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The plight of Ravi Bopara makes an interesting case study. He’s trying to establish himself as a Test cricketer and only Test runs will really persuade anyone that he’s ready.
He gets a series of ducks in Tests in Sri Lanka and gets dropped. He promptly makes a one-day double hundred. He has a bad run in the Ashes and gets dropped. He promptly makes a first-class double hundred in the second division.
Too good for one level of cricket, not yet ready for the next one up. Ravi Bopara is in limbo. At least now he’s batting in the first division. Is that more meaningful? We think it is and we’re intrigued to see how he gets on.
Maybe he can actually try and make his case by playing cricket rather than having to resort to public pronouncements about being keen, but not too keen.
oh. someone from the south.
No, it’s someone for the east.
Bah.
Who’s this chap then? Does he play down south? In Derbyshire?
Another Northerner! From up t’Essex!
It’s a shame he only presumably got one go at that photo.
I bet they took a second one and used this one anyway.