So, distractions it is. Curios from the Useful Box:
Curio 1
(NB. clicking on the image makes it bigger)This is a piece by Ben Dorries from the Daily Telegraph the day after The Day the Music Died, ie 22 December 2006. I thought it wasn't at all a bad stab given how perilous this kind of thing can be (Marcus North was also named as a squad member in a side-bar). The accompanying article, discussing spinner options, suggests "Nathan Hauritz won't rate a mention", but who can blame him since he barely rates a mention now, doomed to be beige in the eyes of his beholders.
So, what did happen to Rogers, Jaques, Casson...? I ought to know, but I have an atrocious attention/memory span when it comes to the wider talent pool and rely on the kindness of strangers to tell me.
Nb. This was a much funner curio before the series sank into its current phase of gloomed oh-what-might-have-been-ness.
Curio 2
This is completely irrelevant (so much the better!), but is a personal Cricket Love favourite from the Daily Telegraph of 11 February 2003 (picture: Phil Hillyard):
I just adore the menswear-catalogue or even knitting-pattern-cover bonhomie here.
Shoaib: Ah-HO-ho-hoThere is something to be said here about the tinkle-tinkle of gay laughter vs. the tinkle-tinkle of rain, or perhaps rainbow-like smiling-through-the-tears... damned if I know what it is though.
Brett: Ah-HA-ha-ha
Shoaib: What am I laughing at Brett, ah-ho-ho-HO
Brett: It's a menswear thing Shoaib, you wouldn't understand... ah-ha-ha-HA
Shoaib: But it's definitely something over there, right? Ah-HO-HO-Ha!
Brett: As mine is over there. You're actually quite the natural at this. Ah-HA-ho-ha!
Shoaib: Ah-ho-HO-ho-ho ho! But of course. I am Shoaib Akhtar.
Love the work Batsy. Particularly your thinking on Freddie Flintoff in an earlier post. Excellent image selections - the Useful Box is proving quite a treasure trove of cricket imagery. Similarly the 'knitting pattern' masculinity of Binga and Shoaib and the link to Binga's retail experience. I am trying to think of a witty comment along the lines of 'Are You Being Served' and Mr Humphries measuring the inside leg but nothing is coming to me. Keep on Batting! Karen.
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen: yes, I am finally finding a use for all the endless bits of paper, I think it was a case of "pull your weight or you're out". "Knitting pattern masculinity" is an excellent phrase and a valuable concept I think.
ReplyDeleteLoving Warnie's commentary. He's just as likely to contribute an absolute jaffas as cram both of his feet into his mouth. Makes a wonderful change from Greig, Lawry and Taylor.
ReplyDeleteHi Tunza, yeah it's great isn't it? It goes some way to filling in the hole in my cricket-watching pleasure/heart since his retirement. He seems to be having a whale of a time...
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