Posted by We used the term ‘echo chamber’ in reference to the UK cricket media the other day. That was in response to Joe Root worship, but it applies just as much to the way the Australia team is assessed.
Half the experts out there are simply rehashing the last thing they heard and a kind of woolly consensus is formed which isn’t necessarily all that well thought-out. There are certainly writers and pundits who have something valuable to contribute, but even they have busy days where they can’t help but take the occasional shortcut to an opinion.
It’s not their fault; it’s just the nature of the Ashes. The same people have to fill more column inches and greater airtime and for supporters like us, the wheat-chaff ratio becomes more challenging.
Partly as a result of this, we don’t feel like we’ve formed an accurate view of this Australia squad, so we’re going to stop and think about it over the next few days. We hope you enjoy the results of this, but remember kids: our views will be precisely as worthless as everyone else’s.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Your views are much more worthless than everyone else’s.
You’re right about the wheat-chaff ratio though. It makes it all the more satisfying when a George Dobell or Barney Ronay piece pops up. There are writers and then there are writers.
The consensus in the media seems to be that Australia’s squad for the 2013 Ashes has been galvanized. Apparently that’s what Darren Lehmann does for a squad – he galvanizes them. I assume this is done individually; I think they’d find it difficult to play properly if they’d been galvanized as a group.
But this isn’t just idle media speculation – this is a useful public service. I’m going to Day 1 of the Nottingham test, and it is expected to be sunny. I’m going to have to make doubly sure I have my sunglasses with me so I’m not dazzled by the sunlight refelcting off the shiny new Australian team. Alistair Cook would do well to take note.
gal·va·nize (glv-nz)
tr.v. gal·va·nized, gal·va·niz·ing, gal·va·niz·es
1. To stimulate or shock with an electric current.
2. To arouse to awareness or action; spur: “Issues that once galvanized the electorate fade into irrelevance” (Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.)
3. To coat (iron or steel) with rust-resistant zinc.
Are you suggesting that he’s electrocuting them? That’s insane! Only the PCB has ever done that to a cricketer before, and he was never the player he was before.
I am guessing Sam is thinking more along the lines of #2 — Lehmann is gently arousing them. To be fair, it’s not a bad strategy. Particularly early morning when you are half awake lying on bed. A little Boff-arousal and BAM!