The Buzz
Cricket's new six-legged ambassadors
Twenty20 cricket has brought all sorts of wild and whacky novelties into the game, changing the way it is presented, played and marketed, but the most recent innovation by the England and Wales Cricket Board’s PR team could well stump the lot
Liam Brickhill
25-Feb-2013
Twenty20 cricket has brought all sorts of wild and whacky novelties into the game, changing the way it is presented, played and marketed, but the most recent innovation by the England and Wales Cricket Board’s PR team could well stump the lot. To promote this year’s Friends Life t20 competition, the ECB has created a unique marketing concept called ‘cricketvertising’ which sees branding transferred directly onto live crickets - of the insect variety.
Miniature artist Aidan Campbell has been commissioned to paint the crickets using water-based transfers, and each of the 18 counties involved in the competition will have their colours painted on a handpicked selection of the game’s smallest six-legged ambassadors.
“I’m used to painting on canvases no bigger than a 1p piece but to brand a cricket was a whole new ball game,” said Campbell. “I had no idea how it was going to work to begin with but it’s been a lot of fun.”
Full postCricket's not rocket science anymore
Ever wondered how far back spectators should sit for safety if cricket were played on the moon
Nitin Sundar
25-Feb-2013
Ever wondered how far back spectators should sit for safety if cricket were played on the moon? Or what makes the ball reverse swing? You will soon have the answers to these, and a number of other questions ranging from the pressing to the outlandish, in a new book, The Physics of Cricket by Mark Kidger, published by the Nottingham University Press.
The publisher’s preview promises that the 200 pages will “improve games, ignite debates, explode myths, settle arguments and clinch pub quizzes from West Sussex to the West Indies; from The Oval, London, to its namesakes in Adelaide and Bridgetown. It reveals how players already employ anatomy in ways they didn’t realise, and can harness optics, mechanics, fluid dynamics, materials science, statistics, infrared technology, and acoustics to their advantage – if only they knew how.”
While he is not following and sending feedback to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentators, unfailingly before anyone else manages to, Kidger works as a rocket scientist with the European Space Agency. “For years, everyone from schoolboys to world-class cricketers have perfected their skills, often based on intuition – but, actually, physics,” Kidger says. “Now, for the first time, they can not only explore what’s going on as they enjoy playing and watching others, but improve their game through understanding the many factors they can influence.
“And perhaps have some fun along the way…”
Full postVaughan to trek the Great Wall of China
In May, Adam Parore conquered Mount Everest
Nikita Bastian
25-Feb-2013
In May, Adam Parore conquered Mount Everest. Now, another cricketer is set to take on a different colossus. Michael Vaughan will trek some part of the Great Wall of China in September, with wife Nicola – who came up with the idea, according to the BBC website – and about 20 buddies for company.
The trek, which is for charity, will take seven days. The group will follow the Huangyaguan Hills, go northwest of Beijing through the mountains, and up Heaven’s Ladder – a steep climb of over 200 steps.
Right then, any guesses who our next cricketer-turned-adventurer might be?
Full postWarne enters the bronze age
Shane Warne has been synonymous with the MCG for the best part of two decades, and now he's set to become a much more permanent fixture at the venue
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
Shane Warne has been synonymous with the MCG for the best part of two decades, and now he's set to become a much more permanent fixture at the venue. Warne was in Melbourne in Monday to be measured up for a statue to join other bronzed legends such as Don Bradman and Keith Miller outside the MCG.
And it was a much slimmer-looking Warne who had his measurements taken, compared to the chubby legspinner who took 129 of his 1319 first-class wickets at the MCG, his home ground. The MCC's sculptor Louis Laumen met with Warne, who will join Bill Ponsford, Dennis Lillee and several AFL stars and Olympians in being honoured with an MCG statue.
"Just finished measurement sitting for my statue at the mighty MCG," Warne tweeted on Monday. "Feel very privileged and honoured to join so many amazing and wonderful sportsmen in the way of a statue at the mcg - thankyou - humbled!"
And at least this statue, which is expected to be unveiled on Boxing Day, isn't subject to the whims of party politics. Last year, the Victorian premier John Brumby proposed renaming the Junction Oval, Victoria's second cricket venue, as the Shane Warne Oval, but his government lost November's election and it became unclear whether the new government would honour the commitment.
Full postLee's band set to release single
Brett Lee is all set to have Australia dance to his tune
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
Brett Lee is all set to have Australia dance to his tune. Literally. Lee, who returned to Australia post the IPL this weekend, plans to release a single by his band, White Shoe Theory, soon.
“We're going to launch our single shortly, so it's all happening. We're working out which one [song] we want to release first,” Lee told Australian newspaper, the Daily Telegraph.
Lee, who plays bass and does back-up vocals for the band, said apart from exercise, music was his key to feeling good. “For me, music is my outlet; the guitar is the first thing to be packed [when travelling].”
Full postCricket’s Clockwork connection
What’s the connection between a set of pristine, genteel cricket whites and the violent anarchy of Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 film A Clockwork Orange
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
What’s the connection between a set of pristine, genteel cricket whites and the violent anarchy of Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 film A Clockwork Orange? Actor Malcolm McDowell, who played the role of the psychopath Alex in the cult classic, has revealed that his ultra-stylish look in the film – in full whites with a giant codpiece - was inspired by his cricket gear. Actor and director were pondering over the charismatic delinquent’s possible costumes when McDowell said, “Well, I've got my cricket gear in the car. We could try that.” Kubrick loved how McDowell looked in the crisp white uniform and suggested that he wear the outfit's groin protector on the outside. The outfit and makeup went on to make Alex one of Hollywood's most memorable menacing young on-screen hooligans. The film was recently re-screened at the Cannes Film Festival ahead of a special 40th anniversary release.
Full postA woman scoring a hundred against men
Louth CC beat Market Deeping CC by 72 runs on the back of steely century by Arran Brindle
Nikita Bastian
25-Feb-2013
Louth CC beat Market Deeping CC by 72 runs on the back of steely century by Arran Brindle. So what’s the big deal, you wonder? Well, turns out Arran Brindle is a woman, playing in the ECB’s Lincolnshire men’s premier league. Brindle’s 128 is the first hundred by a woman in men’s premier league cricket in England, and possibly anywhere.
Brindle, who has represented England in nine women’s Tests and 58 ODIs, took a break from international cricket in 2005 to spend more time with her family. She will return to international cricket this summer, following her inclusion in England Women's 14-player squad for the 2011 NatWest Women's Quadrangular Series. In the interim, she captained the Louth first XI over three seasons.
“The timing of my innings means that my confidence is high going in to the international women's quadrangular tournament this summer,” Brindle said. “I have played for Louth men's first XI for several years now, and I captained the side in 2007, 2009 and 2010. It's a totally natural environment for me."
Full postParore on top of the world
Cricketers often say they feel on top of the world, but Adam Parore, the former New Zealand wicketkeeper, can actually claim to have been there
Dustin Silgardo
25-Feb-2013
Cricketers often say they feel on top of the world, but Adam Parore, the former New Zealand wicketkeeper, can actually claim to have been there. After nearly two months in Nepal, he has finally made it to the summit of Mount Everest. Parore, however, told Radio Live that the feeling is not all sunshine and roses. "In a lot of ways, it was quite disappointing at the time because you didn't just have the faculties to actually enjoy it," he said.
Parore had suffered altitude sickness during the climb, and had to abandon his first attempt at the summit due to bad weather. "It hasn't really sunk in yet to be honest ... the physicality of it and the sheer physical and mental commitment to make the top," Parore said after reaching the top on the second attempt. "I never expected to make the summit so it was quite a pleasant surprise to actually get there.
"But what a view mate. You can see the end of the world but it's just a shame you don't know what you're looking at. But everyone here who has climbed before says as time goes past you start to appreciate it more and more."
The 40-year-old Parore will donate all the money he raised by scaling the peak to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Full postTiger stopped play
To the list of cricketing stoppages, from the familiar 'rain stopped play', to the more confusing 'reflecting sun stopped play', the downright bizarre ‘stuffed toy stopped play’ can be added after an academy match at the Rose Bowl was held up by a
Sahil Dutta
25-Feb-2013
To the list of cricketing stoppages, from the familiar 'rain stopped play', to the more confusing 'reflecting sun stopped play', the downright bizarre ‘stuffed toy stopped play’ can be added after an academy match at the Rose Bowl was held up by a cuddly toy.
A stuffed toy animal brought a large-scale police operation in Hampshire after an alarm was first raised by a concerned member of the public who believed there was an escaped white tiger hiding in a field near Hedge End.
Officers were sent to the scene along with a helicopter and thermal imaging cameras, at about 1600 BST on Saturday. When no body heat was detected police moved in and found a toy tiger.
The match between South Wiltshire and Hampshire Academy was stopped for 20 minutes before they were given the all-clear to continue. A police spokeswoman said: "After a brief stalk through the Hedge End savannah, the officer realised the tiger was not moving and the air support using their cameras realised there was a lack of heat source. The tiger then rolled over in the down draft and it was at that point it became obvious it was a stuffed life-size toy.
Full postJaffa for Jaffna
High-profile cricket is all set to make its debut in Jaffna after years of a bitter and bloody civil war
Akhila Ranganna
25-Feb-2013
High-profile cricket is all set to make its debut in Jaffna after years of a bitter and bloody civil war. The Northern Province, of which Jaffna is the capital, is among the seven teams that will be part of the Sri Lankan Premier League (SLPL) Twenty20 tournament beginning on July 19. “The decision to include Northern Province as one of the teams was taken to promote the game in the region, where the talent pool has been largely untapped because of years of fighting,” Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Nishantha Ranatunga told the Indian Express. “Since the end of the war, we have tried to promote the game in the Northern and North-Eastern Province.”
There have been ongoing efforts over the past year to develop cricket in the region with plans to construct two turf wickets at selected Jaffna schools. “Over 20 qualified coaches have been working to promote the game through the Jaffna Schools Cricket Association and the Jaffna District Cricket Association. Former fast bowler Ravindra Pushpakumara has been in charge of coaching in the Northern Province over the past year and the talent is very promising,” Ranatunga said. Sri Lanka’s cricketers have been doing their bit in Jaffna with former batsman Aravinda de Silva having been involved in school cricket training programmes, while the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara were involved in relief efforts when the tsunami struck the region in 2005.
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