Idle cricket musing

[Brendan]

I try to gather my news from as many different sources as possible and draw my own conclusions about what is really going on. You may think that when it come to cricket commentary this is not necessary which is a fair point but it is amusing to compare the different editorial styles.

These are all from the same over.

Firstly, the Beeb - succinct and descriptive.

"More angling across Jimmy from Martin. One slides too far and is called a wide; another climbs like Hillary and almost takes his nose off."

Cricinfo ? pure information with little elaboration

"Martin to Anderson, no run, that's a cracker from Martin, outside off and moves away later, Anderson is beaten as he prods forward."

The Times ? Descriptive and elegant if a little poncy.

"Fabulous delivery from Martin is far too good for Anderson, beating him all end's up. "If you'd edged that you'd know you're in pretty good nick," says Michael Atherton. The pair scamper through for a single and Anderson keeps the batting"

The Guardian ? Irate and petulant.

"Hey guess what everyone? These piece-of-goddamn junk computers than were installed on our desk earlier this week? Well they've crashed again. Words fail me. I'll be back just as soon as me and the rest of the A team have jerry rigged a working website together with Mr T's welding kit, a sheet of iron, some scrap circuit boards and a couple of hub caps."

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I'm strangely drawn to the Beeb commentary!

[Ted Max]

The Guardian OBO started all the japery. Before them Cricinfo was all "Left alone, no run" ad infinitum - and everyone else just did bare scorecards. Then when the other outlets saw the page impressions the Guardian OBOs were clocking up (often the highest in the whole Guardian Unlimited site) they started going down the same comedy, email us in your thoughts, riffs and routines. Pale imitations, all of them.

An hour and a half of Jimmy and Broady this morning. Not good news for the Enzedders.

[Ted Max]

The Guardian OBO started all the japery. Before them Cricinfo was all "Left alone, no run" ad infinitum - and everyone else just did bare scorecards. Then when the other outlets saw the page impressions the Guardian OBOs were clocking up (often the highest in the whole Guardian Unlimited site) they started going down the same comedy, email us in your thoughts, riffs and routines. Pale imitations, all of them.

An hour and a half of Jimmy and Broady this morning. Not good news for the Enzedders.

[Ted Max]

How did that happen?

[Brendan]

As a long time follower of the Guardian?s commentary I have also watched as the others have tried and for the most part failed to imitate it.

In fact I still remember the first one I read, which was this little rant: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2003/mar/14/cricketworldcup2003.overbyoverreports

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

A tangent - does anyone find Surrey's 20:20 side being called "the Brown Caps" slightly distracting?

[Brendan]

Yeah but I do like the fact that Mark Butcher personally sends out their e-mail newsletter. Makes me feel well special.

[mockney piers]

Before the days of Forumitis I was a regular contributor to OBO.

I'm there in black & white in "Is it cowardly to pray for rain?"

I really need to get a proper life don't I.....

[Brendan]

Well then we probably cross posted on there too Piers as so was I.

[Ted Max]

I wasn't a regular but I got on a few times in the early days.

[mockney piers]

well, when I say regular I'm not talking bowel movements, more like solstices.

[david_carnell]

ENGLAND VS NEW ZEALAND SPOILER ALERT

For those interested in the current Eng vs NZ game, young Mr Anderson is on fiiiiire! 5 wickets down, 5 to go!

[Brendan]

Oh my god! ::o Have they put him out?

[Brendan]

Obviously not, he now has 6 for.

[Brendan]

Do you ever feel like you're having a conversation with yourself?

[Brendan]

Yeah a bit.

[Brendan]

I think you're overworked and should go the fuck home.

[Brendan]

ok.

[mockney piers]

LOL!!!

[Brendan]

Anyway, so, after cutting ties with Zimbabwe it seems English cricket has decided that there is no longer any need whatsoever for political correctness. They have therefore handed Paul Collingwood a 4 match ban for being both Northern and a ginger and gone and given the captaincy to a South African and a Boer no the less.

Kevin Peitersen had this to say about it, "To be asked to captain your country is the ultimate honour in sport and I feel privileged and proud.?

I wonder if Graeme Smith knows he has lost his job.

Ps. The author takes no responsibility for any blatant inaccuracies in or offence caused by this post.

Not that anyone ever reads this thread anyway.

So there.

[Ted Max]

Aw, leave him alone. He needs to do all, like, thinking and stuff now he's captain (of his country). And maybe he'll get another tattoo to celebrate. - perhaps of a Lion pissing on a Protea, or something as classy.

[citizenED]

I love the somnambulent sound of leather on willow, the taste of warm beer, the sleepy delivery of Aggers and Boycott on the wireless, those slow sunny/rainbreak days that make the English Summer - and the ripspeed of Graham Napier thrashing 16 sixes in a twenty20. What is going on.

[Ted Max]

You want cricket literature? Have some of this:

"The American adaptation is devoid of the beauty of cricket played on a lawn of appropriate dimensions, where the white-clad ring of infielders, swanning figures on the vast oval, again and again converge in unison toward the batsman and again and again scatter back to their starting points, a repetition of pulmonary rhythm, as if the field breathed through its luminous visitors."

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Blimey Brendan, I'm still getting over Tony Greig.