Honestly, you go for one lunchtime pint…

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And England give their coach the boot. At least that’s the case according to ‘reports’.

We’re not actually suggesting that the two events are linked. We’re just struck by the fact that we’ve been sitting around checking the cricket news once every four minutes for the whole of the last week only for something to happen the minute we step away.

A watched Cricinfo never breaks news, as the old adage goes.

Some of you are suggesting we should have some sort of official stance on this development, but, like we say, we have had a pint. It was called ‘long hop’ funnily enough.

There’s a suggestion that Flower might take up some other job within the ECB. Doubt he’ll be running the website, so maybe he’ll become ‘mega-director’ or ‘stategist emperor’ or something, in which case his not being coach will seem less significant. We don’t know. We haven’t even finished reading the article yet. We’ve been otherwise engaged.

OH NO!

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31 comments

  1. You’re no better clued up than those of us who have been refreshing Twitter for the last two hours. As usual it’s full of journalists clapping each other on the back for writing “exclusive” stories with no attribution or confirmation.

  2. Next time you’re tempted to nip out for a quick pint, please consider the consequences for English cricket first.

  3. If you must drink, please don’t stop with a pint. The minimum allowed ‘man-number’ is five.

    1. Not a bad pint. We went for it primarily because it was the weakest on offer.

      That’s how we roll. These days.

  4. Indeed we need more details.

    The name of the pub for instance…

    …and more about the beer.

    I take it you were partaking of this Cheshire ale:

    http://www.bollingtonbrewing.co.uk/our-beers/long-hop/

    Of course, there is a Bedfordshire ale named Flowers Original. How does Long Hop compare with that?

    We all need a break from cricket, KC, your followers are totally with you on this one.

    1. It was exactly that. Pale and hoppy and not at all unpleasant.

      Although we have had Flowers since, our impressions of it are forever sullied by the fact that a ‘creamflow’ version of it was what was served in a dingy nightclub in York we occasionally frequented some 15 years ago.

    2. Cricketers who are beers – go.

      Jimmy Adnam’s

      Kyle Abbot Ale

      Ian Bishop’s Finger

      David Boondoggle

      Chimay Anderson

    3. James Watney, Jim Cumbes, Chris Read, George Mann…this pun on beer and cricket history is assisted (two of the four) by the tendency back in the day for the offspring/relatives of beer barons to play first class cricket.

      Fred Truman’s

      Luke Wells

      Jamie Theakston’s Old Peculiar radio show

      Omari Banks

      It is certainly hard to top “Chimay Anderson” in the pun department…my best shot…the masterblaster himself…

      IPA Richards.

  5. Thanks for an interesting diversion when doing my online food ship, KC!

    How about….(apologies in advance for including lager and cider):

    Geoff Miller-Lite
    James Fosters
    Robert Crofter’s Apple Cider
    Carl Hooper’s Dandelion & Burdock
    Chris Old Speckled Hen

    Joe Root Beer?

    …and would Geoffrey Boycott count as Yorkshire Bitter?

    1. An excellent selection, if not an especially enticing night out. Tough on the stomach, we’d wager.

  6. jason gillespie’s
    chris old peculier (sic)
    collis kingfisher
    omari banks’s
    tino best
    bradley stout*

    *no idea who this is, but he’s in the cricinfo database..!

    1. no, i know you did. but of course i was typing while you were posting it, and didn’t see it until it was too late..!

  7. of course, we all seem to be forgetting the most obvious one: that well-known discarded offspinner, michael beer

    1. …and Will Beer.

      I liked your Tino Best idea btw – just to prove I’m not bitter about the earlier Banks’s clash.

    2. heh… see above.

      and carlisle best would work just as well, obviously. (can’t remember if they are related and can’t be arsed to look it up)

    3. Of course they are related.

      Cumberlandies Corby Ale – Carlisle Best…

      …and the take home variety…

      Tino Best.

      Although when I say “take home”, most people seem reluctant actually to take Tino home for some reason. People mostly partake out of doors and trouble quite often ensues.

      KC has written up the relationship between Carlisle Best and Tino Best, back in 2012:

      http://www.kingcricket.co.uk/carlisle-best-is-tino-bests-uncle/2012/05/16/

      …and if you can be bothered to go through the link I added from Lawrence Booth’s “The Spin” column in 2003 you’ll see that Mr Booth had some very amusing things to say on the subject more than 10 years ago…

      …very astute KC readers will spot the hidden Ged Ladd selfie in that Lawrence Booth link. Answers on an e-postcard!

    4. haha… oh yes of course. hmm, well, i hadn’t seen the grauniad piece before (most amusing), but i do recall reading that KC article now it is dangled before me again… which is a bit embarrassing really. that’s less than two years ago, so evidently my memory is not quite as good as i thought it was. (2012… my use of the funny green stuff got a bit out of control for a while back there. that’s my excuse… now, wonder what else i forgot?!)

      but how could i forget carlisle best commentating on his own shots? psych boys would love to get their teeth into that one i’m sure… the fragmented concentration involved in doing such a thing out loud *whilst actually facing* maybe hints at why he only played eight tests…

  8. Flogging a dead horse I’m afraid, but here’s some more nominations:

    Ivo Tennent’s
    Patrick Kidd Lager
    Graeme Thornbridge Wild Swann
    Nixon McCleantime London Lager
    Monty’s Sunshine
    Steven Smith’s Nut Brown
    Muirhead’s Pedigree

    I must point out I can’t stand beer.

    1. I’ve never had a pint of “Flogging a Dead Horse”. Sounds like an interesting beer.

      What’s it like, Montgomery?

  9. And you could get a Klusener’s Urquell in Prague. The bartender seemed to understand me since he probably thought I mumbled something intelligible in Czech.

    1. wtf

      not sure if that one is a “must try one day” or a must avoid at all costs”. but since i am unlikely to trip over it any time soon, i doubt it’s a choice i shall be pressed to make…

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