Posted by It’s just off camera, hovering. We can reveal that shortly after this picture was taken, Babar successfully ‘landed’ the pterodactyl – a feat that was greeted with a soft ripple of applause from those in attendance.
It’s a little-known fact, but Babar Azam is a keen pterodactyl wrangler in his spare time. He has practised the art since boyhood and will later this year undertake exams after which he could attain the status of Pterodactyl Wrangling Grandmaster, the highest title there is.
It may also surprise you to learn that Babar is not the only international cricket captain with an interest – although Australia’s Pat Cummins can only really be classed as an enthusiast.
Many believe Cummins has good potential though. You can get a sense of this in the image below.
While the big temptation is always to watch the pterodactyl, Cummins keeps his eyes trained on Babar’s fingers, hoping to pick up a few tips.
Contrast this with Aaron Finch who has completely missed a textbook demonstration of the high level pterodactyl luring technique known as “the claw”.
Finch was perhaps wary of ending up in the beast’s talons, but as we can see, he was wrong to fear this when in the presence of such a skilled practitioner.
You’ve missed it again, Aaron!
No pterodactyl wrangler has a 100% record, however.
Here’s the one that got away.
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The word on the Lahore streets is that the pteros (that’s how the locals call them) in the Waqar Hassan enclosure are generally better trained and more responsive to claw-calls. The ones in the Javed Miandad enclosure are absolutely horrible.
Thank you. That is the best article on cricket I have ever read.
So, this England test squad.
Ben: 3
Ollie: 2
James/Jimmy/Jamie: 2
A bit of variety wouldn’t go a miss. A Darren, for example. A Darren Stevens, for example.
Damning Pat Cummins with faint praise there, KC.
Would you have been quite so harsh had you not yourself suffered a mullering at the hands of the “mere enthusiast” Cummins in The Ridiculous Ashes 2013 Episode One?
https://www.kingcricket.co.uk/the-2013-ridiculous-ashes/2022/10/05/
It is so good to see international cricket again in the land of the pterodactyls. It really was such a long interval – I hadn’t realised quite how long.
Actually we were completely unaffected by that. His words didn’t touch us. We can easily assess pterodactyl wrangling ability with complete impartiality that is entirely uninfluenced by the verbal mauling handed out by that douchebag.
No way will Cummins ever make it at ptero wrangling, he looks fearful (pteros will sense that immediately) and far more intent on protecting the Cummins’ family jewels.
Whereas Finch is obviously pteros-watching (a rookie mistake) and has left himself wide open in that area, so to speak.