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The three Sugababes...and two rather disenchanted spectators. What might they have been thinking?
© Will Luke
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Twenty20 is as much about the music and periphery entertainment as it is the cricket. And at finals day two weeks ago, at Trent Bridge, the pre-final musical soirée was provided by the Sugababes. It wasn't enjoyed by everyone, though, as the photo for our caption competition amusingly demonstrated. With a nod and a wink to the triplet's second album, Angels with Dirty Faces, the pair were a picture of discontent - and provided Cricinfo's readers, and editors, with much amusement.
Poor Duncan Fletcher. He has led England to unprecedented success, culminating in an Ashes victory last year, yet he is forever pilloried. Even here, in a caption competition involving the Sugababes, he gets a mention: "The winners of the Duncan Fletcher glum face contest are congratulated," muttered Thomas Lawlor. However it wasn't long before the number three became a common thread in your entries and Halvor Dalaker got the ball rolling with "I never thought I'd see three maidens in Twenty20!". Thoroughly ticklesome, Halvor. "Three for none," said Roger Walker on similar lines.
James Powell sunk a little low, as it were, with his risqué offering. "When I said they should get 'em out quickly to entertain the crowd, I meant Essex. Honest." And while James's attention swayed from the musical feast the Sugababes provided, Nigel Porter reminded everyone that the threesome were entertaining a cricket-loving audience. "They'll never hit the winning runs with that stance!" he chortled, a sentiment we couldn't help but agree with. Don't they know cricket is a sideways-on game? Fred Trueman would have been appalled.
"Is this the national anthem? Are we supposed to stand up?" spake Arjan Ahsmann from the Netherlands, the hotbed of caption competition entrants this week and Sohail offered similar sentiments with his droll offering, "Why are we here?" Splendid efforts, both. Meanwhile, as the Test marched on, Friday afternoon fever set in among the Cricinfo readers led by Chris Lawton. "Nasser Hussain, Michael Holding and David Gower never looked so good," which was as disconcerting an image as it was amusing. We wait in feverish anticipation for news of the Sky triplet breaking into the Top 10...
But as ever, it is the clever and dry submissions which appeal the most and Nick Tomlin hit the perfect length, directly down the corridor of uncertainty in fact, with this super effort. "That slip cordon are standing far too close," he wisely muttered. "Excellent stance from the two left handers," John Loynes opined, "but there's no footwork from the right hander at all." Daniel from Singapore, though, deserves a special mention for having enough lateral thinking to ponder their two names. "Bertha and Jack were not talking as neither would accept responsibility for leaving the cucumber sandwiches at home". Witty and wise, Daniel: lack of sandwiches at the cricket are an unmatched travesty for the loyal supporter.
Prizes, then, to Halvor, Nigel and Nick. We'll have another competition for the one-day series, assuming it goes ahead. (Click here to see past results of our competitions)
Will Luke is editorial assistant of Cricinfo
© Cricinfo
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