Andrew Flintoff retires from all forms of cricket. His announcement hardly comes as a surprise, but it is sad news nonetheless.
I don’t have a lot more to say about this right now.
Lets watch a video.
Over at paddlesweep.net they ran a poll on who is the most hated cricketer of them all. I voted for Stuart Broad, because even though I am England supporter, he really annoys the hell out of me every now and then.
But I don’t really hate Broad. I hate his manners when he gets frustrated.
Every time that happens – a bit to often – he transforms from a good cricketer into a spoilt little kid: questioning the umpires decisions, yelling at teammates, throwing the ball at the batsman who refuses to get out, it’s all in his repertoire.
But like I said, I support England and watching him bowl for them when he’s on song is very pleasing. And why hate a guy who is getting a lot of wickets for your team, right?
Also, Broad is at the centre of one my favorite cricket memories. Remember this overthrow?
“Ball of the Century”
It became recognised as being of considerable significance in not just the context of the match or series, but in cricket in general, helping to revive leg spin bowling.
It also inspired The Duckworth Lewis Method to write this little masterpiece:
I must have heard the song about a thousand times, but listening to it just now, I still love it.
The best thing about it are the lyrics. It is marvellous in how it is written from Mike Gatting’s perspective, how you relive the whole build up to that delivery, as if Gatting is digging up memories from his playing days, culminating in an outcry of “I hate Shane Warne!”
The greatest song on cricket ever.
For all the Yanks who think they invented baseball. And for all the Poms who think baseball is an American travesty.
Watch and learn:
Remember that interview that was stopped by rain? The completed interview is now online.
To me, the best part is about how Olonga had his heart set on a career athletics, and ended up being the first black man to play cricket for Zimbabwe.
Yesterday, I posted an interview with Imran Khan for CNN’s Connected the World.
Another former cricketer – Zimbabwe’s Henry Olonga, not so much a cricketing legend, but an incredible brave man – was supposed to be on the show last week, but alas …
Fitting though for a cricketer; rain stopped interview.
