Posted by Test duck-scoring shortarse with a point to prove, Ravi Bopara, proved his point weeks ago. Ravi’s now had his point embossed on his batting glove and his systematically punching everyone in the face with it. If you don’t know that Ravi Bopara is serious about playing for England, you’ll see it indented in your forehead next time you look in the mirror.
This season’s first-class average of 85.66 is better than okay. His Friends Provident Trophy average of 91 is mighty. Hitting a one-day double hundred – 201 not out to be precise – is just supreme.
One-day double hundreds are rare things indeed. No-one’s ever managed one in one-day internationals and this was only the eighth in senior limited overs history. The most recent was by Mohammad Ali for Customs v Defence in Pakistan. Not THE Mohammad Ali, we’d guess – a different one who’s hit 207 of his 752 one-day runs in one innings.
The highest one-day score of all time was Alistair Brown’s barely-believable 268 off 160 balls for Surrey against Glamorgan. Even more amazingly, that wasn’t Ali Brown’s only one-day double hundred. Nobody else has ever scored a second.
To return to Ravi Bopara, we previously said that his failures in Sri Lanka might have brought a technical flaw to his attention. Apparently it did. We also said that that might prove invaluable. Bopara says he’s worked on a few things and has eliminated one of his ways of getting out.
That word again: ‘eliminated’. Strong words. Strong words backed up by increasingly strong performances.
It was all so easy at Christmas. Put Strauss out to grass, shift everyone up one spot, put Shah in at 6 in flannels and Bopara in PJ’s. Now Strauss is a cert for 18 months or more, it’s currently Bell making way i guess… but for who? Bopara’s still knocking and all the selectors seem to be huddled up against the other side of the door wondering what to do about him… He’s gonna do something excellent for england soon and for many more after that. Bet this annoyed Shah to boot.
Ravi was awesome at Canterbury in the FPT in April. Was smacking the ball to all parts of the ground on his way to 99 off 87 balls. Azhar’s expression as he hit yet another boundary summed it up perfectly:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=811023&id=673850755
KC, hope it’s ok to add photos occasionally???
ps If it annoys Shah to boot, then all the better.
Hee hee.
Huzzah for Ravi!
He’s looking special this season, and should be a shoo in for the ODI’s.
From now on, I shall refer to Mr Bopara as “The Eliminator”.
Ooh ooh Sarah Comma, what is the plaster on Azhar’s shirt about? never have found out for sure… I assume it’s a logo being covered up..?
Eliminator? Should he not get a Gladiators Awooga instead of a Huzzah then?
Sarah Comma, I’m not sure KC will get that. He’s a facebook refusenik (or so I’m led to believe).
Miss Comma, the mighty, mighty Durham are waiting for Lord Key and all his minions in the semi-final of the FP Trophy (if you can stop it raining long enough to smash Somerset, rain Goddess).
Looking forward to it
D(urham) Charlton
You can post as many links to the Facebook login page as you like.
I’m sure i’ll be back to pretending i don’t have an account soon enough too…
If Shah sees this and goes run scoring mental as well hopefully the selectors will realise that they don’t have to put up with amateur performances in the test team.
Balls to all parts of the ground – and look he does it with his eyes shut! By using the dark forces no doubt. Rav Vader!
Ain’t that the truth, Narkins. Monty’s last spell obscured the fact that the batting order is mostly rubbish atm and they were all reprieved. Think they are now being found out yet again.
Spigot, I think the plaster thing is possibly just an attempt at fashion, though if indeed it is covering something up (I’ve yet to find the time to search for similar tops amongst the 1000s of crickety photos on my hard drive), it would be because he can’t have any reference to Spitfire ale on his clothing.
Durham – bring them on! (Said she with trembly voice). Just gutted I can’t go to that either should we get through.
Btw, photos are posted from fb as I can do that more lazily than via photobucket etc.
Spigot, you know you’re enjoying fb..! We’d miss your cynicism if you left now.
But when was the last time that someone who had gone scoring mental in a county cricket ever selected for England?
Could be an interesting north of the River Derby starting tomorrow. Lizard tongue v the Eliminator go head to head
Durham v ……. Not only will I not be able to go, I shall be working well away from any computer or radio. Pah! Then again It could be more restful!
Well loads and loads of players have it. I remember that last season Jayasuria turned up in county somewhere with the wrong colour helmet with a vast plaster over the front, obviously just had to make do with his Sri Lanka helmet until they found him a proper one…
Suresh Raina’s top in the IPL had the wrong number on it, so one digit was covered by elastoplast.