Posted by Most of us find that part of the joy of cricket is that there’s always something to talk about. When a match is in the balance, you can pick it apart for hours trying to work out which team’s more likely to win.
In the past, we’ve also found it easier to write about England losses. Again, there’s always something to say. England wins are what we want to see, but tight games and losses make life easier for us.
That was until we hit upon the ‘what are Australia doing wrong?‘ approach. Suddenly we could revel in England wins AND have something to say. What’s more, if England bowl the opposition out for 100 and then make 600-0, it’s better still.
All of which is our way is saying that even though England will be happier with the score in the fifth Test, we’d prefer it if they were already 200 ahead and yet to lose a wicket. Which is pretty obvious. Yes, we want to have our cake and eat it. What else are you supposed to do with cake?
We generally mention our hatred of cake at this point, openly inviting ridicule in the hope that the comments will save what is after all a fairly workmanlike update.
The meaning of the phrase is better expressed if you reverse the terms – i.e. to eat one’s cake and [still] have it. This would make it an everlasting cake, or if you like, an everlasting source of sweet joy. The parallels with this current Australian team are very strong.
And it would seem that British journalism also thinks it is easier to say something when England are in a tight position. Every report I have read / heard this morning has said that the match is finely poised, even-stevens and all that. Bollocks. Australia, in the patches when they have played well, have dragged this match back towards positions of not-too-bad for them, but they haven’t been ahead at any stage, and they will need to play very well tomorrow to make this match even. If England lose 7 for 120 tomorrow, this match will be finely balanced. If England lose 7 for 200 (which is more likely), we will be well ahead. Only Cricinfo, with its more international perspective, had it right (Australia Fight, But England On Top).
I’m with you on cake. Not literally next to you on top of some cake of course, that would be silly, nor together having both taken the well known ‘made up drug’. I just don’t like eating cakes much. Sorry for the lack of ridicule.
I concur with the cake too.
I’d much prefer to have my pie and eat it
They say that websites attract like-minded people, but this is unprecedented.
Finally we fit in.
Cake vs pie is a no-brainer. Pie wins hands down.
“what else are you meant to do with cake?”
other uses for cake
profiteroles – round so quite good for blocking up holes (so long as they’re round and profiterole sized of course)
xmas cake – quite good for knocking people out with especially if someone has left the lid off the tin and it’s gone all hard
battenburg – can be used to play draughts or chess on
carrot cake – for when you run out of rabbit food
I assume btw that if Boycott were making a cake, he’d take it out of the oven after 12 minutes on the ground that it probably wouldn’t rise anyway
I see that Lord Megachief of Gold and the Pretender to the Throne are having a ding-dong at the moment. (I make no comment as to which is who, but which one are you going to tell your grandchildren you saw play?) Steyn has 3-for-55, Tendulkar has 36 (I’ve ignored his first hundred runs – you can take them for granted these days). One of the great spells of fast bowling, it is being said.
Steyn vs Sachin truly makes for great viewing. But Harbhajan vs Steyn seems to be even better!
Shame Morkel had to spoil it, that was fantastic stuff.
Right, I’ll adopt the ‘what the bloody hell are you on about roll’ for this.
Dawg, price, string and KC. You are all so very wrong. I’ve got no witty retort to go with this statement I’m afraid.
Kirst. Profiteroles are a pastry, not a cake.
Bollocks. Role.
and i would have got away with it to if it hadn’t been for that pesky dandy dan and his pastry knowledge