West Indies can keep on dancing

West Indies can keep on dancing
Australia's coach Darren Lehmann had the good sense to take his punishment when West Indies greeted their victory against his side with a prolonged on-field dance routine. Considering they had not even qualified for the semifinals, Gangnam Style had arrived in Bangladesh a little early. 'We're in the entertainment business and if I could dance like Chris Gayle I'd be dancing every night of the week," said Lehmann.

Lehmann is actually surprisingly light on his feet for a big man, but he is at his most contented when dispensing wisdom while sitting on a bar stool. That wisdom should include the observation that as James Faulkner had expressed a dislike for the West Indies before the match, dancing seemed a wonderfully non-violent way for West Indies to get their own back. That plus a couple of bloodcurdling sixes in the final over by Darren Sammy. It was surely Faulkner's biggest misjudgement since he High Fived his own wicketkeeper, Brad Haddin, in the eye.

Fox Sports in Australia carried out a poll among its readers to discover if they found West Indies' dance acceptable. At the latest count, nearly 80 per cent said yes. Five per cent responded: "What's Gangnam Style?"

Getting ahead of the game
Cricket equipment continues to evolve, but not everybody is content with the alternatives on offer. Mary Waldron, wicketkeeper for Ireland women, has rejected the traditional cricket helmet and replaced it with something straight out of a Sci-Fi fi battle scene.

Waldron wanted to wear protection when standing up to the stumps, but finds the traditional cricket helmet too heavy and inhibiting whenever she dives around. Her answer was basically a steel visor strapped to the back of her head. Her face is protected, but her head remains largely uncovered.

She found the solution searching the web and it has proved well worth the gamble. When she bats she uses a traditional cricket helmet.

Cricket manufacturers looking for a new product could do worse than consider it. The Mary Waldron Helmet anyone?

Slow, Slow, Quick, Quick, Slow
The ICC has been quick to suspend captains for over-rate transgressions during World Twenty20, but the scheduling must also take its share of the blame. It has been fun in Chittagong, but South Africa's match against England took more than four hours to complete as endless interruptions to dry or change the ball because of heavy dew were compounded by two floodlight failures.

Graeme Smith, the former South Africa captain, piqued by the suspension of Faf du Plessis, was quick to make the obvious point. "Chittagong getting an over rate fine from ICC?" he tweeted from @GraemeSmith49.

Everybody knows that it is not just high temperatures which can cause discomfort, but high humidity levels because the high level of water in humid air limits the body's ability to cool itself by sweating. But the dew point is an even better measure. The dew point is the temperature at which this water vapour in the air condenses into liquid water. In Chittagong there has been a lot of it about.

This story is still not flagging
Bangladesh's flag law came under scrutiny in this column a few days ago when we reported that the BCB was complying with instructions to make sure that local supporters did not wave the flags of other nations during the tournament. Foreign flags were to be confiscated from Bangladeshi nationals before entering the stadium.

Imagine the surprise therefore when occupants of the media box were presented with their own national flags. There is barely a sportswriter alive who is not tempted by a freebie. Not being entirely conversant with Bangladesh's flag laws, however, no visiting journalist was seen to unfurl them.

In the last tournament in Sri Lanka, journalists were taken aback to be instructed to stand in silence for the national anthems. Now they are being encouraged with their own national flag. It can only be a matter of time before a man from The Sun takes to a podium at an opening ceremony to sing God Save the Queen in a rich baritone.

Health and Safety anyone?
Mention that selfies were being discouraged by heavy-handed security men brought us an email about further suffering imposed upon the cricket fan. Spectators in Chittagong have also been told that sunscreen and insect repellent is also banned. Given that it has been 35C and Chittagong is in a malarial zone it seemed an unnecessary hardship. Where are Health and Safety when you need them?