07/12/14
When England are not involved in any cricket I forget to
blog. In the absence of test cricket it
takes at least two ODIs to make me remember.
England have lost the first two and I’m only mildly interested. I’d like to see us do well in the world cup
but right now they look nowhere near good enough. England haven’t been in with a serious shout
at the world cup since 1992 when we really should have won it.
I was in Australia at the time and at the SCG when England
thrashed Australia with a great all round performance from Ian Botham’s,
possibly his last man of the match in international cricket? This performance and that ’92 world cup is
mentioned in Beefy’s autobiography, “Don’t tell Kath” which I read last
week. It was published about twenty
years ago so a little dated but covers his career right up till
retirement. Now Botham is the greatest
English cricketer that I have seen and has been a hero for most of my
life. I enjoyed reading Beefy’s accounts
of series and matches that I have lived through as well as his adventures away
from the game. Botham is very honest
about his indiscretions over the years but doesn’t seem to be particularly
repentant. His attitude to life is hell
for leather, live the moment but with a bit of damn the consequences. Ian Botham is going to do what he wants, when
he wants and if you’re not with him then you must be against him. Despite being a hero, I have to say he doesn’t
come across as a very nice bloke.
Overall a decent read but I’ve read many better ‘cricket books’.
A quick update; A few
days have passed and England have played two more ODIs, winning won then losing
the next in the final over. A few
positives and good performances but still no closer to knowing what our best XI
is.
Its December already and the kids and I have spent the
afternoon putting up the tree and decorations, it’s that time of year again. This year I have decided not to be quite so
grumpy about the whole over-commercialisation of our winter festival. I will also try to not so rude to people full
of booze and fake cheeriness. I can do
fuck all about it so I will do my utmost to ignore it.
