Recyclers, Nazi eagles and acid attacks
Jamie Alter rewinds The Week That Was June 18 - 24
Jamie Alter
25-Jun-2007
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What a waste
When he's not playing for England - when did he last, anyway? - Marcus Trescothick does the rounds as the average friendly neighbourhood recycler. Trescothick has launched a "pledge to recycle" scheme which urges householders across the UK to refuse junk mail, buy goods with less packaging, and recycle and compose their waste. "It is important that we all do our bit and recycle our waste. Using the curbside recycling box is easy and can make a big difference in reducing the amount of waste that we throw away," said the main man himself. Meanwhile, Alastair Cook scores half-centuries for fun as England opener.
When he's not playing for England - when did he last, anyway? - Marcus Trescothick does the rounds as the average friendly neighbourhood recycler. Trescothick has launched a "pledge to recycle" scheme which urges householders across the UK to refuse junk mail, buy goods with less packaging, and recycle and compose their waste. "It is important that we all do our bit and recycle our waste. Using the curbside recycling box is easy and can make a big difference in reducing the amount of waste that we throw away," said the main man himself. Meanwhile, Alastair Cook scores half-centuries for fun as England opener.
Wickets and weddings
Shane Warne didn't waste time in bowling out Durham's lower order at the Rose Bowl last week, because he had a wedding to attend. Eleven for 33, and job done with the ball, Warne hopped across the English Channel to attend the wedding of James Packer - son of Kerry Packer, and now Australia's richest person - a gala event that would have had Robin Leach frothing at the mouth. "I'm looking forward to it. He [James] has been a friend for 15 years ... I hope it's a great day for him,'' said Warne before jettisoning off into the French Riviera. "I got them a present but I'm not going to tell you what it is.'' And that's the over.
Shane Warne didn't waste time in bowling out Durham's lower order at the Rose Bowl last week, because he had a wedding to attend. Eleven for 33, and job done with the ball, Warne hopped across the English Channel to attend the wedding of James Packer - son of Kerry Packer, and now Australia's richest person - a gala event that would have had Robin Leach frothing at the mouth. "I'm looking forward to it. He [James] has been a friend for 15 years ... I hope it's a great day for him,'' said Warne before jettisoning off into the French Riviera. "I got them a present but I'm not going to tell you what it is.'' And that's the over.
What's the point again?
A colleague who often shares ball-by-ball duties for Cricinfo with me said recently that he'd timed Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels bowling in tandem, and that if a batsman played out six dot balls, the average over was bowled in 90 seconds, much to his frustration. Lucky for him he wasn't furiously typing in Younis Khan's record 35-second over against Sussex last week. Yes, 35 seconds, as Yorkshire hurriedly bowled 5.2 overs in eight minutes to avoid being penalised for a tardy first-innings over rate. 'Ah, the things some folks will do for a point,' I can hear people in Durham - who survived by half a point last season - ranting.
A colleague who often shares ball-by-ball duties for Cricinfo with me said recently that he'd timed Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels bowling in tandem, and that if a batsman played out six dot balls, the average over was bowled in 90 seconds, much to his frustration. Lucky for him he wasn't furiously typing in Younis Khan's record 35-second over against Sussex last week. Yes, 35 seconds, as Yorkshire hurriedly bowled 5.2 overs in eight minutes to avoid being penalised for a tardy first-innings over rate. 'Ah, the things some folks will do for a point,' I can hear people in Durham - who survived by half a point last season - ranting.
Lunch is served
Rain, sand, insects and pelted stones have stopped play before, but smoldering gravy? That's what happened during Lancashire's game against Kent last week. As if overcast skies and the threat of rain wasn't enough, the pavilion had to be evacuated shortly after lunch. A pot of gravy got burnt, smoke billowed and two fire engines had to be called for. "It's happened before this season when one of the players burnt his toast in the dressing-room," a fire officer said. "Apparently this time it's the gravy." All was well eventually, as Lancashire wrapped up a comfortable eight-wicket win.
Rain, sand, insects and pelted stones have stopped play before, but smoldering gravy? That's what happened during Lancashire's game against Kent last week. As if overcast skies and the threat of rain wasn't enough, the pavilion had to be evacuated shortly after lunch. A pot of gravy got burnt, smoke billowed and two fire engines had to be called for. "It's happened before this season when one of the players burnt his toast in the dressing-room," a fire officer said. "Apparently this time it's the gravy." All was well eventually, as Lancashire wrapped up a comfortable eight-wicket win.
Midsummer's night Test
This is one time bad light didn't stop play. A motley crew of Nottinghamshire cricketers marched to Radcliffe-on-Trent Cricket Club at 4am, dug in the stumps, and played out an entire Test match. No, they weren't drunk or stark raving mad; they were just playing your average Summer Solstice Match. Yep, this year's Summer Solstice was marked by a sunrise-to-sunset match. Jonathan Agnew, the BBC cricket commentator, attended the match and termed it "particularly mad". "I love eccentrics - to play in the wind and wet and snow and everything else - there is something about cricket that attracts crazy people," he said. The owls must be interviewed for their take on the matter.
This is one time bad light didn't stop play. A motley crew of Nottinghamshire cricketers marched to Radcliffe-on-Trent Cricket Club at 4am, dug in the stumps, and played out an entire Test match. No, they weren't drunk or stark raving mad; they were just playing your average Summer Solstice Match. Yep, this year's Summer Solstice was marked by a sunrise-to-sunset match. Jonathan Agnew, the BBC cricket commentator, attended the match and termed it "particularly mad". "I love eccentrics - to play in the wind and wet and snow and everything else - there is something about cricket that attracts crazy people," he said. The owls must be interviewed for their take on the matter.
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Hair apparent
Lasith Malinga has perhaps the most deceiving bowling action among fast bowlers in the game, but it's his peroxide curly "afro" hair style that made the news this week. A 20-year-old man in Kandy who tried to bleach his hair like Malinga ended up in hospital with severe burns, according to a report in the Daily Mirror. The poor chap, one of many Sri Lankan men trying to imitate Malinga - named sexiest cricketer of the World Cup by the Barbados Sunday Sun because of his "eye-catching, blonde-streaked curly hairdo, eyebrow ring and tattooed biceps" - used two types of acid to dye his locks. The stylist behind Malinga's hair apparently said he took two days to create the look, but that may have been lost in translation to this eager-beaver fan.
Lasith Malinga has perhaps the most deceiving bowling action among fast bowlers in the game, but it's his peroxide curly "afro" hair style that made the news this week. A 20-year-old man in Kandy who tried to bleach his hair like Malinga ended up in hospital with severe burns, according to a report in the Daily Mirror. The poor chap, one of many Sri Lankan men trying to imitate Malinga - named sexiest cricketer of the World Cup by the Barbados Sunday Sun because of his "eye-catching, blonde-streaked curly hairdo, eyebrow ring and tattooed biceps" - used two types of acid to dye his locks. The stylist behind Malinga's hair apparently said he took two days to create the look, but that may have been lost in translation to this eager-beaver fan.
Hit-and-run cricket
As county marketing innovations go, this one was pretty slick. Take a group of unsuspecting office workers out for a quick game of cricket during their lunch break and get the Gloucestershire Gladiators to burst out of a Mitsubishi Jeep, in full kit, to play for an hour and speed off down Bristol's main drag. The 'guerilla cricketers' tactic, pulled off by the likes of Hamish Marshall, Steve Kirby and Jon Lewis, proved to be a hit, according to the club's media manager: "This was a great event, it was really embraced by the passing public and the players seemed to enjoy themselves as well. I am sure there were plenty of people who proudly walked back to the office to tell their colleagues about who they batted against during their lunch hour!" Bet the boss hadn't heard that reason for being late back to office before.
As county marketing innovations go, this one was pretty slick. Take a group of unsuspecting office workers out for a quick game of cricket during their lunch break and get the Gloucestershire Gladiators to burst out of a Mitsubishi Jeep, in full kit, to play for an hour and speed off down Bristol's main drag. The 'guerilla cricketers' tactic, pulled off by the likes of Hamish Marshall, Steve Kirby and Jon Lewis, proved to be a hit, according to the club's media manager: "This was a great event, it was really embraced by the passing public and the players seemed to enjoy themselves as well. I am sure there were plenty of people who proudly walked back to the office to tell their colleagues about who they batted against during their lunch hour!" Bet the boss hadn't heard that reason for being late back to office before.
Fly like an eagle
You may have heard that British bank Barclays have been requested by ABN AMRO, its Dutch merger partner, to do away with its 317-year-old eagle logo ... because the design apparently has Nazi connotations. "It is rather a Teutonic looking eagle," one insider said. As Barclays consider removing their eagle for fear of Nazi associations, an Essex spokesman assures the public that the Essex Eagles' logo will also be weighed up. "Essex will be looking into it very seriously. If it is considered that our particular eagle has any Nazi connotations then we will remove it henceforth." Playing with a straight bat, isn't he? But then, who would risk not being politically correct these days?
You may have heard that British bank Barclays have been requested by ABN AMRO, its Dutch merger partner, to do away with its 317-year-old eagle logo ... because the design apparently has Nazi connotations. "It is rather a Teutonic looking eagle," one insider said. As Barclays consider removing their eagle for fear of Nazi associations, an Essex spokesman assures the public that the Essex Eagles' logo will also be weighed up. "Essex will be looking into it very seriously. If it is considered that our particular eagle has any Nazi connotations then we will remove it henceforth." Playing with a straight bat, isn't he? But then, who would risk not being politically correct these days?
Quote of the week
"I can't forget the time he once told a team meeting - 'The day I stop thinking of money, I will stagnate'." Bishan Bedi on Sunil Gavaskar, his former Indian team-mate.
"I can't forget the time he once told a team meeting - 'The day I stop thinking of money, I will stagnate'." Bishan Bedi on Sunil Gavaskar, his former Indian team-mate.
Spotted: Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe playing a game of cricket with pals in a London park. Trigger-happy photographers lapped up Radcliffe, 17, using a bat over a broomstick, doing his best Andrew Flintoff impersonation with the ball, and finding a way to fit his abdomen guard into a pair of Levis. Not quite quidditch, what?
Jamie Alter is an editorial assistant on Cricinfo