Posted by At the time of writing, Australia have made a solid start to chasing 400-and-plenty to win against Pakistan after losing ten wickets for 60 runs in their first innings.
We can’t at this point say what we expect the situation to be at the close of play, but it seems highly likely it will be a time for wide-eyed optimism. The very best form of wide-eyed optimism is when teams are chasing very big fourth innings targets and play ends for the day and everyone takes stock and loses all perspective.
At these times, the team that is highly likely to lose, pats itself on the back and says ‘maybe, maybe, maybe’ and they all say it to each other enough times that they get a little ahead of themselves.
The phrase ‘records are made to be broken’ is 50 per cent this and 50 per cent the professional obligation to try for a win (or at least a draw) no matter what the circumstances.
Records aren’t made to be broken. Records are made in the absence of a statistically superior event from the past.
Anyway, we’re very excited to see whether an Australia player says ‘records are made to be broken’. That’s the main thing that hangs in the balance in the final session – the possible saying of that phrase.
They’ve just lost three wickets for no runs. So all going according to plan.
This is very much an exploration of the exact point at which players finally become unwilling to say that records are made to be broken.
The thing about Australia losing ten wickets for sixty runs is that it matters where they start from. I’m not saying that it’s less of a thing just because they started on 142, I’m just saying that… no, actually that is what I’m saying, that, pretty much exactly.
Did I say I was there?
In this instance it is, of course, very much less of a thing. In another context – a wholly different one – you could argue it’s more of a thing because two of your guys have set the scene as being one where you don’t lose ten wickets for 60 runs.
But yeah, less of a thing here, obvs.
Records are made to be broken.
Coincidentally (and this is one of the stranger coincidences), I participated in the smashing of a world record earlier this week:
http://ianlouisharris.com/2018/10/08/another-day-another-guinness-world-record-broken-pending-official-confirmation-goodenough-college-8-october-2018/
Weirdorama.
It’s happening. Records are made to be broken.
Records were literally broken, and this is maybe the only time that nobody has said “records were made to be broken”. I think this means something, but I cant for the life of me work out what.