Send offs, sprinklers and spin
Andrew McGlashan looks back at the week that was April 15 to April 22
Andrew McGlashan
23-Apr-2007
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World Cup clear-out
The end of another four-year cycle in international cricket is drawing to a close and with it a list of high-profile careers. We already knew Glenn McGrath was hanging up his boots and now Brian Lara can be added to that list after a career where he has broken most batting records going. But it's not just players who have decided this is the time to move aside. John Buchanan announced his intentions before the World Cup and in the last few days Duncan Fletcher has resigned, Dav Whatmore stood down from Bangladesh, Greg Chappell has moved on and Tom Moody may yet leave Sri Lanka. But there isn't much time for anyone to dwell, after a two-week break the international calender swings back into action and the cycle starts all over again.
The end of another four-year cycle in international cricket is drawing to a close and with it a list of high-profile careers. We already knew Glenn McGrath was hanging up his boots and now Brian Lara can be added to that list after a career where he has broken most batting records going. But it's not just players who have decided this is the time to move aside. John Buchanan announced his intentions before the World Cup and in the last few days Duncan Fletcher has resigned, Dav Whatmore stood down from Bangladesh, Greg Chappell has moved on and Tom Moody may yet leave Sri Lanka. But there isn't much time for anyone to dwell, after a two-week break the international calender swings back into action and the cycle starts all over again.
Just a sprinkle
The English domestic season has arrived and with it the opportunity for cricket to showcase its more eccentric side. At some point sun will stop play - probably at Old Trafford or Derby - and there might even be the odd snow flurry. But inclement weather has been far from the mind in the early days as wall-to-wall sunshine greeted county supporters who are more used to a flask of tea than a T-shirt in April. So it came as a surprise to see the line "Start delayed" on the final morning of MCC's match against Sussex at Lord's. The sky was blue, there'd been no overnight rain, so what had happened? It turned out to be a dodgy sprinkler at the Nursery End, which leaked overnight and left a damp patch on the bowler's follow through. The ground staff spent over an hour drying it out and play finally started at 12.15pm.
The English domestic season has arrived and with it the opportunity for cricket to showcase its more eccentric side. At some point sun will stop play - probably at Old Trafford or Derby - and there might even be the odd snow flurry. But inclement weather has been far from the mind in the early days as wall-to-wall sunshine greeted county supporters who are more used to a flask of tea than a T-shirt in April. So it came as a surprise to see the line "Start delayed" on the final morning of MCC's match against Sussex at Lord's. The sky was blue, there'd been no overnight rain, so what had happened? It turned out to be a dodgy sprinkler at the Nursery End, which leaked overnight and left a damp patch on the bowler's follow through. The ground staff spent over an hour drying it out and play finally started at 12.15pm.
No love lost
Scott Styris wouldn't have jumped out as one of the leading candidates to be up near the top of the run-scoring lists during the World Cup, but the allrounder has enjoyed a golden period in his career to be mixing it with the likes of Matthew Hayden, Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith. But it has a created one problem, his captain won't talk to him with Stephen Fleming trailing Styris by 110 runs (at the end of the Super Eights). "He is not really talking to me at the moment, he has given up," said Styris. "We always have a year-by-year competition to see who scores the most runs and he's in front, but I've won it a couple of times, but he's a little bit grumpy I'm ahead of him here."
Scott Styris wouldn't have jumped out as one of the leading candidates to be up near the top of the run-scoring lists during the World Cup, but the allrounder has enjoyed a golden period in his career to be mixing it with the likes of Matthew Hayden, Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith. But it has a created one problem, his captain won't talk to him with Stephen Fleming trailing Styris by 110 runs (at the end of the Super Eights). "He is not really talking to me at the moment, he has given up," said Styris. "We always have a year-by-year competition to see who scores the most runs and he's in front, but I've won it a couple of times, but he's a little bit grumpy I'm ahead of him here."
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It's for your own good
Teams in most sports fight to avoid relegation at all costs, except if your Birchencliffe, a Premier League club, from the Arrow Central League. They have risen rapidly up the rankings in recent years, but over the winter have suffered a mass exodus of players. The League management took the decision to relegate them "for their own good" because of a fear that players could be scared by playing at a level that's too high for them. "We have lost runs and lost wickets and we did not want players playing out of their depth," said club secretary Robert Smith.
Teams in most sports fight to avoid relegation at all costs, except if your Birchencliffe, a Premier League club, from the Arrow Central League. They have risen rapidly up the rankings in recent years, but over the winter have suffered a mass exodus of players. The League management took the decision to relegate them "for their own good" because of a fear that players could be scared by playing at a level that's too high for them. "We have lost runs and lost wickets and we did not want players playing out of their depth," said club secretary Robert Smith.
Harmison interview
Even when he's at his best Steve Harmison doesn't enjoy being in the spotlight, he'd much rather be sat at St James Park watching Newcastle. So a round of media commitments to publicise his latest book - an Ashes diary with Justin Langer - will not have filled him with joy, especially after the horror show that was his Ashes series. But that's the life of a professional sportsman and Harmison duly fronted up at Lord's in March. However, the outcome of one of those interviews, by Simon Hattenstone for the latest Wisden Cricketer magazine published this week, was extraordinary even by Harmison's surly standards. He admitted having never read the finished product, then refused to talk about anything expect a book he'd not read. "What did you mum and dad do?" asked Hattenstone. "What's that got to do with the book," replied Harmison. He'd better bowl well this summer.
Even when he's at his best Steve Harmison doesn't enjoy being in the spotlight, he'd much rather be sat at St James Park watching Newcastle. So a round of media commitments to publicise his latest book - an Ashes diary with Justin Langer - will not have filled him with joy, especially after the horror show that was his Ashes series. But that's the life of a professional sportsman and Harmison duly fronted up at Lord's in March. However, the outcome of one of those interviews, by Simon Hattenstone for the latest Wisden Cricketer magazine published this week, was extraordinary even by Harmison's surly standards. He admitted having never read the finished product, then refused to talk about anything expect a book he'd not read. "What did you mum and dad do?" asked Hattenstone. "What's that got to do with the book," replied Harmison. He'd better bowl well this summer.
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Humiliating, abject, disgraceful, woeful...all words rightly used to describe England's World Cup exit. Except, that is, if you are one of the plethora of official team sponsors. A full page advert by BOSS in London's free sporting weekly, Sport, puts the following spin on the events in the Caribbean. "So, sadly, it's all over for England at the World Cup. Despite some great individual performances - notably Pietersen, Bell and Collingwood with the bat and Flintoff with the ball - they couldn't quite make it to the last four." The picture used is Michael Vaughan walking off after another failure and the juxtaposition of the advert - on the opposite page to a piece about the Australians titled "The Invincibles" - just adds to the futile feeling. At least the PR department is earning its money.
I'll have that to go...all the way to Barbados
There's something about a good takeaway, but ordering out across the Atlantic Ocean, that's taking it to a whole new level...isn't it? Well, no actually, it's an extension of something that was started in the Ashes. Raj Miah, who runs the Bengal Paradise restaurant, in Great North Road, near Potters Bar, flew 9000 miles to Australia to deliver a curry for a group of England fans. And recently Raj was asked to fly to Barbados with a meal for a group of Bangladesh fans who placed their order by fax. "My friends and I are not too keen on the choice of foods available here. In Bangladesh you Raj have become a hero and a must-have status symbol. I want to be the first Bangladeshi to order the famous food." Just don't forget the naan bread.
There's something about a good takeaway, but ordering out across the Atlantic Ocean, that's taking it to a whole new level...isn't it? Well, no actually, it's an extension of something that was started in the Ashes. Raj Miah, who runs the Bengal Paradise restaurant, in Great North Road, near Potters Bar, flew 9000 miles to Australia to deliver a curry for a group of England fans. And recently Raj was asked to fly to Barbados with a meal for a group of Bangladesh fans who placed their order by fax. "My friends and I are not too keen on the choice of foods available here. In Bangladesh you Raj have become a hero and a must-have status symbol. I want to be the first Bangladeshi to order the famous food." Just don't forget the naan bread.
Quotehanger
"Get out the birth certificates ... anyone who's 32 or over, they're out of it."
Bob Willis doesn't pull any punches after England crash out of the World Cup
"Get out the birth certificates ... anyone who's 32 or over, they're out of it."
Bob Willis doesn't pull any punches after England crash out of the World Cup
Andrew McGlashan is a staff writer on Cricinfo