Posted by Graham Manou finished his career with a first-class batting average of 25.49. He played one Test for Australia.
That Test was the third of the 2009 Ashes series, a heavily rain-affected draw that never really delivered tension at any point. Maybe there was a soupcon when Australia were 52-2 in their second innings and still 50 runs behind, but by God did that dissipate.
Manou batted twice. He made 8 and 13 not out and he also took three catches. His most memorable contribution to the game was probably his utterly perplexed reaction upon being clean bowled by James Anderson.
We’re not mocking here. He played one more Test than we ever did.
This Test – including Manou’s appearance in it – was in its own weird way highly ridiculous and that is what Dan Liebke and ourself talk about in the latest episode of our podcast. (We actually went to this match. We spent several hours at the ground and saw precisely zero cricket.)
There’s no need to sign up or subscribe or pay or download an app or anything. You can listen to the episode simply by clicking ‘play’ on the player thing embedded below. (Email readers: you’ll need to click through to the website to see this.)
You can also find Graham Manou’s Test nestled alongside its Ridiculous Ashes Series 3 brethren on this page.
I thought I’d left this comment already but it seems to have disappeared or perhaps been redacted for being TOO INSIGHTFUL
I was listening to the bit about ‘listening to podcasts at 1.5 speed’ at 1.5 speed. It is true that everyone thereafter sounds ponderous at ‘normal’ speed.
My top tip for entertainment when no other means are available is to listen to serious podcasts at 0.5 speed: everyone sounds like they are drunk
That is an EXCELLENT tip.
Incidentally, we can’t see that comment of yours in amongst the spam, which currently seems to be an unlikely mix of dating and sewing machines.
I have not yet listened to the podcast, but decided to write up the 2009 Heavy Rollers visit to this match ahead of listening to the podcast:
https://ianlouisharris.com/2009/07/31/heavy-rollers-2009-england-v-australia-at-edgbaston-30-to-31-july-2009/
I find it impossible to believe that anything more ridiculous occurred on the field that Charley The Gent’s experience in the front row of The Priory at the start of Day Two.
Not sure how much good it might do you, KC, but this is the first opportunity I have had to promote The Ridiculous Ashes in an Ogblog piece.
Much obliged.
I have now listened to the podcast. So glad that our “key ridiculous moments” are two sides of the same coin, KC.
Much in the same way as your angle on it has a “quintessentially Shane Watson” vibe, to enhance the ridiculousness, my angle is “quintessentially Charley The Gent Malloy”.
We’re sure he wasn’t alone in that experience.
I vaguely remember the ball that led to Manoo dismissal being pretty decent
Have we already had this exchange on Twitter?
It was a beaut. Angled in from wide on the crease, swung away, knocked out off.
“For me, it’s just about putting my emotional, mental, physical well-being in the position to put that energy and work in to be able to do that. It’s that link of being able to convince yourself to be in pain.”
Has Jo Konta been taking media lessons from Haydos?