Cricket: Breaking its way back into the News

It has been a long couple of months since the World Cup finished (India won, if you need reminding) for cricket.  There has been the IPL 4; not covered in New Zealand, and New Zealand Cricket has taken that very 2011 of terms; a sabbatical.  The only thing that has really happened is a non-appointment of a national captain.

But cricket has started to rumble over the last week; and in keeping with the modern tone of sport these days; it’s all about shabby politics, dodgy PR releases.  And breasts.

First of all; New Zealand. 

Allan Donald is gone.  The Verbal Agreement turned out to be a chance for him to apply for job interviews elsewhere.  Australia took two weeks to turn him down; home country South Africa jumped at it, and he was back home before NZC went through the Due Process necessary before putting out a Press Release.

The rumours that it was because Donald’s wife didn’t want to live in Christchurch won’t go away but that’s just a smokescreen.  NZC sat on this, tried to be the nice guy, tried to please everyone, and the main positive of the World Cup is gone.

Shades of the Bond / ICL / lets please everyone saga.

Then there’s the strange new look to the New Zealand panel. John Wright coach has ultimate control for the NZ team.  That bit is good and logical, but it’s the new (temporary apparently) role that Greatbatch has that’s a bit confusing.

National Selection Manager.  Sounds good, but when you realise this covers men’s and women’s teams; senior and at age group levels you realise that’s a lot of National Selection Managing to be done.  And a lot of National Selection Managing means it is not really a selectorial job; more that of a clip-board coordinator.

The IT term for that kind of role is a Portal.  But, despite having been allocated all possible made-up roles over the last 12 months he’s still stcking in there, and deserves a lot of credit for that.

But enough of that.  The real fun is in England.

The PR surrounding the England cricket team and Matt Prior; presumably from the same people who have performed so badly for Ryan Giggs has been something else.

South African Prior, run out by Irishman Morgan does a hissy fit when returning to the dressing room at Lords (the Home Dressing Room in case you wondered).

He broke the windows and the Ham and Egg onlookers woke up.  Not great, but what’s stranger is the Press Release that followed.

“Prior threw his glove, which ricocheted off a kit bag and knocked some bats resting on the windowpane.”  That’s bad luck Matt.  Worst luck you’ve had since that poodle ate Algebra 101 back when you were 14.

Surrey CC have an idea.  It’s called Walk-on Girls.  That’s right; the technique made so popular made by that well-respected sport of boxing is now coming to you at a cricket ground situated not so far from the East End of London.

Chris Schofield: – “I’ve never walked out to bat alongside a walk on girl before but I’m sure it’s an experience that many of the lads will be very much looking forward to.”.

Oh dear; even the IPL never came up with that idea.

In possibly unrelated news, Mohammad Amir; at the start of his five year ban for spot fixing, turned up for a Surrey minor league side called Addington 1743 CC.  269 years of proud tradition down the drain in breaching such an obvious ban.  And all of this at a place call the Economicals (sic) Sportsground.

Amir has always come across as a bit gullible.  Check out the scorecard.  Did he really think people wouldn’t notice?

Meanwhile, it is now 74 days since New Zealand had a cricket captain