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Our final King of Cricket appeared on the All Out Cricket website a couple of weeks ago. We didn’t link to it at the time because we thought it would get lost amid all the World Cup stuff. We didn’t want that to happen because it’s Shiv and you all know how we feel about Shiv.
Rickets, Chomsky, Shane Watson talking bollocks and the art of persisting for long enough that eventually the world changes shape to accommodate you. It’s all in there.
With the retirement of Afridi & Vettori Shiv is now also the last cricketer from the 90s still doing his thing, which is a bit sad.
Chris Read!
Dean Cosker!
Ah, but according to the sage of Pietermaritzburg, allegedly, the latter two are both Muppets.
Trescothick has been playing for Somerset since about 1992…
A couple of coincidences. Firstly, I didn’t realise that you were also at that 2007 Old Trafford match, KC. You didn’t mention it when I chimed in about it on your 2008 piece about Shiv:
https://www.kingcricket.co.uk/shivnarine-chanderpaul-bats-and-bats-and-bats/2008/12/20/
Second coincidence – your references to Chomsky – a subject I had not discussed in years but which came up over lunch with a friend only a couple of weeks ago. Seemed strange to then again read about it in your piece just now. Top serendipity.
Days three and five or possibly four and five. We can’t remember. Sitting in the stands probably didn’t seem so significant alongside your pivotal moment as Shiv’s mentor.
Not to take any gloss off the chief limpet or anything, but the one occasion someone else would’ve liked him to bat for their life, he lasted all of three balls:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/9006346.stm
“Let’s here it for King Shivnarine Chanderpaul.”