Thought of the Day: This Week in Cricket

The cricketing novel "Tales from Far Pavilions", compiled by Allen Synge and Leo Cooper, is a fine and entertaining collection of cricketing stories from non-Test playing nations that was first published in 1984. 

It is easy to categorise most cricket books into "crap" and "not crap", with most being ghost-written players autobiographies that churn out often-heard anecdotes. This, though, is formerly in the latter (not crap) category.

Apart from giving a colourful and historical (some of the stories are from the 19th century) account, what it demonstrates is that there has been a real passion for the game the world over, regardless of administrative support.

With this in mind, I thought it a good time to revisit the major occurrences in last week in Cricket:

Brendan Taylor resigns
Zimbabwean batsman Brendan Taylor resigned from international cricket this week to concentrate on playing County Cricket, or more accurately, on playing a form of cricket in which he will get paid.

That Taylor was paid 58 cents per run in the World Cup may sound ridiculous to many, it seems to be koscher to the good people at Zimbabwe Cricket and the International Cricket Council. 

Artists impression of ZC board

Given the tournament took place in Australia, I'd suggest that the Australian Fair Work ombudsman could get involved to investigate underpayment of staff.

The availability of County Cricket as an escape for Brendan is good for him and other players who have the opportunity to play in leagues where they are paid, but it is hardly a solution to the overriding issue of misadministration occuring in cricket that is threatening its viability and future.

This was also re-enforced by Sri Lanka's Cricket Board accusing the ICC of withholding funds from the World Cup from the teams that participated.  If the ICC is serious about the future of the sport, surely it should pay the participants?

England in trouble, West Indies resurgent?
The first Test between England and the West Indies in Antigua ended in a draw, with new West Indian captain Jason Holder scoring his debut first-class century to save the match.

Given that the West Indies were arguably missing some of their best players in Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, one could argue this was Englands to lose.

That England were unable to put on a decent score, even with Suliemann Benn as the West Indies primary spinner, says much of the ability of their team.

England have a steady contemporary history of using tours of the West Indies as a means of finding form and momentum going into Ashes series, though it looks like this series may just be a continuation of the travesty that was their World Cup campaign.

I can literally look at this photo for hours

There is a romantacism about West Indian cricket that has helped keep interest in the side internationally for decades, despite falling performances.  Without wanting to be romantic, this side has shown to have some fighting spirit which has been missing from the Carribean for some time. 

Here's hoping some of that local interest and love of the game is still alive in the West Indies.

Bangladesh rises...or is equalisation here?
It wasn't a couple of Test matches, but Bangladesh defeated Pakistan in two consecutive ODI matches this week, which probably shows more on their growth in ability than anything to do with Pakistans decline in it.

Pakistan are still a side with players so talented that they don't seem to need an academy; they seem to almost fall out of the sky.  Bangladesh, in comparison, have been a poor side for a long time but are now starting to put in impressive and consistent performances (in ODI cricket at least).

Perhaps this, and the West Indies - England, series represent the new equalisation in cricket that fans have been wanting?  It has taken time, but Bangladesh and the West Indies are now more competitive than they have been of late, while England and Pakistan have been caught up to.

If only the same could be said for Zimbabwe...

350 reasons for the English to cheer up (not involving the weather)
While it isn't looking great for the English side in the West Indies, there was some happier news for them at home with Liam Livingstone hitting 350 in a National Club Championship match. 

Liam hasn't played a first-class match yet, but with selectors needing new batting talent (particularly exciting talent) to pick given they won't pick Kevin Pietersen et al, he can't be far off.

Vale
Ankit Keshri sadly passed away this week after suffering a stroke caused by running into a teammate while fielding.

Ankit was a substitute fielder for the game and was obviously playing with great conviction and passion.

The cricketing world has lost another of its team-mates, one who loves the game and participates for enjoyment.

Thoughts and best wishes go to his family and friends.

Star Wars YouTube clip of the Day

Top 5: Questions about Return of the Jedi

With the Australian cricket season being over and a new Star Wars film due out at the end of this year, I suddenly have a lot more time and motivation to ignore my family and re-watch the old Star Wars movies (not including episodes 1 and 2, obviously).

I've written here already about my thoughts on the start of Return of the Jedi, in which Luke sets up all his friends as bait - then kills everyone apart from his friends in a simply blood-thirsty plan, but I haven't really touched on the rest of the film.

Taking the movie in last night while ignoring cries from my children, I picked up on the following points that really make you wonder how aliens so stupid ever managed to make the jump to light speed:

5. The Rebels pick Solo and Lando as Generals, why?
After Luke has saved / killed everyone, the Rebels all meet to discuss how they are going to blow up the Death Star this time (totally different to last time) and not show any sign of concern when they hear about Bothans dying.

Whilst in the briefing room & after the lack of interest in the Bothans, we are all told that Lando Calryssien is being made a General by the Rebels to lead the assault on the Death Star.

Given that the audiences only experience with Lando is that he:

• Sells out his friends to the Empire
• Takes a job as a security guard with the mobster who is holding his friend frozen in carbon; and
• In the only battle he is involved in, almost gets eaten by a hole in the ground

...this seems like a very poor decision.

"Grab this! I will save you from the hole in the ground!"

I've already voiced my thoughts on Hans appropriateness as a leader, but he provides another great example of his commitment to the team when his Girlfriend is shot by a Storm-trooper, which he sees as a great opportunity to play dress ups.

4. The Ewoks were going to eat Luke, Han and Chewie...which everyone seems to forget
When Luke, Han, Chewie and the Robots go looking for Leia they manage to get themselves captured, overpowered and have their weapons taken off them by large rats known as Ewoks.

Now, a lot of people criticise Return of the Jedi for the inclusion of Ewoks as they are cute and fluffy and just used as a marketing tool for kids, rather than part of the grisly space story.

But not me.

Once the Ewoks have managed to tie everyone up apart from the effeminate gold robot, whom they rightly make their god, they carry them back to camp to be cooked.  That's right, the Ewoks were going to straight up EAT the main characters of the film.

Monster.

Luke manages to not screw up for once and convinces the Ewoks to let them all go, at which point they all become friends and suddenly forget that their guests were about to have them for dinner.

They then go on to blow up the Death Star and kill a small army of Storm Troopers, which we can only assume got eaten at the celebratory party.

Yub nub indeed.

3. Chewie does the Tarzan cry while swinging on a rope, why?
During the battle in which  the Rebels and their new best friends are attacking the Death Stars defences, Chewie takes off at one point and swings on a rope. 

While doing so, Chewie makes the Tarzan cry.

This makes no sense at all.

2. The Rebels have access to light speed, but not text messages?
Following on from the inspired decision to appoint Generals based on whether they were a white shirt with a black vest, the Rebels plan to blow up the Death Star seems to focus on knocking out its defences by a certain TIME, and then everyone showing up shortly afterwards and then shooting it where it hurts.

Now, given that they have access to light speed, space ships, light sabers and more; surely these guys also have access to text messages, emails or even a phone?

Rather than show up at a prescribed TIME, they could wait until Han sends them an SMS letting them know when the shields are actually down, then attack.

Exhibit A

1. Given Annakin is the main character, his death is a real understatement
Spoiler Alert: The movie ends with:

• Luke Skywalker cutting his Dads hand off, 
• Luke refusing to 'finish the job', 
• The Emperor electrocuting Luke, 
• Darth Vader then throwing the Emperor down a hole (this movie really has a thing about holes...), 
• Darth losing all his life force (presumably because his boss is dead) and then 
• Vader dying in Lukes (2) arms.

Sorry about the 2 arm joke their Darth....

....and without any understatement, that is the end of the main character of the movie.  Star Wars is essentially all about Darth Vader; his conversion to the Dark Side and then him coming back to the Force.

Sure, there is a bunch of other stuff that happens with robots and holes, but Star Wars is basically about Annakin Skywalker.

So how does the movie acknowledge this?  With Luke burning him in a forest all by himself like some sort of mass murderer, covering his tracks.

"Burn Daddy, burn"

Thoughts that...are possibly a bit harsh

Watching New Zealand lose the World Cup final wasn't that great, they were the best team in the tournament that fell down at the last.

Their Captain, Brendan McCullum was bowled for a duck by Mitchell Starc, costing his team valuable runs and the momentum of the game.

Watching Brendan walk back to the pavillion, I noticed something eerily familiar about him.  There was something...about his ability to intimidate, something about the tattoos, something about that stare....and then I remembered someone else associated with a non-winning side...