OwZat!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
What should we do with the drunken sailor?
I've not posted for a while as unfortunately work has managed to get in the way of my cricketing activities, however the World Cup's certainly had it's talking points and we're not even out of the group stages.
First, well done to Ireland, proving that the minnows certainly do have a part to play in the World Cup, all we need now is for them to beat Australia and prove to Ricky Ponting that they deserve their place. Test status would surely follow - this might cause a few issues for a certain 'English' opening batsman.
Where this defeat leaves Pakistan is unclear. They are missing their two leading bowlers, for 'injuries' that seem to be linked to the drugs testing policy of the ICC. The batsman, three of which are regarded as amongst the finest in the world, struggled to score runs at anything approaching one day pace, all prior to the tragic death of Bob Woolmer.
Various commentators and leading players have written tributes to Bob Woolmer, the successful cricketer and coach. This is something I feel I have no place to really comment on, never having known or even watched him play (a little to young). All I can do is sympathise for his family, friends and players who knew him well and hope that the ongoing investigation is over quickly so that his body can be returned to his family.
In the background to all this Freddie decided to recover from the defeat to New Zealand by drinking a skinful and engaging in, to use his own words, a few shenanigans. Did England over react? Did the management have much of a choice?
I think not. Although, not morally outraged as some seem to be, Freddie, is a professional sportsman who people have paid huge sums of money to see in action on the cricket pitch rather in the local bars. Whether a few drinks would have been detrimental to his performance is unclear - certainly from my own modest sports career (I use career extremely loosely) a few beers the night before a game didn't usually do much harm, with headaches and any residual sickly feelings fading when the adrenaline began to flow. If England had won I don't think anyone would have cared, but to lose and then get pissed and so publicly, is just a little naive.
I do admire the way he's taken this on the chin though - and lets hope he smashes the Kenyans around the park before taking a 5 for.
First, well done to Ireland, proving that the minnows certainly do have a part to play in the World Cup, all we need now is for them to beat Australia and prove to Ricky Ponting that they deserve their place. Test status would surely follow - this might cause a few issues for a certain 'English' opening batsman.
Where this defeat leaves Pakistan is unclear. They are missing their two leading bowlers, for 'injuries' that seem to be linked to the drugs testing policy of the ICC. The batsman, three of which are regarded as amongst the finest in the world, struggled to score runs at anything approaching one day pace, all prior to the tragic death of Bob Woolmer.
Various commentators and leading players have written tributes to Bob Woolmer, the successful cricketer and coach. This is something I feel I have no place to really comment on, never having known or even watched him play (a little to young). All I can do is sympathise for his family, friends and players who knew him well and hope that the ongoing investigation is over quickly so that his body can be returned to his family.
In the background to all this Freddie decided to recover from the defeat to New Zealand by drinking a skinful and engaging in, to use his own words, a few shenanigans. Did England over react? Did the management have much of a choice?
I think not. Although, not morally outraged as some seem to be, Freddie, is a professional sportsman who people have paid huge sums of money to see in action on the cricket pitch rather in the local bars. Whether a few drinks would have been detrimental to his performance is unclear - certainly from my own modest sports career (I use career extremely loosely) a few beers the night before a game didn't usually do much harm, with headaches and any residual sickly feelings fading when the adrenaline began to flow. If England had won I don't think anyone would have cared, but to lose and then get pissed and so publicly, is just a little naive.
I do admire the way he's taken this on the chin though - and lets hope he smashes the Kenyans around the park before taking a 5 for.
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