England in cricket are a lot like England in football. The differences being, there was not much ODI Cricket back in 1966, and that there is no slam bang shorter format which the three lions can win in football now. The point being that the English Cricket Team has often been given a little extra respect which it seldom deserves. I am not talking of recent past, but if you just go back a couple of years, you will have an idea of what I mean.
Bangladesh are a well respected team now. They are well traveled as well, having visited every nation apart from India. They have won a few games now and it is nothing short of pathetic when someone makes a revolutionary comment after they beat a test playing nation. The purpose of them being in this pool gets defied when every victory gets celebrated like there was no yesterday, there is no tomorrow. Speaks volumes of the segregation we have mentally constructed where the Zimbabwes and the Bangladeshes of the world are not supposed to beat other teams. Tch Tch.
Joy is great, overjoy is the precursor to killjoy. It may lead to nuke-joy if such is oft repeated. On last check, we were one Tamim 50 away from nuke-joy.
Irony Otherwise
In other unrelated but ironical news, Tim Paine would become the youngest wicket-keeper since Ian Healy to play test cricket for Australia. He is all of just 25. He is all charged up for the occasion, and we wish the young lad well. Hope the innocence of his adolescence is not lost when he is finally done with the test.
Suleiman Benn, the messiah of our very own bennannity cult, has ensured that his followers are not short of inspiration. His motto: “when you can’t intimidate the opponent on the pitch, take it to their dressing room. *Respect*. The ICC, which hates all things commanding *respect*, has banned him from one test match. Banned Benn. Benned Ban. Its all the same. Worldly restrictions!