First Course
Hello everybody - or, hopefully, at least someone. Now that my BLOG site (a Xmas present from my lovely daughter) is up and running, I thought I had better get down to business and type a few cricketing words. The trouble is that England cricketers have dissappeared round the world taking a month's holiday after suffering that crushing defeat in the last Test in South Africa. I may come back to that disaster in due course but I am keen not to start off this new form of communication with anything downbeat or negative. At least, not about cricket.
Going to the doctor at my age is never going to be a particularly positive experience. After the initial pleasantries and listing all the pills that need to be prescribed, there comes the inevitable "let's just check you over" moment. Off with the clothes, onto the examination slab and the worry about whether this is the visit when a "prostate" check is on the cards. Starting with the stethoscope and the deep breaths, things soon move on to a bit of tummy prodding and the usual question "everything OK downstairs?", bowels etc and the immediate trigger response "yes, everything fine thank you" regardless of the fact that I had some sharp pains near the appendix area that very morning and a day when I seemed to be needing a pee every five minutes. I would need to be half dead to admit that there was anything wrong "down there". I would be more likely to be honest if the question was "everything OK upstairs?" Because admitting to "senior moments" of forgetfulness, walking into the bedroom in the middle of the day and then wondering why the hell you are there - is not so bad. I know the answer to that one - i.e. nothing to be done about it - just your age old chap. Which brings me by a rather roundabout route to the positive pleasure of watching two young men in their prime doing something that they do supremely well.
What is it about Sachin Tendulkar making his umpteenth hundred or Varinder Sewag making just another double hundred that sets them apart from the mere mortals that populate the rest of the top places in world batting rankings?. The first thing that stands out a mile is their composure. Their faces are relaxed with just a hint of intensity around the eyes. Then there is the stillness while they wait in the split seconds before the bowler releases the ball. Then there is the footwork, just small movements making sure of their balance. Compare all that with the host of "preparations" made by so many lesser players - the early pick up, the head bobbing up and down, the knees flexing, the feet shuffling, the face contorting in internal conflict and frankly, often enough, in self doubt.
None of this is part of the usual batting instruction manual. Neither the " stillness/calmness" equation nor the flipside of excessive angst and pre-movement. So we should simply sit back and enjoy watching two master craftsmen while they are still at the top of their game. because, sadly, there must come a time soon when they hang up their boots. Retirement is seldom a planned process in cricket. Not least because, however great the player, he is still at the whim of selectors. For instance it must have come as a bit of a shock to the superb trojan of the fast bowling fraternity, Ntini, to be given the chop when he still claimed the heights of a top ten place in the world bowling rankings.
The Indian team will have to suffer in the same way as the Australians when they lost Warne, Macgrath, Gilchrist, Hayden and Langer - all at the same time. There is always a hope - inevitably a vain one - that new players of similar standard will appear to fill their shoes. Not with these two they won't. So tune in, make yourself comfortable in front of the box and enjoy them while you can. ENDS
Going to the doctor at my age is never going to be a particularly positive experience. After the initial pleasantries and listing all the pills that need to be prescribed, there comes the inevitable "let's just check you over" moment. Off with the clothes, onto the examination slab and the worry about whether this is the visit when a "prostate" check is on the cards. Starting with the stethoscope and the deep breaths, things soon move on to a bit of tummy prodding and the usual question "everything OK downstairs?", bowels etc and the immediate trigger response "yes, everything fine thank you" regardless of the fact that I had some sharp pains near the appendix area that very morning and a day when I seemed to be needing a pee every five minutes. I would need to be half dead to admit that there was anything wrong "down there". I would be more likely to be honest if the question was "everything OK upstairs?" Because admitting to "senior moments" of forgetfulness, walking into the bedroom in the middle of the day and then wondering why the hell you are there - is not so bad. I know the answer to that one - i.e. nothing to be done about it - just your age old chap. Which brings me by a rather roundabout route to the positive pleasure of watching two young men in their prime doing something that they do supremely well.
What is it about Sachin Tendulkar making his umpteenth hundred or Varinder Sewag making just another double hundred that sets them apart from the mere mortals that populate the rest of the top places in world batting rankings?. The first thing that stands out a mile is their composure. Their faces are relaxed with just a hint of intensity around the eyes. Then there is the stillness while they wait in the split seconds before the bowler releases the ball. Then there is the footwork, just small movements making sure of their balance. Compare all that with the host of "preparations" made by so many lesser players - the early pick up, the head bobbing up and down, the knees flexing, the feet shuffling, the face contorting in internal conflict and frankly, often enough, in self doubt.
None of this is part of the usual batting instruction manual. Neither the " stillness/calmness" equation nor the flipside of excessive angst and pre-movement. So we should simply sit back and enjoy watching two master craftsmen while they are still at the top of their game. because, sadly, there must come a time soon when they hang up their boots. Retirement is seldom a planned process in cricket. Not least because, however great the player, he is still at the whim of selectors. For instance it must have come as a bit of a shock to the superb trojan of the fast bowling fraternity, Ntini, to be given the chop when he still claimed the heights of a top ten place in the world bowling rankings.
The Indian team will have to suffer in the same way as the Australians when they lost Warne, Macgrath, Gilchrist, Hayden and Langer - all at the same time. There is always a hope - inevitably a vain one - that new players of similar standard will appear to fill their shoes. Not with these two they won't. So tune in, make yourself comfortable in front of the box and enjoy them while you can. ENDS
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