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We’re wondering whether we just saw the most unforgiveable dismissal of all time. There have been worse shots, certainly, but IJL Trott c Lyon b Johnson 9 ticks a lot of boxes.
First, there’s the backdrop. For months, the opposition have told you that you can’t play the short ball directed at your body, so you’ve had plenty of warning. You were then dismissed by just such a delivery in the first innings, so there’s confirmation that this is what’s happening and that this is how you’re at risk of losing your wicket.
Then there’s the field, with two men back. Don’t try and play the ball in that area. You are likely to get out. If you still don’t get it – which apparently you don’t – here’s a narrow escape as a little aide mémoire, the ball dropping between two fielders.
Now do you get it? Now do you get the phenomenal degree of risk that comes with your trying to play short balls to leg? You’ve been the coolest, most logical batsman England have had in years. Surely you get it? Surely?
“The brutal truth is he’s rattled.” Mike Atherton
It’s a tough game. If your dismissal looked inevitable, you don’t have a lot of time to work things out.
Watching this unfold on television brought feelings of helplessness and frustration not seen since Brian Lara Cricket where a false button press would see the batsmen setting off for singles even while the ball was nestling in the wicketkeeper’s gloves. This experience lasted longer though, so it was worse – albeit it wasn’t that much longer.
the horror… the horror :-O
it’s getting so i am scared to check the scorecard in the morning. could scarcely be worse.
hmmm, maybe i should whip down the bookies and stick a tenner on an aussie 5-0, just so i feel a bit better if that actually happens. but have i already missed the chance to get decent odds?!
His mind must be a complete shambles when facing Johnson He races inside every delivery.
Imagine how relieved Johnson is feeling that he HAS to bowl short fast stuff on the legside at a player. You could not make it up.
So does Flower have the balls to drop him?
Andy Flower most certainly does not lack in the balls department. But he won’t drop him yet because that would be premature.
Has anyone ever been able to get Brian Lara out on Brian Lara Cricket? I’ve always thought there was some favouritism written into the coding.
I always wondered how the computer could make the stumps fly, even with a spinner, but my quicks could only ever slightly move them.
Let’s not be too harsh on him. There’s no readymade replacement anyway.
Nice of the umpires to let the Aussies bowl as many bouncers as they like. Silly old rules. Let’s not let them get in the way.
That’s the best I can do I’m afraid. Oh and Swann’s first innings dismissal should have been a no-ball.
The ball that got Trott out in the second innings was hardly a bouncer. There may be rules about the number of head high balls you can bowl but the ribs are fair game at all times.
We managed to lose two wickets in the time it took me to check the score on waking (6 down), and make my way to my sofa (8 down). My flat isn’t big.
We got a text message from an Australian friend just before 6am. It read:
“You need to get out of bed and watch this. You have lost 4 for 9. Loving it!”
Actually, there were three exclamation marks, but we can’t bring ourself to type that.
Funny ideas about what might get us out of bed at that hour on a Sunday.
So what’s the title for today’s post ‘Kevin Peterson and the short ball ‘ ?
i feel as if i shd be wearing a black armband 🙁
Well that explains a lot. He’s gone home with a “Stress Related Illness”. Get well soon Trotty.