gotta try n write a fucking poem
when i didnt even get to watch any of
the fucken cricket i had the radio streaming into the emerald hill library
where i was working figuring if warne made that century no one
ld complain about the noise
turned it off when he got out and
stayed glued to the wkt column ticking over
on the cricinfo ball x ball
it was shocking to watch
4 yrs ago the scg scriptwriters penned a blockbuster as steve waugh pounded a boundary from the last ball of the day to make a century in what many thought may have been his final test match.
there were moments today when the collaboration between these same scg writers and the warne scriptwriters seemed like it may have gone just too far – they tantalised the world with the almost real possibility of that century. at least they firmly planted the idea in all the minds. i was thinking of what i would write if it happened. THEYVE GONE NUTS! that was basically all i could think of.
it would probably have been enough.
theres nothing i hate more than a huddle. england love them everyday in everyway. theres nothing that expresses less about a team as a functioning unit. prescribed moment of bonding. england though are working another display of comraderie towards a similar level of hateful absurdity. today mcgrath bowled a delivery to flintoff that ripped back and beat the inside edge of his bat – cut im in half. collingwood came down the wkt and the two batsmen touched gloves. gideon haighs been counting englands glove touches – cook had 4 before hed even scored a run.
two great moments of commentary
1. today i listened to the radio. at one point okeeffe described flintoff as follows : eye like a dead fish
hes as strong as an ox
thats why they call him rhino
turns out okeeffe was actually referencing darren gough who when asked why his nicknames rhino said because im strong as an ox.
makes for an interesting series of substitutions and combinations in the signifying chain. dead fish…flintoff-ox-rhino-gough-flintoff…dead strong, dead eye, fish-ox-rhino, flintough-goff-flintough-goff
2. i think it was jonathan agnew who painted a portrait of justin langer standing at third slip :
arms crossed and his legs crossed
the kind of thoughful stance
a man adopts when hes dropped
a couple of catches
match the 3 couplets with their respective retiree
thumbs up
cleaned im up
v
arms crossed and legs
crossed
v
there is only one cricketer
along with him cricket retires
eastwood : the man with no name
among those who are poor
and belong to the country
drives across the s
and spreads the dust
to reveal an unmistakabl
e form justin langer
leads his mule out the desert the boy
has shed
his poncho i imagine his eyes
are streaming down m face
check out what the ashes poet in residence has been up to over the new year here
The hardest thing is not going to be able to walk out with Haydos again in a Test match – Justin Langer
“There are Warne and McGrath cakes in the press box,” reports Andrew, licking his lips. “And a Justin Langer profiterole mountain.” Bang goes another New Year’s resolution from our man on the spot – cricinfo ball by ball
didnt get to see any of the play today but i did get to see the cakes