The cricket...

[Peter]

The superb Andrew Strauss was born in Jo'burg, which was one of the reasons I was IDLY thinking about previous centurions and wondering whether or not any combination of Strauss, Pieterson, Prior and Trott had provided 3 centuries; if not in an innings, maybe in a match?

[mattc]

I don't think I've ever said that I have a problem with it matt, because I haven't.  It's just a curiosity, that's all. 

I shall happily take your word for this, but you must realise that it's been an issue for many - in many media, certainly on YACF in the recent past.

It's like casually noting numbers of goals scored by Newcastle's black players vs their white teammates.

[bobb]

I think Richie Benaud (peace be upon him) would have said...

You gave me a shock then! You make it sound like he's dead! (He is alive and well at 83 )

[Peter]

Sorry, Bobb!  I'm lamenting the fact that i don't hear as much of him as I'd like to because he doesn't appear on the stations I can get anymore.  He's just the best, a true successor to John Arlott.

[Peter]

I don't think I've ever said that I have a problem with it matt, because I haven't.  It's just a curiosity, that's all. 

I shall happily take your word for this, but you must realise that it's been an issue for many - in many media, certainly on YACF in the recent past.

It's like casually noting numbers of goals scored by Newcastle's black players vs their white teammates.

If I'm honest, matt, I suppose I do have a bit of a regret about the way football has gone.  Your particular statement about Newcastle is likely to be a bit of a non-starter, since usually there are only two non-black players who start regularly for Newcastle and one of them is the goalkeeper!  I know you will believe me when I say I have no problem at all about ethnicity in any walk of life.  It just gets more and more meaningless to say a team is from a certain town.  It's been going this way for about forty years and I wonder how long it will be before teams are actually named after their sponsor instead of it simply being on the shirt!  Anyway, it's only sport.

[Jaded]

Can't see the comparison with Newcastle. We aren't talking about a County side, we are talking about England. English players should be able to trace their ancestors back to before 1066, obviously.

[Deano]

The English cricket team have always picked players from a broad base - in the early 20th century plenty of England players had previously played for Australia (though the reverse was rarely true).

Then through to D'Oliveira, your Alan Lambs, Robin Smiths and Graeme Hicks, through to the current lot.

Even a few Yorkshiremen have crept through the net!

[Wowbagger]

I think Richie Benaud (peace be upon him) would have said...

You gave me a shock then! You make it sound like he's dead! (He is alive and well at 83 )

I had to check as well.

I'm not so sure about Benaud being the successor to Arlott. Arlott was a marvellous raconteur: I recall when he and Jim Laker were the commentators for the Sunday League, which was about 5 hours' live television on a Sunday afternoon, they were rained off one particular Sunday at Trent Bridge. Arlott took a cameraman on a tour of the Long Room and simply walked form portrait to portrait, giving a 5-minute talk about each portrait's subject. It was absolutely wonderful, gripping television and I bet no-one ever thought to record it. Having said that, I think there was sometimes a certain amount of embellishment to some of Arlott's stories.

Benaud, on the other hand, is a hard facts-and-figures technician first and foremost. A great commentator, not given to unnecessary flannel. If you were watching a test match and no-one spoke for several seconds, you knew it was Ritchie Benaud's turn with the microphone.

[Von Broad]

Having said that, I think there was sometimes a certain amount of embellishment to some of Arlott's stories.

That's what wine drinkers poets do

Talking about Arlott and television [not a common occurrence], did any of you ever catch this  this ?

Lived a rich and varied life that guy.

[Wowbagger]

Sadly I missed that. He was a wonderful commentator, but to call him the "greatest sports commentator ever" is possibly to do down Bill McLaren, who had the added advantage that he was a decent enough rugby player to have represented Scotland, had ill health not cut his career short.

However, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/FVro7oZP-vI&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/FVro7oZP-vI&rel=1</a> is just magnificent. I don't know of any other commentator who could have done that.

[Peter]

Yes, that was superb and I agree Bill McLaren was excellent, though in fairness to John Arlott, I don't think he'd have been eligible for Scotland, would he?

[Salvatore]

Blimey. India 3/0 at lunch, 283/0 at stumps, with Shikhar Dhawan 185 not out on his test debut.

The Australians looked distinctly ragged in the last half-dozen overs.

[Wowbagger]

Yes, that was superb and I agree Bill McLaren was excellent, though in fairness to John Arlott, I don't think he'd have been eligible for Scotland, would he?

But he was never a cricketer of any kind, was he?

[Deano]

Blimey. India 3/0 at lunch, 283/0 at stumps, with Shikhar Dhawan 185 not out on his test debut.

The Australians looked distinctly ragged in the last half-dozen overs.

Is he Sehwag's replacement? Not a bad sub to have.

Australia may be regretting dropping their best bowler.

[Salvatore]

Blimey. India 3/0 at lunch, 283/0 at stumps, with Shikhar Dhawan 185 not out on his test debut.

The Australians looked distinctly ragged in the last half-dozen overs.

Is he Sehwag's replacement? Not a bad sub to have.

Australia may be regretting dropping their best bowler.

He's 27, and has already played 81 first class matches, so he's a bit on the old side to be making his debut. I expect he's been waiting patiently (or impatiently) for the old guard of Sehwag, Laxmann, Tendulkar etc to move on.

[mattc]

Nice to hear some new (to me) tunes from the test match trumpeter (is he officially in the Barmy Army?)
Tonight I've heard the Countdown theme and the Lord Vader theme from Star Wars. Great stuff!

_{But I can't be arsed to stay up any longer ... <yawn>}

[Basil]

Wtf?
This is not looking good. :-(

[Peter]

It's looking a bit better, now.....

[Deano]

I'm quite enjoying this passage of play. I think it's the distant cackle from Boycott in the commentary box as Monty is smacked for another six that adds the entertainment value.

[Deano]

New ball taken..

[Basil]

Shhh!

[Deano]

Dammit.

[andyoxon]

I wonder if they can do it... will see in the morning.

[Deano]

They have done it  

Shades of Cardiff.

[matthew]

  but now I need to get back to sleep.