see.”
Cricinfo humorist and observer Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) put the slaughter into statistical perspective: “STAT ALERT: First time since 1988 that England have lost their 7th wicket for less than 100 in both innings of a Test.”
Less-than-impressed former England captain Michael Vaughan put it particularly bluntly: “Poor ... that’s all I will say.”
Test Match Special commentator Simon Mann, restoring a lighter touch, said: “This is a very unbalanced England team. You simply can’t go into a Test match with no batsmen ...”
Andrew Miller, editor of The Cricketer magazine in the UK, noted: “When England lose, they really do get clobbered. Inns in Kingston, Leeds & Joburg. 267 runs in Perth.”
British-born but now US-based CNN heavyweight presenter Piers Morgan said: “Great morning to be somewhere (Charleston) where they think cricket is an insect. #DubaiDebacle.”
Meanwhile prolific South African sports tweeter @Followthebounce couldn’t resist a dig at Kevin Pietersen, who scored two and nought in Dubai: “Unlucky with only getting 2 runs this Test, @kevinpp24. All of us back here in SA really feel for you.”
And former Proteas bowling coach Vincent Barnes (@VincentBarnes50) made the following observation: “Commentators always say how (Eoin) Morgan is such a good player of spin. Yet spin always gets him out!”
Cape Town - When a Test cricket team cops a heavy defeat they will quickly incur the wrath of their press and public ... and nowadays there is the acidic world of Twitter to only compound the misery.
ICC No 1-ranked England’s amazing capitulation within three days to Pakistan in the first Test in Dubai on Thursday has been no exception.
Tweeters from around the planet have been quick to respond to the upset, with some self-deprecating British humour very much part of the mix.
Former England opening batsman Graeme Fowler suggested: “England’s batting: if their brains were made of gunpowder, they wouldn’t have enough to blow their hats off!”
Commentator Jonathan Agnew (@Aggerscricket) said: “The question after this is ‘how quickly can the best team in the world learn and adapt?’ Interesting to see.”
Cricinfo humorist and observer Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) put the slaughter into statistical perspective: “STAT ALERT: First time since 1988 that England have lost their 7th wicket for less than 100 in both innings of a Test.”
Less-than-impressed former England captain Michael Vaughan put it particularly bluntly: “Poor ... that’s all I will say.”
Test Match Special commentator Simon Mann, restoring a lighter touch, said: “This is a very unbalanced England team. You simply can’t go into a Test match with no batsmen ...”
Andrew Miller, editor of The Cricketer magazine in the UK, noted: “When England lose, they really do get clobbered. Inns in Kingston, Leeds & Joburg. 267 runs in Perth.”
British-born but now US-based CNN heavyweight presenter Piers Morgan said: “Great morning to be somewhere (Charleston) where they think cricket is an insect. #DubaiDebacle.”
Meanwhile prolific South African sports tweeter @Followthebounce couldn’t resist a dig at Kevin Pietersen, who scored two and nought in Dubai: “Unlucky with only getting 2 runs this Test, @kevinpp24. All of us back here in SA really feel for you.”
And former Proteas bowling coach Vincent Barnes (@VincentBarnes50) made the following observation: “Commentators always say how (Eoin) Morgan is such a good player of spin. Yet spin always gets him out!”
