The Fourth Test
Aug. 30th, 2010 11:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloI've been following the Test series against Pakistan at a distance- mainly through the Guardian's live over by over coverage- which also serves up generous helpings of the banter and self-mocking statistical nerdiness which is what we cricket buffs indulge in to fill the many gaps in the action- and it's been really rather good. The last match in particular- the fourth- was an absolute belter- with fabulous bowling on both sides, extraordinary batting collapses and an heroically implausible, record-beating stand for the ninth wicket- and it seemed like it would go down in history as a classic- and then we learned- on the morning of the very last day- that one of the teams had been taking bribes from a fixer to deliver no-balls- and heaven only knows what else...
I don't particularly blame the players- who are very young and weak and may have been under pressure from the crooks- I just think it's sad and dispiriting. We create a beautiful thing- and Test Cricket is a beautiful thing- the most arcane and weird and multi-layered of field sports- and then shit all over it- for money.
I don't particularly blame the players- who are very young and weak and may have been under pressure from the crooks- I just think it's sad and dispiriting. We create a beautiful thing- and Test Cricket is a beautiful thing- the most arcane and weird and multi-layered of field sports- and then shit all over it- for money.
