Posted by We did two things wrong in this piece for Cricinfo.
- We depicted Andrew Strauss as a socially disconnected toff, which is unfair and also something of a cliché.
- There are two dissatisfied Yorkshiremen in it and having once lived in God’s own county, we hate cricket’s Yorkshire stereotype and fear they are close to it. We’d like to emphasise that Stan and Des aren’t negative people. They’ve just got no time for those who get carried away by a bit of success and lose perspective.
The article might seem like it has a subtext. It doesn’t. It might also seem like we’re trying to make some point or other. We weren’t – but we’d be interested to know what you make of it. That link again.
Stan in’t even really from Yorkshire. He just started speaking like that for a laugh 28 years ago, felt he was more comfortable doing it, and since then he’s just too embarrassed to bring it up. Under similar circumstances, he never actually learnt Des’ name.
Sorry, nowt to do with your article, but how to put a positive spin on things.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/cricket/england-no-1-rank-good-for-aussies/story-e6frey50-1226114760366
Malcolm Conn seems like the kind of man I would punch in the face and apologize half-heartedly afterwards.
What stereotyping?
The comments are not promising so far. I’m worried that both stereotypes may have gone over the head of your Indian fans.
In the next one, can you please make a snide remark about Tendulkar being overrated. Hilarity is bound to ensue.
Also, on the subject of gloating, have you read the Argus review published by Cricket Australia
My favourite section is
1.4. Improve the Australian Team’s skills
Which basically says “We can’t bat, bowl, or field, our captain is shit and we have the wrong attitude”
On the subject of stereotyping, is it wrong to laugh my ass off at the term PCB Integrity Commitee in a Cricinfo headline?
The comments so far don’t seem like the typical negative Cricinfo fare. They are much better. So much better.
I am sure you know this and are secretly pining for this: you have truly arrived as a page 2 writer only when you get one of the following comments
1. Mr Bowden, I am an Indian working in Uganda and I must say you are the funniest(ed’s comment: yes, funniest) page 2 writer. One day I hope to meet you and give you a hug(ed: more intimate detailed descriptions of what the commenter wants to do with the author may be provided depending on the mood of the commenter)
2. Good effort You are not as funny as Zaltzman but if you keep trying, you can be second best
Bigoted Lancashire Twat
I’m pretty sure I had a pint of that when I was in Bolton.
I notice since becoming no. 1, KC, your posts have gone off considerably.It’s like you’re scraping for laughs now.
Does this normal service won’t be resumed until next year, when the next cock of the roost turfs England off the dunghill heap that has become Test cricket?
Let’s wait till Bopara bats and we can all have a good laugh again.
A pint of Twat seems just too much, give me something i can gulp down quickly any day.
Especially disappointing comments on Cricinfo.
Reading them made me feel as though I was sitting on a cloud directly above a flight path watching verbal aircraft going whoosh over other people’s heads.
I do quite like the one about Bresnan’s funny Welsh way of talking though.
Not apropos of the above, but I’m sat watching (sav blanc in hand) the highlights of a match that I also watched live, and it has made me come to the following conclusion:
There is nothing wrong with this England team/squad at all.
Absolutely nothing. I can’t think of a reasonable way in which it could be improved. OK, adding Shane Warne might help, or Malcolm Marshall, or something unreasonable like that, but in normal terms – absolutely nothing that I could wich to be better.
Several thousand people on verious message boards have been quick to dismiss test cricket as weak right now (see bitter Australians above). They are utterly wrong.