Frank Skinner often talks about there being different ‘seats’ for public figures. The premise is that there are certain timeless jokes which require a well-known figure with certain characteristics for the punchline and there always has to be someone to fulfil that role. The person may change, but the joke does not. There is a thick seat, a fat seat and a load of others we can’t remember off the top of our head.
The same applies in cricket. You want a cricketer who loves his food – you’ll probably still go for Mike Gatting. You want to say something about innocuous Kiwi all-rounders – Chris Harris.
We sometimes find need to call upon the person sitting in a seat which could be labelled: ‘Terrible cricketer who somehow keeps getting recalled to play for his country even though he is almost entirely without ability and there are plenty of better options available’.
Up until this week, that seat was occupied by Ajit Agarkar. But alas, no longer, for he has retired from cricket many years too late.
Which occasional international cricketer could possibly replace him?
The what now? Come on, you remember: The Alternative Test Cricket World Championship. We did…
Bert writes... Regular readers of this website will be aware that I have a standing…
Players and commentators talk a lot about playing each ball on its merits, but actually…
It's almost time to start looking ahead to the Ashes again, but before we get…
The 2023 Ashes has sogged and then at the last moment unexpectedly fizzled to its…
It's a weird feature of cricket that you can go out in style but then…